Thinking About Christmas

Thanks for pinning those. Great gift ideas sweets.

Advent ordered. Christmas cards bought. Mother in Law bought me the Hallmark countdown ornament already :) Already have a few Christmas presents purchased thanks to the new half-priced bookstore here. Even had a Groupon for it! And my DD is just a few pages shy of being done. I am normally no where NEAR this stage. Even donated a bunch of kids clothes to my Mom's free clothes closet, so I have my "need for charity" release done too.

I am thinking that I might need to get that Richard Scarry book for me. It reminds me of when my adult sons were little. Feeling sentimental.

This is the time of year when I look forward to checking out new Christmas CDs. I have been building a nice collection. Its probably not a bad idea to go through my decorations at this point. I have some light sets that really need to be recycled.
BTW I downloaded Flowers in the Attic on my kindle. I loved that book the first time around as a much younger person. I'm curious as what my take will be on the book now that I'm a few decades older :).

I've been trying to prepare for Christmas as well. I've been shopping for about a month now. I have several gifts for my kiddos and recently ordered the Lego Castle Advent calendar for my boy. I've also been buying some new Christmas decorations as I come across things that I love.

Right now I am in the middle of packing preparing to move in 3 weeks. Moving at Christmas time is so stressful (we've done this once before), but I'm so happy that we're moving that I don't care! LOL

Also... thank you for the wonderful book rec's! I need to pick up a couple. :)

Those are great ideas.

I normally don't think about Christmas so early, but we just found out that my husband is losing his job, so it will be a handmade holiday this year. I'm glad I've been pinning handmade gift ideas. I finished one gift already and am halfway through a second gift now. :D

Check out the stocking stuffers at restoration hardware. There are some super cute stocking stuffers for kids (fingerprinting art set, chalkboard door hanger, stamps & ink, etc).

I've had the urge to get things done earlier this year too. In fact I just made up a google doc spreadsheet to keep track of gifts we've already collected. My husband can access it on the road and that way we both know who is left to buy/make for.

Hi Ali. How do I get a pintrest account? I've filled out with my email to request but I've never heard back... no response. It looks so cool. Thanks!!

This post is so timely. Just like getting the foundation pages done before December so we can jump right in. Get our boxes and stuff done before hand so we can enjoy what we got during the holidays. I intend every year to dejunk the book box, etc. Who wants to do that during or after the holidays? No one, you are right!
Do the kids like the smencils? Those smelly pencils. They come in holiday fragrances too.

The last few years I've started early as well. I keep track in an Excel spreadsheet, so I can see my spending and keep links handy as I find things. I start collecting ideas as early as summertime. I'm about halfway through my shopping this year and have almost everyone accounted for for ideas. Our nieces and nephews (variously) are getting striped pjs (thanks for the inspiration!), a video game to share, and the annual tradition of a new ornament (possibly handmade this year). I keep the holidays low-key, gift-wise, and make birthdays a bigger event. We have a wide age range to shop for (6 kids), which makes it so much more fun. :D

I checked out your Pinterest board. That Lego Star Wars Death Star is awesome!!! I know two boys that would FLIP over it!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks for the post. Needed a gift for my nephews birthday which is a few weeks away so ordered the personalized book. Not sure what has kicked Christmas in to high gear for me this year, but I want to get as much done ahead of time and thinking about ways to accomplish that...like decorating small trees and keeping them in the basement until December, etc.

I always loved finding personalized pencils in my Christmas stocking. As others have posted, I have an unusual name, so there was nothing available if it wasn't special ordered. I think I'm going to order myself some to have on my desk at work!

Have definately started here. With my husbands family overseas and in a different hemisphere, I often pick up gifts quite early and have them on hand ready to post early. I have several gifts sorted; Christmas cards ready (just need to write our annual letter); have the foundation for a "year-in-review" album I do for my in'laws every year and am now looking at what crafts/gifts I wish to make. I am LOVING Pinterest!

Have you received the email that is going around about choosing Christmas gifts that are made in America or that benefit small U.S. businesses (like car repair places, barber shops, local bakeries, etc). I hope you will consider using them for your Christmas gifts. Doing so you can help our country's economic recovery instead of buying things made in China.

I have one gift already - my youngest wants underwater goggles with a camera in the goggles - it arrived last week. I have two groupon's for photos and I'm going to pick photos that each girl took last year on vacation and have them for their rooms. I am never this early in getting gifts but trying to spread the expense out so that it isn't painful in January. Gift cards are going to be helpful with teenagers. No ideas for my husband yet because he always buys what he wants, when he wants it. We always struggle to get him gifts.

Ali,

You must check out the book "Santa Calls" by William Joyce. The incredible illustrations, fabulously written story and beautiful, goosebump-giving ending make it a perfect Christmas book.

Ali, I love the personalized books. I have some great-nieces and nephews that would love these and it would be a keepsake instead of a toy that would soon disappear. I plan on ordering some this week.
Thanks for the info.