mandifour

No theme, we go with fake tree's and have always had green but last year bought a white one. I loved it, we will use it again this year too. The ornaments are all hodge podge, i want to one day go with a theme but not sure what I want to have, maybe winnie the pooh, I do have a few of those ornaments on the tree now.

I love to bake, usually make a few batches for the kids to bring to my hubby and his crew at the fire station the couple shifts before Christmas and make some for my youngest to take to school, and some for home. No one in my house is too big on junk food so a dozen cookies will last a few days. I also love to make peppermint bark!

I always make roll ups with pickles and scallion onions. I take dried beef(in a jar),spread cream cheese on it, then roll up pickles in 1/2 and the onions in the other. Everyone LOVES them.

My daughter got one at 8. She gets allowance and pays her portion of the bill(family plan $10 per month)

I think the aide's are just as important as the teachers. In some cases they do more than the teachers. I would get something equal for both.

My hubby is a FF too. I think the cataloge listed above has a ton of good ideas. I may have to order some things from it :)

About 800 on the oldest and 400 on the youngest.

I wouldn't get it without the whole family going to agree. Most shelters have Gift certificates if you wanted something under the tree.

I usually wrap one day while the kids are at school. I get 2 holiday days at work so i use one for family time and one for wrapping. I always put the tv on the radio channel that has Christmas music on. I do the wrapping paper the same way, each kid gets their own.

What about a learning toy for the little one. Like the Vsmiles game. I think they are around $100. As for the older one I have a 8 year old girl that has everything as well, If he is into sports what about something autographed by his favorite player. I know a lot of local places here have helments and bats around $100.

LOL, that is how it is in my house. My DH has no clue, I space everything out so he doesnt really know. But I get a x-mas bonus at work so I can pretty much spend what I want as long as the bonus covers it.

Generally the day after thanksgiving, but this year my oldest will be with her father so we may do it thanksgiving morning before she goes with him for the weekend.

My daughter is in chorus and they are doing 3 seperate programs.One at the local park, one they are going to the Airport to sing for 2 hours for the travelers, and one at a high school where they all sing. She is in 3rd grade.

I have a friend that her husband is deployed and we sent his unit a volleyball net and ball they loved it. If they are in an area they can set up. If not we went to target last year for my daughters dad and they had small handheld magnetic games, dominoes,tic tac toe, checkers and bought one of everything and mailed it to him.

I preordered from Best Buy and saved $5 off another disney movie, My hubby is picking it up when they open tomorrow. I loved this movie!

Staples and walmart sell them too. Usually cheaper at staples though.

We do presents first. Usually the kids are eating candy out of their stocking then we clean up, get dressed, snack on whatever and head off to the family gathering. Then we are home really late. Sometimes it stinks because we have such a huge family we dont get to enjoy xmas as much as we would like together with just the 4 of us.

I love getting socks they have so many different really soft ones at christmas:)

Late to respond but my 8 year old has a game boy and the youngest(4, 3 at the time) wanted one last year, we opted for the leapster hand held game wonderful for learning and can hook to the tv and my 8 year old wants one now. They range from pre-k games(link leappad letters and numbers) to 4th grade games that are harder but still educational. Also if you get from TRU you can get a warrenty and they replace it if it is broken.

My local store did this for valentines day a few years ago. It was perfect. They actually mailed my hubby an invitation to the event:)

I have teenaged cousins and I am gettting bath and body works sets for them. You can usually find a bunch on clearance too and get a get bit of stuff for $20.

If you want a picture it is available online for those that didn't get a print ad. Just go to website and click view specials on right hand side.