Holidays

Swazzle

I just nearly had a heart attack when I realized Thanksgiving is THREE weeks away!  I really can't believe it's so soon.  Where does the time go?  

Then of course I counted how many days until Christmas & that's in about 7 weeks.  

And then I started Christmas shopping 

I know we've talked about this before but it really just hit me that the holidays are so soon.  I don't like to wait until the last minute to do my shopping because it stresses me out. 

Have you guys started? 

paintgirl

I know - where did the year go?! I have not started shopping but think we will be doing a simple holiday. We just bought a house and are trying to keep spending in check. I get my nieces and nephews the same thing every year, so they're easy. I order our parents stuff from Omaha Steaks, so that's easy. My bf is the tricky one. I have some ideas but they're $$$.

Not to threadjack, but does anyone set a spending limit with the bf/fi/dh for Christmas? I'd like to this year but we never have in the past.

elannis

I've still got one more Halloween party to go to, so I don't even want to think about Thanksgiving yet, lol.

I have kinda started Christmas shopping. I have fabric sitting in a bag to make the scarves that CCO showed us and I've ordered FI a new wallet and picked up a TV series for my dad that he loves. That's about as far as I've gotten, lol. I'm trying to keep it light this year though too since we have to save what we can for the wedding. I always say I want to keep it light and end up spending twice what I wanted though, lol. I like to give gifts, lol.

Ollie08

I am absolutely sick to my stomach over it. We host Thanksgiving every year, so I've got a lot of prep to do for that (including finishing painting). But before Thanksgiving, it's DD #1's birthday on the 15th and I still have yet to plan her party!

And excuse me, Christmas shopping?! What's that? I haven't even started despite the fact I was thinking about it in September. I really should have gotten off my butt and done it then instead of waiting until now which means I will have to wait until after Thanksgiving.

alyaki

I'm just about done with my shopping - I usually buy something whenever I find them versus waiting till the end of the year.  So, I can start as early as January.  Usually I'd already be finished, but with buying a house, most of the money I would have used earlier in the year for it wasn't there... so I need to finish up 4 people out of the 15-20 I buy for.  I did at least put limits on how much money to spend on people ($50-$60 for couples, $25 for individuals, $25-50 for kids, $100 for immediate family).  I usually buy a lot for BF, but this year I'm trying to keep it under $200 total   He likes a lot of electronics and kitchen gadgets, so it's far too easy to spend money on him.

Like Ely, I like giving gifts

ravenray

No I haven't started yet, though I have been having urges to listen to Christmas music!  (I LOVE Christmas Music!)  I will most likely start after Thanksgiving (my least favorite holiday)
Paint- Bf and I are going to have a spending limit (I think $30?) because we are trying to save money for our trip to Europe.  
My thread jack question is how do you do holidays with you BF/FI/H/SO?

paintgirl

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:7d869ddc-9e5f-4ceb-b65b-bc9971b64ee3">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]My thread jack question is how do you do holidays with you BF/FI/H/SO?
Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]

At home. Alone. ROCK ON!!!<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cool.gif" border="0" alt="Cool" title="Cool" />

ravenray

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:7d6e1806-f497-4bad-ac20-a02f71e19296">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Holidays : At home. Alone. ROCK ON!!!
Posted by paintgirl[/QUOTE]

Awesome!  We don't own a house or an appartment though :(

csousa1

I am so excited for the holidays!!!

BF and I set a spending limit, but we both break it every year. This year I told him (in, like, July), that I want nothing but a KA stand mixer and some attachments. I really hope he gets that!!

I have no idea what to get him. I looked at snowblowers, because I jokingly told him that I almost bought him one last year. He asked me in all seriousness why I didn't, and that it would be a great gift since it makes his life easier. I feel like it is such a honey-do gift, but then again....I'm (hopefully) getting a KA appliance. We are painfully domestic.

With my immediate family, we will most likely pull names from a hat and get that person a nice gift, versus a bunch of smaller ones for everyone. Last year I got my sister, which was awesome. Either way, I have ideas for everyone, but we should pull names soon to give plenty of time.

I will get something smallish for BF's parents, or go in on something with him - same for his brother and SIL. Other than that, I really don't have anyone else to buy for.

Except my boss. I have NO idea what to get him. Last year, when I had only been there for 4 months and was still a temp, he got me a $50 gift card to a really nice restaurant. I got everyone scratch tickets and gave him extra, which he was enthralled about lol. The other day he said he knew what he was getting me and sounded excited, but he may have been kidding. He does that. I'm seriously stumped as to what to get him this year, though.

CCO2012

Not only are the holidays coming up but my youngest sister's bday is next Tuesday, my other sisters bday is the 28th and BF's sister's bday is the same as mine the 29th. So between BF and I we have 4 bday gifts to buy then about 12 x-mas gifts. YIKES!

Luckily, we just figured out our Thanksgiving plans and we will be able to spend significant time with both families this year and eat with both families on actually Thanksgiving. Woo!

Any suggestions for gifts for a 16th bday are welcome!!!


Ely, I think the scarfs will be great gifts. I have been giving them as bday gifts to all of our friends and family!

thejucheidea

I haven't started Christmas shopping and don't know when I will. If it were up to me, there would be no celebration of Christmas in our household, but we have to pander to our families. I have no idea what I'm getting for people. I really don't like Christmas. Everything goes downhill after Halloween.

And for the holidays, we'll be bouncing between four houses: our own, his maternal grandmother, his paternal grandmother and my grandparents. It sucks and I feel bad for the dogs because they have to be home alone for like 15 hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas .

GoldenPenguin

I can't believe it's November. I am, but I'm not really looking forward to the holidays this year.

I haven't been home for Thanksgiving in like seven or eight years, and it sucks. Because I work in college sports, we always have games the day before or after, and it's too long of a trip to make for a day. One year I was actually at a holiday basketball tournament and had Thanksgiving dinner in a hotel restaurant. It was the worst. I have always had friends take me in, but now, everyone is married/engaged/etc so they have multiple dinners/houses and it's hard to find someone who's willing to take in the Thanksgiving orphan.

As for Christmas, I have a game on the 23rd, which means that I probably won't go home till Christmas Eve, and then we have a basketball tournament in Florida on the 29th-30th, so we're traveling on the 28th... it's almost not even worth all the driving for maybe three days. Hopefully I'll have the new job so I won't have to worry about it!!

BF & I have talked about presents, but he doesn't know what he's getting me. I am getting some pin-up pictures done for him, and getting one printed on a sturdy canvas so that he can take it on the road for him. He's very into Harley Davidson & the whole pin-up look (he has a pin up tattoo & everything) so I know he's going to love it. He says if I don't tell him what I want, he's getting me a toaster... but I really don't have anything major that I want!

Swazzle

Paint: Sean & I set a spending limit every year but we NEVER stick to it, either of us. This year though, since we're saving for the wedding now, I'm going to make sure we do. I just bought him Miami Dolphins PJ pants for $20 & I'm pretty stumped on what else to get him this year.  I was thinking a few smaller things since we're not spending too much on each other

Ely: I'm trying to do the exact same thing. I usually go all out with Christmas gifts, I literally cannot help myself, I like buying presents. But I just can't this year because we're saving & I hope people aren't disappointed. 

Ollie: You have A LOT on your plate girl.  Take a deep breath & make a list of stuff you have to do.  Then take that list & organize it into what needs to be done ASAP.  I'm a list-fanatic but I realize this doesn't work for everyone lol

Alyaki: OMG! I envy you.  You must be so unstressed during the holiday season.  I really, really, really should try to do that next year. 

Raven: Thanksgiving is your LEAST favorite holiday?!?!?!  I am obsessed with anything that revolves around food. Also, I have been humming Christmas tunes in my head for a few days now & then I yell at myself to promptly stop, it's too soon! We've always done Thanksgiving with my family because his Dad lives in GA, his mom has always been in another state & his step dad works.  His mom is home this year but it's my first holiday without my Poppop so we'll be spending it with my family again.  For Christmas, luckily, my one aunt has it every year & she lives really close to Sean's family so we're able to see everyone that day

Sousa: My family does that too, we call it a Polyanna (aka Secret Santa, right?). We do an adults one & a kids one.  Luckily I'm still in the kids one, and FI too, that way we still get gifts from each of my aunts too LOL! 

[Deleted User]

we've started a little bit of shopping, and got some Christmas decorations and a tree half off this past week.  we'll spend Thanksgiving with his family, so I'm hoping to have their gifts ready to take with us and leave there.

gifts will be a little lighter this year, because we've had the wedding and HM.  but I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas time!!

ravenray

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:7537b404-0d1c-40ac-a393-c432657c72eb">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]Paint:  Sean & I set a spending limit every year but we NEVER stick to it, either of us. This year though, since we're saving for the wedding now, I'm going to make sure we do. I just bought him Miami Dolphins PJ pants for $20 & I'm pretty stumped on what else to get him this year.  I was thinking a few smaller things since we're not spending too much on each other Ely : I'm trying to do the exact same thing. I usually go all out with Christmas gifts, I literally cannot help myself, I like buying presents. But I just can't this year because we're saving & I hope people aren't disappointed.  Ollie : You have A LOT on your plate girl.  Take a deep breath & make a list of stuff you have to do.  Then take that list & organize it into what needs to be done ASAP.  I'm a list-fanatic but I realize this doesn't work for everyone lol Alyaki : OMG! I envy you.  You must be so unstressed during the holiday season.  I really, really, really should try to do that next year.  <strong>Raven : Thanksgiving is your LEAST favorite holiday?!?!?!</strong>  I am obsessed with anything that revolves around food. Also, I have been humming Christmas tunes in my head for a few days now & then I yell at myself to promptly stop, it's too soon! We've always done Thanksgiving with my family because his Dad lives in GA, his mom has always been in another state & his step dad works.  His mom is home this year but it's my first holiday without my Poppop so we'll be spending it with my family again.  For Christmas, luckily, my one aunt has it every year & she lives really close to Sean's family so we're able to see everyone that day :) Sousa : My family does that too, we call it a Polyanna (aka Secret Santa, right?). We do an adults one & a kids one.  Luckily I'm still in the kids one, and FI too, that way we still get gifts from each of my aunts too LOL! 
Posted by rdr716[/QUOTE]
Yep!  The food is good but there was always my cousin (The one I don't want invited to the wedding) was always there.  It was the worst.  He doesn't come as often now but I still get that bitter flavor in my mouth when I think about the holiday. :/

Swazzle

CCO: Busy busy girl!!! That's really great that you guys will be able to see both families on Thanksgiving!  I don't know if I could do that though, I already eat more than I should with just my family. I can't imagine having more than one dinner.

Ahstill: How come you don't like Christmas? 

Bri: That is an AWESOME present for your FI!!!  That really sucks you never get to have a real Thanksgiving dinner.  Come to NJ & you can eat with my family!!! 

csousa1

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:7d869ddc-9e5f-4ceb-b65b-bc9971b64ee3">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]No I haven't started yet, though I have been having urges to listen to Christmas music!  (I LOVE Christmas Music!)  I will most likely start after Thanksgiving (my least favorite holiday) Paint- Bf and I are going to have a spending limit (I think $30?) because we are trying to save money for our trip to Europe.   <strong>My thread jack question is how do you do holidays with you BF/FI/H/SO</strong>?
Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]

Ugh. It changes every year (this will be our third holiday season together). Both Thanksgivings, we started off at his parent's house and ended at mine. I am good with that, especially when my sister and FBIL match up with that.

The first Christmas was atrocious. I know it's ridikkulus and childish but I hate spending Christmas with anyone's family but my own. Last year was awesome because his parents went to CA to see his brother and SIL, so we got to spend the entire holiday with my family. This year, they are staying home, and BF's brother and SIL aren't coming out, so we will be obliged to spend more time with his parents. I still am not sure how to work this out. I know that makes me Grinchy, but I don't care. I'll still end up being fair.

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:1a17f20c-1cc3-4e09-a0e6-099e90cade5d">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]Not only are the holidays coming up but my youngest sister's bday is next Tuesday, my other sisters bday is the 28th and BF's bday is the same as mine the 29th. So between BF and I we have 4 bday gifts to buy then about 12 x-mas gifts. YIKES! Luckily, we just figured out our Thanksgiving plans and we will be able to spend significant time with both families this year and eat with both families on actually Thanksgiving. Woo! Any suggestions for gifts for a 16th bday are welcome!!! Ely, I think the scarfs will be great gifts. I have been giving them as bday gifts to all of our friends and family!
Posted by CCO2012[/QUOTE]

Wow, that's a lot of bdays all at once, lol. We usually have a bunch right before Christmas, all in December (cousin, cousin's kid, me, BFF, gma, dad). I don't usually get my cousins anything though and they don't get me anything. It saves everyone money. I'd love to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with both sides this year, but I'm holding out for Christmas, so I'll sacrifice Thanksgiving, lol.

We always have sweet 16 birthday parties, even for the boys, and for mine, I got about 50$ that my mom took the time to make look like a bouquet of flowers, with the dollar bills folded up to look like individual flowers. I thought I had a picture, but I can't find it. But you get the idea. I loved it! And I'm looking forward to making those scarves if I ever get any free time, lol.

GoldenPenguin

Awww RDR, thanks :-) I don't know what I'm going to do this year... maybe order Chinese & watch chick flicks at home, haha.

Oh, and it's BF, not FI... no BSC here ;-) Although, I will admit, when he told me he was saving up for my "toaster" I got a little suspicious...

dwest2201

Ah, the holidays.  This entire year has completely flown by, I can't believe it's November already and I feel like the end of the year goes even faster than the rest because of all the holidays. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, ever.  I love the food, the gathering of family and the lack of stress in buying gifts!  This year I have the little man, and BF is working the night before Thanksgiving at the fire station and will be off at 6am and get to spend it with us!  Actually, we will be spending it with BF and his family at his parents house.  I love Christmas, but I'm not ready for Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving!

For Christmas, I have started some shopping already, got some presents for the little nieces and nephews, and a couple of the Cars 2 cars that my son really wants, but I have a lot more to do.  Luckily my family does a white elephant type thing so we each just have to bring a guy or girl gift for that.  We will have to figure out what to get our parents (his siblings and him usually go in and get something nice for his parents, last year was a laptop)...my Dad gave me a super awesome Birthday gift so we'll have to do something nice for him, but not sure what.  

BF bought tickets for the Bengals Steelers game in Pitt and got us a nice hotel for 2 nights there too...so that is pretty much my Christmas present, which is cool...we're going with some of his fire buddies and their wives, it should be a fun, but cold trip. 

thejucheidea

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:45afdd29-31bb-4609-b0ea-d6c67926629c">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE] Ahstill : How come you don't like Christmas?
Posted by rdr716[/QUOTE]

A fight over where we spent Christmas one year (my paternal grandparents in California or my maternal grandparents in Tennessee) led to me not seeing my maternal grandparents for a few years. It didn't matter to my maternal grandmother that that particular Christmas was my paternal grandfather's last Christmas with us (he passed away that next February).

Additionally, I think that Christmas has become too materialistic. People think about what they want or what they want to buy for others, not about the togetherness of the holidays. There are so many expectations thrown upon us, whether it be that multiple family members want you to spread yourself too thin to see them all on the same day or that people want a specific thing and if they don't get it, they're upset. I just don't understand.

It also feels odd to celebrate a holiday that is for Christians when I myself am not Christian.

NurseyK

My sister's birthday is 12/1, so I rarely start Christmas anything until after that.

This year will be smallish because of the wedding, and because I got my Dad a rockin bday present (click) for his 60th: I'm tapped out.

Max budget for mom/dad/sis is usually no more than $100, but this year it will be more like $50.

FI's budget style is more like $20 pp.

The adjustment I've had to make is that FI's perception of a $35 gift is expensive while I think it's cheap.

elannis

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_holidays-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:302d3f13-a91f-4c4e-8e62-4b0fded09241Post:7537b404-0d1c-40ac-a393-c432657c72eb">Re: Holidays</a>:
[QUOTE]Paint:  Ely : I'm trying to do the exact same thing. I usually go all out with Christmas gifts, I literally cannot help myself, I like buying presents. But I just can't this year because we're saving & I hope people aren't disappointed. 
Posted by rdr716[/QUOTE]

I think people probably understand. I know my parents are probably going to be buying a bit lighter too because they're providing for a large chunk of the wedding, at least with gifts for FI and me, but maybe it'll be an opportunity for us all to get back into the less materialistic side of Christmas and just enjoy spending time together! I'd be ok with that : ).

Elle1036

I kind of feel like my holiday season has started already.  FI is off of school today and tomorrow for a random break, and I'm driving up to my hometown tonight to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday.  All of the family is going to be there, so it might as well be a holiday.

And then next weekend I am going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter -- definitely a holiday.

Then it's Thanksgiving, so yeah.

PaigeMcC

Thanksgiving was last month, silly Americans =P

I have started shopping a little.  FBD and I actually have a $150 GC to Sears online that we're going to use to get some nice stuff for some of the fam. jam.  I don't have a budget for Christmas but I expect to do quite a bit of Christmas shopping on our HM.

jorja86

I'm really excited for the holidays! I do have to work Thanksgiving night, but I'm hoping that I'll get out of working Christmas or New Years. Last year I worked Thanksgiving night and Christmas Eve night (into Christmas Day), but it worked out well since I was still working in my home town.

This year, we're hosting Thanksgiving for the first time for both my family and BF's family. I'm excited, but a little nervous too. For Christmas, I have no idea how we're going to work things out. In the past, we've always just done our own thing with our individual families. This year, since I'm living up here, I really don't know what's going to happen. We've thrown around the idea of going to his family Christmas Eve, leaving late that night and doing midnight Mass with my Mom and siblings, staying there Christmas Eve and doing my Dad's house Christmas Day (that's the way it's worked with my parents since they've been divorced). It's a lot of traveling, though.

I got a couple of gifts this past week while we were in Florida, but my Dad, my Mom, and one of my brothers all have birthdays within two weeks of each other at the end of November/early December, so I still have a lot of shopping to do. I actually enjoy it. In fact, I think shopping for other people is the only kind of shopping I do like!

As far a budget, I usually spend like $100 on each of my parents, $50 on my siblings, and like $200ish on BF? My extended family is ridiculous, there are 19 grandkids on my Dad's side, and everyone gets a gift from all the aunts until you graduate from college. So, I'm kicked out of that gift exchange, at least. My Mom's family also all buys for everyone, and I think I might be getting to the point that I need to start buying my own gifts, and not putting my name on the ones from my Mom.

kellyt89

I'm looking forward to the holidays as far as seeing my family and eating yummy food. That's why I like Thanksgiving better, just food and family. Also, I'm making a side dish this year for the first time (asparagus and snow pea salad) so that's pretty cool!

I hate the presents thing too...my parents are impossible to buy anything for so that's irritating. My mom's side does a White Elephant which is pretty funny and my dad's side does Secret Santa. As I said in a previous post, I'm asking for a vacuum this year...ha!

I do love the holiday season though in general. I *love* the decorations so much that my mom keep out Christmas tree up until my birthday (January 8th).

Also, by the time the holidays come around I will be FINISHED with my undergraduate career - halleluiah! - and preparing to move to Boston where BF is! We won't be spending the holidays together this year unfortunately, hopefully next year.