Holiday Plans and Preparations

[abecedarian]

Since the Christmas stuff showed up at the same time as Halloween stuff, and Thanksgiving (for us in the US) is a less than two weeks away, I thought I'd kick off the season by asking what you all are doing for the end of the year holidays. Have any of you started Christmas or Hannakah shopping yet? The first gift of the season was bought yesterday at church from the neighbor kid selling calendars as a fund raiser. The calendar has an Irish theme, for our oldest dd, who loves all things Celtic. A few of my kids are already working on their wish lists, which we treat in the same manner as Jack Sparrow does the Pirate's Code...

So, how about it? What's the plan for your holidays this year? Do you plan at all? Please tell me I'm not the only one who plans by the seat of her pants..

 

[cajunmama]

Yes, holiday plans are in full swing. I have been making lists of what my kids want (and what I want my kids to have ) and looking in store circulars and catalogs, price-hunting. My sisters and I are hosting a very fun gift-exchange Christmas Party in a few weeks and I am working on my gift, trying not to have to pull an all-nighter the night before. We don't go all-out, and one of my sisters is not in the holiday mood, so things are pretty low key.

 

[abecedarian]

Yes, holiday plans are in full swing. I have been making lists of what my kids want (and what I want my kids to have ) and looking in store circulars and catalogs, price-hunting. My sisters and I are hosting a very fun gift-exchange Christmas Party in a few weeks and I am working on my gift, trying not to have to pull an all-nighter the night before. We don't go all-out, and one of my sisters is not in the holiday mood, so things are pretty low key.

Sounds like fun! So, what is on your kids' wish lists? What does the Cajun Mom want them to have?? I understand the difference My kids gave up on asking for Gameboys a long time ago..

 

[Stewart]

Have any of you started Christmas shopping yet?

That's what Christmas Eve is for.

 

[cajunmama]

Oh, my kids want all sorts of stuff, from gameboys to cellphones and their own computer....NOT!!!!!
They are each going to get at least one book, an art/craft set and a piece of sports equipment. The toys I buy require imagination, not batteries. The boys are going to get a road rug and broomstick horses. The girls like the My Little Pet Shop stuff, so they'll get some of that, too.

 

[Minniemal]

"Sympathize with Jesus in sense of embarrassment he must, and perhaps should, feel over two-millenia-old social imposition of own birthday on large areas of globe." (Bridget Jones's Diary)

 

[novella]

Exactly, Stewart. I don't like to do anything in advance. Usually throw up some lights the week before. Why do it early when they'll stay up until March?

Funnest thing is Christmas is going around NYC the day before Christmas eve and listening to the organists and choirs and strings warm up in the big churches. Two years ago, the organist at St. Bart's on Park Ave. (where Dudley Moore got married to Liza Minnelli in Arthur) played Bach's Tocata and Fugue for us!! Yay. The peeps praying in the church were all aghast.

 

[abecedarian]

We like to do make up art kits, with drawing pencils, nice sketchbooks, good colored pencils, etc. One year my oldest dd bought a rubbermaid tub and picked up bargain crafting items from the sale bins at Wally World, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby. She started in October, and the bin was full by Christmas, and made a great collective gift for the younger sibs. The coolest thing she found was mask molds. They made papier mache masks for weeks.
We also have given kits for other crafts the kids were into: knitting stuff-usually with a how-to book for good measure. I love to give gifts like this because I think it empowers the reciepient by giving them the tools to learn a skill they can use for fun and profit later. After learning to knit, one of my dds knitted scarves in Hogwart's House colors for all her sibs and friends..

 

[scooter13]

Well, my wife was originally due to deliver on December 16th, so we didn't make any plans. We usually go to see my family and leave the day after Christmas (10 hour drive), while spending Christmas with her family. But this year we are staying put. Everyone is coming to see us. The good thing is though that because of the original due date, we got a jump start on our Christmas shopping. We only have two more gifts to buy and we are done! And I think we are going to keep with this habit next year.

 

[cajunmama]

Yup, that's kinda what I do. Oldest DD is my budding artist, so I want to get her some quality art supplies and a how-to book, youngest dd loves to do perler bead stuff. I'm stuck as for what to get my oldest son, but I'm sure something will strike me between now and then.

I'm also going to get a board game, or two. I love board games (I have a hidden competitive streak about a mile wide). My kids and I have started an informal game night, on Sundays.

 

[abecedarian]

Well, my wife was originally due to deliver on December 16th, so we didn't make any plans. We usually go to see my family and leave the day after Christmas (10 hour drive), while spending Christmas with her family. But this year we are staying put. Everyone is coming to see us. The good thing is though that because of the original due date, we got a jump start on our Christmas shopping. We only have two more gifts to buy and we are done! And I think we are going to keep with this habit next year.

Having the relatives come to you is good, having them bring in the food would be even better. If them bringing food is too difficult, there is the option to have at least part of the meal prepared by someone else. Local grocery stores here offer plans where they'll make the main course for so much..Even Mexican restaraunts offer catering options that might be worth looking into. With a brand new baby, new parents should not have to cook for an army.

 

[ruby]

I am usually organized by now but this yr i havnt bought a thing!

I am staying at home this yr and not going to my parents house!

My kids are spending christmas with there dad so when its his turn to have them i am sad and i want to be on my own.

 

[G4G]

Have any of you started Christmas shopping yet?

No. No one's getting anything off me this year, just like the last 10 years. Everyone knows the score with me.

 

[scooter13]

Having the relatives come to you is good, having them bring in the food would be even better. If them bringing food is too difficult, there is the option to have at least part of the meal prepared by someone else. Local grocery stores here offer plans where they'll make the main course for so much..Even Mexican restaraunts offer catering options that might be worth looking into. With a brand new baby, new parents should not have to cook for an army.

Catered in Mexican, oh yeah! My wife would love that. But seriously, what I meant by that was people just stopping by to say hi or spend time with us. I am not making any qualms about the fact that we are not doing anything fancy for the holidays. The people that we usually get gifts for will receive again, but after that, it's totally a casual-baby-comes-first Christmas. (Which is the way he will have us believing Christmas should be until the time he's what 14-15 years old?)

 

[abecedarian]

Catered in Mexican, oh yeah! My wife would love that. But seriously, what I meant by that was people just stopping by to say hi or spend time with us. I am not making any qualms about the fact that we are not doing anything fancy for the holidays. The people that we usually get gifts for will receive again, but after that, it's totally a casual-baby-comes-first Christmas. (Which is the way he will have
us believing Christmas should be until the time he's what 14-15 years old?)

Good! I had visions of mom dealing with postpartum blues, middle of the night feedings, cleaning the house, and baking a turkey, and dad trying to keep sane in the middle of all that

As for how things shape up for future Christmases, just train him up to believe that the birthday boy gets to help with the celebration preparations, and life won't be so bad

 

[Scottishduffy]

I have started a bit of Christmas shopping.

I am scheduled to work Christmas eve and day. I picked that though. For New years Hubby and I will be going to Disney with his parents. Should be a fun holiday.

 

[abecedarian]

I'm not sure what's in store for Christmas yet. Dh has to work Thanksgiving Day, and perhaps the whole weekend. I'm not sure what to do about dinner. We've been talking about doing something other than the traditional turkey dinner, since most of the family aren't fond of turkey anyway. Dh and several of the kids are cool with Kung Pao Chicken instead, but one of the picky ones just informed me they'd rather have turkey...I thought about just getting a turkey breast for the picky people. My mil usually comes over, but with the work schedule problem, I don't know how things are going to happen. She doesn't want to drive after dark, and one of the older girls just informed me that she has to work until 8pm that night. I may just have the meal in the evening, and have somebody drive Grandma home.

 

[mom2kngr]

Gosh I havent done much for shopping yet. I have a list made and ideas for most of the people. I just need the money now I hate shopping this time of year Too many people and i have a short fuse

We usually do the same thing every year...we go to my folks house on Christmas Eve night and eat soup and open presents and then we go to my inlaws on Christmas morning/afternoon, depending on if hubby has to work the morning shift.

 

[muggle]

We will have 7 people for Thanksgiving dinner. Two sons, their wives and 3 of the grandaughters. We will have traditional Turkey plus a ham and all the usual dishes. Thanksgiving this year falls on our wedding anniversary. Next year, Lord willing, will be the "big" anniversary.

 

[mehastings]

That's what Christmas Eve is for.

Why does this comment not shock me? Somehow I can picture you buying those pre-wrapped gifts that show up every year...

I'm not worrying too much about Christmas yet because I have to worry about Thanksgiving. It's right in the middle of my week on at work, and my family is coming to my house since I can't get the day off to travel back home. I've been cleaning, putting new sheets on the spare bed and cooking freezable items for a bit now.

At some point I will start worrying about Christmas. I have one gift that I'm making myself. It's a game board that I'm giving to my boyfriend and another to a close friend. Those I will work on this weekend when I can get my hands on a drill press. Otherwise most of my shopping will probably be online this year.