Princess7915

Both from a list and just shop from what I see. My family all gives each other our Chrismas whish lists. I shop from what everybody asks for but I also pick up stuff for people that I think they might like.

If the store charges me for it then it counts as a gift.

Some of the stuff is really nice. My grandmother sends us a Valerie Parr Hill wreath every year around Thanksgiving - early December for our door.

Day after Thanksgiving. I don't like to be rushed through all the other holidays. As much as I love Christmas, it feels like it's Fourth of July then Christmas--nothing in between anymore!

Everyone says the real one's don't last but we but ours up on the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving and leave it up until New Years. It looks beautiful every year. How long do you guys leave your trees up?! If you keep it watered you shouldn't have any trouble. Just don't put any crap in the water - like bleach or sugar. You only add sugar to boiling water on the very first night because you have cut the tree. Other than that you are doing more harm than good. (I used to work for a florist)

Kohls for the past few years. We did really well last year, plus a few bargins for myself. But I always tend to map out my day according to the ads. Walmart never ranks high on my list and I have a strong feeling that this year I will not bother.

solid purple

Real. My mom loves her fake tree but I can't stand them. I don't see why you bother to put all that work into a fake tree that looks like that!

I wear jeans with pockets big enough for cell phone and all the necesssary cards. No purse in the stores, but I do leave it in the trunk of my car. I usually do take it in the mall though because we are in there for a long time. But not in the early a.m before the actual "mall" opens and we are just hitting the big department stores. I also always shop with a credit card, not a with a card attached to my bank account. This way if something happens I have some protection and no one is getting into my checking account!

It's stupid. You can't sue somebody over something they haven't done. Where did Walmart get their lawyers anyway?

I was able to use this today in addition to the in-store buy 3-get-1-free sale. So I really was able to buy 3 get 2 free!

I have Christmas stuff mixed with Snowman decorations. It all comes out the weekend after Thanksgiving. The tree and the Chrismas stuff comes down the week after New Years and then the Snowman decorations stay up through the end of February. I like having the snowmen at Christmas and some are actual ornaments which come down, but having some that stay up keeps the house from feeling so empty when all they Christmas stuff is gone. I always get kind of sad when all the holiday stuff just disappears.

Okay, I used to love the twinkle, blinking lights but I can't use them anymore so I am jelouse of all of you. I have really terrible migraines and flashing lights sets them off and it's just not worth it. I used to work at a florist and I agree with the designer that if you are doing your lights right, it's going to take you all day. I am only about 5ft tall so my method involves setting up folding chairs around the tree to walk across so I can reach the top of the tree! My DH and dog love to watch (they don't help). The trick is to get the lights all the way inside the tree, back to the truck, and wrap and tuck them around the branch to hide the cords. And work the lights in layers coming out to the ends of the branches. That's why the pre-lit trees look soo pretty. Even lights all the way through the tree and no visible cords. Don't just set the light's "on" the branches. Now, I work top to bottom and I always work with the lights plugged in. YES this is much more difficult and I have about killed myself many years but you can really see what you are doing. And and have also completely decorated a tree and decided I wasn't happy with it a few days later and taken it all apart and re-done it-so I may be a bit crazy about the whole thing.

Oh I'm so bad about needing to make sure the pattern matches up too!! That's one of my little quirks! I make sure when you fold it over that what ever is going to be on the other side will line up once it gets taped down so you don't interrupt the pattern. The ultimate sin in wrapping in my book is cutting some poor santa in half or cutting the head off of some cute teddy bear. My DH won't wrap with me - he chooses a seperate time- he knows not to touch the table and move anything. Although this year I am comming to terms with the fact that my new kitten is unavoidably going to need to help me out. (She's going to touch my stuff isn't she?)

I'm Dreaming of a White Chrismas Carol of the Bells Where are You Christmas I like so many- I just love holiday music. We always decorate our tree to Kenny G christmas CD because sometimes it's nice to just hear the melody of the music without the singing.

All of these are pretty bad..except I like the Christmas shoes song. Even though I'm in my 20's I love all the old "classic" Christmas songs. I rarely like when someone re-does any of them. Mariah Carey had a Chrismas Album a few years ago and they played it alot and I hated it...I think it was All I want for Christmas Is You and she screams at the end and it makes my skin crawl! A must in the dislike category for me along with Jessica Simpsons remakes!!

We have a grapevine gold star it has a little glitter on it and I put some of the lights up through the bottom so it is lit but it doesn't really light. We've had it for a few years. It's okay but I would kind of like something new. Not really an angel person and so many of the stars are kind of tacky.

Nothing-my husband is on-call for Christmas Eve so we can't really plan anything. I'm pissy about it every year - so I shall choose to vent and complain

Half the fun in giving a gift is in the presentation! I love giving someone a beautifuly wrapped package with a hadmade bow with fabric ribbon. I buy pretty paper each year for the adults in a color theme (this year is burgundy and gold, last year was blue and silver) and get matching ribbons. Only the young kids get the cheap paper wrap and premade sticky bows because they don't notice. I haul everything out one night for the wrapping night --and it usually takes up a whole night, but I don't care. It's one of my little personal traditions and I love it. My mom was always really into wrapping gifts that way and I guess I get it from her - it's the extra effort into a gift for someone you care about. Nobody just ripps into them they open them carefully and I appreciate that. I'd wrap gifts for anyone who would let me!!

White on my tree now, but we always had multi colored on the tree when I was a kid. I think multi lights are just more kid Christmas and since I don't have any I still have white lights on my tree for now.

HoneyBaked Ham/Turkey is pretty good but if you have a Heavenly Ham store near you than I would go there.

GOOD ONE!!! I've been looking for a good excuse to go in there. Now it would be like wasting $11 not to go and that would just be wrong. Thanks.

As much as it is about the deals..because who doesn't love finding something great for a real bargin. I think it's transformed for a lot of people into a family tradition even more than a shopping event or an opportunity to save money. Now you can really find the same sales pretty much through the whole holiday season if you watch the sale ads and use coupons and stuff. It's not like you save SO much on BF compared to any other time. I have to say what makes BF so special is the combination of the Thanksgiving holiday and the fact that BF really kicks off the entire Christmas season. It kind of gets everyone started--ready or not.

I would almost think it would be good to have a little something of value on you -god forbid- just in case. That way you would have something to give up if someone were to approach you.. I know my DH wouldn't be too happy about me going alone, he would go with me. I don't think there is anything in a store that if I was honestly concerned over my safty that I would risk it. If you don't have someone willing to go with you, I may reconsider going.

Back to mom's house for sorting through all the loot!! Then it's the left over buffet - very low key right out of the container style (it's the best). By then it's time to go home because it's after dinner time and we are all very tired! The Saturday after Thanksgiving has become the traditional day with DH to get the Christmas tree. This year should be very exciting since we have adoped a new kitten! My first one - she is 8 wks old. We shall see how long the tree stands!