Christmas Gifts = Less Shopping

Our Christmas Tree of Books

I am over shopping. 

And no I am not being "grinchy" nor am I full of bah-humbug.
I am simply tired of feeling like I'm saving money by compromising and buying the three shirts on sale versus the sweater I really want because I could get three of them for the same price as one.

I need a new mind-set. One that says, "screw trends!" in a ballsy (but lady-like) roar, "create your own classic look and rock it like Audrey Hepburn forever.

Add in Christmas shopping on a barely-there budget this year and I am really questioning "would they like this gift? Or am I buying it because I  think it is adorable?" Because, let's be honest, most of us do that.

For my extended family this year I made batches of Snickerdoodle cookie mix and Spiced Tea mix and packaged them in mason jars. For my grandparents I am making two signs. One says "Grandkids" and has clips for each of their darlings (there are 14 now) and one says "Great-Grankids" and will have clips (they have 3 now) with more to clips to be added as they come along. For my Nana, who loved paper dolls as a child and had an extensive collection saved in the Dustbowl era of Oklahoma, I am printing out those printable "old fashioned" paper dolls, and making them into magnets.

 My goal is to give gifts that are truely full of thought. Ones that show that I spent time on thinking about what would make them happy, what they would truely enjoy, what their individual style is.

I'm still working on ideas for my immediate family. For Blair, considering our limited budget, we agreed that we would only spend $30 dollars on each other. After talking with his friends in Colorado that he rarely sees, I have ordered him a webcam (yay Cyber Week deals!) so that he can Skype with them and play Dungons and Dragons.

I want him to have "guy time" again. Right now, he is attending a very small college and most of the students are 10 years younger than him. And single. And not thinking about kids. And really, they don't have much in commmon. He told me the other day he is the "old man".

The other thing I am doing for him is an idea I got from The Dating Divas - 25 days of celebrating my husband! I'm making cards for each day, a love letter, a compliment, and offer to make whatever he wants for dinner or dessert, breakfast in bed, a movie night.... All things that are free, or nearly so.

It is December 1st, you guys! 25 days until Christmas. I am excited, playing Christmas music, and last night I stayed up until 2am building us a Christmas tree from books since I have to pack them up anyway and I don't want to un-pack and then re-pack the Christmas stuff when I still have so much to get done for our move, two days after Christmas!

I love Linus from Charlie Brown's Christmas Special.



Merry Christmas
Julie