Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

Mounds · 10-30-2010, 09:30 PM

The wife and I were sitting around this morning. She spontatneously said, "Feel like going to the city?"
I said, "Heck, why not. Wanna buy the X-mas gifts?"
"Sure!"

All done.

Bought some Halloween candy too in case we get a kid or two at our door tomorrow. Last year we had 0.

-Tim

Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi · 10-30-2010, 10:16 PM

My family doesn't exchange gifts Christmas. I volunteer at a homeless shelter making food for the holiday.

I thought I would respond since I doubt anyone else is finished, and I wanted to post something that also allowed me to brag and feel smug.

The general philosophy in my family is just give the gift now, you could be dead by Christmas. lmao

elucidate · 10-30-2010, 11:05 PM

I haven't even started

Since my mother left my dad, christmas hasn't been happening...it's just too confusing for us...who do we go to (mums on the other side of australia now). I don't think any of us bothered with it last year...

I like to make gifts, as it feels like I'm putting more of myself into it rather than just buying some thing and stressing over it. Mind you, I haven't done that for a while either.

I feel a shoulder shrug coming on here...

Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi · 10-30-2010, 11:13 PM

My older mini martha stewart sister always gives mason jars of dry goods - like homemade chili mix, homemade soup mix, homemade cookie dough mix. Then she puts appropriate floral ribbon on it (the kind of ribbon with wire on the sides so you can twist it into a double helix) and various holiday type fake greenery and/or some kind of elaborately crafty thing.

In my mother's country they don't have Christmas, so it was always this sort of awkward hallmark card imitation of Christmas because she didn't come to the states until she was in her 20s and never really understood the concept. On Tet you just give clothes and newly printed money, thatisall.

You know, my mini martha stewart sister also had an exboyfriend nicknamed "mason jar" now that I recall, but for entirely different reasons, I assure you.

Arcturus · 10-31-2010, 01:33 AM

I do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.

elucidate · 10-31-2010, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcturus

I do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.

Are shops open then?

Arcturus · 10-31-2010, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elucidate

Are shops open then?

They are in England... One or two convenience stores are even open Christmas day.

elucidate · 10-31-2010, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcturus

They are in England... One or two convenience stores are even open Christmas day.

I suppose 7/11 would probably stay open here, and a few asian shops.

Arcturus · 10-31-2010, 02:08 AM

I know this is gonna make me sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge but by the time Christmas actually arrives I'm fed up to the eyeballs with it. Why? Because the shops and the TV start ramming Christmas down our throats as early as late October so by December 25th the 'magic' and the 'novelty' have long worn off. My local supermarket already has their Christmas tree up and there's still eight weeks to go.
That's commercialism for ya and it's turned me off of Christmas. Come December 27th they're selling Easter eggs. Christmas should be renamed cashmas IMO 'cos that's what it's all about nowadays.

OK, rant over.

Daffy Duck · 10-31-2010, 02:09 AM

Finished? I haven't even started!

lifetimelearner · 10-31-2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

Finished? I haven't even started!

me either

does flashlights and batteries count ?

elucidate · 10-31-2010, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcturus

I know this is gonna make me sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge but by the time Christmas actually arrives I'm fed up to the eyeballs with it. Why? Because the shops and the TV start ramming Christmas down our throats as early as late October so by December 25th the 'magic' and the 'novelty' have long worn off. My local supermarket already has their Christmas tree up and there's still eight weeks to go.
That's commercialism for ya and it's turned me off of Christmas. Come December 27th they're selling Easter eggs. Christmas should be renamed cashmas IMO 'cos that's what it's all about nowadays.

OK, rant over.

Cashmas!

Yeah, pretty much. It's the scourge of twentieth century capitalism at it's most annoying.

I don't think I've really been into christmas since I was 16 or so? Birthdays don't do much for me either...though I do like cake

I'm pretty sure most people feel the same way Arcturus. It's crazy that everyone still plays it out. I would have thought people would have come to the unanimous decision to just stop christmas long ago!

It's for the kids mainly though!

Mounds · 10-31-2010, 05:08 AM

I got to the age a couple years ago that I figured I had everything. It's still fun to do some gift giving though. Once we all have kids in my family, it will be more for them and less for the adults.

Also, I never miss a chance to plug my financial adventures. Waaaay back in June or so, I started saving for Christmas. As in, set up an automatic monthly transfer and let it ride. Wish I'd done it all along! All the fun of shopping minus the credit card bill that usually comes with Christmas.
If you want to try it out, set your budget, divide by 12 and make your transfer for that amount.

Ex. Mine was $600 / 12 = $50 a month. I cranked it up a bit to compensate for starting in the middle of the year, still worked like a charm. It's easy to forget about and stress free around the holidays.

-Tim

lifetimelearner · 10-31-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mounds

I got to the age a couple years ago that I figured I had everything. It's still fun to do some gift giving though. Once we all have kids in my family, it will be more for them and less for the adults.

Also, I never miss a chance to plug my financial adventures. Waaaay back in June or so, I started saving for Christmas. As in, set up an automatic monthly transfer and let it ride. Wish I'd done it all along! All the fun of shopping minus the credit card bill that usually comes with Christmas.
If you want to try it out, set your budget, divide by 12 and make your transfer for that amount.

Ex. Mine was $600 / 12 = $50 a month. I cranked it up a bit to compensate for starting in the middle of the year, still worked like a charm. It's easy to forget about and stress free around the holidays.

-Tim

I wish there was a like button on this forum !!

LIKE !

Helesinine · 10-31-2010, 03:56 PM

I haven't even started.

Last year, I finished my Christmas shopping on December 23. Or was it on Christmas Eve?

I don't even remember that anymore.

Angela · 10-31-2010, 05:13 PM

No shopping. Experiential gifts only -- no cost, high value.

James81 · 10-31-2010, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

No shopping. Experiential gifts only -- no cost, high value.

What are a few examples of experiential gifts?

Angela · 10-31-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James81

What are a few examples of experiential gifts?

Hypnosis and TIME Techniques sessions.

st33med · 10-31-2010, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

Hypnosis and TIME Techniques sessions.

Sounds wonderful!

James81 · 10-31-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

Hypnosis and TIME Techniques sessions.

How do you wrap that?

Angela · 10-31-2010, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James81

How do you wrap that?

That's part of the fun!

Arcturus · 11-03-2010, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elucidate

Cashmas!

Yeah, pretty much. It's the scourge of twentieth century capitalism at it's most annoying.

I don't think I've really been into christmas since I was 16 or so? Birthdays don't do much for me either...though I do like cake

I'm pretty sure most people feel the same way Arcturus. It's crazy that everyone still plays it out. I would have thought people would have come to the unanimous decision to just stop christmas long ago!

It's for the kids mainly though!

I still like the festive spirit of Christmas but I just think it would be great if the decorations, flashing lights and Christmas trees didn't start appearing until the first week of December has passed. You say it's for the kids mainly and I certainly agree but I'm sure when I was a kid Christmas didn't start in late October. The other annoying thing is that come the 27th December Christmas is suddenly forgotten about and treated as if it never happened. Not only should Christmas start later but it should end later as well and go on until early January as I'm sure it did when I was a child. Our commercial lords and masters won't have this of course as late December is sale time and the lights on the tree are long cold by then (if you can see them beneath the cobwebs).

Merry Cashmas. Bah Humbug

Angela · 11-03-2010, 02:45 AM

Pretty weird today -- it was 92 degrees F, and christmas holiday adverts and junk are all over the place. Sparkly snowflakes and cheerful snowmen just looked kinda freaky in the melty heat.

st33med · 11-03-2010, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

Pretty weird today -- it was 92 degrees F, and christmas holiday adverts and junk are all over the place. Sparkly snowflakes and cheerful snowmen just looked kinda freaky in the melty heat.

It's 36 F here, and it was mid forty's earlier. So, come to Virginia and it'll be normal!

Weena · 11-03-2010, 09:44 PM

Neoooow. No. When do you guys put your tree up btw? I asked my mother-in-law and she said it's traditionally on the 1st of December. Looking forward to it, this was one of my fave things as a kid. Of course the tree was gift-less on xmas since in my culture we did not have Santa. (Don't worry we had something even more exciting).

In terms of shopping, it'll just be gifts for the littlies i think... oh! i have to find the big socks too! One says "bribe for Santa" and the other "Santa, I can explain...". Yeah, I am so classy

.

Arcturus · 11-04-2010, 01:53 PM

My Christmas tree goes up sometime in the second or third week of December. No earlier than around the 11th and no later than the 18th - one week to go.
It comes down after twelfth night - 6th January.

Solipsist · 11-04-2010, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

Pretty weird today -- it was 92 degrees F, and christmas holiday adverts and junk are all over the place. Sparkly snowflakes and cheerful snowmen just looked kinda freaky in the melty heat.

Indeed, Christmastime in Australia is a highly unusual experience, also, for those of us northern hemispherers. December 21 is the beginning of their summer.

Mounds · 11-04-2010, 02:25 PM

I remember Christmas when I lived with my brother. We set up the Christmas tree a few days before Christmas.
In April, we finally got fed up with looking at it and carried it into the basement, decorations and all. We brought it back upstairs close to Christmas.

Weena · 11-04-2010, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solipsist

Indeed, Christmastime in Australia is a highly unusual experience, also, for those of us northern hemispherers. December 21 is the beginning of their summer.

Tell me about it...I grew up with snowy Christmas then moved to Australia almost 6 years ago (in December actually) and Xmas i not quite snowy down here...you don't eat a hot meal but salads, and you enjoy a cool drink on the deck bathing in sunlight...not such a bad experience actually. Summer is on the 1st of December...not too long to go now

Helesinine · 12-19-2010, 04:07 PM

I finished my Christmas shopping today! Yay!

I have yet to make Christmas cards for a few people and then it's all done.

10-30-2010, 09:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mounds Family Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3,853	Sign if you finished your Christmas shopping :D The wife and I were sitting around this morning. She spontatneously said, "Feel like going to the city?" I said, "Heck, why not. Wanna buy the X-mas gifts?" "Sure!" All done. Bought some Halloween candy too in case we get a kid or two at our door tomorrow. Last year we had 0. -Tim

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10-30-2010, 10:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi Retired Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 3,662	My family doesn't exchange gifts Christmas. I volunteer at a homeless shelter making food for the holiday. I thought I would respond since I doubt anyone else is finished, and I wanted to post something that also allowed me to brag and feel smug. The general philosophy in my family is just give the gift now, you could be dead by Christmas. lmao

10-30-2010, 11:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
elucidate Banned Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 12,751	I haven't even started Since my mother left my dad, christmas hasn't been happening...it's just too confusing for us...who do we go to (mums on the other side of australia now). I don't think any of us bothered with it last year... I like to make gifts, as it feels like I'm putting more of myself into it rather than just buying some thing and stressing over it. Mind you, I haven't done that for a while either. I feel a shoulder shrug coming on here...

10-30-2010, 11:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi Retired Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 3,662	My older mini martha stewart sister always gives mason jars of dry goods - like homemade chili mix, homemade soup mix, homemade cookie dough mix. Then she puts appropriate floral ribbon on it (the kind of ribbon with wire on the sides so you can twist it into a double helix) and various holiday type fake greenery and/or some kind of elaborately crafty thing. In my mother's country they don't have Christmas, so it was always this sort of awkward hallmark card imitation of Christmas because she didn't come to the states until she was in her 20s and never really understood the concept. On Tet you just give clothes and newly printed money, thatisall. You know, my mini martha stewart sister also had an exboyfriend nicknamed "mason jar" now that I recall, but for entirely different reasons, I assure you.

10-31-2010, 01:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
Arcturus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Rip off Britain Posts: 177	I do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.

10-31-2010, 02:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
Arcturus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Rip off Britain Posts: 177	I know this is gonna make me sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge but by the time Christmas actually arrives I'm fed up to the eyeballs with it. Why? Because the shops and the TV start ramming Christmas down our throats as early as late October so by December 25th the 'magic' and the 'novelty' have long worn off. My local supermarket already has their Christmas tree up and there's still eight weeks to go. That's commercialism for ya and it's turned me off of Christmas. Come December 27th they're selling Easter eggs. Christmas should be renamed cashmas IMO 'cos that's what it's all about nowadays. OK, rant over.

10-31-2010, 02:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
Daffy Duck Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 3,001	Finished? I haven't even started!

10-31-2010, 05:08 AM	#13 (permalink)
Mounds Family Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3,853	I got to the age a couple years ago that I figured I had everything. It's still fun to do some gift giving though. Once we all have kids in my family, it will be more for them and less for the adults. Also, I never miss a chance to plug my financial adventures. Waaaay back in June or so, I started saving for Christmas. As in, set up an automatic monthly transfer and let it ride. Wish I'd done it all along! All the fun of shopping minus the credit card bill that usually comes with Christmas. If you want to try it out, set your budget, divide by 12 and make your transfer for that amount. Ex. Mine was $600 / 12 = $50 a month. I cranked it up a bit to compensate for starting in the middle of the year, still worked like a charm. It's easy to forget about and stress free around the holidays. -Tim

10-31-2010, 03:56 PM	#15 (permalink)
Helesinine Family Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,233	I haven't even started. Last year, I finished my Christmas shopping on December 23. Or was it on Christmas Eve? I don't even remember that anymore.

10-31-2010, 05:13 PM	#16 (permalink)
Angela Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 22,520	No shopping. Experiential gifts only -- no cost, high value.

11-03-2010, 02:45 AM	#23 (permalink)
Angela Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 22,520	Pretty weird today -- it was 92 degrees F, and christmas holiday adverts and junk are all over the place. Sparkly snowflakes and cheerful snowmen just looked kinda freaky in the melty heat.

11-03-2010, 09:44 PM	#25 (permalink)
Weena Family Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 3,852	Neoooow. No. When do you guys put your tree up btw? I asked my mother-in-law and she said it's traditionally on the 1st of December. Looking forward to it, this was one of my fave things as a kid. Of course the tree was gift-less on xmas since in my culture we did not have Santa. (Don't worry we had something even more exciting). In terms of shopping, it'll just be gifts for the littlies i think... oh! i have to find the big socks too! One says "bribe for Santa" and the other "Santa, I can explain...". Yeah, I am so classy .

11-04-2010, 01:53 PM	#26 (permalink)
Arcturus Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Rip off Britain Posts: 177	My Christmas tree goes up sometime in the second or third week of December. No earlier than around the 11th and no later than the 18th - one week to go. It comes down after twelfth night - 6th January.

11-04-2010, 02:25 PM	#28 (permalink)
Mounds Family Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3,853	I remember Christmas when I lived with my brother. We set up the Christmas tree a few days before Christmas. In April, we finally got fed up with looking at it and carried it into the basement, decorations and all. We brought it back upstairs close to Christmas.

12-19-2010, 04:07 PM	#30 (permalink)
Helesinine Family Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,233	I finished my Christmas shopping today! Yay! I have yet to make Christmas cards for a few people and then it's all done.

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