Has anyone started their holiday shopping?

[katlnhats]

Hi,
With one more year left of Walmart layaways, I was wondering if anyone had started their holiday shopping yet. I have and I haven't, since I'm making some of the gifts and have gotten some of those done, but not actually going to the store and shopping. I'd rather get that part done sooner than later though and "definitely" before Thanksgiving, having worked in retail Management for years, I know that the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the year and from there thru Christmas, it's crazy in all the stores. I do order from one catalog too, Swiss Colony (and they didn't send my catalog for this year yet, so I called them!), they have great gifts, truffles and all kinds of goodies, that it seems everyone likes.
I also do lots of baking and fudge and that also goes home with people in separate containers for each.
Anyone else started?

Kat

[SweetPea26]

I went christmas shopping for the boys last night... Right now Kmart has 5.00 layaways. The lady who was working told me that their layaway has been in very high demand this yr since this is the last yr walmart is having theirs.

Me and Matthew start our holiday baking the weekend after thanksgiving...

[katlnhats]

Dana,
I bet KMart will have tons of layaways, gee, Walmart just gave them some business, lol, nice of them, huh?
The weekend after Thanksgiving, sometimes "before' Thanksgiving, the decorations come out and I bake things too, week after, and hope they'll last through the week

Kat

[Brenda2000]

I've done some...managed to get my MIL's gift, which is good, because she is hard to buy for. Picked up some small items for stocking stuffers for my two girls, ages 12 and 15. I know what I'm going to get my daughter's piano teacher, just have to go get it. And, I have my best friend's gift taken care of.
We draw names for gift giving around Thanksgiving....wish the family would do it a bit earlier.

[kirsey2121]

i havent started...kat you like swiss coloney then? I was going to try them but read a lot of really bad online reviews

[liftedresearch]

havent done any at all.. need to find that elmo tmx.

[katlnhats]

Kirsey,
Yes, I like Swiss Colony, they went on the 'net last year and had lots of problems, but before that I've ordered from them since 1986...never had a problem, though they messed up last year, and credited it all back to me. So... since the mess-ups happened due to their going online, and getting slammed with orders, then having to credit people back, I'm thinking they've got it fixed this year.
Besides, their products are really good!

Kat

[gingerfish]

Yes! I've been shopping all year round, managed to find some really good deals at CVS, and I really stocked up after last christmas end of season sales. I got a couple of Digital cameras (kodak) for like $15 a piece, CD diskmans for like $5 a piece, plus this year, been finding things reduced 75% off plus if I have a coupon that takes more off and then my employee discount another 20% off so practically free products. I did manage to get a TMX Elmo from Target 4 towns over in Gettysburg last week, which totally shocked me. My son will love this little guy. he absolutely adores elmo, he says he wants to watch Mo Mo! every day. He's 15 months old. He's the easiest one to shop for I usually make items for the adults in the family My cousins, aunts and uncles, I buy for my parents (however my dad is getting the sensea coffee pod system I got free this month) He don't need to know I got it free LOL. We every year do a drawing of the adults for one present of no more value than $35 greater than $15(hoping this year I pick someone on our side of the family that I actually see and know what kind of things they like) Last two years I got relatives from my grandfathers previous marriage I hardly ever see hide nor hair of them except around christmas time. Half of the time they don't even show up for that.
I buy my son his toys some I make like stuffed animals and such, He's very easy to please, my cousin gave him a plastic coaster and I swear he has to take it everywhere.

[katlnhats]

Hi,
Wow, you've got a great start on yours, sounds like you're almost done! I picked up two things yesterday, and I'll be making some more things after I get done making soaps for the kids at the Food Pantry, ORANGE KITTY soaps! LOL

Kat

[Snowpuff]

I keep a gift drawer and gift closet in my house and add to them all year round when I find an appropriate item for someone.

No last minute shopping or crowded stores for me!

I also keep a supply of birthday and holiday cards on hand and add to it when I find a good deal on them.

Is this granny a savvy shopper, or what? lol

[june72]

Gosh I wish I had! We draw names on both sides of the family. Only on hubbys side only the adults draw names and we all buy for the kids.....around 20 of them. On my side the kids are in the name drawing so it is easier! Good thing about hubbys side they love deer jerky so I make each one of them a bag of it for Christmas and they love it. I gave them the option several years ago.....toy or jerky and they chose jerky and look forward to it all year. It don't cost a lot to make it, but I have several hours of work in it. Its fun to see their faces. The first year hubbys nephew jumped down a couple of steps and hugged me for his. Made my day Anyway I will be starting shopping soon!

[katlnhats]

Snowpuff,
That's such a good idea and when we HAD a drawer, (we've moved and there's no storage here at all), one closet, (clothes, both of us), my table, that I used to use for eating is in the bedroom, as the kitchen's too small, so we've got a small kitchen table in there, and so my dresser won't fit in the bedroom with the table in there! LOL SO....guess where that ended up? The living room!
I have bags of herbs stuffed in the closet, soap bases and essential oils in the bedroom, shea butter waiting to be whipped on the table in the bedroom - there's just no room.
I did actually used to do that, once upon a time, when there was an extra drawer, not now though, there's no extra anything!

Good for you, I'd love to be able to have that again, it makes things so much easier.

Kat

[katlnhats]

June!
Wow, you're making and buying enough for a small town! God Bless!


Kat

[Kygal2003]

Except for our 3 children, My Christmas shopping is about 50% done. I shop all year long and when I find a good deal, I buy it and put it away in the back room. The hardest ones on my list to buy for is my grandparents, my sister, and my MIL....everyone else is simple to buy for. ALL nieces and nephews and SIL's are DONE!!! I've gotten a few odd n ends for the kiddos. For my 5 year old son, I bought an outfit on ebay the other day....Calvin Klein Jeans shirt & jeans....had price tags on it for $70 and got it for $16.00 and that INCLUDED shipping!!! GREAT deal, I thought!!!

[whitequeen96]

LOL, gingerfish! That's so cute about your son lugging around the plastic coaster! He really IS easy to please!

And Snowpuff, I'm like you, with a gift closet that I add to all year. I keep a running talley of what I have and who it's for. I even have gifts set aside for NEXT year (birthdays, etc.)! My goal is to have 90% of my Christmas shopping done by mid-September, and I'm almost completely finished now. I like to go to the malls at Christmas time just to enjoy the decorations and watch the kids sit on Santa's lap; I HATE rushing around in a frenzy! We have a K-Mart in town that's open until midnight on 12/24, and the news always shows the crowds of last-minute shoppers, looking harried and hysterical. I don't want to be in that situation!