Photo by mlkeewa~
Every week I’ll pose a question for you to share your experiences and tips. If you have a question that you’d like me to post, I’d love to hear from you!
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that last year we were still wrapping gifts at 4 a.m. on Christmas morning, something we’re determined not to repeat this year! I’ve already started making Christmas plans for this year and one thing I’m looking for is homemade gifts that we can make as a family.
Have you started making Christmas plans? Have you started your Christmas shopping? Will you be making any of your gifts? Have you started stocking up on baking supplies?
Join the discussion — add your two cents to previous Ask DSM Readers questions too!
amy
yes, yes, yes, no
I have started shopping already and have a drawer in my room for Christmas gifts. I’m also making items for the women (clutch purses) so those are started and some finished. I also already have the main gifts for the ladies in our families. It feels so good to have some of them already done and paid for!
jocelyn
I have almost all my x-mas shopping done already. My room is filled with boxes that I now have to look at until December. I’ve gotten things for all family members and either giving things away that I got free (like lip gloss) or things that I got on the cheap (like customized Disney items). Can’t wait til I can get all the boxes moving.
Katy C
Yes. Granted – I’m usually way behind. But this year we have a little bundle of joy due to arrive the week of Thanksgiving, so everything has to be bought and wrapped (maybe even sent) by the time he arrives, because I know me, and the thought of having to go shopping while learning to be a mommy, well….it just doesn’t sound appealing…so I have several gifts done, several in the works and just a few more to figure out and have started putting together a list of ingredients I will need to make some yummy treats! So yes…the girl that usually writes her Christmas cards but never sends them….she’s actually already half way through Christmas preparations!
Ashlee
I usually do a mix of purchased and homemade gifts. This year I am planning on making a few crocheted scarfs as well as wool dryer balls. For the purchased gifts I’ve not bought any yet but I have ideas in my head. Planning on using Jasmere to buy some of the items.My husband and I have decided not to exchange gifts but instead save up for a night out in NYC when we are in New Jersey visiting family over the holidays.
shar
I have started shopping. Started it a month ago. I am not planning on doing a whole lot this year since I had 3 grandchildren born in 4 months (for a grant total of 4 now). Add in my 4 kids and parents etc? Savings bonds for the grandkids plus an outfit and a toy and family gifts for the kids and their significant others. The 13 yr old at home will still get her own things.
Stockings are being stuffed courtesy of FREE items/samples/givewaways I have been collecting for the past 6 months. Baking/cooking will be kept to a minimum this year. I am looking forward to a nice quiet holiday this year.
Meg
I have already started holiday shopping for my nieces and nephews. I have been picking up a few toys and some clothes for them since last christmas. I will also be making some gifts. My boyfriend scuba dives and comes home with star fish, sand dollars and shells to make pretty ornaments. As for my parents, that is usually last minute because they have everything under the sun and it takes a while for me to come up with something good for them. As for my boyfriend, for holidays since we have everything we want/need we pitch in together and take our selves on a little mini get away :)
Amy Cummings
I have a good start, I picked up some great things after Christmas last year, have found some great clearance deals and will be saving up the free samples here on out. I am stock piling my swagbucks as well in hopes to buy at least one present for my boys from Amazon. I have really narrowed down my list and will try to come up with fun things to make as well.
Keri
I’m pretty much finished shopping for gifts, although there are a few still planned (like Beauty & the Beast, which hasn’t come out yet). What I haven’t started on is planning for food & saving up for that awful electric bill I always get in January!
chris
Yes to all!
I have my plans done, we know whose house we’ll be at and when, our travel reservations are made and I started my shopping last month. I will be making some of my gifts and I started stocking up on baking supplies over the summer.
Also bought all of our holiday cards and gift wrap on clearance in January (now, where did I put them?), updated our card list a few weeks ago (I have it on an Excel spreadsheet and keep track of who we receive cards from and who we send them to – if we do not receive a card from someone on the list for 2 consecutive years, we usually cross them off the list, it really lessens the stress) and I actually joked to my husband recently that I was going to starting writing out the cards soon – haha.
I am SO determined not to rush in a mad last-minute panic this year! Fingers crossed!
Elisabeth
Last year, my husband and I decided our entire Christmas would be homemade. We made peanut and cashew brittle, a wooden race track, doll house furniture, ladder ball game, purses, and bags. I know, it sounds so Little House on the Prairie, but we really enjoyed taking the time for homemade gifts.
Holly
Yes to all of it. Since my anniversary, oldest daughter’s birthday and hubby’s birthday are all in December too I have to start planning and preparing early for Christmas if I want to stay sane. I’ve also started planning and preparing for the other three events.
Maria Campbell
I’ve been earning my Swagbucks and saving my Amazon gift cards. I have over $500 in my Amazon account thanks to you, Tara (you got me started with Swagbucks back in Feb). So I have gifts pretty much covered. I’m also making gift bags again this year for the teachers at school with freebies I’ve saved from couponing all year long. All I need now is some good recipes to make the goodies and Christmas gifts will be done and done.
I’ve started thinking about baking supplies and I’m looking forward to reading about the deals as you find them.
laine
I would love to know how you earned $500 just since Feb. Do you have a ton of referrals?
Jen
Yeah, me, too! :-)
Jason G.
Haven’t started buying for other family members yet, but we bought a couple things for our 1 year old. What we did start doing was saving money so we don’t get slammed. We already have a nice chunk saved up.
Dizzy Mommy
Between moving and money this year Im not doing anything right now. Unless something amazing happens each of my kids will only be getting a couple things and we plan on putting up a tree at my parents.
Tara
Whew! I thought I was the only one that has done absolutely nothing. I’m not even ready for Halloween!
Elisabeth
I’m not even ready for tomorrow!
Heather
Thanks for the laugh!!! I’m not ready for anything either. Life with five kids. Kudos to all of you who have a great head start or are finished. You’re the envy of my life!
Wendy
I’ve been Christmas shopping since January! Really just stuff that was a great deal, so I’m not done. I have crossed two people off as done though. I’ve been watching clearance and finding lots of things on Etsy, too.
Gloria Brown
When I started doing all this frugal stuff (as my husband refers to it), I joined several survey sites etc. One cashes out to Amazon and I use my swagbucks for Amazon too. So I’ll buy several things there. I also cashed out a survey site for $75 which I’ll use for a few last minute items. But mostly I’ve been buying throughout the year when something (on sale!) caught my eye. Then at home it goes in a big bag in the closet all ready for wrapping.
Michelle T
This year is going to be a pretty frugal Christmas. I have purchased all of my children’s gifts and only have a few stocking stuffers left to buy. We will be making or baking gifts to give to other family members, so I’m in the planning stages for those at this time. I feel way ahead of schedule and definitely enjoy the feeling! I think it will lead to much more enjoyable December too :)
Jen
I have a few things bought for my children. I usually have their gifts bought by Mid November. It is getting harder to buy things ahead for them now that they are 11 and 13. When they were little I would just get my Mom to watch them one morning and I would go to Toys r us and just buy their toys. Sometimes, I think I might have spent less that way. One trip, less gas, less temptation to keep adding more stuff. Buying on clearance and sales can get addictive.
We don’t send cards, don’t miss them and it was getting out of hand. I do bake cookies because everyone wants me to but I want to cut back since I truly don’t enjoy it anymore.
stephanie
i too have been saving since january. i set up an auto christmas fund that takes $ out of my checking account every other week so i won’t be totally wiped out by christmas.
i made a list of family, friends and co-workers and how much i am planning on spending on each so i won’t go over budget.
i keep my eyes open everywhere i go just incase i see something for a good deal.
planning on redeeming credit card incentive program points for gift cards.
i want this to be a stress free christmas!!
Catherine M
Something to make:
Russian Tea Mix: Great on winter mornings or nights when you want something hot with great flavor. Place in jars decorate or put a bow with instructions on how much to use per cup.
Recipe Yield 5 cups dry mix
Ingredients
1 cup instant tea powder
2 cups orange-flavored drink mix (e.g. Tang)
1 (3 ounce) package powdered lemonade mix
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine instant tea powder, orange drink mix, lemonade powder, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Mix thoroughly. Store in a sealed jar.
2.To use, mix 3 to 4 tablespoons of mix with 1 cup hot or cold water. Adjust to taste.
Rachelle R
thanks for sharing! i’m going to try it!
Catherine M
I started in July and I am making travel bags using custom Tote’s free just pay ship from Vista print and travel items free from coupons from this blog. Thanks!
Theresa
I started ordering free prints on snapfish, walgreen’s, etc when they become available. We are giving parents printed portraits we took of their houses. We are also scanning old photos and putting them on disks. Happy Holidays to everyone!
Monica
I finished my christmas shopping bought a ton of gift cards for the adults and have toys on lay away for the children
Nan15
I am proud to say that I am pretty much done with the Xmas shopping minus 4 gift cards. I am waiting for my shopathome/ebates/fatwallet rebates to come in so that I can purchase them. I even got the kids teacher gifts already. I had 23 kids to buy for, I know crazy! The older ones, I just get give cards for. I evne got stocking stuffers for my kids too and the hubby too. This is the first year that I am ahead of game, and I feel great!
Cheryl
I own an internet handmade pillow business so I have to plan ahead since this is my busy season. I am 80% done with one of my sons and 25% with the other, finished my nephew and niece. Attended a craft show and finished my brother. I am so excited to get this much done already. I am determined, no more 12/24 shopping. I love to help others that create products too, so I visit craft shows and Etsy.com.
A way that I saved money last year was by trading. I trade with others that create items that I don’t.
Charity
I got all of my nieces and nephews taken care of back in July with Target’s 75% off clearance. Got a few things for my kids then too. We’ll shop the weekend before Thanksgiving and be done! :)
Rachel B.
Ive started Xmas shopping already. Ive got a gift closet Ive started. Some homemade gifts Im planning are matching aprons for my niece & her mom, baked goods/ gift baskets for extended family including apple butter from our apple tree, and I’ll probably crochet something. Trying to stay ahead.
Carrie
I have started shopping, but only when I see phenomenal deals. I have a suit case in the hall closet to hide the kids’ presents in (we have 4, 6 and under). So far we have 5-6 things in it and have only spent $3 to get it all! From a Disney Princess scooter, to those fuzzy coloring sheets.
We have also talked my side of the family to do a gift exchange amongst us adult kids that is $5 and under, and we play a game of some sort to do it. And we LOVE it!
My parents and in-laws both get pics of us as a family (which I get at Sears for $8 total!). There are also SO manhy free offers for pictures and picture gifts that I’m sure they’ll get more things that way. But with the kids being so young (youngest is just 4 weeks), I’m waiting to do those gifts until December.
Liza
I started making things for my nieces. I made a headband for each of them and bought matching shirts and I will buy some cute reusable totes or boxes to put them in. For the grownup women, I might do some adult headbands (black, navy, gray) with sequins. I think they’ll love it!
HEATHER
this is what I have done because i hate spending that much money! ok so all the kids and very close friends kids, they get magizine subsciption. You can find great deals if you watch and amazon sells them to. (I send 40 for 7 kids)Just make sure you order now so they get it by christmas and let me tell you …all ages like this!!!
For Both works I bake
grandparents and parents ect. I make gifts, this year I am making silhouetts of the kids and painted mugs and garden stones. (this is mainly for inlaws)
My side we do not give gifts unless you are a child but this last couple of years we do a gift exchange. So 1 gift.
for the whole family to have a lot of fun!
Teachers i am making Miniature Zen gardens
hope you got some good ideas