Gator Pam

I'm willing to wait until after BF for the pm with the information. I figure you guys are swamped right now.

I've been nice, but lazy...

Well poo, Brad. I thought everyone was positng those threads in that forum becuse it's the one forum nearly everyone visits.

Thank you! I found an adult size large king costume at JoAnns for Beorn to wear. His school is allowing costumes on Monday, but they have to be a character from literature and they have to be prepared to be interviewed as the character. Since Beorn just finished Stephen R. Lawhead's Pendragon cycle he'll wear the costume as King Arthur. The costume is super nice compared to the ones I've seen at Wal-Mart and Target. The cape is even crushed velvet. Retail was $35, I paid $10.50 for it. Yay!

I also wrap each branch with lights. Takes forever but looks so nice! My problem is watching my step as I string the lights and decorate. I have a trick ankle, and have twisted it several times while decorating the tree.

I make my own Magic Erasers by buying a sheet of melamine foam insulation (that's what the Magic Ersaser is made of) and cutting to size. The melamine foam is not cheap, around $55, but I can get about 100 erasers out of a sheet.

I shop Target clearance throughout the year, and get items that look like they'd be appreciated by teachers at 75% off. The items at that discount generally range from $5 to $9 dollars, so they retail for $20 to $36 dollars. Now that I make the bath salts, only Beorn's male teachers get the purchased gifts. One of the more popular items for them are the occasional pocket watches on clearance for $6.50.

My gottadeal.com t-shirt I won, if it arrives on time, and jeans. Comfortable cross trainers and good socks.

I shop Target clearance throughout the year for the gift closet, so many of Beorn's gifts will come from there. In addition to that, my usual budget for Chr-stmas and Hanukkah is $500 total for three people from BF until Chr-stmas. We are a cash only family, and that's all we can afford to spend.

Ditto! Our's is a mish mash of inherited ornaments, purchased ornaments that strike our fancy, and the yearly ornament for Beorn that we have bought since he was born. We do always try to pick out an ornament that recalls somehting significant to him during the year, but as he gets older it's getting more difficult to do. No color theme at all, although I like the filligree effect of silver tinsel.

Ah rats. I hate bifocals! Lemme re-read it... Y'all may be right. The print with the date is so small, my bifocals still can't make out for certain if the last digit is a five or six, and I see a slight blur but no number before the 1. It probably is 11/05/05. If so, I apologize all.

Hmm... Were the dvds ringing up at the 30% off? I buy the child oriented dvds at 75% off and pass those out instead of candy for trick or treat.

Oh, this reminds me! Since I'm Jewish, and Paul and his Dad are of German descent, I have never been to an Italian Feast of Seven Fishes on Chr-stmas Eve. That is one thing I hope to be invited to someday.

I just received an email from target.com that says Free shipping* on everything you need for the holidays: Home Decor Bedding Furniture Toys Electronics *Free standard shipping only. Offer ends 1/5/06 However, when I click on the link at Target : offer details, I see nothing about free shipping through that date. Does anyone know if this will only be on select items, or can we expect Black Friday items to include free shipping?

Our front room is the living room, with a nice picture window facing the road out front. The tree goes right there. :-)

Since Beorn and I are Jewish, whereas Paul and his Dad are not, I read a story called The Yule Fairies on December 21. On Chr-stmas Eve our only traditions are turning on the tree's lights for the first time, drivng around looking at neighborhood decorations, and hanging stockings. After Beorn is asleep, Paul and I indulge in some of Martha Stewart's eggnog, which puts me out like a light, LOL!

We have a gorgeous St. Nickalaus tree topper made of cloth over a large cardboard cone. I use glass candy canes. Gives me the look without being tempting to anyone. We use a real tree, so I don't hve to pick it off. I love the look of tinsel, and apply it slowly one strand at a time for a filigree look. But, I'm particular about my tinsel. Some brands are cut way too wide.

We don't here. But I have friends who do.

Week before Chr-stmas at FIL's, but the lights aren't turned on until Chr-stmas Eve. But it doesn't come down until after Epiphany/Three Kings Day.

Beorn still sorta believes, even at 12 years old. I think he thinks Mrs. Clause is the tooth fairy! Hmm... I know a 12 year old boy who would love to take those cards off your son's hands...

Chr-stmas morning here, although we wait for FIL to arrive first, if he's working the graveyard shift that morning. He usually arrives about 11:30 AM, we open gifts, he crashes and wakes up to a festive meal around 5:00, and then he leaves to drive back to work around 7:00 PM, if he's working graveyard that night. Stocking gifts are the only gifts not wrapped here.

My Kitchen Aid 5-quart stand mixer from FIL! Although the Showtime Rotisserie he got me the following year is a very close second.

We go to FIL's for both T-Day and Chr-stmas. My folks are gone, and my FIL is much more himself when we're around than when we aren't. We live about 7 hours away from each other most of the year, and when we're not around FIL drinks. :::sigh::: When we're with him, he's cold stone sober and alive, if you know what I mean. Beorn adores him, and I think he's pretty OK myself. I am hopeful when Paul is finally finsihed with school and we get our own place that we can build an apartment on to our home for FIL. That's my dream regarding him, anyway...

That's generally the response I get from the other teachers at Beorn's school...

I've also done cookies or hot cocoa in a jar gifts, but found that many teachers also constantly diet. So instead, I put together bath salts in a jar, tinted to look like a big candy cane. Candy Cane Bath Salts 2 cups epson salts 1/2 cup sea salt 4-6 drops peppermint oil 2-3 drops red food coloring Place one cup epson salt and 1/4 cup sea salt in a bowl. Add 2-3 drops peppermint oil. Place remaining ingredients in a second bowl. Mix well. Layer in a clear jar, red & white. Cover the lid with matching fabric and tie. I like to add the following poem to the jar. Poem To Go with Teacher’s Gift I dreamed I stood in a studio, And watched two sculptors there. The clay they used was a young child's mind, And they fashioned it with care. One was a teacher, the tools she used- Were books,music and art. One was a parent, with a guiding hand, And a gentle loving heart. And when at last their work was done, They were proud of what they had wrought- For the things they had worked into the child, Could never be sold or bought... And each agreed she would have failed, If she had worked alone. For behind the parent stood the school, and behind the teacher stood the home. Author: Roy A. Lingenfelter