How we avoid Holiday shopping pressure

bagnshoo..I am with you all the way on this one. I buy gifts for my nephews and that is it. We usually have family to my home for Christmas breakfast then we ride our bikes to the beach and follow the bike path for a few miles, so relaxing.
 
I don't get in the Christmas spirit until about December 23rd and then do ALL my shopping on the 24th. The frenzy is a great rush LOL
Although this year I bought my first presents today since I'm heading out of town and the gifts can't be bought where I'm going.
Once I arrive there on Friday I'll be shopping on the 23rd and 24th until the malls close LOL
Hubby & I don't buy anything for each other....we figure we can just buy something we want anytime.
I sometimes feel like a Scrooge LOL
 
bagnshoo..I am with you all the way on this one. I buy gifts for my nephews and that is it. We usually have family to my home for Christmas breakfast then we ride our bikes to the beach and follow the bike path for a few miles, so relaxing.

that sounds like so much fun! I'm coming over to your house for Christmas!
 
DH and I try to stay ahead of the game by doing our grocery shopping about 7 days or so before Xmas Eve. We buy everything except the meats which we pick up later. This has really helped us sty organized. I make lists which I follow to a tee. This year we also asked our relatives to bring certain dishes...this way we have less to try and make ourselves. The one sticky problem is that we both HATE to wrap gifts. I end up staying up late the night before.....

Anne
 
I am usually a 100% online shopper for local and out of towners. This year I finished the out of towners but our winter storm and power outages this past week put a damper on any type of shopping, online or in person.

As I posted earlier, cleaning up flooding on my street and in my garage, helping neighbors and trying to survive a 45 degree house huddled up with BF in a suburban camping setting has REALLY put my priorities back in perspective. Sure it's great to shop, but taking care of eachother is first and foremost.

I'm now trying to get creative and go to specialty stores to avoid the mall and get last minute gifts picked out. With the heavy use of fireplaces (mostly woodburning) around here, I snapped up an incredible black and brass fireplace tool set for the BF. And a few more ideas to go.
 
I actually like the "shopping pressure"!!Gets me in the mood for Christmas! :yes:

That said, I'm only saying that now when it's all calm, and when I've got all my pressies sorted out. It would have been a totally different response about 15 hours ago when I was doing the ACTUAL shopping :P
 
Good morning ladies! Just wanted to share some holiday thoughts with you.
Every year I notice the holiday shopping hustle and bustle seems to get worse. Some friends and family get anxiety over what to get - feel they have to top last years gift, etc. Impossible to find parking at the mall, people being rude and impatient with each other - my DH and I decided years ago not to be part of it any more. We buy each other so many things during the year and as Christians also believe Christmas isn't our birthday anyway so why are we getting gifts? So every year we just fill each other stockings with silly things like candy and little toys and stuff like that. It reminds us of when we were kids and Christmas was actually fun - we end up laughing alot and having a great time! The pressure is gone for DH not to have to find me the most expensive and/or meaningful thing and same for me! I am not knocking people who do brave the crowds and shop (more power to you!) - it just hasn't been that for me for a long time and was wondering if anyone else does a low-key Christmas like this?

And by the way - I hope everyone here has a safe and very happy Christmas!
Stay warm!

This is us too! (When I was a kid, my parents made a HUGE deal out of our birthdays, huge parties, tons of presents. We got only 1 or 2 gifts on Christmas cause it was Jesus birthday.) Our birthday & anniversary are big gift/celebration days in our house.
 
My DH is a total delight to buy for. He gets excited & runs around like a little kid, jumping up & down, doing the splits in the air, running up & down the stairs, etc! I know its an act but it cracks me up!
One year we got each other a pair of "Billy Bob" teeth. Then we tried to make out with them in our mouths!
 
My DH is a total delight to buy for. He gets excited & runs around like a little kid, jumping up & down, doing the splits in the air, running up & down the stairs, etc! I know its an act but it cracks me up!
One year we got each other a pair of "Billy Bob" teeth. Then we tried to make out with them in our mouths!

okay this is getting creepy now! I think we both married the same guy!