Christmas is coming. On December 25, to be exact. I believe it was the same day last year as well. I feel prepared and will not be stressing about gifts in the days leading up to Christmas. My goal is to have all presents bought before Thanksgiving and I will be done before others have even started. Thankfully, I got the difficult ones out of the way first and only have a few left to buy. To keep it simple this year, and also fun for me, I picked a theme for gift buying. I chose one type of gift and everyone is getting that gift, but specific to their interests. If all goes well, I will do something similar next year
In my opinion, gift buying is getting out of hand. Most, if not all, of the people we are buying for don't NEED anything. It becomes a dreaded chore to buy gifts. The other chore is coming up with a list of what "I" want for everyone who will be buying "me" a present. "Don't get me anything" seldom works, so you're pressured to come up with something. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE to buy gifts, wrap gifts, and give gifts! For any occasion and for no occasion. Christmas just tends to get stressful because there are so many at once.
So here are 10 ideas if you need a place to start with your gift buying this year.
1. Color
Pick a color and everyone gets a gift that color. Blue socks, blue craft paper, blue hot wheels, blue legos, blue baby doll outfit. That would cover gifts for my brother and his family. Pretty simple, huh? By the way, this is NOT what they are getting this year. Maybe next year...
2. Alphabet
Buy each person a gift that begins with the first letter of their name.
Bobby gets blocks, Nadine gets notecards, Frankie gets a fishing lure, Patty gets pajamas.....
3. Grateful
Buy/make each person some type of journal or notebook as simple or elaborate as you want. There are MANY types of notebooks/journals from a basic spiral on the school suppy aisle or a nice leather one. Decorate a child's with their name, stickers, etc or let them decorate their own. Throughout the year, everyone will keep track of what they are thankful for. Daily would be optimal, but if they do it weekly or every few days, that is fine too. For young kids, it would be good family time to do this together. For babies, just make it up-thankful for clean diapers, milk, big brother making me laugh, kisses from my dog, my new sophie the giraffe toy, etc. Then next year, either at Thanksgiving or Christmas, everyone can bring their notebook and share a few things they were grateful for in the previous year.
4. Same Thing
Pick an item that pretty much anyone can use. Everyone gets the same thing, but specific to them-different color, size, fragrance, etc.
Game, crazy socks, pajamas, movie, hat, candle or necklace for gals/something manly for guys, ....
5. Gently Used
Got this idea from a friend. In her extended family, all their gifts must come from a thrift store/second hand/resale shop, etc. I know in Stillwater, the proceeds of these stores go to good causes like the humane society, domestic violence center, and habitat for humanity. If I did this idea, I would make a tag to add to each present saying something like "your gift was bought from a store that will give money to help animals who need a home" (if it's for a kid) or "your gift was purchased from a store whose proceeds support our homeless shelter, hospice, habitat for humanity, etc"
6. Donate to Charity
Instead of buying a present, make a donation to a charity. I have actually done this for my brother in the past. I think I simply told him, "instead of buying you a gift, I made a donation to your ministry that helps the homeless." If you wanted, you could wrap a note or give them a note in an envelope. This could definitely work with adults. For kids, I think it would depend on age and the family.
7. Small Christmas
Everyone gets a very small present, not necessarily cheap, but it has to be small enough to fit in a shoebox or even smaller box. You could also do a very BIG Christmas, but depending on how many gifts you're taking to one location and traveling, it could be a challenge fitting everything into your car, or luggage if you are flying.
8. Make It
Make everyone's gift. Not sure why all my examples are my brother, but he loves my homemade granola and would rather have that than most things I could buy. This option may take more time, but in some cases in may actually save you time. You could sew, bake, make a photo book/album, wood items, paper items... I really should just stop because the possibilities are endless. If you don't want to make it yourself, you could buy items hand-made by someone else.
9. One Store
Pick one store. Buy everyone's gift at that one store.
10. Buy Yourself a Gift!
This idea came from a recent conversation I had with Matt. Instead of telling everyone what you want, what your kids want, what your dog wants, and what your neighbor's dog wants. Just buy yourself a present. Wrap it. Take it to your family get together. (each person buys their own gift). Then you all open presents. It's a surprise to everyone else. When you open it you say, "this is something I've really been wanting!" Everyone can admire each others gifts, everyone got what they wanted and everyone is happy. :)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
FatWallet
Do you ever buy anything online? Do you like to save money?
Today I thought I'd share a tip with you that a friend told me about last summer. I like to make sure something is legitimate and not some type of scam before I tell others about it. I feel like this is for real.
The website is http://www.fatwallet.com/. I'm not going to take the time to explain all the details of how it works because you can go to the site and read about it there. To summarize it, you just set up and account, log in there FIRST when you shop online, then select the link on their site before you shop online at the stores you wer already going to shop at.
For example, I buy things from Vitacost (more to come on this later) online. First, I go to fatwallet.com and sign in. Then I find the link to vitacost on their site. I then do my shopping on vitacost.com. Pretty simple.
So what is the great thing about fatwallet? I get 5% cashback from all my purchases I make from vitacost. I have been a fatwallet member since August 2009. So far, I have "saved" $76.35. I have $18.78 availabe right now. All I need to do is go to my fatwallet account and have them send me a check.
From what I have found, there really is no catch. There are tons of special offers and cash back awards. I haven't looked into all of them. There are really just 2 stores that I shop from on a monthly basis and I always go through fatwallet first and it saves me a little money. It's kind of exciting to get a small check in the mail a couple times a year as well.
Check it out. Save some money. I don't know if there is a place for you to put a referral when you set up an account, but if there is, please put my email address: kemberswan@hotmail.com
Happy shopping and saving!
Today I thought I'd share a tip with you that a friend told me about last summer. I like to make sure something is legitimate and not some type of scam before I tell others about it. I feel like this is for real.
The website is http://www.fatwallet.com/. I'm not going to take the time to explain all the details of how it works because you can go to the site and read about it there. To summarize it, you just set up and account, log in there FIRST when you shop online, then select the link on their site before you shop online at the stores you wer already going to shop at.
For example, I buy things from Vitacost (more to come on this later) online. First, I go to fatwallet.com and sign in. Then I find the link to vitacost on their site. I then do my shopping on vitacost.com. Pretty simple.
So what is the great thing about fatwallet? I get 5% cashback from all my purchases I make from vitacost. I have been a fatwallet member since August 2009. So far, I have "saved" $76.35. I have $18.78 availabe right now. All I need to do is go to my fatwallet account and have them send me a check.
From what I have found, there really is no catch. There are tons of special offers and cash back awards. I haven't looked into all of them. There are really just 2 stores that I shop from on a monthly basis and I always go through fatwallet first and it saves me a little money. It's kind of exciting to get a small check in the mail a couple times a year as well.
Check it out. Save some money. I don't know if there is a place for you to put a referral when you set up an account, but if there is, please put my email address: kemberswan@hotmail.com
Happy shopping and saving!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Time Change
I dislike time change Sunday for many reasons. For starters, just ask my husband how I do when we travel and cross time zones. It would have been helplful for me to have had some math problems on time zones during my school years. And maybe be did. I just don't remember.
You know the saying, "spring forward, fall backward"? Pretty much everyone hates the spring because you lose and hour and everyone LOVES the fall because you get to sleep an extra hour. That's not the case when you have a 2 1/2 yr old and a 5 month old. There's no extra hour. They don't know how to tell time. They don't understand the clocks have changed so we can "sleep in". Ain't happenin. Not around here!
Last week, both boys started waking early, which traslates to anywhere from 4:30-6:30am instead of their usual 7:00-7:30am. I knew the time change was coming and I dreaded it. Lucky for us, we got to "sleep in" until around 5:30am today which is 6:30am old time. Never in my life did I think I would have cooked, had a sit down breakfast, and be done well before 6:30 am. And then to be thankful that "that" was sleeping in. We went to some friends' church today because their son was being dedicated and the service was at 11:00. It was the longest morning ever before it was finally time to leave for church.
Time changes confuse me immensely. For weeks, I will look at the clock, see what time it is, and try to figure out what time it used to me. I know it's only one hour difference. It should be simple. Not for me. Maybe it's so simple that I make it complicated.
If it were just me, or just Matt and I, the time change wouldn't be as big of a deal. (and I really would have had an extra hour today!) I don't know that I'd go so far as to say life at our house revolves around the two little munchkins, but if it doesn't, it comes real close to that. Wake up time, naps, lunch, naps, playtime, bathtime, bedtime, church, mom's day out, going anywhere-it's all affected by the clock.
It's not even 9:00pm. I'm already tired. I usually feel ready for bed around 8:00 which means I should have been tired around......ok, I'm already stumped. Time to go do my night chores and be ready to wake up earlier than I would like. I will be greeted by a big dimpled smile, a tired but pleasant husband, and an unpredictable toddler-sometimes pleasant like daddy, but usually grumpy like his mommy.
You know the saying, "spring forward, fall backward"? Pretty much everyone hates the spring because you lose and hour and everyone LOVES the fall because you get to sleep an extra hour. That's not the case when you have a 2 1/2 yr old and a 5 month old. There's no extra hour. They don't know how to tell time. They don't understand the clocks have changed so we can "sleep in". Ain't happenin. Not around here!
Last week, both boys started waking early, which traslates to anywhere from 4:30-6:30am instead of their usual 7:00-7:30am. I knew the time change was coming and I dreaded it. Lucky for us, we got to "sleep in" until around 5:30am today which is 6:30am old time. Never in my life did I think I would have cooked, had a sit down breakfast, and be done well before 6:30 am. And then to be thankful that "that" was sleeping in. We went to some friends' church today because their son was being dedicated and the service was at 11:00. It was the longest morning ever before it was finally time to leave for church.
Time changes confuse me immensely. For weeks, I will look at the clock, see what time it is, and try to figure out what time it used to me. I know it's only one hour difference. It should be simple. Not for me. Maybe it's so simple that I make it complicated.
If it were just me, or just Matt and I, the time change wouldn't be as big of a deal. (and I really would have had an extra hour today!) I don't know that I'd go so far as to say life at our house revolves around the two little munchkins, but if it doesn't, it comes real close to that. Wake up time, naps, lunch, naps, playtime, bathtime, bedtime, church, mom's day out, going anywhere-it's all affected by the clock.
It's not even 9:00pm. I'm already tired. I usually feel ready for bed around 8:00 which means I should have been tired around......ok, I'm already stumped. Time to go do my night chores and be ready to wake up earlier than I would like. I will be greeted by a big dimpled smile, a tired but pleasant husband, and an unpredictable toddler-sometimes pleasant like daddy, but usually grumpy like his mommy.
A Mother ...
About five years ago I received a piece of mail from Jackson Jewelers advertising the Hearts on Fire diamond collection. On this mailer was a beautiful diamond pendant, a picture of a mom snuggling with a tiny baby, and a poem. I'm not the type of person who really enjoys poetry, but I liked this. I clipped it from that mailer and have held onto it for years and have it typed and hanging on the wall next to my desk. I don't know who Julia Summers it, but I love this very short, but meaningful poem. I hope you enjoy it too.
"A Mother
laughs our laughter,
sheds our tears,
returns our love,
fears our fears.
She lives our joys,
cares our cares,
and all our hopes
and dreams she shares."
Julia Summers-author
"A Mother
laughs our laughter,
sheds our tears,
returns our love,
fears our fears.
She lives our joys,
cares our cares,
and all our hopes
and dreams she shares."
Julia Summers-author
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