What are you buying for Christmas

[joandsarah]

I think I do this most years, but what presents are you buying for others or hoping to get for yourself.

My toy list for the kids (under a spoiler as I pasted it from what are you doing now thread)

SPOILER: Click to show

I did most of my toy shopping online two days ago-and wasn't that a headache! DD had made a long list and DS had told me all he wanted was a pirate ship, Mario Kart 2 and a Chatimal (Chatimals are toys that speak back what you say) I thought great I know what they want this should be easy. ... Except DD toys were all American that she had found on Youtube, none of which I could find here and I am not doing another American order. Hunt around for DS not understanding why finding Mario kart 2 isn’t easy...It doesn't come out until next year! And the one cool Chatimal I found isn't available online, oh no only at the shop which is a 3 1/2 drive from here. <_< Lets say things only got more frustrating as I hunted. [image] I think getting into the sale day crush (Oh man you haven't seen a stampede until you have been to a KMart opening toy sale with a lay by queue wrapping around the store) Let me tell you parents with their eyes glued to whatever toy little Jonny wants diving for it at the same time can get nasty. So I was thinking which would be worse, this fruitless frustrating online hunt or the shops...?!?! [image]
Anyway I have thanks to my friend being such a great shopper, the large Play Mobil Pirate Ship coming from Amazon UK as ds main present because it's cheaper! Isn't it crazy, I can buy from England for under a hundred yet over here I've seen it advertised for up to $200. Then a have on order from one place a Mr Potato head that says things from Toy Story and apparently if you clap near him all his pieces pop off and another place getting an Etch-a-Sketch.
For DD I have a Playmobile pool party set coming from America on my friends order but no sign of it yet and it’s been three weeks now. Then the Salvanian family car from another site with a large craft item. Then I got a few computer games from another place and I have a few movies stashed away. Then for dd I plan to add a whole packet of printer paper to her stocking-yes really. Last year I mentioned it as a joke and her eyes lit up and I said don't be silly that isn't a Christmas present and she was disappointed-crazy child. So a whole packet just for her. Then probably a book or two and some stickers.

For myself I'd like TS2 Seasons (As well as an upgrade so I can play it!)
And some new hand towels. I seem to go through those as either ds or the kids make them grotty and my engagement ring catches and pulls threads. I'd take it off but I can't remove it or my wedding band as my fingers are too fat now. It would be some kind of cutting job.

[amylu1988]

Ha, I was just about to post in the 'what are you up to' thread about today's shopping, well timed, Jo!

Wow, your shopping sounds difficult. I think we have it quite easy over here with everything being available, but for me it's too much choice!

Glad you've got stuff coming for you, and yay for paper! I used to have a whole printer box full of coloured scrap paper from Dad's office all to myself when I was little too, so Sarah's not the only one. ;D

My friend got engaged this year and we've been discussing rings catching on things. She's getting a plain wedding band after all the hand towels she's ruined with the engagement one this year! She knows she's probably getting towels for secret santa too, haha.

I wanted to get all my christmas shopping done today. It didn't happen, but I didn't do too badly. I've got the worst one out of the way. At work, our secret santa this year has a twist, the gift has to be home-made. At first I thought, great, I love sewing! Yeah...then I picked the new girl's name out of the hat. She's 18 and not much of a home-sewn stuff kind of girl. So I'm making jewellery for her, as we have a craft market and a bead shop here, and I spent so long in the bead shop today I have a loyalty card now! Just one of those when you stamp it with each visit.

I've got a few bits for my friends, and I've looked around to see what to get on my next visit, it's just both sets of parents (mine and my boyfriends') that are proving difficult at the moment.

And the main thing of course, I have the christmas cards and wrapping paper and bags and tags all bought and ready. I tend to forget that most years and end up re-using the old paper. Not this year!

[joandsarah]

You sound well organized Amy, I'm always pulling out old paper and hunting down stick on gift tags at the last minute. I should add one of the coloured paper notebooks to DD pile as well. ;D

It might depend on the ring, but yes I've had about 13 years of mine catching on things, not to mention you have to be careful with it around babies. I know I've scratched my kids a couple of times with it. If I'd known I would have taken it off when I was pregnant before the weight pilled on.

[esmeiolanthe]

I don't do Christmas, but I have no problem with people who do. But Jo's comment about DD reminded me of my sister when she was close to the same age. Every year, about three months before her birthday, she'd come up to you and hand you a list, saying "If you're wondering what to get me for my birthday, here's what I want." She doesn't do that anymore, but now I have no idea how to figure out what she wants -- I never got the practice!

Jo, it sounds like you're off to a great start! And don't feel weird about the paper: one of the best gifts I ever got was a bunch of office supplies, all in my favorite color at the time. (My mother and I both love office supply stores, and can spend hours in them looking at everything.)

Amy, sounds like you're off to a great start as well! Hooray for being organized! And making gifts is a great idea. People should do that more often.

My brother-in-law flat-out asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I didn't know what to tell him. I mean, I have just about everything I need/want, except for more time off and a million dollars, neither of which anyone else can provide...

[amylu1988]

Finally finished making all the jewellery. ;D

SPOILER: Click to show

That's everything I've made, including the Christmas tree earrings I made for myself. They were made first, so I could practice on something that wouldn't be going out as a gift.
I think my favourites are the two sets on the right. ;D

P.S. Just in case anyone's not familiar with it, all I did was put the separate parts together and make it a whole, connecting and shaping metal links and stuff; the beads and chains are all bought as-is. As my boyfriend said: 'very nice bending of metal skills'.

[joandsarah]

So cute. ;D I like the purple ones the best, but they all look so well done, I'm sure whoever receives those will be happy.

[ning]

WOW, Amy, you make jewellery yourself? That's so cool!!

Like Esme, I don't exactly celebrate Christmas. My family never did; with my friends, we simply have a gathering. Sometimes a gift exchange, but no carols or pretty fir trees, haha. And definitely no dad dressed up as Santa D': (Oh but if you frequent clubs, there will be MANY girls dressed as Santarinas )

Speaking about reusing old wrapping paper, you guys may wanna get this out:
www.brit.co/creative-gift-wrap/

[amylu1988]

Cool website Ning, some great ideas on there!

This was the first set of jewellery I've ever made, so I'm glad they came out ok! ;D Only one person's opened theirs in their present from me so far. I don't personally open anything before the 25th, but a lot of people at work were...impatient.

[esmeiolanthe]

Those are lovely pieces, Amy! The smaller green item is a bracelet, right? I think that's probably my favorite set, the green one, but they're all lovely. And it really is a skill to put jewelry together in an aesthetically pleasing and not-going-to-fall-apart way.

And speaking of wrapping paper, my father will wrap presents in a) the Sunday comics (the color ones) or b) maps from National Geographic magazine. I usually buy one roll of wrapping paper and wrap absolutely everything in it until I run out, no matter the occasion or the age/gender of the recipient. Sometimes I'll do the map thing too, if I have a spare map for some reason...

[Deleted]

Those are awesome Amylu! Teehee, with me-I tape everything making it harder to get into their presents. This year, I bought some new things for my fur baby (Jade) and the feather ones (Sky, Sparky, Juliet, Romero and Sunshine) I still need to get my dad, mom, and grandmother something.

[amylu1988]

Thanks Ashley! Hope all your pets like their presents. ;D

Only 2 days to go and I get to see what everyone thinks of their jewellery! I've done my travelling now, and I've had to leave my laptop behind, so if I'm quiet, that's why. Probably won't be online much this week at all, so Merry Christmas in case I'm not on here before then. *hugs everyone*

[joandsarah]

Merry Christmas Amy. ;D It's Christmas Eve here (haha and my chapter is about 1/3 done) We let the kids exchange their gifts for each other. Now they are outside in the cubby house...with the chicken. This one we have is like a dog, it jumps up the cubby house steps to the platform.

Today I have some more cleaning and must get my list finalized and get all my groceries.

[ning]

Esme: MAPS!!! From Nat Geo!!! How could you bear to do that? (though on second thoughts, they would look SUPER DUPER COOL. Hmm... )

Ashley: HAHAHA! Tape everything just to make it difficult! I used to do something like that do, with birthday presents. I would wrap the present in probably 10 layers of newspapers. XD

It's just 1 hour more to Christmas for me! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Cooking up a storm, Jo? Show us photos of your feast! (I'm definitely curious what you guys eat for Christmas, hehe.)

[joandsarah]

Well I'm cooking some, just the potato salad the rice salad and the tossed salad. We kind of each do something. Just my mil used to bring a German potato salad so I've been a bit over mine. I added some chopped gherkin, spring onion and parsley.

Meats like turkey/chicken, ham with salads is standard at our house. My mum will bring the trifle (desert made with sponge cake, jelly (forget the American's call it- jello?) fruit, custard, sherry over the sponge cake.

[amylu1988]

Yesterday was my one meat day of the year, Christmas isn't Christmas without the turkey. My boyfriend always rolls his eyes about it, but I'm so used to the smell of cooked turkey meaning it's Christmas. We had turkey with all the trimmings cooked by his parents, lovely stuff, and so much turkey still left over for sandwiches today!

Hope yours went ok Jo, was there any trouble with the potato salads? I have a different trifle to everyone else, can't stand custard or cream, so I get a piece cut before the custard goes on. And Christmas cake with ice cream yesterday too, yummy!