Christmas 2022 Preparations

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HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by HappyDaze »

LogicsHere wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:03 am I haven't really done much with Christmas yet, but have thought about it.

I did an inventory of most of my Victorian village pieces; did not yet get to the "people". Have been thinking of putting up houses in two sections of my bookcase. I hadn't put anything up in a while.

I will also be putting my tree up around second week or week before Thanksgiving. I would also like to put strings of lights in the bottom portion of the two windows in my living room picture window.

Gift-giving isn't a thing we do much of any more with the exception of the 6 year old.

Despite my sister being in the area, like last year I will still probably spend the day alone as she is not big on Christmas. This could change but highly unlikely. I will do the same thing I've done for the last 2 and that is buy a meal the day before and have a plan to do something Christmas related every day. That typically started on Dec. 21st, but this year I did reserve AARP's virtual HipHop Nutcracker on the 18th, so I might see if I can extend the activities from that day forward. I came across a free audiobook on You Tube of A Christmas Carol; perhaps I can divide that up over a period of 7 to 8 days as it's slightly over 3 hours.
Logics, I love the idea of doing a Christmas related activity each day!! I do like Christmas movies - the classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" and our town has a "Christmas in the Park" kind of thing - I always walk downtown to that to soak up the holiday atmosphere.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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Jackielou
Posts: 13427
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by Jackielou »

Well, I have my card list made and will be working on those come next week. Got to get them into the mail ASAP.

We usually give the sons cash at Christmas, but I always make them a few things. So far, I have made them each a set of 4 coaters, some hot pads, a few little Christmas toques to hang on their trees, and draught dodgers. Working on their bigger gifts right now, well at least on one of those bigger gifts. I will more than likely alternate between the two big gifts come November.

I know I said something about making them emergency bags for the winter to use in their cars, but I think that is something I will work on for next year. Bit off a bit too much in the making of gifts this year and I am having a hard time getting them done.

I will probably do my baking list early next month and hopefully get most of that completed (especially if the oven is working now). I will be adding baking supplies to my grocery list over the next little while.

I gave Hubby his trail cam for his Christmas gift early, but I will be making him a pair of pajama pants. His robe will be touch and go so I am not counting that at all.

Sometimes I think I am so far behind, that things will never get completed and then I finish one little thing and am so happy. Here is hoping I get more done today.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by floridacatlover »

I am starting to think about Christmas and love all the ideas you all post.

This year I’ll try to find a way to help a needy child. That really sounds nice.

I’ve saved Logics’ Christmas inn schedule from previous years and that is such a great idea to do something every day.

Last year I put up my tree early and loved it and probably will do it as soon as Echo goes home mid-November. Echo is a good boy but I don’t want to tempt him.

Like Shiela, I do not feel like I’m a good gift giver but I try. Our little lunch group mostly doesn’t exchange gifts but I plan to have a small gift for each person. The one friend always makes spiced pecans for everyone. I’m thinking amaryllis in a pot. Mona50 who sometimes posts here gave me the idea and I bought one for myself a few years ago and loved it. I think I’ll send a pointsettia to my cousins in RI.

I’m still trying to decide whether to buy new cards. I think I’ll stop by Tuesday Morning this week. That is my go-to store for cards.
ChristmasTrees
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:53 am

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by ChristmasTrees »

HappyDaze wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:08 am Trees, I think they will like it. They are struggling financially and very proud so I try to give them helpful gifts disguised as "not help". Of course some of the food will go to my sister - but I can't control that.

I also love Christmas - all of it - but I am NOT a good gift giver. You know how some people can really know a person and match the gift to the person? Not me - or at least it is very challenging for me. I feel like sometimes it's been a case of "here is a THING that I picked up for you in a New York minute" - but I'm really trying to get it right this year. :?

My son and his wife need nothing and want nothing but they LOVE my chocolate chip cookies and I know they shop at Tractor Supply - so every year it is cookies and a TS gift card for them - that's easy. DD and her SO don't have room for anything - their space is very cluttered. I'll have to be very intentional with their gifts and give it a lot of thought.
I think you are a VERY good gift giver. Who wouldn't love homemade chocolate chip cookies????
Prairie Waif2
Posts: 1898
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 11:33 am
Location: Brandon, Manitoba CANADA

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by Prairie Waif2 »

Bonne apres midi!

I started with buying my Christmas presents on one of the hottest days of the year in July. On FB Marketplace I saw these cute (very cute!) gnome plant stakes made by a local woman. I got two of them for my friend who I will be dog sitting for over the holidays (she better have food for me this year too! Or? I'll be in a big snit like last year and I don't want to be in a snit!). She has lots of plants at home and her office seeing she is a biologist. She also loves pickled beets so I will be giving her a jar of my next batch.

For all of my beloved doggo buddies, I will be sending each a card in their name to their pawrents house with a $5.00 gift certificate for a local pet store that sells dog treats bulk so for the $5.00 (as a thank you to the parents for letting me be my doggo pals' Auntie MJ!) the furry ones will be able to get some treats.

I always get something for my neighbor, Ron. I'm not certain what it will be this year. He has to be on a gluten-free diet and perhaps I would get him a $20 gift card for his grocery store. He usually gives me a nice book.

I got some Stampin' Up Stamps for Dayton (a huge number of them for only $20!) and I have been scouring FB Marketplace for something for Emmitt or even trying to come up with an idea for him! For John and Zoe? YIKES! They are so lovely and kind to me (STILL paying the insurance on the van after a year and a half of me driving it!) that anything seems like too little. I just can't think of anything for them. Maybe as the holidays get closer, I will see an add or something that spurs me on. I made John fudge and his Confetti/butterscotch/Peanut Butter Bars last year and I believe I gave Zoe a shirt. Hey! That gives me an idea for my Emmitt! A lady made me a custom Auntie MJ's Pet Sitting Shirt, I could get a custom shirt for Emmitt! I just need a slogan for a guy who is 8 turning 9 next April.

I got my little sister a LUG Bag on FB Marketplace for $20 sometime in early August. This one is like my purse which originally was $112 but I got it for 50% off for my birthday in 2020 with money from John and Zoe for babysitting Cooper Doggie while they visited John's parents for the holidays. I just need to have the funds to mail it to her. I sent her a bag and matching wallet LUG bag in the summer but her daughter took it for her father's funeral and Ellen hasn't seen it since. Kari Jo loves it! So, I know this would be a hit with Ellen. I sure like mine!

I don't know what to get for my older sister, Amy. She always is so nice to give me a gift card for groceries as Safeway. She chooses Safeway because our Uncle worked there for decades before he retired and I think she might have one in Des Moines. She is the one I got the handbag from Mackie from over the summer. A good idea for her would be a green t-shirt custom made (the lady makes them for like $15!!) with a St. Patrick's Day saying on it or something Irish as she was born on St. Patrick's Day.

I think for Jay and Spring I am going to do cookies. I can't do anything with peanut butter as Jay is anaphalatic with peanuts. She always checks with that.

That's the rundown for my gifts. Oh, and my CPTSD shrink went on about how he loved homemade pickled beets after I told him I made a batch. His eyes almost glazed over thinking of them! He misses his mom's pickled beets and said the store ones were so awful he couldn't even eat them all! So, he will get a couple of jars of pickled beets and maybe some Zucchini Relish too. He's retiring next year in December so this is my last chance to give him a Christmas present.

I didn't put up my tree last year. I will this year as I really missed it last year. I'll put it up maybe a week or so before Thanksgiving and always keep it up until after my birthday in January as I enjoy the colored lights so much.

That's the big Christmas/Noel news from my house!!

MJ
Hope has a good imagination.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Christmas 2022 Preparations

Post by HappyDaze »

ChristmasTrees wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 10:54 am I think you are a VERY good gift giver. Who wouldn't love homemade chocolate chip cookies????
Trees, I think this year it is going to be a chocolate orange for each of them - I'm not feeling up to baking cookies. I think I did the chocolate oranges last year too just to make things easier on myself. My son had loved the chocolate oranges (the kind you hit on a hard surface to break into segments) since he was a little guy and he gets a big kick out of getting one from mom.

Maybe he will get cookies for his birthday in January.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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