OK, I will likely buy a few more odds and ends. But all my major gifts have been purchased. 
I have not even finished last year yet.
Damn you, man!
Every December I tell myself “I’m starting next year’s Xmas shopping in January. And this time, I REALLY mean it!”
Actually, that might be futile. Last year we all decided on a one recipient/one gift rule. Since I’d already gotten something for my mother, my sister had to rig the pick a little.
I hope we do that again this year. It makes the season so much less painful.
I’ve said this many many times. Now, when I hear those words coming out of my mouth, I stop. And I realize that nothing is really going to change.
I HAVE simplified my Xmas shopping, though. My parents know that I will send them some nuts and dried fruits, and in fact, I always ask them in November if there’s something else that they’d rather have. Nope, they LIKE those snack items, and look forward to getting them each year.
Oh, I hate you!
Last year we cut back and got everyone ONE ‘good’ present, but less. I would give gift certificates for, say, $50 out, willy-nilly - so they got $25 gift certificates and no one has cut me out of their lives. Yet. I love giving and getting gift certificates. I don’t think one adult should be giving another adult ‘body butter’, smelly stuff from Bath & Body Works, or underwear, unless they are in an intimate relationship. If this way of thinking makes me look cold, unimaginative, and impersonal, so be it. (They will also be getting some home-baked treats, too!)
Mine isn’t too complex. Mostly I buy for my Mom. For friends that I care about but don’t know what to get, I buy a one ounce solid silver ornament every year. For friends that I know well enough to know their tastes, I buy them a book. Then there are people who mention things throughout the year that they like and I’ll pick them up something. A good friend mentioned last August that he was really enjoying reruns of The Andy Griffith Show. So I bought him season one on DVD. I buy all year long. Occasionally I’ll forget I have something and will discover it sometime later. That always amuses me.
I dunno know if you’ve really finished your Xmas shopping or not… didja remember to get me something?
I’m hoping to convince my immediate family to do no gifts this year – I got part of the way there last year and want to finish the journey this year. We do draw names, so we each only have to buy one thing, and we’ve got a limit ($25 I think?) on how much to spend. But last year we also did a White Elephant, which was a huge hit, so I’m thinking that maybe having a White Elephant again will be enough to assuage any pangs over opening fun gifts.
Plus we did some shopping for a family in need, and so that took care of generalized shopping-ness. Which means I just need to shop for a handful of people instead of like twenty, which is all good!
I’m finished too. I’m too broke to buy anything.
Are you coming to pick it up?
Absolutely!
Last year, I think I finally figured out how to handle Christmas shopping without stressing out. I took a day off work and took my mom out shopping and just bought everything she recommended. Yeah, I’m 36 years old and should be able to do this for myself by now, but it was much less painful, plus I got to spend a lot of time just relaxing with my mom. Something I haven’t done enough of over the years.
If she’s interested, and I don’t see why not, I’ll do this again in a few weeks.
Oh, go scrooge yourself!
I’ve started. I have a few presents tucked away for a few people, and my son… well that’s a work in progress since I have to take into account his birthday (same day…). He started his Christmas list a month or so back, anytime he sees something he wants he tells me to put it on the list. I make a note of it and veto or watch for sales (already got some sweet deals).
Much easier to start earlier, on the pocketbook and stress levels both.
I agree Flutterby. Actually, I usually am done pretty early. I started doing my shopping early back when I was pretty poor and would have to buy a gift each pay check, just so I could afford them. So I would start in August. Now it is just habit. Also I hate crowds.
I hate crowds too. My friend and I are the type to get in, get what you want and get out (not that we don’t detour sometimes, and can take forever trying on clothes if it’s a bad shopping day but we’re focused and tend to only shop when we need something). Crowds when it’s not the holidays are bad enough, Christmas crowds (or boxing day even) are just torture.
So if I can avoid them as much as possible, I do.