A Christmas Progress Report

[Leta]

Done:

All Christmas decorations and ornaments purchased

All presents for DD purchased

Two presents for DD wrapped

Four and a half presents for DSS purchased

One and a half more presents for DSS picked out

Four presents for DSS wrapped

Liquor for gifts fermented and strained

Money Spent So Far: $180


Yet To Do:

Order DSS's office toys ($30)

Walk to hardware and buy magnets for DSS ($5? $10?)

Receive DD's puzzles via mail (already paid)

Cut out people and pets for DD's felt board (the rest is done, already paid)

Dye DD's playsilks (already paid)

Buy small tablet of construction paper to go in DD's lapdesk ($1)

Wrap lapdesk, feltboard, puzzles, playsilks, office toys, and magnets and magnet finder ($0)

Buy and decorate Christmas tree ($???)

Make wreath ($0)

Bottle liquor ($0)

Make gift baskets for friends and family ($???)

Decide if we are going to do Christmas cards ($???)

Decide if DH are getting each other presents ($???)

After Christmas, go to Target's clearance and buy wrapping supplies for next year ($20)

Total Money Left in Budget: $320

This is the first year in 10 years that I have celebrated Christmas. I have never been the adult Christmas orchestrator. We had no decorations at all. We set ourselves a $500 budget for everything. My mom sent us a box of ornaments and decorations, and we bought a tree stand, tree skirt, tablecloth, glass bulb ornaments, and four strings of WORKING Christmas lights at Vinnie's for $9.50. We have spent $160 on gifts for both kids, with $36-$41 left to spend, so we have hit our "$100 per child" budget right on the head.

This is my progress report. I have a lot left to do, and feel like I should get off the computer!

[Marcee]

I have finished shopping for:

Briar
Barrett
Creed
Niece
Nephew

I have one gift to buy for
Savara
Nephews 2,3,4, and 5
My Mom
MIL
FIL

I need to buy for
Grayson
DH

I have not wrapped anything...lol

[Leta]

I dyed DD's playsilks last night- they turned out beautifully.

I've discovered that I have a knack for making reusable gift boxes. I started out using shirt boxes, but I have since progressed into making my own boxes out of posterboard or other heavy paper, or cutting and taping cardboard.

The method for making posterboard boxes came straight out of the Tightwad Gazette, and making cardboard boxes is pretty easy, too- basically, you find the size box you want, then you find some spare cardboard and some packing tape (which works better than duct tape) and get a utility knife, then cut and tape the cardboard together to make a lid.

I've been covering the boxes with old vinyl wallpaper that I found at Vinnie's, old vinyl tablecloths that I found at Vinnie's, and contact paper. Contact paper is self adhesive, hot glue works best on the tablecloths, and doublesided tape works best on the wallpaper.

This seems obvious, but you need to wrap the bottom and the top of the boxes separately.

To use, lay tissue paper inside your box (to cover tape/glue seams) put gift in, fold tissue paper around, put lid on, and then use wide, reusable fabric or decorator ribbon to tie the whole thing together with a big bow.

This year, I'm only making boxes for gifts that we are giving within our household, but I'm thinking I may branch out next year. I'll save a little money on wrapping paper, anyway. And some trees.

[kijip]

Well, I gave in to my son and husband's desire to put up a tree early so we are decorating the house this weekend. We bought the tree last night. As a decorate on Christmas Eve sort of a gal, this is hard for me. But my son saw my brother and his husband's tree and really wanted his own. I figured, might as well make the tree be worth its cost. It brings him a lot of joy and I don't think he will tire of it. I bought the wreath and poinsettias from my charity that I work for (not cheap, but for a good cause) and we got the tree from a local farm. We got extra greens and holly via work and at the lot from free. We don't have to buy any thing else for decorations, since we have tons of lights and ornaments. Last January, knowing we were planning on buying our first house over the summer, I stocked up on outdoor high efficiency lights for a few bucks. We have enough to do the whole three story townhouse exterior with fancy star and other shaped lights and I spent less than $40 on them total (80% or more off markdowns).

For presents I have almost finished shopping for my son. The last thing is the doll house he has his heart set on. There is a store that is clearing out that brand of house, so I am waiting for a markdown. Already got the furniture used here and there or on 40% mark down. I sold his Kettler trike and used that money ($60 for a 3+ year old, small simple trike! to buy him a 2 wheel bike so he will be one excited boy that morning, even though it did not cost me any extra (basically traded the Kettler for a bike).

Other than that, I have very few people that I need to buy for:

-Husband-not done, but gift is picked out and cheap (we have a rule on this).
-Mother - done
-Father - no idea what to get, per usual
-MIL - done
-Brother and his husband - not done, but gift is picked out.
-Niece - done
-Nephew - done
-2 families we are sponsoring for the holidays via my work - partially done This is a group effort that my friends and I do in lieu of gifts to each other.

Still to do:

Need to send out email invite to my non-holiday holiday party in a couple weeks. Potluck with everyone bringing a BAD tv show to play in the background. Bought my share of the food, and vodka , already.

Send out cards

Make brown sauce and bottle it up to give to friends and family. Cheap as all of the stuff (old veggies, butter bought on sale, stock) is in the freezer already to make it except for a big bottle of mustard I have in the fridge. Have little bottles and jars to give it out in as well.

[polyhymnia]

I ordered my tree yesterday, should be here next week (I use LL Bean Coupon dollars from my credit card to buy one of their table top versions - I had enough coupon dollars this year to buy the taller, pre-lit one and I am so excited!!)

Done
a statue for my uncle (arrived Tuesday)
a scrapbook for my aunt (on order - should get monday)
plane tickets for brother & his girlfriend
ski gloves for brother (arrived yesterday)
wok for brother (DP's mom is buying this weekend with her store discount)
hand-knit hat for his girlfriend (just need to weave in the ends)
down booties for mom (arrived last Friday)
hand-knit hat for mom (need to weave in ends)
hand-knit mitts for mom (need to weave in ends)

To do:
goat for dad & stepmom (oxfam.co.uk - comes with a magnet too!)
goat for DP's parents (oxfam.co.uk - comes with a magnet too!)
hand-knit legwarmers for mom (1/10 finished)
gifts for DP's parents - undecided - waiting for list
gifts for dad & stepmom - not sure what else, I think some books perhaps
Gifts for DP - need to talk to his mom to see what they are getting him then I'll get some things off his list, still trying to come up with 1-2 surprises
Gifts for our adopted family at work - need to get a few outfits for an infant, and hat/glove/scarf sets for mom and dad.

[~Megan~]

DD-
Stocking *done* (owl pen w/compass and magnifying glass, fingernail polish, bath toy, wooden fish top, small book)
Pajamas *done*($10 at Children's Place)
Book *done* ($0.49 at Goodwill, new hardback condensed "Alice in Wonderland")
Toy *done*(Brand New Boogle Jr. from Goodwill $2)
Total: $20

DS-
Stocking*done* (fish top, small wood cars, organic lollipops, Boardbook)
Pajamas*done* ($10 Children's Place)
Book*done* (Bob the Builder Boardbook $1)
Toy*done* (wood transporter truck $12)
Total:$25

DH-
Game*done*
Book*done*
StockingStill working

Mom-
Jeans*done*

Dad-
Knit hat *done*

Sister-
Earrings *done*

Brother-
No ideas! still working

Niece-
Babylegs *done*

Nephew-
B is for Beavers book still working

Teachers-
Half done with soaps wrapped in handknit face cloths still working

Aunts-
Homemade lotion, waiting on supplies in the mail still working
Pictures of the kids *done*

Mil and Fil-
Book from Shutterfly, haven't ordered yet still working

Grandpa-
Pictures of the kids *done*
Sugar Free treats (diabetic) still working

Friends-
earrings *done*
lotions still working
handknits still working

[MorganRiley]

I made my photo cards, got them printed, envelopes addressed, stamped and mailed them out yesterday

I havent done ANY shopping at all...but we are keeping things simple this year...just stockings for our three kids...and sending $ to the neices/nephews...and doing cookie baskets for the adults we need to give to.

So I do have lots of baking to do...but will wait until the last minute so its fresh!

[Leta]

Does anyone have any feelings about Christmas cards? I cannot decide if we're going to do them or not- the postage alone would cost $20+.

I am really into cards. I've done Christmas cards for my parents, and invitations for weddings and stuff. I do caligraphy, and decorate the envelope, and put a wax seal on the envelope flap. It's fun, and I like doing it, and people always seem to love the cards.

But it seems much more frugal (not to mention green) to just send out emails.

Thoughts?

[Mallori]

Leta, i'm on the same page as you. There are a couple of people who really like to get the photo cards from us, but mostly, I'm betting they go in the trash/recycle.
We are getting our tree today, i'm going to take some pictures of the kids, and have my sis take a family photo (it's snowing, we're supposed to get 6-9 inches, so it's beautiful here right now) and then have copies made for those who enjoy them.

I'm not a card person, AT ALL. My biggest fear is insulting people, but for me, it's not worth the $$.

[CandyApple]

I'm a card person, we send lots to extended family and friends. Receiving them is one of the delights of the season to me, especially if there is a personal note in them. Can you narrow your list down to those they'll mean the most too? That would help cut the cost... I admire your ambition and creativity to do all that for each one. Personally, I'm not crazy about the email kind, I'd just do nothing at all.

Off to do mine - Amanda

[kijip]

I like getting picture cards, and I send them too. I have a HUGE extended family but they are all out of state. To me is is worth the 40 bucks in postage to get them at least one picture of my son they can hold in their hand. I know that a lot of them end up in people's photo album, as do theirs in mine. Otherwise, we might not recognize each other is we walked past each other on the street, LOL. Just my 2 cents.

Now form letters? Ugh...that is my Xmas pet peeve. I wanna see your kid, not hear about your big promotion at work or your new boat. Wanna tell me about the promotion? Call me on the phone. Wanna tell me about your boat? Invite me for a boat ride. To say nothing of the oddly uber personal details that end up is some of those poorly written letters. Once received one that described in great detail the CSI like details on a hospital visit. :