holiday shopping
Posted By: cj on 2008-11-28
In Reply to:
Did anyone see on the news the WalMart employee trampled to death by the mob storming the place when the doors opened? What a sad commentary that is on society. I will be saying a prayer for this person's family.
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I'm avoiding the entire holiday shopping insanity this year. - sm
My family and I have all reached the point where it's nearly impossible to find anything that the other person would really like or can really use. The last years have been just the stupidity of us all trying to buy gifts on a limited income, which after all the shopping-mall challenges, wrapping challenges, and Post Office lines (as everyone is scattered all over the country), just to send each other things that end up being white elephants, we discussed it and said, 'Why are we doing this?' I had come to dread Christmas time like no other time of year. Even tax time was better!
So instead, last year we said enough of this commercialism is enough. We just kicked back and enjoyed the season. Went to the ice rink in the city and looked at all the lights on the buildings. Wrote cards (with actual LETTERS in them, not just printed names & greetings, which in my mind are a waste of postage), donated toys/gifts to kids or families who really could use a Christmas gift, and maybe got a few small things for close friends. I cut my Christmas card list down to just a few close friends who live far away, family in other parts of the country or the world, and skipped all the ones on the list who haven't bothered to return a phone call, note, or email in the past 5 years.
I spent Christmas Day with my best friends, then decided to go climb the hundreds of steps up the steep hill to Coit Tower in the city, and marvel at the view of the bay on a clear winter evening.
It's amazing how stress-reducing it's been to give up the Holiday rat-race. A few years ago I 'went AWOL' from everyone and everything on Christmas Eve. Drove up to one of the smaller & less-crowded Sierra ski resorts, Dodge Ridge, which is kind of out in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains, at the end of a dead-end road well off any main highways. After a nice day of skiing, I timed my 2nd-to-last run so that I was the very last person to get on the chairlift before they closed it down. Once at the summit, with the sun starting to set (and my ears turning numb in the wind & snow), I took my time adjusting boots, poles, etc., so that I'd be the very last one down the mountain. And much to the consternation of the Ski-Patrol making their last day's sweep of the mountain to make sure everyone's gotten down okay, I took my sweet time doing that, as well, and was rewarded with an incredible sunset off in the distance in the West, even though it was still snowing lightly on the mountain. And it was incredible to be able to go swooping down the runs alone, without any other sounds or skiers.
On the drive back home, the clouds cleared and there was a huge full moon - (I believe someone said the last full moon on Christmas Eve for 30 years?) It lit up the snow in the canyons like it was almost daylight, and I pulled off the road a few times just to enjoy the view and the silence. (A TRUE 'Silent Night'!)
:)
Holiday Inn w/Bing&Astair and The Holiday w/Diaz&Winslet NM
.
rent shoe shopping or handbag shopping
!
The Holiday does it for me. or Holiday Inn for a priceless oldie.nm
x
Holiday coverage.
I have worked on days where the doc would not do surgery on a trauma patient until the ER/trauma examination was typed and in the file, making it a STAT report. Somebody has to be there to type it and send it back to them in a timely manner, not the next day.
Anyone get the holiday blues?
For whatever reason . . . family conflicts, financial stress, lonliness, etc?
holiday giving
What you are doing is a wonderful thing and I understand your hurt feelings. Perhaps next year you could channel your energy into giving where it would DEFINITELY be appreciated. Regardless of whether or not you support the war in Iraq, there are many of our troops there who would love to receive a card or care package for the holidays. There are plenty of needy children here in our country who could use a card or gift for the holidays. Why not give where it is wanted and needed? Your church can give you the name of a needy family for you to help at the holidays. You have many options to chose from. Pick something that will make it feel good on both the recipient and the givers side??
Holiday budgets - do you have one, keep one and ....sm
what works to keep you in budget if you have one? My husband and teenager went WAY over budget last year for Christmas so this year I've told them that it's cash only for their purchases and no internet shopping (that got them in trouble last year buying too much stuff because they didn't bother to track how much they were spending).
We've got $1300 budgeted for this Christmas. That includes $150 each kid for Santa gifts (2 kids), $100 each for my husband and myself to get each other something, each of us gets $100 total to get gifts for each other (i.e. kids get $100 to buy gifts for each other as well as we parents), $50 each allotted for our 3 parents, $25/each alotted for each of our siblings (small gifts always given - agreed amongst siblings years ago) and $50 to get gifts for the kids teachers and bus drivers. It sure adds up, doesn't it?
Holiday traditions - what do you do...sm
The night after Thanksgiving, we order a large pizza for dinner, watch Christmas Vacation and Polar Express, and then drink hot chocolate while the kids decorate the Christmas tree and the cats act like kittens again. What does everyone else do?
TV holiday commercials
Of course, there are zillions of commercials now with Christmas coming up. I just had to tell you my favorite and see if you have one. This would be fun.  This week, there have been tons of diamond commercials on TV, Zales, etc. There is one where the family comes down the stairs and somebody is sneaking a look in a present (it should be one of the kids). All they show is the mom and a close up of her face being caught! Then they say something about diamonds etc. I usually don't pay attention to commercials but I love that! She looks like a real mom, and I felt like that was what I would do, getting caught at sneaking a look. (Of course it would not be diamonds, but I'd still get caught even if it was a blender LOL).
Holiday tins
You can usually find these in a dollar store for about $1 each and you can line them with waxed paper. I use these when I make fudge for my daughter's teachers.
This holiday has gotten way more low-key and quiet for me.
My kids are 20, 18 and 17. The oldest lives at college and has to leave by 11:00 a.m. on Easter morning to make it back to school on Sunday night. We'll go to church on Saturday night to the vigil Mass. We don't buy new outfits, because we don't need them. No egg dyeing, because no one here likes to eat them. But, we will have a big breakfast early on Sunday morning, nibble out of the community candy basket, kiss the oldest one good-bye as he heads back to school, and then I'm going on a hike at the local environmental reserve where I'll sit down on a rock or log somewhere and enjoy the peace, think, and pray for a bit.
Quiet is nice.
What is a holiday? I don't know anymore. NM
xx
Holiday for MTs? - Unheard of.
I have been an MT for a long time and very rarely do I see a holiday. As an employee I had to take the holiday off whether I wanted to or not. Now that I'm on my own I can work when I want. I usually do work holidays as we are a "one-income" family. My weekends usually consist of working morning and partial afternoons on Saturdays and maybe mornings on Sunday - but that is my choice. So, for the weekend and holiday I will be working.
One of my fav holiday weekends, second
Saturday, we have a huge craft show to go to, followed by 3 baseball games of my boys', followed by some serious picnicking Saturday evening.
As for Sunday, fairly relaxing, a little work in the morning and evening, visiting family in the afternoon and picnicking some more.
Monday should be a fairly quiet day - a little work in the morning and evening, a late morning Memorial Day parade and early afternoon picnicking, maybe a movie with the kids!
Love this weekend -- gets me started on a great summer!
seriously disgusting how this holiday
extravaganza. What about the fallen heros??
Tax Free Holiday
I'm posting this here and in the WAHM forums, this link shows which states are having sales tax exempt shopping, when they are having it and what items are exempt. Everyone (Especially MTs) could use to save a few bucks.
http://singleparents.about.com/od/taxfreeholidays/2007_Sales_Tax_Free_Holidays.htm
I know the link says 2007 in it, but its for 2008 (as in my case NC is this weekend).
Let's vote a new holiday in ...
Just ONE day a year that we all are nice, friendly, nonjudgmental, noncritical, etc.
holiday quandry
I too think it would be good for everyone to come to your home, as this is your first Christmas as husband and wife - this is very important to the two of you and family should respect that.
Holiday memories....
My dad saying (when I was age 4 to 6) that there was an elf that would hop on his shoulder every morning when he got in the car to go to work and ask if I had been good the day before. I can remember waiting for him to get home and then excitedly asking him if he talked to the elf...ok, now I'm misty eyed!
Waiting in the longest line to get Cabbage Patch Kids for my daughters when they first came out....lucky enough to get ones with decent enough names and birthdates close to my girls' birthdays.
Making the dreaded yam/sweet potato casserole at Thanksgving and ALWAYS setting the marshmallow bag on the hot oven door, thus melting the plastic, nice touch.
Realizing that I don't care if I have to pay full price, I do not shop the day after Thanksgiving any more!
We don't have a holiday dinner without
mac and cheese. This is mostly due to my niece. The only thing she will eat at these major meals is kraft mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and rolls. She is 14 years old, but SIL and BIL have no problem with it. I am lucky, my kids don't like everything, but are good eaters and most of the time are willing to try new things.
I go through this same thing every holiday -
I have to spend the holiday with my family by myself and miss my husband or else I have to insist that he go and then we are both miserable all day and it turns out bad anyway.
I never know what to do...
I want to spend holidays with him, but at the same time I do not want to make him go somewhere he obviously does not want to be.
I'm sorry that I cannot give you answers, but just wanted you to know that you are not alone.
Shopping
No, no Christmas shopping here. We are Jewish so that would be kind of weird. :) Channukah a minor Jewish holiday, and celebrated quietly in our home with small gifts each night for the little one (she's 4) and the other two (15 and 17), they get one medium to large gift (i.e. ipod, dvd player.)
I'm glad I don't have to deal with all the "hoopla" that seems to surround Christmas. How do you all focus on the meaning of your holy day with all the..stuff??..that seems to go along with Christmas?
Well, not actually shopping but tell you what I have done
I am on a mission and I mean get on the train or get left behind. I have the dinner for everyone here this year. I have painted rooms, bought new furniture, had new tile put in 3 rooms, getting new counters for my kitchen, got new carpet put in master bedroom and closet, bought new China for the dinner- I started all this in January knowing full well what I wanted to accomplish. I am an Aries and believe me when I tell you, I want things done yesterday. I should have all I want accomplished by that time. I have a honey-do list for hubby- he has put off a few things but better get with the program.
No - she went shopping.
She's a shopper. :oD
But she can also wear it to a Renaissance Fair. Not sure if this is the one she goes to, but something like this.
http://www.royalfaires.com/ARIZONA/
Shopping
As a good start to ending this bad habit, maybe you could return some of the outfits that have the tags on and just keep one as that "someday" outfit.
As far as food, do you make a list when you go out shopping? Maybe you could make a budget/grocery list and do your food shopping that way. It may be easier for you to control your bad habit if you go this route.
Hope some of these ideas help you.
THE HOLIDAY!!!!! I saw it 4 times at the movies with all sm
different sets of friends. SOOO romantic - ultimate chick flick. I never saw a movie with Jude Law before that one. MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME! Jude Law is amazingly gorgeous. I promise, you will love this movie. Ultimate in romance and humor!!Even my husband liked it and he doesn't like chick flicks.
Holiday custodial woes
My daughter divorced last December, so this is the first big holiday since. There is a lot of turmoil and anamosity between her and the ex-husband. BTW, he cheated and is now married to the "other woman"; they and her three children live in a neighboring town. My daughter mentioned to him that she wasn't going to do a lot for Easter for their daughter, who is now going on 9 (too old for the Easter bunny IMHO) and will have her BD with gifts next month. Joy did make her a new outfit for school and gave her a chocolate bunny and a favorite cream egg. So, the ex's family had a Easter egg hunt yesterday and Joy allowed Emily to attend, even though it's her weekend to have Emi. Emily comes home with a foot-diameter-size Easter basket, crammed with candy, junky plastic toys, stuffed animals, candy, and more candy. Joy stored three large boxes of this type junk two weeks ago. Emily has had 10, yes, 10 cavities in her short life and he still buys candy for her at every opportunity. This seems to me to be a pattern--whatever Joy does he tries to "outdo," even when it's not a good thing for Emily. Can't say too much--will come across as "sour grapes." He is not an impulsive kid--going on 36 years old. I'm sure it's not going to be the last time. How do others handle this? I was divorced but we lived in another state, so this type of "competition" didn't happen.
Wondering about holiday gift
I just recently met some darling, sweet girls, actually believe they would be my third cousins, my cousin's son's daughters?? Well anyway I thought they were probably the best behaved little ladies I had met in some time. We were at a funeral and quiet as a mouse. Afterwards they seemed to take to me and I talked with them and asked if their stud earrings real diamonds, no and I just kiddingly told them maybe they should ask their father or grandfather (my first cousin) about getting them the real deal. Now this is what I was thinking about doing. I know I can buy some sorta inexpensive diamond stud earrings for these young ladies for Christmas but my daughter thinks I might be overstepping my boundaries. Any thoughts on this? I would love to get just because I thought they were mighty special.
I have a holiday ponytail-scrunchie......... nm
:)
Cheers to you and yours, Hay! Love your holiday
s
you couldn't pay me to shop on a tax holiday
that's like shopping on the day after thanksgiving. No thanks!!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday
Actually, it's the eve of my favorite holiday - Black Friday! Every year, starting the day before Thanksgiving, I begin the preparations: House cleaned, clothes packed, manicure, pedicure, extra lines worked. Then Thanksgiving day, the family comes to my house (my parents, 3 siblings and their families plus me and hubs and 3 kids). We have an early Thanksgiving dinner - 2 p.m.
By 5 p.m., the guys are all watching football, the kids are playing video games, and we women begin staking out our big day. We have the sales papers all over the table, the Sharpie's poised and ready to mark our intended targets. Usually around 6 or 7 p.m., my company packs it in and calls it a day. My hubs then heads to Wal-Mart (yes on Thanksgiving day) to buy his stock of groceries/snacks for the weekend. While he's out, I soak in the tub for a good hour. Then I call my girlfriend, with whom I'll be spending the weekend, and we go over the final plans just 1 last time. I print out our agenda on the computer and then try to get myself to bed early, usually by 10 p.m.
At 3:00 a.m. Black Friday, the alarm goes off. I'm out of that bed like a rocket and into the shower. By 4:00 a.m., I'm at my best friend's house. We throw her suitcases in the back and head off to our local Wal-Mart for the first finds of the day. We usually have our stuff checked out and back in the car by 6:15 a.m. Then we head off to our yearly shopping extravaganza. We spend the weekend in Lancaster, PA where there's crafting, outlets, and mall shopping. Our hotel has a hot tub and an indoor pool. We catch all the great buys at the dept stores in Lancaster and then spend the rest of Friday crafting. We have a nice dinner and then head back to the hot tub.
Saturday's more of the same, mostly outlets and the mall. We usually meet up with the rest of our crew -- about 10 of us, all ladies, no kids. We have dinner and go over all the best buys we got. Come Sunday, we sleep in a little late and then check out of the hotel. Not much opens early on Sunday, not even the mall, in Lancaster (home of the Amish). We finish up our day at the mall and then head over to the Olive Garden for a farewell dinner. We usually end up making it home by 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Sunday night.
Okay - now you've got me all excited. I can hardly wait. As for my hubs and 3 kids, they usually buddy up and have sleepovers. Saturday is a definite movie day. They almost always have a must-see Christmas movie out Thanksgiving weekend. Sunday, they pretty much lay around and wait for me. My hubs usually gets the indoor Christmas decorations out for me to get started on. We usually put the outdoor ones up the weekend before Thanksgiving. I SOOOOOO CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!! It is absolutely my favorite holiday of the year, my second fav being Christmas Eve (I love the anticipation of what's to come). Thanksgiving is only 107 days away!!!!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
Reason being, no presents. Just family and an excuse to eat lots of yummy foods that you don't get to have any other time of year. I have loved it since I was a child.
I like your idea though. Maybe I will do like you said. I can't please everyone and I am working both holidays so it will be hard for me to get time to go somewhere else. I can certainly use my breaks and some planning to make it at our house though.
LOL at your story. Thanks for the tip and encouragement. It's a shame that some people are such sticklers when all it really comes down to spending time with family!
I post this every holiday season and will try SM
posting again. Sigh.
I have two stephchildren. One is 30 and one is 25. I actually love them like my own children. Problem is gift giving. Do you give gifts to adult stephchildren who do not give gifts to you? If they were small children or teens, of course I would buy them gifts, but they are ADULTS! Every year I post this same question and get same answers from people saying how much they LOVE buying hundreds of dollars worth of stuff for EVERYONE they know and that I shold get in the holiday spirit of buying. I don't have hundreds of dollars to purchase gifts. I have two grandchildren, 4 and 1-1/2, and have spent a combined $100 on their gifts. I'm buying my daughter stuff from Victoria Secret and buying my SIL a book.
Last year, stepdaughter gave me a regifted gift card from Starbucks and stepson gave me small bag of candy (smushed carton).
They don't hate me, I promise you that, and I certainly don't hate them, but what do I buy them for Christmas, if anything? I find buying gifts for adults silly. And please, do not suggest handmade gifts. I made that mistake years ago, when I made stepdaughter handmade mosaic tile box, with velvet interior. She threw the thing out. Is there some tactful way out?
What are your favorite holiday movies
Now that the holidays are just around the corner we'll be seeing more and more holiday movies. I'm not into the holidays, but I do like holiday movies. What are some of your favorites. I like:
1. Home for the Holidays (starring Holly Hunter) - very funny.
2. Bed of Roses (with Christian Slater) - very Romantic.
3. All the cartoon/animation kids shows like Dr. Seusse's Grinch that Stole Christmas and Rudolph the Rednose Rheindeer (DH loves to imitate the abdominal snow man - and we walk around singing we are Santa's elves while we make movements with our arms like the the animated characters - it's a hoot and we always end up laughing). :-)
4. Homecoming - Christmas story with the Waltons.
My favorite holiday movies...sm
I love The Grinch with Jim Carey. I also have always loved The Christmas Story since I was a kid.
A little holiday music fun. See link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8
Holiday Eating Tips
Come on girl, you gotta have more than one slice!! :)
HOLIDAY EATING TIPS
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them aga! in.
8. Same for pies. Apple , Pumpkin , Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples a! ND one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more t han one dessert? Labor Day ?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, even I have some standards.
10! . One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
Have a great holiday season !!
Or wait until a holiday (such as Christmas)
To go the ER with something that has been bothering them, per the HPI, for 'months'? I've noticed its basically the seniors, so I've decided in my own little addled brain that they must be lonely and subconsciously going to the ER for human contact and attention to fill the void. I kinda feel sorry for them.
mystery shopping
 Mystery shopping...Has anyone taken part in any of these jobs with a reputable company?
Mystery Shopping
How are you paid? Is it a reimbursement thing? Also, did you pay a membership fee? Thanks!
re:mystery shopping
I belonged to a few. I rarely did the shops. Some only pay like 10 or 20 dollars. Some are not fun. Many were too far away. And a lot of gas stations for some reason, for example you had to take pictures with a digital camera of the inside if they had a store, certain areas outside, the bathroom, etc. One was a vacuum shop - I don't even remember what that one entailed, didn't do it. The restaurant ones are nice, free meal for 2 usually, but of course not too many of those! Free membership for the ones I joined. Definitely not a dream job to make lots of money. Could be interesting though and get you out of the house.
Do your shopping online.
I've been doing all my Xmas shopping online for 6 years now. Way better than dealing with the crowds at malls and stores.
secret shopping
Do you make pretty good money doing this? Is it worth taking the time or do you just do it for fun? I went to the website you listed and am seriously considering joining...more info would be very much appreciated...
Internet shopping
Does anyone else who works from home use the internet for most of their shopping or to surf the web during work? I had a MT service owner who complained to me that he had a hard time getting his "girls" to work since implementing the internet - that they spent their work time on QVC or HSN. I never thought about going to other sites (other than for references) while working, but apparently this is a big pull for some of us - I just can't imagine having time to shop while trying to work.
I'd take a friend shopping with you.
She can help you try new things that you might not think to. I did this for a friend and she got a bigger reaction than the bride, LOL. Okay, that's because she'd lost 100 lbs, but everybody was excited about the dress we chose. She hadn't lost all her weight yet, and she might have rejected the dress just because a back slit showed her calves, which looked wonderful, but she didn't know it. Then we picked out jewelry. A salesman was also very helpful. She was stunning and it was so much fun.
Well, I have a large shopping bag (sm)
hanging in the spare room closet and have about 4-5 little stocking stuffers already purchased and in there. Does that count?
Going to shopping at IKEA
so we can start organizing my daughter's unbelievably messy room
Mattress shopping
Anyone have an opinion? Pillow top? Memory foam? I currently have moderately priced pillow top that I bought last winter that just goes on top of the mattress. I have been able to fluff it up until just recently, but there doesn't seem to be any more fluffing to be done.
Mattress shopping
Hi, had a pillow top (trying to give away, are you close) and husband hated it. I liked the snuggling sensation but he just complained and complained. Finally had to shut him up and bought a standard mattress. UGH Kept the mattress in a latex wrap the entire time, it is looking for a new home before going to the dump.
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