berry1014

We are getting our 5 y.o daughter the fisher price digital camera. I can not wait to see the look on her face. She loves digital cameras and yes she knows how to use them and is actually pretty good at taking pictures.

We open gifts first. My dad and his new wife will be joining us for breakfest about mid morning. Could you see us trying to keep our 5 y.o away from the tree and presents until after she ate. Not happening so yeah definatly gifts first.

There are 4 of us in our family (the 4th one being an infant) My dad and his wife will come over for Christmas breakfest. For dinner we will have over my mom, my hubby's mom, sister, brother, aunt and cousin and maybe his uncle.

Don't feel guilty...shop away!

milk and cookies for santa and celery for the reindeer.

We send out pictures to certain family and friends. Only the ones who we are in regular contact with and know that they want a picture.

I have been shopping on black friday for about 9 years now.

Here is one of our Favorite recipes that is a must have. Marshmallow Mud Squares For the cake: 2 cups sugar 1 cup shortening 4 eggs 3 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1/3 cup cocoa 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 (6 1/2-ounce) bag mini marshmallows For the frosting: 2 sticks butter, room temperature 1/2 cup cocoa 1 box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup evaporated milk Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and vanilla and beats 30 seconds. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa and salt together. Add to the mixture and beat until well combined. Pour the mixture into a greased and floured 9 by13-inch pan. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Spread the marshmallows on top of the cake and return the pan to the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Evenly apply the frosting. Allow this to stand about 2 hours before cutting into squares. Note: If the marshmallows are too hot, the frosting will sink right through. The frosting should be the top layer. It will darken once it hits the heat of the cake. To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa, powdered sugar and vanilla. Slowly add the milk.

We used to go to my MIL's for Christmas eve and wouldn't get home until after 9:00. It took forever for our DD to wind down and get her ready for bed. Last year we tried something new. We got together at my MIL for brunch. My mom, my dad and his wife joined us as well as many of DH's family. We left mid afternoon and stopped at the store on the way home to pick up fresh seafood for dinner. After we got home, we let our DD open a present from us. We all got changed into our PJ's watched Christmas movies and ate seafood. Before our DD's bed time, she put out milk and cookies for Santa. Our DD went to bed very easily that night. It was a nice relaxing and enjoyable day that we are going to do the same thing again this year. The only thing different is that now we have an infant son to enjoy the holidays with too.

Started yesterday....only because our daughter's birthday was Sunday and she received a cd player. After she came home from kindergarten yesterday, I set up her cd player in her bedroom. Not even 2 minutes later she had her christmas cd's out and was popping one in. So all day yesterday I heard her singing along to her favorite Christmas songs. I normally start playing my christmas cd's in mid Nov.

My DH used to think I was nuts, now he goes with us. It started with just me going shopping then my best friend started coming out with me. Then my DSIL started a few years ago and last year our moms joined us. We have fun and save a ton of money.

Hi from South New Jersey.

There are several of us who venture out together on BF. I drive cause I have the biggest vehicle - a dodge grand caravan. We hit Walmart first cause it is the closest - only 5 minutes from my house. After Walmart we have to go back to my house to unload cause the van is pretty much filled. Once we unload we head back out shopping, by the time we finish shopping and get back home the van is filled again.

We try to be finished by the first weekend in December.

Eat, take a nap and then set up the Christmas Tree and decorate.

After we get home from BF shopping, we stash the gifts. I then spread my wrapping over the first 2 weeks in December.

I shop at Kmart on turkey day. I missed going last year but plan on going this year.

How about a writing basket that contains, pretty staionary, writing tablet, box of assorted cards (birthday, christmas, etc), stamps, couple of nice pens.

I wrap some each weekend until Christmas

I like them both but like snowmen more

I just need to get a travel coffee mug for my hubby's stocking and order my SIL's gift then I will be done.

we have a christmas each year.

At our house we have stocking for us and our daughter. We also have a stocking for both my parents and my DMIL. It just seems more fun this way.

How about adding cheese to your mashed potatoes, making a green bean or broccoli casserole? Instead of regular corn, make some corn muffins and add the corn into the batter. Bettycrocker.com has some great recipes for the holidays.

I do most of it. Hubby and I will shop together for our daughter but usually I do the shopping of gifts for our family and friends.