Pretty much. I need to get a tiny gift out of our storage area, wrap that and one other thing, and then I’m totally finished.
Morning of the 23rd here in Yurrup. All that’s left to do is bake the chocolate chip cookies and do a final tidy-up of the house.
I’m almost as excited as the kids. Both of them are getting the one thing they’ve been pleeeeeeeeading for, so I’m expecting big grins and excited shouting 
Yes. Unless I decide to buy something else.
I don’t have to cook, but we will need to pack umpteen gifts into the vehicle and drive 3 hours.
Wrapping two 14 inch Lodge cast iron skillets took some time and thought, since I didn’t plan ahead and have boxes for them.
Um, not really. copping out again this year. I worked like a dog up until Friday evening. I hit the Shanghai Toys r Us last night, but not too much stuff that I wanted to actually get.
We got a big outdoor swing and slide set. It was installed 2 days ago and been raining since. That sucker was expensive and not like it’s hidden. So that’s the main prsent.
Bambina’s will be 3 tomorrow, and the eldest is 7 1/2 and no longer believes in Santa. We’re having the birthday party today. and I picked up just a couple of bday presents.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll go out and find a couple more small presents so that on xmas morning there will be a couple of presents under the tree each.
My wife and I have never really done christmas, and living in Asia for 20 years I’ve gotten largely out of the habit. Plus we have some big events throughout the year (like chinese new year, annual trip home, etc) where there are lots of presents. It’s not like when I was a kid and Xmas meant new underwear, socks, and maybe 1-2 things I’d dreamed about forever (like skates or a bicycle) but would only be purchased on either a bday or xmas. since I make about 10x the money my parents did, if the weathers nice and seems right, well hell we will just buy the roller skates now instead of waiting for Christmas.
My family is Jewish, so yeah, been done for weeks. My partner’s family celebrates Christmas, and I was done with her gifts and my part of their weeks ago; however, I try not to do all the shopping because my partner gets into it about two weeks beforehand. We’ve been done with their shopping (other than a stocking stuffer here and there) for more than a week, and done wrapping yesterday.
And speaking of local Christmas cheer: G Spot Bar in Nana Plaza will be hosting a Miss Santa Claus contest on Christmas night. And I’ve been told the girls in Mandarin Bar, also in Nana Plaza, have started dancing in “Santa Claus bikinis” and looking pretty darned cute, too. I’m ready for Christmas. 
YES!
All the shopping is done and the last gift was wrapped last night. All decorations are in place and the cookies are baked.
The only thing I have to do today is make macaroni salad, deviled eggs and ghetto cheesecake and I am done in the food department. My boyfriend is going to prepare the rest of the food tomorrow.
Not a lot of cleaning is required as the only people coming over is my mom and my son and they don’t care if my house has the lived in look.
Oh and I have to stuff stockings in the morning.
I want to buy a book for someone. “Le Scaphandre et le Papillion” (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). I’m sure she’ll love it, and many other family members have expressed an interest in reading it.
The problem?
There is not a single French copy of the book in the entire bloody city of Montreal!
Well, some bookstore websites (and consequently their own inventory lists) are claiming to have it, but when we go and look, it can’t be found. When we do track it down, I’m going to have to buy as many copies as possible, because apparently, it is the ultimate gift this year!
Oh, and the company that makes the item that I want for my sister? They’ve discontinued it. So I want to try a few stores in hopes they still have it, but otherwise… no luck.
Merry Christmas Eve Eve!
We just have one outstanding gift that’s on its way, but since we won’t be seeing that set of friends until next weekend, it’s not a problem. Other than that, we’re ready to go!
I did all the shopping online this year. I just coulnd’t face the masses this year. And this from someone who loves the mall.
I just ran out of tape. Anybody have some extra?
I thought I was done two weeks ago, and would have loved to have popped in this thread to gloat.
Turns out my otherwise beloved hubby has gone completely insane, and decided we absolutely MUST go to the damn mall tomorrow. For what, I have no idea, but he’s in a froth about it.
If I smother him with a pillow tonight, do you think any jury would convict?
Our gift to ourselves this year was a $30K kitchen renovation which was completed last week. It’s some kinda gorgeous. The turkey is thawing in the fridge and I’ll spend Tueday putting the dinner together. No decorations this year because of the reno, though.
Sent books to the grandkids and smoked salmon to the relatives, so we be done.
I am never ready for Yule. I’m done shopping when I run out of money, but if someone was to slip me a couple grand, I’d buy more stuff. Not that I like shopping, mind. It’s just that I never feel I got enough stuff for people.
Thought I was done Saturday, but as I was wrapping things this morning I discovered that I’d bought Blu-Ray instead of DVD so I got to go to Target and wait in customer service (not as bad as I expected, only about 5 minutes).