Anyone else shop all year for the holidays?

[phatchristy]

Yep, it's that time of year for me...the time I dive into the closets and open up bags of all that stuff I have bought over the last year to give away for the holidays. . And, nope, I'm not joking. I did buy a few things on black Friday (bread machine and coffee maker (ours broke these weren't for Christmas LOL), two doodle bears) but in general do all my holiday shopping the whole year.

I shop clearance racks and sales the whole year and put the goods in the guest room closet (hope the inlaws haven't been snooping in there or they've seen the picture frames they're getting this year LOL) .

Not only does it same the craziness of holiday lines, but everything I got was super cheap. I figured it out and with all the clearance deals I've spent less than $30 per child ...but I got everything so cheaply that they're getting REALLY nice stuff. They had an 82% off sale a couple of months ago at a department clearance center, and I bought many nice clothing sets for my girls (she loves DORA) and these adorable dress up bears for only a couple of dollars. DH is getting two golf shirts, regularly $55 for $9.00. I also got him some brand name silk ties for $4, and a couple of collegiate baseball caps for $2.50. My inlaws are getting some holiday stuff I bought last year after the holidays when it was 70% off. Really nice stuff though actually . I am also crocheting my dds some flip dolls (which I am almost done with and I did with scrap yarn so that's just a labor of love really, no cost).

Am I the only one who does this?

[amj'smommy]

I do this too!! Not only for Christmas though but for birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, pretty much any occasion where I might need a gift. Not to say though that I don't do any Christmas shopping around the holidays but if I see something at a fantastic deal I'll grab it up and store it away until an occasion arises.

[organicmommy]

When we have the money this is what I do. There have been plenty of years that other than a couple small things I was completely done way before the holidays arrived. It really saves me a ton of money when I can do it and it also is great to not have to deal with the Holiday rush and just enjoy the Holidays.
I really want to wrap up the few gifts we have for under the tree but I am not sure if dd will leave them alone. SO I did wrap up 2, ones hers, ones my nieces last night and so far she hasn't touched them but I want to give it a few days before I do anymore!

[phatchristy]

Oh, yep, I do that for all the birthdays too and other necessary holidays. I usually have a few gifts hanging around for impromptu birthday parties as well . I actually started wrapping gifts here yesterday (my DD's birthday is actually first before Christmas) and I am looking forward to a nice relaxing Christmas Eve (last year I was up late wrapping ), I wrapped and put everything in a bag and have it stashed (with the door locked) in our spare room!

[Starr]

This is what we do, it helps tremendously since around Christmas is when Dh stands a better chance of being laid off, and guess what today is his last day of work. I stash all mine in our front closet and review it before buying to see if I already have something for that person.

[Imvishta]

I've asked about this in other gift giving-related threads. I've always done so, but DH doesn't get it. We've always called it the Gift Closet, and kept things especially for more impersonal birthdays or for births and such (e.g. classic gifts which can easily be regifted if needed). The only problem with doing so for others these days seems to be the whold gift receipt issue. I still feel funny about the gift receipt, and if you buy something way ahead of time you can't use them? Oh, but what I'd asked previously was "Is this a Southern thing?" My husband thinks it is. (I'm from Georgia; he's originally from New Jersey.) I'm really thinking his perspective is more from his own family's "odd" gift giving style rather than any geographic issue.

[cappuccinosmom]

Me! I have a gift shelf in my closet where I stash my finds.

[BetsyS]

I buy all year, too.

[mightymoo]

I did a little bit this year, I was on the lookout this summer for christmas gifts and I got some really good stuff at the after halloween post-"harvest" sales. I would like to do more of that this year. When you buy, do you just look for good stuff at a great price or do you have someone in mind. How about sharing your thinking?

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

I did a little bit this year, I was on the lookout this summer for christmas gifts and I got some really good stuff at the after halloween post-"harvest" sales. I would like to do more of that this year. When you buy, do you just look for good stuff at a great price or do you have someone in mind. How about sharing your thinking?

Well, I sort of go by what the people like. I don't buy just to buy. Just because something is cheap doesn't mean something is a good value. My daughters love Dora and Care Bear, DH likes thomas for my son. DH is a big football fan and loves sports. I like Ralph Lauren clothes, some Donna Karen and wee...so, when I see something I REALLY like.

I don't really go shopping a lot, but I know when the big clearances are...so I look when I'm there. But I don't just get stuff because it's cheap as it has to be stuff that we'll use. I don't like a lot of clutter really. BUT, I'll say I am giving the girls some stuffed animals this year (doodle bears) but I sort of think of them as creative as well. We're cleaning out old toys (extra toys) that they don't use so I am sort of justifying it.

[mightymoo]

BTW, when I said cheap I meant a good value, not just some junk because its $1.

I just worry about buying something that I won't be able to gift later and the money going to waste. However, I think I will do some birthday shopping after christmas for the kids who all have spring birthdays.

[boobybunny]

Yes, I do, but my best find this year was on Saturday.

My husband is 6'3" and about 260... big boy!

I found at JCPenneys, a docker's wool car coat, originally 160, 50% off, PLUS I had a 75% coupon, PLUS another 5% off for using a JCPenney card. I think I paid 15 bucks for this jacket. Then took myself over to the customer service, and paid the balance of my card.