How much do you have stashed away for Christmas already?

[dolphindream]

Or how many gifts have you made already?


I have NOTHING! :eek:

[pat]

I have nothing made though I do have a few kids items that I have purchased and hid. Just little stuff. I'm working on some crafts and I guess if they don't sell before Christmas, they will become Christmas gifts. ;)

[Sara]

My gift closet has about 5 items for the kids so far. I wish I was doing better with the gift closet, but it's better than nothing. It probably sounds like a great start, but their birthdays are in November before Christmas.

[homemaker carol]

I have NONE!!! :eek:

[Dolphin]

I have none either. I keep getting cleaned out for birthdays and upcoming holidays. I really need to get with it and start making some Christmas gifts.

[Dee]

You mean I am supposed to start EARLY for Christmas! :eek:

:D

Nope, I don't have anything either. I'm still thinking about Mother's Day and that is less than 2 weeks away! :rolleyes:

[Darlene]

2 in college... Merry Chirsitmas everyone!

Seriously though, no I haven't started but do know I'll be making a scarf for Nicole.:)

[pat]

Since I was the lucky winner of the Kid's Rainy Day Basket on FV, I will put most of those items away to use for gifts. I'll let Ryan pick out a couple things, but that's all. Most would suit a child that's younger better. Since I mainly buy for kids, it's great that I won that particular basket.

[Heather]

LOL Darlene! :D

I have a few scarves made as well and a block quilt.

[Sara]

I think I'll make the kiddos new scarves. This past year they were a huge hit. I washed Zachary's scarf and tossed it in the dryer. It got stuck on his pants that have velcro on them. ugh He can definitely use a new one and Alexandra's scarf was more decorative than practical since I used baby yarn.

I'd love to make them slippers, but haven't come across a decent and easy pattern.

[homemaker carol]

After decluttering, I now have a number of small items for 3 of our grandsons. I'm putting them in my gift stash.

[Tina]

I bought my first Christmas gift today :D

[Emerald_Mommy]

We set aside $65 a month for Christmas. So right now we have $325! This is one thing I'm very proud of in our money managing. We also set aside $31 a month for birthday, mother's day, etc., to spread the cost over 12 months instead of 2-3 really impossible months.

[Mommy2Five]

I have 3 boxes of stuff for the children, a few things for whoever I need it for, and when we move back to the states (maybe this year maybe next who knows?) I have TONS of larger little tykes and step two stuff for outdoors and indoors. We just don't have room for it here. :(

I need to start picking up more!

[jlxian]

I have very little, and it was purchased in other seasons and never given out.

A few weeks ago I bought a darling "Hello Kitty" charm (Avon) for my daughter and was going to stash it away for Christmas. I didn't get it hidden fast enough, though.....

[Michelle]

I bought a few games for the girls so far. I have ideas and supplies gathered for homemade gifts, but I haven't made any yet. :o

[mom2knk]

I have nothing yet!!!! I need to get busy and make a plan and get going on this!

[pita1213]

i have some dishcloths and potholders made. dks and i have been working on ornaments and such for my folks, inlaws and my sis and bil. i am cutting out handprints of the 4 of us. each in a different color and then i'm going to layer them with dh's on the bottom, then mine, ds, and dd. then write our names on our hand prints and laminate them. then attach a hanger to it so it can get hung on the tree. i haven't decided if the hanger will be a ribbon loop of a hook yet. oh and i'll put the year on it too. i'm also cutting out the dks handprints in two different shades of green to make wreaths with. i want to make small ones to send to relatives and larger ones for us and their grandparents. i just haven't figured out what i can use to make the holly berries that would be cute. i might let the kids make thumbprints with a red stamp pad for teh berries. i'll give out the wreaths a bit before christmas though so the great grandparents can really enjoy them. my grandmother had to be put in a nursing home this past month, so iwant to make a few small things she can keep in her room to remind her of the kids. i know she won't have a lot of room so i'm trying to come up with things she can put ont he wall like the wreath. i'm going to try to get a lap blanket made for her like the prayer shawl i made for dh's grandmother, but that will get sent to her as soon as it's done.

[mom2knk]

Great ideas Pita1213!!!

Every year for Christmas I trace around one of dd's hands and feet and the same for ds.......we attach the hands to the top of the foot pattern (where the toes are) and it makes a reindeer....the hands are the antlers and the foot is the face.....the dks deocrate them and we sign and date the back and send to Grandma (my Mom) to hang in her Christmas tree! I have been doing it since my almost 18 year old dd was 5 months old! Mom gets a kick out of seeing how much the kids have grown over the years!!!

[jlxian]

Only a few things so far. I do need to get busy!

I love the reindeer idea using the tracings of hands and feet. My mother would love these from the kids!

[scottielover]

With only older "kids" to buy for now, and not many people outside our immediate family, I've found the last few years getting easier. I'm pretty much complete for this year, including stockings, and have things stashed away in two rubbermaid tubs. I just have gift cards to get for the kids closer to the date, and my DH (already know what I'm getting him, just need to get it closer to Christmas).

The one person I was pulling my hair out over is my 83 year old Mom who lives in a retirement home. Other than adding scrapbook pages to a book I started for her last year, I was at a loss.... UNTIL .... this past weekend we were up visiting her and she gave us a huge bag full of papers to bring home to shred for her ... a lightbulb went off - I'll get her her own shredder! We just had to replace ours and we got a really nice one that is quite compact and won't take up too much room if she stores it in her closet when not needed ... now if I could only find her a pink one ... she'd love that. :D ;) :D

[Scribbler]

I have an enormous stash! Teachers' gifts (bought Yankee candles at 75% off after Christmas); kids' gifts; gifts for DH; and now I want to add some baby gifts to my stash.

But we live an hour from the nearest good shopping. So, I HAVE to stockpile gifts!

[shellycat]

Hello, I am new to the board but hope to learn a lot as well as share. It is nice to do holiday shopping early because you beat the crowds and relieve the stress of last minute shopping. However gifts from the heart are important to give as well. Dont think you need to get the lastest toy out there to make your child happy. Throughout time, they will value gifts from the heart. Make a quilt, scarf, slipper socks, or something that can be used time and time again. Create gift baskets filled with little goodies such as a cookie basket and fill it with your famous cookies along with ingredients and the recipe to make them. Then the person you give the gift to, will always remember you. If you want to buy a few gift items shop now, or during sales before the holiday season comes around and prices are insanely overpriced. Tis the season to be frugal and feel good about your gifts :-)
Best of luck!

http://www.savingdimes.com/_assets/library/img/291.php