Christmas Shopping

BabyRut2015

So it's only barely October, BUT with all of us due so close to Christmas I'm wondering if anyone is taking extra steps to get it all done early? I'm due jan 10th so I could very well deliver before or right around Christmas.

Also, in trying to do this myself, I'm frustrated because no one had Christmas sales or deals yet lol. I'm definitely staying on the cheaper side of things with all things considered....in other words.... baked goods will be part of your gift this year family members, ok? Haha

acevans1315

Totally agreed. I'm due Jan 2nd and am loathing getting any sort of Christmas shopping (let alone wrapping) done! Online shopping it is... Santa this year=Amazon Prime! Haha! Seriously though

scbella07

I was thinking more of the lines of Cyber Monday and maybe Black Friday shopping. DD Jan15 I just can't this year.

kodariah

I am due on the 5th but my dr says she'll probably take me on the 29th so I'm taking care of Christmas before I have to worry about last min baby stuff. I'm just doing sweats for all my family members this year and brownies in a jar for people other people and I've already been buying them to. I'm only going to get to make it to my families Christmas this year though since my DH family lives 2 hours away and I'm not traveling being 39 weeks, so I'm not worrying about there Christmas until after the baby is here. I am kind of crazy though and if there are awesome baby deals on black friday I think will fight the crowds for them, if I'm feeling up for it.. haha...  

CBWifey

Disney store is a big one for me...online! They'll start deals the week of Black Friday and they are really good. I have not needed to physically go, with their deals online. And cyber Monday isn't better than actual Black Friday online for them atleast.

juneandboo

I'm about 1/2 done with Xmas shopping. Just don't want to be super preggo and dealing with holiday crowds or stressing about getting it done. Also helps spread out the cost a bit!

MrsB915

I'm working on it and want to be done by the week after thanksgiving (US), earlier if I can but I'll wait till back Friday if I'm looking for particular deals. If I remember correctly sometimes you can find online previews of what the deals will be before the ads come out.

I have a list of gift ideas and family member sizes saved on my phone so if I see anything while I'm out I can grab it. Also I've been hunting sale racks, especially for kids toys.

I'm also going to try to start wrapping in small batches as I go. I love the gift wrap part and hate being stressed out by a huge pile.

I like @BabyRut2015 idea of baked goods and @kodariah idea of brownies in a jar! I may have to steal them :-\" the ideas, of course, not the actual baked goods!

ChrissyD1203

I started early but totally plan on finishing up with online shopping. I love getting packages in the mail! @BabyRut2015 are there really holiday deals? I never know for sure..... If it's a sale or they just jacked up the price first haha.

rainybabe82

I've started and am taking advantage of km art layaway. We've decided to keep it minimal this year but my husband laughs at me when I say so... He knows me so well! I hope to be done on black Friday but knowing myself I'll still be buying through out December.

UptownPearl

I've purchased a few and been looking and making lists. I have no desire to fight the traffic and crowds while exhausted and huge so my goal is to be 100% done shopping by thanksgiving. I'll start wrapping once they put out pretty paper.

I also don't want to be out buying baby stuff at that time because crowds stress me out a lot, so I'm trying to be all stocked up with everything I need by thanksgiving. I don't want anything on my plate for December except Christmas parties, work, and making freezer meals.

erincjackson

I've already started. With 3 kids already being organized is essential and I am not going to want to shop being huge in the cold. I have a spreadsheet and budget for everyone we buy for and I do as much online as possible. I should done before Thanksgiving minus wrapping.

BabyRut2015

I'm usually on it already just because, but I guess with all the distractions I haven't started lol.

I made this salted caramel chocolate chex mix stuff, put it in pretty xmas tins, and everyone goes nuts over it.....and it helps save money. For half his family it's a bottle from the liquor store plus the tin--done.

kmcc14

BabyRut2015 said:

I'm usually on it already just because, but I guess with all the distractions I haven't started lol. I made this salted caramel chocolate chex mix stuff, put it in pretty xmas tins, and everyone goes nuts over it.....and it helps save money. For half his family it's a bottle from the liquor store plus the tin--done.

Um, that sounds delish!  I will definitely be using Amazon Prime and snagging free shipping deals on Cyber Monday.  I want to do as much of my shopping online as possible.

ChrissyD1203

I'm obsessed with Amazon Prime- I use it at least once every other week.... But then I worry if it's bad I use it because of all the rumors about how the Company treats its workers (I've never looked into it -- I think partially because I'm afraid of what I might learn), so each time I say to myself that this is the last time I will use this, but sure enough I find myself right back on there the next week. Has anyone tried any of the new alternatives / competitors that are popping up?

stephanienjer

I've picked up a few things already. As with PP, I have three stepsons, and don't want to leave that until the end. Also, it's less financially stressful if I do $20 here and $20 there, as opposed to all spending the month before the baby. 

I've been trolling Zulily daily, and we love shopping at Tuesday Morning. When you shop this early, I think it's best to take the approach that you just have to see what jumps out at you. You can't go in looking for the latest craze. This may be a little easier for us, because the most expensive items are all electronics, and we have had screen-free Christmases the last 3 years. 

Closer to Christmas, we will also take advantage of our Amazon Prime account, but hopefully only to take advantage of deep discounts.

Monilee1017

I normally do most of my shopping online so it won't be a big deal. I will say the worst part for me with my first, due December 28th, was wrapping.

bdamico123

I have already begun shopping because I am due 1/14 but you just never know! I have decided I am doing mostly online shopping and I am not wrapping this year, I am buying all Christmas bags to put gifts in.  It is going to be tough for me because Christmas is my favorite time of year and I am going to miss out on all of the fun stuff like shopping and my annual Christmas party.  But it will be all worth in the end when I see that beautiful baby!!

Wicked4589

In the last few years I decided to start baking for people instead of buying gifts. I find people love homemade cookies and a pan of from-scratch lasagna a million times more than a sweater. So I plan on doing that again this year. And if I go into labor before I have time to make everything, I'm sure my family will understand.

Leah6120

We're definitely a cyber Monday family.. last year my husband and I split the list of family members in half and got on amazon and knocked it out haha. But we have big families and none of them live where we do so baked goods won't really work for our case.

Cejiml

I'm due on January 2 so I've already done most of it. All of my nieces and nephews now just have our parents. I didn't want to deal with it later on. I'm a stm and I know how big I get and dealing with crowds etc just did not sound appealing to me at all.

ambercakes92

We have the same due date!

I've never been much for gifting, truthfully, so I'm not that worried about getting it done early. All my money will be spent on getting baby gear, which will hopefully be done by the end of November (for the most part). I can't handle shopping crowds! Omg now I'm thinking of how awful Black Friday will be, but those will be some awesome sales...so nvm maybe I'll do my shopping early after all haha. All it's gonna take is one person bumping into me while pregnant before I lose my mind on them.

katiedid0907

I agree! I already told hubby we need a strategic plan this year. I am just not going to stress myself out with gifts of spend hours waddling around crowded stores. Love the homemade gift ideas!

stephanienjer

When do you all have time for baking or cooking for gifts? I barely have time to put dinner on the table and make school lunches between soccer, track, and flag football practices for my older boys! We won't even talk about how long that one load of laundry has been sitting in the dryer.

MrsB915

@stephanienjer I get together each week with my mom, sister and my brother's gf to watch Grey's Anatomy while dh stays home with ds. So last year we all go together and my little cousin joined us. We each brought a few recipes we wanted to make and baked/ made candy for 4-5 hours. When we were done we all split everything so we had a big variety of sweets for our gift tins. It was a ton of fun and we plan to do it again this year. I think I'll make all of my doughs ahead of time this time so I can get even more done

J3sp

I started in July. My daughter's birthday is right before Christmas and with this one due Jan 7th I had to start early. Almost done. Trying to figure out a couple more people. My goal was to be done Dec 131st, but should be finished by the end of this month!

l4rk

ChrissyD1203 said:

I'm obsessed with Amazon Prime- I use it at least once every other week.... But then I worry if it's bad I use it because of all the rumors about how the Company treats its workers (I've never looked into it -- I think partially because I'm afraid of what I might learn), so each time I say to myself that this is the last time I will use this, but sure enough I find myself right back on there the next week. Has anyone tried any of the new alternatives / competitors that are popping up?

I'm also a huge Amazon Prime fan. I've read horror stories about that company, but I've also read horror stories about mine--and it's not that bad, so it's possible things are exaggerated. I'm also of the opinion that people enter into an agreement every time they exchange their time/skills for money; your job is a mutual trade. If you truly hate what your employer is offering, then get a different one. If you can't find a different one, then maybe the trade isn't as bad as you think it is. (<-- I'm talking first world working conditions...)