pogiporkchop

I'm referencing the kids' lists from last year (especially DD's) for the most part but have been keeping my ears open and do take them looking every so often. No doubt DD will add some more odd things to her list this year...

I just asked my DD if she wanted Squinkies and she asked what they were :) I tried explaining and finally just showed her... "Mommy, I want a 1000 of those in a box for Christmas!"

Harbor Freight - 10/10/10

I have a whole list of things DD said she wanted last year. Among the odd things are pickles, a bucket of chicken and a pumpkin pie.

Actually, that would be a very good poll.

That's a good idea. I should start doing that too.

I'll be the first to volunteer

I don't wrap earlier than Turkey Day. Got to have time to get the paper I order from my kids for their school fundraisers :)

I looked at the Paper Jamz as well (no doubt DD would want it) and there is no way I would spend that kind of money on it.

I'll have to think on that... but I'm cleaning house in preparation for yard sale and flea market so give me a day or two and I'll be able to answer! :)

I'm sure we will. In fact, I'll volunteer to help organize it if extra help is needed :)

Me time and being ENCOURAGED by DH to go shopping!

I remember having one when I was a kid - it was fun. I would only get it, though, if your DD is really into that. No point in getting it if it won't be used too often. I'd ask what her favorite types of crafts are and go from there, do something like a tote or box full of supplies for it. If all else fails get a gift card for Michaels or Hobby Lobby :)

Where in MI are you and how much are you asking for it? :)

Those sound yummy! I'll have to try them.

I don't remember the name of the book I found my salt recipe from but I found the cinnamon recipe on allrecipes.com. Got to give credit where it's due :)

There are many variations for these recipes.. they're endless really and easy to find. My best suggestion for both recipes is to have fun experimenting with what works best for you. Don't forget that both of these are NON-EDIBLE recipes. Salt Dough Ornaments Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup salt 1 1/2 cups warm water Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Mix flour and salt well. Gradually add water, stirring with a large spoon. Finish mixing with hands. Knead until soft and pliable. 3. Roll out on floured surface about 1/8 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets. With a straw make a hole in the top of the ornament for threading string. Bake until hard, about 1 hour. Decorate with paint and varnish to preserve. Some suggestions: 1. Use cut up paper clips for hangers instead of punching a hole in the dough. One clip should yield 3 hangers. 2. Use food coloring paste to color the dough before baking if you don't want to paint them; mix in after adding water. 3. You don't have to roll out the dough. For thicker ornaments lower the temperature to 200 degrees and bake longer. This also reduces the amount of puffing. 4. Use a garlic press to make hair and beards. 5. Supposedly the dough will keep in zip lock bags for a few days and can be freshened by adding water or flour depending on its state. Me, I would just make and use it fresh. Now the recipe I found the other day is the same as above except for the amount of water (1 1/3 cups at room temperature). Preheat the oven to 250F and line pans with parchment paper. Bake for 55 minutes, flip and bake for 55 minutes more. When they are cool decorate with glue, glitter, paints, sequins... anything you can think of really. Now for the other one: Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments Ingredients: 2c. unsweetened applesauce 2 1/2c. ground cinnamon plus extra for rolling ribbon for hanging Directions: 1. Using your hands, mix applesauce and cinnamon in a bowl until it's a nice consistency (like modeling clay). If it's too wet add more cinnamon; too dry add applesauce. Knead on cinnamon sprinkled surface until it stays together. 2. Roll dough out. Use cookie cutters to create shapes and straws to punch holes. Place on cookie sheets to dry; turn ornaments several times during the drying process (24-48 hours total). Alternatively these can be baked in a low temperature oven (200F or so) - make sure to use parchment paper on the pans. 3. When the ornaments are dry (and cooled if need be) they can be decorated with fabric paint (use white - it looks like frosting), glitter glue or whatever you desire. Be careful not to go overboard on the decorating - you don't want to lose the cinnamon scent! Suggestions: 1. Some people add white glue to the dough to help it stick together. Make sure to thoroughly mix it in if you do. 2. Any combination of spices can be used; it doesn't have to be all cinnamon! As long as the spices total 2 1/2c. you should be fine. If anyone tries these let us know what worked for you and pictures if they can be managed! :)

Can't get here quick enough for me!

Oh no, DH just told me to add a TV and laptop to my list...

I just found a couple of recipes to make non-edible ornaments and would be happy to share them if you're interested (got to find the notebook I wrote them in!) :) One is for cinnamon applesauce ornaments and the other is for a salt dough ornament you can decorate with pretty much anything imaginable.

Same here

For DH's family overseas (and that's everyone) we try to ship a big box or two. It costs like $100 per box and takes several weeks to get there but there's no weight limit :) If we don't have the money for that and the shopping needed to fill the box(es) then we wire money and I still try to send a small box with chocolates for my nephews and niece.

For me it's more tradition and the only guaranteed vacation day of the year (read: DH volunteers to watch the kids so I get time to myself). I look at it this way: if it's not on the shelf when I get there then it's not meant to be and I won't raise a big stink about it like some do. Besides, I have more fun people watching anyhow :)

Thanksgiving isn't that big of a deal at my house either since we don't have any family nearby to celebrate with. Last year I didn't even cook a turkey. That being said, I am up at 6am or thereabouts. Drive to city that I'll be shopping in (30 min. away) and go to a Meijer just to guarantee getting a paper that's properly stuffed. I check a minimum of 3 and no, they don't get evenly stuffed. After securing the paper I get any Turkey Day deals that I want and return home. We just hang out at home looking at ads and watching football, maybe go to another Meijer and/or Michaels just for some fresh air. Before getting some shut eye I finalize DH's list with him. Get up at like 2am or so, drive back to the city and wait for the festivities to begin Then it's back home in the early afternoon to crash and after getting some well deserved sleep it's time to put up the trees and decorate them.

After thinking all afternoon and scratching my list down on paper and counting everyone up the grand total for people I need to remember this year is... 170. Some get actual gifts, others get yummy homemade treats and others may get just a card - but I still have to buy it all :) This includes family, friends, people at school, DH's work, DD's scout troop, GD exchanges and of course charity. I have no doubt, though, that the list will end up being pared down as I go. In some cases it's one gift for a family or group so it's not as much as may appear. How do I manage it? Keeping an eye on here, of course!