Can you guys believe...

[heather]

the holidays are a couple months away?! This is where I begin the countdown to how many more paydays there are so I know how much I can spend on gifts .

And I start kicking myself because if I listened to my mother:
1. I would've budgeted my money months ago
2. I'd be done with my shopping (she's always done by "Oct 1")

:Laugh:

 

[sydkat7]

the holidays are a couple months away?! This is where I begin the countdown to how many more paydays there are so I know how much I can spend on gifts .

And I start kicking myself because if I listened to my mother:
1. I would've budgeted my money months ago
2. I'd be done with my shopping (she's always done by "Oct 1")

:Laugh:

I know! I can't even think about Christmas right now, especially as I've just paid over$1,000 for car repairs. In the last few years, my family has declined to exchange gifts (except for the kids in the family) during the holidays, giving our money to charity instead. I hope we continue this tradition this year, too.

I still plan to participate in the Sphynx Lair gift exchange, though, as the maximum $ amount is pretty reasonable (around $35, I think?).

 

[heather]

I know! I can't even think about Christmas right now, especially as I've just paid over$1,000 for car repairs. In the last few years, my family has declined to exchange gifts (except for the kids in the family) during the holidays, giving our money to charity instead. I hope we continue this tradition this year, too.

I still plan to participate in the Sphynx Lair gift exchange, though, as the maximum $ amount is pretty reasonable (around $35, I think?).

Me t00 - I'm getting car repairs done this month before my inspection sticker runs out. I need a new catalytic converter which will be either 600 if they can find an after market part or 1200 if its factory. I've had them looking for aftermarket for 2 months now but I'm running out of time. How ridiculous is that.

One side of my family is doing a grab this year which will help greatly. We'll still get the kids gifts but each adult only has to buy for one other.

That's really great that you donate to charity instead of exchanging gifts amongst adults. What a great thing.

 

[Mews2much]

I got my Ss for the Holiday Exchange i another cat site.
I hope to have time to shop this weekend at the TICA show.
Everything is always sold out when I get to shop at the cat shows.

 

[playswithfire]

I know! I can't even think about Christmas right now, especially as I've just paid over$1,000 for car repairs. In the last few years, my family has declined to exchange gifts (except for the kids in the family) during the holidays, giving our money to charity instead. I hope we continue this tradition this year, too.

I still plan to participate in the Sphynx Lair gift exchange, though, as the maximum $ amount is pretty reasonable (around $35, I think?).

These are both neat ideas. The first one especially.
How does the gift exchange work here anyway (just a link would be helpful, I'm new here)?

 

[heather]

These are both neat ideas. The first one especially.
How does the gift exchange work here anyway (just a link would be helpful, I'm new here)?

Here's the link to the thread!

http://www.sphynxlair.com/showthread.php?t=764

 

[ilovemysphynx]

I miss when the kids where little and there list was all toys and not very expensive now they are older and want all name brand things(cloths, snowboards, skateboards,electronics,jewlery ect.) I may tend to go A bit over board but I love it !
Our family's that we exchange with is not so big, so that makes it easier and just A few close friends that we exchange with!
Admin and I gave up shopping for each other years ago, but try to buy something we want or need every year!
This year will be A few updates in the house and our trip to Canada in April!

 

[Gullivers Keeper]

We played a gift game... steal the gift... everyone bought one gift for 50$... you draw cards... lowest gets first pick... next person can take take a wrapped gift, or steal someone else s opened gift (and if yours gets stolen you get a new wrapped gift) it was fun... a little competitive and made the gift opening process take a little more time

 

[Brooke]

We played a gift game... steal the gift... everyone bought one gift for 50$... you draw cards... lowest gets first pick... next person can take take a wrapped gift, or steal someone else s opened gift (and if yours gets stolen you get a new wrapped gift) it was fun... a little competitive and made the gift opening process take a little more time

Oh, that game is fun! We play it at work, they call it "Dirty Santa". The booze always gets stolen!!

 

[sydkat7]

Oh, that game is fun! We play it at work, they call it "Dirty Santa". The booze always gets stolen!!

We used to do that gift exchange game at work when we still had our workplace holiday parties. We called it the "White Elephant Exchange". It is competitive, but a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.

 

[Gullivers Keeper]

Oh, that game is fun! We play it at work, they call it "Dirty Santa". The booze always gets stolen!!

It's true the booze and lotto tickets

 

[myspecialboy]

We played a gift game... steal the gift... everyone bought one gift for 50$... you draw cards... lowest gets first pick... next person can take take a wrapped gift, or steal someone else s opened gift (and if yours gets stolen you get a new wrapped gift) it was fun... a little competitive and made the gift opening process take a little more time

My friends and I did that last year and it was so much fun! We had a regular "Dirty Santa" the year before and decided to put a twist on it and it was great. I think we're doing it again this year!
As for my family, my Dad used to take us to Walmart and we would buy presents for each family member. Our limit was $100 for each gift, which I'm sure was super expensive for Dad (I have 7 siblings plus my Dad and Stepmom), but we would end up picking out our own gifts and putting them in each other's cart. My Dad caught on and for the last few years before I moved out, we would just get to use our total limit ($900, I think) to buy gifts for ourselves. It made Christmas shopping a lot easier, but there wasn't a lot of thought involved, although we were all okay with that!
I cannot wait to buy gifts for my nieces this year! I spoil them so much as it is and now that they're both old enough to actually enjoy their presents (Lili is 5 and Violet will be 2 in November), I am going to get them the coolest toys! My little sister is 9 and I have no clue what to get her, though. She's past the toy stage and gets everything she wants right when she wants it (Spoiled, I know!). She'll be 10 in January, so she gets presents twice in two weeks!
If anyone has any ideas on what to get her, let me know! She's a super smart tomboy, but I think she likes Hannah Montana. I'm clueless! I'd hate to get her an educational present, but I think she might like it. Heck, I was playing with Barbies for the longest time and still would if I had any!

 

[ilovemysphynx]

My friends and I did that last year and it was so much fun! We had a regular "Dirty Santa" the year before and decided to put a twist on it and it was great. I think we're doing it again this year!
As for my family, my Dad used to take us to Walmart and we would buy presents for each family member. Our limit was $100 for each gift, which I'm sure was super expensive for Dad (I have 7 siblings plus my Dad and Stepmom), but we would end up picking out our own gifts and putting them in each other's cart. My Dad caught on and for the last few years before I moved out, we would just get to use our total limit ($900, I think) to buy gifts for ourselves. It made Christmas shopping a lot easier, but there wasn't a lot of thought involved, although we were all okay with that!
I cannot wait to buy gifts for my nieces this year! I spoil them so much as it is and now that they're both old enough to actually enjoy their presents (Lili is 5 and Violet will be 2 in November), I am going to get them the coolest toys! My little sister is 9 and I have no clue what to get her, though. She's past the toy stage and gets everything she wants right when she wants it (Spoiled, I know!). She'll be 10 in January, so she gets presents twice in two weeks!
If anyone has any ideas on what to get her, let me know! She's a super smart tomboy, but I think she likes Hannah Montana. I'm clueless! I'd hate to get her an educational present, but I think she might like it. Heck, I was playing with Barbies for the longest time and still would if I had any!

I don't know if your sister is into fashion being A tomboy but our daughter is 11 and begging for A pair of uggs boots so I think I have to take the $180 plung
wow how can they charge that? It would not be so bad if she was going to keep them clean and her foot was not growing every other day!

 

[myspecialboy]

I don't know if your sister is into fashion being A tomboy but our daughter is 11 and begging for A pair of uggs boots so I think I have to take the $180 plung
wow how can they charge that? It would not be so bad if she was going to keep them clean and her foot was not growing every other day!

Not to mention the fact that those are the most God awful looking things! Maybe it's just my opinion, bu t I think they are just Uggly!

 

[havingalook]

I'm not even thinking about Christmas right now. Its been a crazy year $ wise. I've had to go to England with the kids to visit my family as my nan had broke her hip. I've just started to get hospital bills for a health issue I had (and we are at $6000 and counting with that )

I think I'm just going to start thinking about the Holidays on December 1st

 

[Mews2much]

Well I have looked at gifts for the holiday exchanges here and in TCS.
I also am doing a holiday exchange on facebook with the sphynx people if theyget enough people to do it.
The lady I got in TCS last year must have been crazy.
She spent over $30 on shipping alone and even sent me a Hello Kitty Popcorn maker.
I was so surprised at all the stuff she sent.
Uggs are very expensive and my friend from Ausie thinks they are the greatest.
I do not have any lol

 

[Marnasobsession]

What about tickets to a live show or play of some kind. They really like that grownup feeling of going on a very special "date" with someone.

 

[ellie4-12]

I fear for my bank accounts when I have kids.. :-(

I don't even have Tommy( new sphynx) in my house yet.. and already for Chirstmas I want to make him a tree, buy him a few sweaters, and work out a way to afford the litter robot..

LOL I have a "kitty jar" and pretty much all my money goes in it. Thank Goodness Ben loves me enough to deal with my spoiling of these naked babies.