Grassy

Wow. How sad...I'm so sorry for you and your kids---and your husband! What a bummer! My husband volunteered to work today. Out of 250 employees, they needed only 10 today for just a while. He was one of the chosen 10, but he only did it because he's off for 5 days here, so his paycheck would have been light...and it is only a 6 hour shift this morning from 6am to noon. (He usually works 10 hour days, so this will seem short for him). Then he's off tonight for 3 more days...that is like a VACATION for us! I'd be upset if I had to go tonight to the "in laws" christmas without him too. I can relate to that one! I only go and smile and get through it for him. It's not my number one spot to be on Christmas Eve, but we all have to do it! Things are better these days, but in the past it would have been more difficult. I'm sure he still appreciates you taking the kids to go see his family. I'm sure he'll be sad tonight knowing that ALL of his family is together, but he can't be there too. I'd say, if you can somehow get the presents down, so the kids can see when they wake up that "santa really came" (if that is what you do---the santa thing). But make them a nice big long & drawn out breakfast , and come up with some games and activities to stall until dad gets home, and that way you can all still enjoy opening everything together. I'd get out the glitter and my craft junk box and tell them they need to make something special for daddy before he gets home, since he was sad to have missed Christmas Eve with them. How does that sound? Will that work?

I'm very fortunate as well to have had wonderful exchange partners. I know both of mine were received, and I received both from other people. I will definitely participate next year...I'm just sad at the thought of WHY anyone would sign up if they don't plan to follow through. The only excuse is if they DIE or something, otherwise, why would you want to sign up for something fun, and then purposely hurt someone and make them sad---when we are all on-line friends here....That's how I see all of this anyways... Merry Christmas to ALL of you. Thank you again my ornament person---my little animals are SO cute on the tree, and thank you to my SS---I'm especially enjoying having a special Christmas scent antibacterial soap in EACH bathroom and the kitchen. I think of you all the time, and I don't even know who you are on here yet!!! Thank you to all the elves who helped others, and thank you to EVE for creating this fun Christmas Activity for all of us. It's amazing how many views this thread has. We are all addicted!!!!!!

No theme, our tree is just whetever ornaments suit our fancy each year as we put up the tree. We have a few favorites that ALWAYS go on, but they are not connected in any way. However, I have a glass display case by the entry way, and I fill it with a snowman collection. That is the onlly theme I have... just that it one spot, but it doesn't carry through to other rooms or anything. I like a little bit of everything!

I don't always make the boys match, but I couldn't resist these cute corderoy brown pants and brown christmas full zip sweaters with reindeer and snowflakes this year. I even bought one of the boys a new pair of shoes to look similar to another pair the other one already had so that their FEET will match!!! Ha-Ha. I wasn't going to do Santa Pics this year, but after spending the $ on the clothes, I figured I better get a cute picture of the 2 of them together. I'm pregnant, so I'll just wear my maroonish colored maternity top that looks dressy with black dressy maternity pants. Husband won't wear anything Christmas-y. He'll just look nice. People don't usually check out OUR clothes...but they sure enjoy the matching kids!

Eve, If you are having a shortage of Elves, I'll help. Just let me know asap, so I can go out and shop! Thanks.

I guess I'm getting "Lucky Underwear". That's strange.

Yes, I'd like your frech toast casserole recipe as well! That sounds good! We usually do cinnabons for christmas morning.

Mine will each have about 4 or 5 under the tree, plus goodies in their stockings. My boys are only 3 and 4, so once they open a couple things, they just want to start playing, and they get so much from other people, that I try to keep it somewhat simple. I got them each: Those big yellow metal Tonka Dump Trucks that are about $22.00 each. And in the back of the trucks I put CARS tumbler cups and silverware for each. Candy filled tool boxes for each. Geo trax set for the 4 year old. A Bike for the 3 year old. Guess who game for the 4 year old. Bumble Bee spinning game for the 3 year old. I will give them new pajamas unwrapped on Christmas Eve, so that won't really seem like a present to them, but I like them to be nice and fresh for Christmas. My mom did that when I was little...

One of my main get togethers is tomorrow. With Mom, Gram, and Brother. I've made Caramel Corn, Spritz, Peanut Butter Balls, Rice Krispy treats tinted green with red sprinkles--but I don' thtink they'll last until tomorrow. They are going FAST! I'm making a pistacio dessert salad today, and this morning I made those cinnamon and applesauce ornaments (there's glue in there too, so they are not edible). My house smells SO GOOD right now. They just came out of the oven! That is enough reason right there to make those!!!!! MMMMMMMMM....... There is one more traditional cut out frosted cookie that I make at Christmas Time, but those will wait until next week because they are my Dad's favorite, and I'll see him ON Christmas day. I want them to be fresh for him. I love baking!!!!!!!

That sounds so easy, and relaxing. I hope you have fun shopping for your main "loved ones". :)

Husband 2 boys -- that's the majority of my spending this year, I'm having another baby in March, so I feel like spoiling them more than usual. Their totals each are still under $75.00 per kid. My Grandma My Grandpa in AZ Mom/stepdad Dad/stepmom Brother, his wife, his baby Mother & Father in Law Husbands brother, wife, 2 kids Husbands sister Husbands other sister, husband, 2 kids 3 dogs 2 cats 1 bird mail carrier 2 preschool teachers It's not too bad. I find deals, and I make handmade gifts for the teachers and mailman and each female of the family, but still get nice gifts for EACH person in the family. I mainly focus more on the kids. The brothers/sisters/in laws are just "thought gifts".

Wow. I'd never do that to my husband, and he'd never do that to me. We actually don't really usually have "lists". We get each other a couple of things just for fun, and the fun is to be surprised. The one that probably bothered me the most is the one where she crossed off the children's birthstones, and replaced them with the MK Rep's # because she has something "ready" for you. That takes all the fun out of a Christmas present, and it almost seems like she thinks YOU aren't smart enough or creative enough on your own. I think you should skip the WHOLE list. Go buy the birthstones and anything else YOU want to get for her, and tell her you wanted to do it on your own this year to make it special. I think you could even mention later that it hurt/bothered you that she snuck in and changed your lists. I'm sorry she did that. The whole thing is strange to me. Merry Christmas to you and your family though!

I know what you mean. I feel like when I start early, then I still have a month to "see more". BUT---If we just completely wait, then we are just getting more of what we "need to buy". I never thought about it that way, until you posted...but I bet I've probably spent more this year because of that for "shopping early".

My husband drives me nuts. He is SO good about sneaking out and buying something...but then he (is a good boy) and puts his receipts in the receipt box for whoever does the receipts in quicken next before paying bills. So Yesterday, I grabbed the receipts, started putting them in, and read one (I TRULY wasn't trying to "find anything out"), but I saw that he purchased a 16 piece set of glasses. Well---there went MY surprise. I didn't even know he had bought anything yet. Then I was trying to find my mom's present under my tree, (to add in more), and saw a big box roughly the size of a 16 piece glasses set ---and was sad that I knew what it was. I won't tell him, because he'd feel bad, but WHAT A DORK, huh? WHY would he leave the receipt there for all to see?!?!??!?!?!? I hide mine, and if I need to use a credit card, I wait until like 2 weeks before Christmas so that it wouldn't even show up on any credit card statements until AFTER Christmas. I try to think those thing through. Oh well...I wouldn't have thought of a set of glasses for Christmas, but he's right. I think we are down to 3 tall ones and 2 short ones. The cupboard was getting bare, but I have my 12-12 days of christmas glasses in there now, so that's cool that he remembered about the lack of our everyday glasses!!!!

what's the snowflake one?

very cute...thanks for sharing!:holiday10

Me: Fuzzy Sexy-Lips Husband: Angel Sexy-lips 4 year old boy: Muddles Sexy-Lips 3 year old boy: Peppermiz Sexy-Lips

Happy O'Leary

So---is eve'smom really Eve's Mom?

You know...that thought crossed my mind too, about not needing anymore presents! I was thinking that my SS gift was better than anything I'll get on Christmas Eve from my own in-laws! Ha-Ha. However, I sure look forward to Christmas with my husband...he doesn't buy a lot, but I like to see what he picks out all by himself, and he gets soemthing cute that is "just from the kids" too.---so I'm still looking forward to that.

Yes. It is hard. It feels awkward...like then you are TELLING them what to buy! I feel like if someone wants to buy something, they should pick out what THEY like, and whatever they see that made them think of me, not to have to go shopping and feel like "oh well---now I HAVE to go on a mission because that's what she wants". I don't ask people what they want because I think it is awkward too. (usually). I DID ask my Dad this year, because he was the only one I had left to shop for at the time, and he actually gave me an idea, and he didn't even flinch-like it was not a problem for him! (I thought it was funny-I expected the ol' "Oh, I don't need anything." But this time he did, so it worked out. But even with that---he won't be surprised at all when he opens it, so I got 2 more things to go with, so they will be the surprises. In a similar way-I also don't really like baby registries, because I feel like, even though I might be able to get something they NEED, it isn't as exciting when they open the gift at the shower, because they've obvously already seen it. They aren't like "oh how cute!" they are like "oh cool, it's the bath tub I wanted" and toss it aside, because they already know every detail of the item---it isn't new and exciting.

I didn't do wo well. Then again...I don't have a fitness trainer, newspaper boy, hairdresser, real school teachers, Nanny, Handyman, Housekeeper, etc. Most of that totally didn't apply to me. I figure, if you can afford all of those fancy people to be waiting on you, you'd probably depend on them quite a bit, and therefore you'd want to tip. I however, do it all myself. Clean, take care of my own kids, cut everyone's hair in my family, my husband fixes everything, etc. So IF I ever did need to pay one of these people, it wouldn't be a long term relationship like that one question said, so there wouldn't be a tip. I do tip the pizza guy, and I tip at restaurants, and latte stands.

wow...you just made me hungry for pizza. I always tip. So I'm sure they'll be happy to deliver to me!

I made peanut butter balls dipped in choc yesterday for a party. I did a double batch of the dough, so I can make more (easier) in one week because Christmas with my Mom, Brother, Gram etc is on the 16th. It makes is nice to split the holiday get-togethers up, but it makes it hard to do the baking because I want everyones to be fresh at the same time, so I'm kind of stuck into two big baking session. I'm SO not complaining. I LOVE holiday baking...it's jut harder now with 3 & 4 year old boys. They SAY that they want to help...but all they do is whine for dough...and then they lose interest so they run around & fight because they know I'm busy. Ugh. I will never stop baking though....I think it is SUCH a meaningful gift to give. Something made with love, that you cannot buy. I KNOW my Dad still LOVES it.

Yes, if you plan to give a santa picture to each grandparent, is it reasonable to spend $120.00 for 5 5x7's? Um. No. That's not even to mention aunts and uncles. Looks like they need to open up a special scanner people's prison!