So how are yall doing? You ready for the season? Gifts wrapped, cards sent out?

I was posting to make all of you feel better I am on my to shop today..LOL. I have cards made, but not addressed, oh and I wrapped a few gifts yesterday.

So everyone who isn't finished, breath, relax and make a plan, you are not alone

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 12:54 pm:

We're doing fine here, Kaye, thanks for asking! Cards were sent out 2 weeks ago and most of the wrapping is DONE. I have 2 more gifts to pick up tomorrow but nothing difficult. We're leaving for Virginia to spend Christmas with my parents on Friday, and I shipped Santa gifts off on the 15th. I'll rest easier when I receive shipment confirmation, but pretty much low stress here! DD (7) has been a huge help. She LOVES gift shopping and wrapping so I put her to work. LOL!

By Bellajoe on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 01:05 pm:

I'm coming along with the gift buying. I still have to buy for my dh, brother in law, father in law and mother in law. And i will probably get something small for my brother and sister in law..

I still have some wrapping to do.

Cards were sent out last week!

now i have to figure out what we are eating for dinner on Christmas Eve! My mom will be out of town so it will just be my dh's family coming over and they do not eat meat on Christmas Eve. So i guess pasta and seafood will be our choices.

By Conni on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 01:07 pm:

Well, I am not finished but I am getting closer.

We didnt get our Christmas cards back from photographer until Friday!!! So I picked them up came straight home and addressed envelopes and mailed them all out on Friday. Was glad to get that finished. I got our out of town gifts shipped Saturday morning. So I was glad to be done with that. I think I am pretty much finished shopping for all of our family/friends. Just need to finish shopping for my kids this week. Have all of the gifts wrapped that I have purchased so far. I also have baking left to do. Planning on baking cookies with kids this afternoon. Dipped pretzels last night. Made Tiger Butter the night before. Still hoping to make some fudge- but I keep ruining it... grrr

Other then baking the cookies today we are taking today off to recharge! Dhn left early this morning. Kids and I have been going non stop for a few weeks now. Just going to soak in the tub, relax, drink hot cocoa, bake cookies and watch Christmas movies today....

Glad to know I am not alone. lol

By Tink on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 02:37 pm:

My shopping is done but I haven't wrapped or baked a thing. I'll be doing that this week. My girls are home from school so they'll be "helping", I'm sure! We only have a few cards but I haven't sent them out (Oops!) or mailed off the one present that has to be shipped. I should do it Monday but I hate the crowds so much that it'll probably wait until early Tuesday morning. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about all of my preparations. So many years, I still have gifts to buy and all the stress that entails!

By Enchens on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 02:49 pm:

Decided not to do cards this year. I hope our family and friends can forgive us. MIL was here over the weekend, so I was able to get dh something while he was at work. Nothing wrapped, nothing baked, Christmas dinner not even planned yet. Only have a Christmas wreath up on the door, no other decorations. I hope the neighbors don't think we are the Grinch family. DH said not to worry, that we'd do it all next year. Oh, well...

By Melanie on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 03:32 pm:

I am getting there. I have most of my cards ready to go out tomorrow. I have just a couple of gifts left to buy. We are heading up to Tahoe on Wednesday morning, so all my decorating and such will take place at that time.

By Nicki on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 04:25 pm:

Oh, I feel better...thank you. Still some things to do. Some gifts, some cards. Enchens, do you find that some years you are more in the mood than others to decorate, bake, etc? I do this, and this year my enthusiasm isn't here! I am pushing myself along, yet last year I was more together, and in the spirit. I think we have spent more family time together this year, enjoying various events and time with Lara's grandma, so this is really good.
Melanie, have fun in Tahoe! I love it up there, and I think it must be getting tons of snow today. Down the hill here, we are getting lots of rain all day!
Take care, everyone.
Nicki

By Melanie on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 04:42 pm:

LOL Nicki. Dh and I have been checking out the web cams all day. Finally there is snow!! We have a sleigh ride scheduled at Squaw on Christmas Eve. I am so happy to see we should actually have snow for that! Plenty of rain today here in SC as well. We haven't had power all day (thank goodness for the generator!).

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 05:21 pm:

We are getting closer. We got our tree up yesterday. I put the lights on, before DH and I went to a retirement party and the kids got the ornaments on! This is the first time, they have actually done the tree, by themselves. Usually, they would put on a few ornaments and quit and I was stuck with the rest.

Today, I found only a few, that they had forgotten. I'm amazed.

My Christmas letter is printed, along with the mailing labels, so it won't take that long to get cards ready for sending.

We still have more Christmas shopping to do.

Butter and eggs are warming up to make cookie dough later. Since I use real butter to make my sugar cookies, it is just easier to use the butter and eggs if they aren't sooooo cold.

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 07:57 pm:

Due to obvious reasons, I did not get cards out, and I am not finished shopping. Have no clue if I will get it done either. I guess it's a good thing I'm not doing the traditional Christmas dinner at my house. DH and I are going to my friend's for Christmas. I think she and I, crazy as we are, are actually going shopping on Christmas Eve, just for the experience. LOL

By Emily7 on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 08:34 pm:

Cards are out, have been for a week.
Most of the gifts are bought...I am afraid to go get the rest after having to go shopping yesterday!

By Kaye on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 10:02 pm:

Had a productive day. Really only 5 gift certificates to buy and then two stocking stuffers for my boys (one I have lots of ideas, one I have none). And then one more gift and I just don't know what. I did resort to buying one thing off ebay, because my dd needs it. She has been so tough this year...LOL. I will wrap everything tonight. tomorrow I will get those cards mailed...REALLY. I have to do a little cub scout party in the evening, so i need to do some out of the house stuff first.

Whew...it is almost here!

By Missbookworm on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 10:43 pm:

I think I'm done shopping LOL! I haven't wrapped everything yet though!

I got cards sent out to my dad and his wife...and that's it lol

I'm soooooooooooooo bad about sending cards.

Our tree is up and decorated though so that's good.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 12:43 am:

OOOH. I got one batch of cookies baked today! We did the cut-out sugar cookies. Tomorrow, we will frost them.

By Enchens on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 02:44 am:

Nicki,

I love decorating and baking for Christmas. The only thing is that we're amidst boxes and I can't find the time to do the whole get two little ones ready for a pic for the holiday cards and get everyone's updated address, etc. so DH said not to do it. We will put our tree up tomorrow (fake, no time to shop for real one), and our nativity, and our advent wreath. Then, we're done. Oh, and my FIL will get his persimmon cookies when they come over on Christmas Eve.

By Jackie on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 06:34 am:

Im 90% done. We do 2 Holidays Hanukkah and Christmas, so it gets time consuming wrapping LOTS Of presents. Everything is bought, just a few presents to be wrapped. I mailed out most of the cards yesterday. I have a few sitting here that need stamps.
We are going to a friends house for dinner Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas day(well that night), is the first night of Hanukkah(It starts Dec 25th this year), we will go to a Hanukkah party at the Synagogue that night. My kids get pretty darn spoiled between these 2 holidays.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 07:54 am:

Jackie, my sister does that for her son, as her X is Jewish and they are raising him with both traditions.

My DH & his family are Jewish, though DH has not practiced his religion for many, many years.

By Sunny on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 09:12 am:

I have to pick up a couple more gifts for extended family and then I will be done with shopping. I was doing great with the wrapping until I ran out of wrapping paper!
We have our tree up, but still need to decorate it. I still need to make cookies and buy Christmas dinner. I didn't do cards this year; I just wasn't into it.
We've already had the Christmas party with Dh's family and will be going to my sister's on Christmas Eve. I think I'm doing okay... LOL

By Vicki on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 09:24 am:

All done here!! Dd and I baked the cookies over the weekend. Shopping and wrapping are done! Cards went out on the 10th. I might go out looking around tomorrow and if I find something that I think dh or dd would love, I might pick it up. I just like going out with the crowds and getting that holiday feeling, but not needing a darn thing!!

By Pamt on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 11:36 am:

Just some last minute stocking stuffers left, baking, and a little bit of gift wrapping remain. We have decided to send New Year's card instead of Christmas, so I haven't even thought of those yet.

By Insaneusmcwife on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 08:15 pm:

I'm done shopping but I never got the Christmas cards out this year. We were supposed to get our pictures taken but dd had exema all over her face and when it cleared up we all got sick. Then Ds lips were so chapped it looked like he had lipstick on. And now dd chopped her hair so short I gave up. Now I just have a little baking to do. Dh just told me tonight that he invited 2 of his students for Christmas dinner.

By Trina~moderator on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 10:01 pm:

**PHEW!** The Santa gifts arrived safely at my Mom & Dad's house in VA today! *Heavy Sigh* NOW I can rest easy! LOL!

By Melanie on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 10:21 pm:

Oh Trina, what a relief!!

I am jealous of all of you with your wrapping done or almost done! Luckily mom is coming out in a couple of days...each year we have a late night wrapping session.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 04:24 pm:

Oh but Mel, I'm sure you and your mom have a great time doing it! Last year my parents came here for Christmas and Mom & I had the best time wrapping and doing Santa stuff after the kids went to bed. We don't get much alone time together so it was special. I'm sure you can relate!

Speaking of female bonding... Last night I learned my sister and her DH will be joining us in VA for Christmas! We haven't seen them for 3 yrs.!