Comments on: How Do You Do Christmas? http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html mommy blogger Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:02:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephaniehttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40641 Stephanie Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:40:13 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40641 Well, as you know, we typically buy only small presents for our girls at Christmas. A book. A pair of pajamas. Cookies. Things like that. They are young so the excitement of the morning and the family togetherness is present enough. :) Well, as you know, we typically buy only small presents for our girls at Christmas. A book. A pair of pajamas. Cookies. Things like that. They are young so the excitement of the morning and the family togetherness is present enough. :)

]]> By: Aimee @ Smiling Mamahttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40573 Aimee @ Smiling Mama Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:03:44 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40573 I've long kept a spreadsheet for all our family/friend gifts. I have a column for notes and ideas also include columns for what I anticipate spending and what I actually spend to help with budgeting. Our soon-to-be four year old was born on Dec. 22 so we're pretty close to the same problem of a Christmas baby. I'm due with #2 at the end of January and am praying he doesn't come early and turn into a New Year's Baby! I’ve long kept a spreadsheet for all our family/friend gifts. I have a column for notes and ideas also include columns for what I anticipate spending and what I actually spend to help with budgeting. Our soon-to-be four year old was born on Dec. 22 so we’re pretty close to the same problem of a Christmas baby. I’m due with #2 at the end of January and am praying he doesn’t come early and turn into a New Year’s Baby!

]]> By: pixielationhttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40553 pixielation Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:06:20 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40553 My girls are 5 and a half, and 8. They get to wake up and find their stocking at the end of the bed full of small toys and books. They can open all that and play with it to their heart's delight. I am happy to lie in, but my husband, who is a child in extra large size, likes to get up and play with them. After the family gets up (and usually that means us and grandparents) we'll go down and see what's under the tree. There should be one or two wrapped presents from Santa, one from mummy and daddy, and then any others from friends and relatives. Hubby is an only child, so it's taken a bit to stop his mother from buying literally thousands of presents for the girls. I'd be happy if she'd stick to just one, but this year she's gone for three - which I have to buy for her. My own parents will give them only one present each, and they will probably be hand knitted! This year will be slightly different, as we'll be in Australia with MY parents, so I have to cart all the presents across the world in my suitcase! (I've already done all santa and grandma shopping). But the on-the-day scenario will be the same! My girls are 5 and a half, and 8. They get to wake up and find their stocking at the end of the bed full of small toys and books. They can open all that and play with it to their heart’s delight. I am happy to lie in, but my husband, who is a child in extra large size, likes to get up and play with them.

After the family gets up (and usually that means us and grandparents) we’ll go down and see what’s under the tree. There should be one or two wrapped presents from Santa, one from mummy and daddy, and then any others from friends and relatives.

Hubby is an only child, so it’s taken a bit to stop his mother from buying literally thousands of presents for the girls. I’d be happy if she’d stick to just one, but this year she’s gone for three – which I have to buy for her.

My own parents will give them only one present each, and they will probably be hand knitted!

This year will be slightly different, as we’ll be in Australia with MY parents, so I have to cart all the presents across the world in my suitcase! (I’ve already done all santa and grandma shopping). But the on-the-day scenario will be the same!

]]> By: Melanie Tindalehttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40548 Melanie Tindale Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:25:30 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40548 Hooray for the spreadsheet! This year we cut back a little bit on gift giving, so I just made an old-fashioned list. But I usually LOVE the spreadsheet! My favorite part of it is that I can jot down where I found something when I find it; especially valuable for me since I do a lot of Christmas shopping online! Hooray for the spreadsheet! This year we cut back a little bit on gift giving, so I just made an old-fashioned list. But I usually LOVE the spreadsheet! My favorite part of it is that I can jot down where I found something when I find it; especially valuable for me since I do a lot of Christmas shopping online!

]]> By: Lisahttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40542 Lisa Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:53:05 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40542 Kids never get tired of board games. Mine are both getting their own Nintendo DS this year. I spend about $350 on each kid. Sounds like a lot, but the pile sure isn't. Plus, I do not buy toys all year round for them. This is the only time. My daughter is a New Years Eve birthday, and it is so hard to find a gift when she just got so much for Christmas. Kids never get tired of board games. Mine are both getting their own Nintendo DS this year. I spend about $350 on each kid. Sounds like a lot, but the pile sure isn’t. Plus, I do not buy toys all year round for them. This is the only time. My daughter is a New Years Eve birthday, and it is so hard to find a gift when she just got so much for Christmas.

]]> By: Omomhttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40541 Omom Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:17:38 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40541 Your Christmas traditions sound very similar to ours. I too struggle with the "keeping it fair" part. I have a 15, 9, and 5 year old so it can be tricky. MY 15 year old though knows now that most of what she asks for can cost 3 times as much, so she may get the 1 for each 2 or 3 the others get. But I like equal presents for each usually, and I like them to open them slowly and one at a time, and keep the paper all nice........yeah, I can get a little annoying! Your Christmas traditions sound very similar to ours. I too struggle with the “keeping it fair” part. I have a 15, 9, and 5 year old so it can be tricky. MY 15 year old though knows now that most of what she asks for can cost 3 times as much, so she may get the 1 for each 2 or 3 the others get. But I like equal presents for each usually, and I like them to open them slowly and one at a time, and keep the paper all nice……..yeah, I can get a little annoying!

]]> By: Michellehttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40540 Michelle Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:56:26 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40540 I totally do the spreadsheet. It is even password protected to keep away my tech savvy kids. I don't go crazy on the spreadsheet details but more than anything I use it to stick to my budget. This year our Christmas budget is tight so it is going to take some planning to stick to it. Luckily most of my kids wish list are Wii or DS games and their lists were all under 10 items. I totally do the spreadsheet. It is even password protected to keep away my tech savvy kids. I don’t go crazy on the spreadsheet details but more than anything I use it to stick to my budget. This year our Christmas budget is tight so it is going to take some planning to stick to it. Luckily most of my kids wish list are Wii or DS games and their lists were all under 10 items.

]]> By: Jeanettehttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40539 Jeanette Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:43:39 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40539 We struggled with that when the girls were young and yes, they are both close to Christmas babies. December 20th and January 11th. Now that they are teenagers we have switched over to the $$ amount instead of the package count. Gabby would like an Ipod touch. That is pretty much all she will get. Abby will get her Ipod Nano plus something else. Of course, their stockings will hold the traditional bag of M & M's! Note to self, don't put the stockings with the M & M's inside on the heated floor this year... We struggled with that when the girls were young and yes, they are both close to Christmas babies. December 20th and January 11th. Now that they are teenagers we have switched over to the $$ amount instead of the package count. Gabby would like an Ipod touch. That is pretty much all she will get. Abby will get her Ipod Nano plus something else. Of course, their stockings will hold the traditional bag of M & M’s! Note to self, don’t put the stockings with the M & M’s inside on the heated floor this year…

]]> By: Blessedhttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40538 Blessed Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:50:55 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40538 I use a spreadsheet too... I only have two kids, but then there are all the nieces and nephews... I would loose my mind without the spreadsheet to help me keep track. Now if only I could figure out how to keep all of my receipts straight! I use a spreadsheet too… I only have two kids, but then there are all the nieces and nephews… I would loose my mind without the spreadsheet to help me keep track. Now if only I could figure out how to keep all of my receipts straight!

]]> By: Juicehttp://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/11/how-do-you-do-christmas.html#comment-40537 Juice Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:53:39 +0000 http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/?p=12391#comment-40537 My mom has a December birthday and we have celebrated her half birthday for as long as I can remember. In December I send a card, but the gift giving and celebration is in the summer. I think it could be easily adapted to a kid (maybe a super small gift for the actual birthday, but the party and hoopla in June...). It works for us! My mom has a December birthday and we have celebrated her half birthday for as long as I can remember. In December I send a card, but the gift giving and celebration is in the summer. I think it could be easily adapted to a kid (maybe a super small gift for the actual birthday, but the party and hoopla in June…). It works for us!

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