3 months left to Christmas

so who has started the gift list and who has finished it ?

 

Started but not finished. Bought the wife a new iron and ironing board. A Hoover will be on her Christmas list too. She wants an eternity ring, but the iron and Hoover will give me more pleasure.

 

Christmas is only one day...I am not worrying three months in advance about it.
Then I might as well have a piece of furniture just for Christmas stuff like they do in Iceland, which takes a huge amount of space in the room.

 

We've bought and will be posting the presents surface mail for those in New Zealand and America. Only because Next had a sale last weekend, flogging off their Team GB merchandise dirt cheap, so we got some fab bargains for ex pats!

 

Here's my "season's" family schedule: 25th Dec, Christmas Day (yay!); 30 Dec, Mr Mum's birthday; day off; 1st Jan, daughter's b/day (day off) 3rd Jan, son's birthday.

As much as I miss them dearly, it used to be:-
25 Dec - Christmas
26 Dec - mother's b/day (rip)
30 Dec - Mr Mum + his father's birthday (rip)
1 Jan - Dd's b/day
3 Jan - ds's b/day
4 Jan - nephew's b/day

It has *never* been a "one day" event on my calendar

 

I jumped off the Christmas bandwagon five years ago. Other half and I will be having a picnic somewhere on the island.

 

I think I "jumped" off many years before that! Mr Mum is usually working and it's a bit naff without his grumpy chin around

 

You won't if she clangs you on the head with it al n!!!
I found this site a while back and like the fact that you can customize most of the pieces they have. They have some really nice stuff!
http://www.jewlr.co.uk/

 

As I've mentioned on here before, we limit the total value of presents to £12.50 per person - with 3 daughters and their respective other-halves, none of whom have money to throw around, even this means each spends £87.50, on everyone else, which is plenty, (what each couple choose to spend on one another is a separate issue). Of course there are 'rules' - no smellies or chocolates which are considered a 'cop-out', they must be 'proper' gifts i.e. no novelty ties which light up and play 'Jingle Bells' and receipts must be kept to refute, if necessary, allegations of cheating! In addition I provide a small 'prize' for the person deemed, by popular vote, to have made the most useful/original use of their money.

Choosing something which is both within the 'rules' and within budget isn't easy, so I tend to start early, so far I have at least one thing for everyone except Mr. F'smum - and I'm currently trawling t'internet to find the 2-disc DVD collection of Inspector Montalbano for less than the £12.77 Amazon want! (They do have a 'used' set at £11.62, but I'm put off by the condition described as used but 'very good' - is their definition of 'very good' going to be the same as mine I wonder? )

 

Christmas is a same as another day in this house, no shopping at all ( well only food so we don't have to go out ) nice and quiet

Shops don't like me because i don't spend lots of money for Christmas

 

Why not push the boat out and treat her to a deep fat fryer as well.

 

The food is the best bit! I like the Christmas tree as well. And carols. The rest of it I'll happily skip.

I find all the manoeuvering regarding the family meetings very emotionally wearing, distressing even, and would be very happy to just be having a picnic with a loved one on a mountain far away. Cold roast turkey would do me fine.

 

must admit, i absolutely love christmas, esp now the kids have come along. love the food, the atmosphere, everything.

bring it on!!