Elle is making Christmas lists..... she has lots of birthdays in December and that really makes things tricky... I'll take a smug moment here and be thankful for June-July & September birthdays.... good balance.
She's asking about family traditions and gifts from other kids...
Family traditions:
Nana: Nana gets the kids pj's they open on Christmas Eve. They are always nice ones from Gymboree or Land's End. Great photo ops and we don't have to get dressed on Christmas Day.
Christmas books: This year I'm going to try wrapping up 12 Christmas books and opening one each night.... books we already have. Grinch. Stranger in the Woods. Christmas Mice. Rocky Mountain Christmas..... you know.... those ones. We get to have a present opening fix, we have a book to read that night, and I don't spend any money. It's the chartruse triumverate of cheap, easy & fun.
Santa: Santa is into personal hygiene... this dates back to when we were kids. He loves character bandaids & fancy toothbrushes.... stuff mommy might not normally spring for.... (hint: and stuff that always goes on good sale at CVS sometime in the months of November & December...) He also always brings batteries. (This year they might even be rechargeable....) He usually brings a bag of Hershey's kisses. And lots of swag I score at an IT conference mid-December.... little notebooks and tape measures and such. Santa at my in-law's involves gifts from everyone.... each person sneaks stuff into the stockings.... I like to get Mexican hot chocolate mix, lip balms, chocolate oranges, little hand lotions, and socks. Hot manages to do up great stocking stuff..... stockings are fun at our house. Santa also usually brings one thing mommy would not approve of..... a special movie or some toy that makes way too much noise.
Gifts for kids: Each of my kids will get something for each other and something for mom and dad.... usually dvd's for each other and something special from all three for mom and dad.... maybe a new elk video for daddy and the new Lucinda William's cd for mom. Mommy also wants the Dr Oz challenge book. Sweet wants to get Tuff the new Tinkerbelle DVD and Tuff will probably get Sweet a Scooby Do DVD or a Transformer. They will get Bugsy something (probably a brightly colored plastic toy or a new Christmas book) and she will get them something.... maybe new Leapster games.
Teacher gifts: This is a new one for me. We always try to get something nice for our daycare provider... usually a fat gift card to Jade Garden because we know she likes it. The teacher has an amazon wish list for the classroom. I'll be watching for a great sale on some of those items. I love the idea of a spaghetti gift basket.... get those clever bowtie pastas from Costco and present it in a collander (the $1 store has decent ones last time I was there) with a spaghetti scooper. Also make sure to include some dessert.... dove chocolates maybe? If you really want to go all out I'd add a bottle of wine... is that wrong for a teacher gift? There is a great wine at our grocery store that is $4 per bottle. I am a master at those kinds of gift baskets.... years of silent auctions. Our teacher for K had a baby in the spring so I m-i-g-h-t think of a baby themed basket for her.... maybe. Or a Target gift card... now to decide an amount. Right now I'm voting homeroom teacher only and no support staff but I might change my mind later.....
Others: I give a plate of sweets to the mailman. Fudge and caramels. And somehow a stupid gift giving tradition at work started a few years ago.... I'm thinking ELF all-in-one sticks for everyone....
I'd love to drop/limit the sibling gift giving.... this is the first (and possibly only) year we ALL have spouses..... My sister's hubby is getting a bottle of crown unless I come up with something better..... Heck... that's a good gift for my brother, my husband and my husband's sister's spouse as well.... ok... 4 bottles of crown and I'm done shopping for most of the men. Maybe we will go for a booze-themed Christmas and get that for the women as well.... one stop shopping at your local liquor store....
My hubby wants new binoculars. The $1300 kind. Ponder that for a moment.
5 comments:
Try checking SierraTradingPost.com and see if they have the same brand or similar. My hubby's been ogling them for a while too (but it has to wait until all the faucets and lights are purchased for the "new" house). His next June birthday may bring STP binos for next hunting season though. The bonus about that is I can save a little each paycheck beginning in January (after the house is done). I've also got my eye on heavy winter underwear there for him for Christmas since his Hot Chillys are running out of steam.
Damn///4 bottles of Crown and my budget is busted!!!
We decided on a secret Santa for my inlaw family. I did a ton of shopping in Bozeman this past week. Big Sis got bath toys, clothes (LOVE the clearance!!), a big box of play food, and a little doll with brushable hair who rides a pony with brushable hair. Dig. Baby Boy is getting a bouncy frog toy, a jingle ball toy, some clothes, and some new binkies. Shopping for #2 is hard!
Step Sis is getting a candle sampler, and my step mom's sister is getting some cute Christmas dish cloths.
Step brother is getting some classic movie on DVD...hubby is getting a Snuggie (don't even get me started) and I have created a ranch logo and am having it embroidered on a Carhartt vest. For my Father in Law (secret santa), Mom, Dad, Gramps, and brother, I have no freakin' idea.
Oh, and I bought myself some cute clothes at Target...and a self-cleaning cat box. Wow. Better work some overtime!!!!
Smug moment. Ha. One word, woman. "BITCH!"
PS. I didn't plan it!! Only one of them was supposed to be a December baby!!
also . . what's he looking for with those binoculars?
I checked Sierra and I've been watching ebay.... one of his friends got them for $500 on craig's list. Darn.
I sprang for new Under Armour long johns purchased for 20% off at a local place's annual one-night sale. Now I've supported the local economy. He LOST his "chilly willy" long johns (hot chilies) and he has worn out the Smartwool ones I got him last year....
How do long johns get lost?
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