jbdinos

The Christmas Song?

White Christmas?

Rudolph?

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone have a happy and fun day with their families and friends today, tomorrow, and any other day you get together to celebrate!!!!

WOW..... the largest bonus I have ever gotten was 100.00..... and that was a one time "you guys made us a lot of $ this year" award, not truly a christmas bonus... every other year it's a 10 dollar GC to a local gift/flower shop and a half of a ham..... If I got 300.00 I'd be hugging my boss.... lol

They are 19.xx but Walgreen's had them two days ago.

I am not baking this year.... because some of our guests are just rude, I can't eat sugar, DH isn't supposed to eat sugar, and we are both on strict diets so no goodies unless someone brings them to the pitch in dinner on Sunday. Shopping/wrapping are done. Just need to pick up a couple of food items for the dinner. The only 2 bad things left are a toss up which is worse: 1. Cleaning the house for the get togethers 2. Getting my MIL to answer me about where/when/and what to do for her Christmas on Saturday. So if I don't get an answer from MIL does that mean I am excused????

DH works for a very profitable casino and they got a day's pay (after taxes it was around 50 bucks) and a plush bathrobe... DH wears a XXL and everyone got a MEDIUM..... popcorn at least my kids would have eaten.... bathrobe will sit till someone gets old enough to grow into it.

How Cute!!! My granddaughter is 3 1/2 and I asked her what she wanted "Ho-Ho" to bring her and she said "I love candy". That is all she would ever tell us...... But I think that is adorable that a 9 year old just wants chocolate.... sounds like my kind of gift!!!!!!! I think if I were you I would at least get him one large box of chocolates!!!!

Just before it closes... let me say what a great husband you are.... I mentioned in a previous post how generous of you to buy the new things... I thought it was sweet.... but to see you publicly defend your wife... that is awesome....

I have issues with my oldest sister and 3 years ago she said and did some things that are very hard to forgive. She attacked my family, me personally, me as a parent, my child, and my religion. It was so bad that I was in a bit of depression and turned to my pastor for assistance. He said I should forgive her and try to find a way to do so but that forgiveness and being so dumb to keep putting yourself back in that situation are two different things. So I forgave her because of her ignorance of who I am yet I will not associate with her or have her evil thoughts and actions around my children. The first year after she did this she sent gifts. I accepted them, sent a polite, "thank you so much for the gifts" note in return. I did not send gifts and have not received one from her since. Had I sent gifts I feel the abuse I suffered from her would have continued. Now she is attacking my daughter (age 19) because she didn't return her grandmother's phone call 4 days after her baby was born. They have no home phone and limited cell signal inside the house and it was 30-40 degrees outside, husband working and a 3 year old and 4 day old inside with her. And she is ungrateful, mean, and rude to not return the call the same day..... If that gives you an idea of why we don't speak.... So if you weren't intending to give a gift then you should not feel obligated. If it is truly a gift from the heart and she wants to use it as an ice breaker she will contact you again after you send her a thank you note.

Went back to walmart tonight and they have women's sets now... the schick quattro for women is a razor with 2 cartridges, a 4 pack of refill cartridges, a jewelry roll, and a shower hanger The intuition set is a intuition razor with 2 cartridges, a refill pack of 3 cartridges, a shower hanger, a pedicure set, and a foot brush with pumice on one side and brush on other.... I didn't have another 4.00 coupon on me, but I had a 2.00 in my purse so I used the 2.00 and got it for 6... now if I can find my 4.00 refill coupon before they run out..... I have a niece that can use one of these sets for her birthday the week after Christmas.... .

I know what you mean. I am a Christian and I thank God every day for the blessings he has given me. I have worked hard to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas, it's better to give than receive, it's the thought that counts, etc etc etc. That being said, my children are very spoiled yet much better behaved than the rest of the neices/nephews. In order to ensure this good behavior we do have certain rules for things our kids can or cannot have or use (like no makeup at all until you are 14 for the girls, certain books my bookworm DS cannot read due to content, etc). So we have a name draw for the kids and one for the adults with the idea they get one nice gift rather than 4 cheesy ones from each of the other families. So if my SIL or her sister (we consider her family too) get my kids' names then my SIL takes over and always, and I do mean ALWAYS calls and asks what they would like to have. Knowing this will happen and knowing the budget I always give them 3-6 ideas for each of our children. NEVER has one of our children gotten anything on the list. NEVER..... This year she calls from the store says "what does he want". I say.... "nerf football, batting gloves, basketball, spongebob golf balls, a golf towel, or any kind of sports shirt" Pretty easy and CHEAPO list.... nothing on there even with tax would be over budget, most of it very far under. So she says "doesn't he like to read" I say "yes, he has read half the library at school and has a bunch of books he hasn't had time to read yet but he is FINALLY wanting to start the Harry Potter series" So she gets him a book that is not only way over his age (it's targeted at 17-20 years of age and he is 11) but it's also from a series that he is banned from reading due to explicit language although he does read at a 10th grade level. I try to tell her this and she says "I think he will like it, I will just get this for him" So I am with OP... if you know you aren't going to follow the list WHY ask??????? It aggravates me because now I know I have to go stand in the return line and get him a gift card to go buy something from his list and he will be all disappointed to return a book but he knows he can't have it. At least it's walmart, not a specialty store. But .... with the shirt from Macy's can you "buy" the store credit from him and use it to buy a gift for someone else or to get yourself something? I did that a few times with my boys when they have gotten not only clothes that don't fit or they don't like but then the store didn't have anything else they wanted.... and I buy the card from them and let them pick out something wherever they want. Then they don't feel cheated and I use the card for bdays, Christmas, or myself. Just an idea.... good luck with those ideas... and next year I think I would tell grandma he would LOVE to have another fleece blanket (j/k)

It may be too late for this year but next year I would send out holiday invite cards with "this year we are going to have a pitch in Christmas dinner so we can all sample the specialties of each family. For example, our family is contributing... XXXXX and XXXXX" Maybe add on, and please bring your recipe along as well as some empty bowls so we can all share the leftovers! I think that just telling them what you want them to do is easier than the stress and hassle. My house was volunteered again this year for Christmas as we moved last year just before Thanksgiving and our house is the biggest in the family at this time and also the most centrally located. So I will do two dishes, the paper plates, and the drinks for the entire family because it's cheaper than driving around to their houses and loading/unloading our kids/gifts. But I also don't go overboard as I get stuck with all the clean up as well. Then if I want something that is leftover, I put it in the fridge right away and expect each person to take whatever is theirs home or give it to someone else that will. We have a great time and usually way too many desserts, but not as much stress for any one person. I hope you can work out something less stressful for your dinner.... As to your son... what about boxers? Old Navy had a sale this weekend 4 for $20 and you can get cute ones, etc. Not sure how he would feel but our boys expect to get boxers or socks at least in their stockings. Or you could do men's body wash, cologne, after shave, razor, etc.... depending on his age and what kinds of stuff he needs/uses.

Our walmart didn't have the same set as Target, but I was very happy with the set I got, too bad it was the last one....

I had very few coupons as well. Like maybe 10 total that I cut out. But over 5.00 on things I definitely use so they were good but few for me

Might try walmart.... they have a package deal that is: 1 of the schick quattro titanium razor with 2 cartridges (7.94) 1 of the refills of 4 cartidges for this (9.94) a 5 piece manicure set and a travel case for the razor All in a gift pack for 7.94. Use the 4.00 off and you aren't getting the ECB to get it free like you would at CVS, but if you figured the razor was free at CVS, this way you could say you got the refills and the manicure set and the travel case for a total of less than 4.00 with the free razor..... I did this and it was the last set my walmart had, but I felt this was a better deal than free at CVS, or it was for me. So you guys might check your walmarts if you are interested.

We do equal # of gifts with comparable values. With clearance sales it is possible to spend more on one kid and their value be less that the original values of another kid that you spend next to nothing on. So I do equal # of gifts, seriously looking for things each would enjoy while keeping an eye on the values of the gifts so that they never question the $$$ issue. Until the youngest of them are old enough to totally understand the $$ issue and all their wishes get fairly expensive I will keep this up. Sometimes it means an older child gets some gifts that are H&B.... like body washes or lotions from BBW. Just to keep values close and fill in the # of gifts. But this year of 5 kids, a son in law and 2 grandkids... everyone except the new baby has 7 gifts. I spent the most on the 3 year old, but she is not the highest value of original prices. I spent the least on DD13 and she has the 2nd highest value. I spent the 2nd least on DS11 and his is by far the highest value... but a 200.00 set of golf clubs for 25.00 put him way over the top as I'd spent only about 25.00 total on his other 6 gifts. So although I have spent right about 50.00 on him if we go with original retail his gifts are valued nearly 400.00. But because thought was put into each child's personality and keeping it as close as possible I don't think they will question it. And they know I clearance shop a lot anyway so they expect it. DS10 had a secret santa shop at school and he was concerned about spending exactly 2.00 each on DH and myself. I explained it was not necessary and he thinks I lied and that I always spend the same on him and his siblings.... he still doesn't believe me that I don't count money..... I guess that means they think I am fair at least... lol

Yesterday I found cowboy boots for little girls (Osh Kosh) on clearance for 10.48.

Well let's see DH (this year we bought new living room furniture for each other though) 5 kids and 1 son in law 2 grandkids my sister, bil, 2 nieces my BFF, her DH, and 2 kids My MIL and her BF My ex-stepFIL and little brother in law (age 12) DH's grandma and her DH My DH's ex step mom (raised him) Rest of DH's siblings, father, and grandparents go in a name draw so we get 2 names from there All of DH's under 16 siblings, neices, nephews go in a drawing for kids and so we get 4 names from there. So that is 30 on my list. But we do a token gift to my FIL if neither of us get his name because we appreciate how well he did raising my DH with no support or assistance from my MIL. It's about respect, nothing pricey. We do same for grandma on that side if we don't get her name (but I did this year!!!) Then at work I have 8 staff that I buy something small for to let them know I remember them (usually around 2-3 dollars each) and of course any teachers or bus drivers that have been exceptional with the kids. So I guess that puts me over 40 too.... WOW.. I had no clue it was that many..... and the sad thing is that a few years ago I cut out all of my family except my one sister that I am very close to. Cut out some friends that we used to exchange with and started the name draw (huge family for DH, name draw for adults goes from 10 gifts to 2. Name draw for kids goes from 9 to 4) At least we have a good place to get good deals!!!!!!

Not counting stockings, the 4 still at home have 7 each. DD19 and SIL19 each have 4 of their own and 3 larger gifts to share. DGD3 has 7 (But I had to do multiples in 2 different boxes for her of really small stuff that was dirt cheap). And the new DGD born on Nov 30 just has a bag of clothes mostly for the benefit of the Santa believers. But thanks to gottadeal I spent less than usual (and I've always been a clearance shopper). Plus I got several free polly pockets that I sent for Santa to give DGD3 at her house so that they would have more and I wouldn't have went totally overboard on her. I also have 3 kids with bdays in Jan/Feb so I have most of that shopping done as well. I was able to stay away from the Amazon toy sale.... Sheer willpower .... ok, truly it was being too busy to have time to look at it.. but I am just going to go with the willpower story.. sounds much better.

I would be mad if my husband did that to me. But he is too respectful to go through my purse, etc. He won't even get my wallet out for me, he'll just bring me the entire purse. And I too with his wallet won't get anything out unless I really need to borrow a few bucks and he is sleeping or if he asks me to. On the other hand, if I were the wife and found a list of things I don't want I think I'd hint around about what I wanted or ask if he was done shopping or if he needed some ideas still. That way he could change the list himself and no one would ever know. I think it was very generous of you to go get the stuff on the changed list. I am not sure though if I were in your shoes if I could do that and not even mention the snooping, etc. On the other hand, next year hide it better....

I am sorry you are going through this. Our DD13 has many of the same issues and currently is in an inpatient treatment facility to try to find out why as it progressed from our home to school, etc. It's so hard and I feel so bad that you have this stress. Just keep communicating with her about how disappointed you are in her and if you can think of other things she likes you can always take them back and get her something else. Or is her birthday close enough you can save them for her birthday and get something else for Christmas? To kind of teach her a lesson? I think I would at least unwrap them, and put the receipts with them and have her help me load them into the car and then pretend to go shopping for a while and leave them at a friend or relatives house to be rewrapped in different sized boxes to bring back on Christmas Eve. Make her worry about it and maybe she will think twice next time. Here's a of support.... I hope it's a phase and this stops soon for you....

Well I don't want any sparkling power tools either, but I also don't wear jewelry much. Once in a while to church or to a holiday dinner out. But I can't wear it at work for fear of breaking/losing it and I also would rather have a 20.00 necklace than a 200.00 one. So my DH knows that although I think jewelry is pretty I won't wear expensive things (except my wedding set) and that I can't wear it at all unless I get a new job (fingers crossed on that one)... so if he got me jewelry I would be upset. Of course, I also tend to think that unless the receiver has requested it that jewelry is just an easy out for so many men..... so therefore I don't think it means as much. (with the exception of mothers' rings and things like that, they take thought and creativity)

I don't enjoy it either because I am not picky but at the same time I never usually want anything. I spend days worrying over what to say if someone calls to ask. I would rather have the gift from the heart that someone who was close enough to know my likes/dislikes picked out than going to pick up something I put on a list. I think it means more. However I know each year someone is going to ask so each year I worry constantly over a list and then if I think of something I worry if it's too expensive/cheap. Well this year I figured out two things I want... and guess what... NO ONE CALLED..... just my luck... And at home I am totally ok with just giving and it doesn't matter to me if I receive as if it starts mattering I will know I lost the meaning of Christmas somewhere! So to all of you who don't like this, maybe we can start a support group.... lol