Christmas shopping.

[Gemini]

I agree that Christmas things are in the shops far too early days, and that it is good to get our summer holidays over before getting down to the serious business of Christmas shopping.
However, I am one of those who panics if I don't get a really good start and hopefully all done by December. I also have to do my mums Christmas shopping and she now seems to have no sense of urgency so it's often an uphill struggle getting hers done too, unless I start early!

I have found a new restaurant with lots of vegan options, which DD1 and SIL have tried and like, so a voucher for there will be their main present. Today I bought, online GDs present. Last Christmas we bought her the Matilda Girl Of Our Time Tudor doll for slightly older girls, and she loves her. As do I For GDs upcoming birthday we have bought her a Smiggle voucher plus Matilda the dolls nightshirt and nightcap to go with it. The clothes come beautifully boxed, so make lovely presents.For Christmas I have just ordered Matildas masked ballgown, her velvet cape, and an activity book linked to the doll and her life.
I think my GD will love them, and I feel good to have bought one major present
I love dolls and feel sad that my only GD will before long grow out of then, so Grandma is happy to indulge her in any doll related gifts

[Daisy]

Gem, despite the fact that I can't even begin to get my head round 'that event' until 1 December, I can see you're excited about the lovely presents you've chosen for GD. At least she likes dolls - neither of my GDs are interested!

I gave GD1 a Baby Annabelle doll when she was little, because although I never liked dolls I thought I was just an oddity and other little girls do like them. Well, GD1 hardly even played with it, even when the other Grandma made lovely clothes for it. Then when GD2 arrived I thought the doll might come into its own - but no! She's not interested either.

[Oma]

My sister never liked dolls either ,Daisy ,
Gem good to make a start especially if you know what they want

[Gemini]

Some girls don't like dolls do they?!
I and all my DDs did, and GD still likes hers. GS1 was bought a couple but had only a passing interest in them!

[Enfys]

I loved my dolls but DD had no interest in them. We bought her a little dolls pram when she was about 3.... she ended up using it like a wheelbarrow,and filling it with stones!

i don't usually think about C.....s present for ages yet, but DD texted me last night with a couple of ideas for GS as they were on offer with free postage. So I ordered them, can't quite believe I did that but too good a deal to miss.

[Nanto2girls]

What a coincidence Gem, you starting a thread about Christmas shopping,as i was going to do the same.
On our way to Wakefield today,we called in at the garden centre, and bought a present there.
As we walked roung,we got to the section where they were doing up the Christmas trees, ready for their annual display.
A lady there,(shopper not staff) said i don't even want to think about Christmas yet. I said oh i've just bought a stocking filler
present and i'm getting another in town. Also said i've got my Christmas cards written, and she said WHAT!! and walked off shaking her head.

By the way, neither of our grandaughters played with dolls.

[ZIZI]

My granddaughter only likes character dolls. My lot are away from 19th to 30th December in Florida so I hve been asked not to do Christmas Eve boxes as Santa will not be able to visit them in Florida. So I have bought some carefully picked things for them, £15 iTune vouchers so they can get music or films (I usually give them a DVD but was planning to change that this year anyway as they all have iPads). I also bought PJs as usual, a new batty toothbrush as usual and a small,lego puzzle each for the boys and some sort of swimming fairy for Sadie. I am seeing parents tomorrow and have given them the choice of having everything loose to fit in as they can or a can out them all in individual bags.

I have also bought presents for my two sisters and my niece. As we are going to be on our own this year I am thinking of asking husband if we can go away for Christmas Eve and Christmas night. The hotel we had our wedding breakfast in is available although £720 for the pair of us. I thought we could buy a small token gift for each other and just enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I a, not sure if he has got Christmas Day off yet though. I will speak to him about it when he is back. I know it is a lot of money but the last year we went to one of the kids taxi each way was £30, lunch was £150 but as we will not see anyone I think it will be worth it. We will see what he says.

Back to presents, no idea what to get him. Problem with us is that if we want something we buy it! I will offer the kids a basket of wine or a store voucher with a few little bits - oh yes I have a bracelet each for them as well. It is Ben's birthday on 18th November and when we come back from holiday I will get the main presents for the children. In between I will buy different bits like an outfit each and other things although I am finding it difficult to identify what to buy for Joe as he is 13 now and growing up fast. I don't like giving just money for birthdays and Christmas but if I have to I will. I like them all to have the same amount of parcels to open which gets more difficult as the years go on.

I shall not be buying for absent son this year. I have bought birthday and Christmas presents for the last three years and he hasn't collected them except once when he did not even deign to say thank you. Another good reason to go away and be with other people.

There are only two BILS, one nephew and husbands sister who we buy for and her birthday is two days before Christmas so we always send a plant or a food hamp (she is 89 this year). I have Amazon vouchers for the grandchildren of our friends in Barbados, I always take a gift but again, with them they are growing and you just don't know what they are into.

[ZIZI]

Nan2 we have a Christmas tree in a box! It was very expensive a few years ago and it is fully decorated and lit. Very, very pretty (should be for the price!). You pull it out of the box, tease the branches how you want them, plug it in and hey presto! Not sure we will put it up this year until January when we have the family round for present opening.

[Grauntie Mag]

Aaaarrrgggghh! We haven't had Halloween yet! Oh ok I confess...I have bought DD2 a sewing machine and necessary extras which she has already. This is her present for the festive occasion and her birthday in February. Having said that there will be nothing else I happened upon a lovely box of mixed colours of sewing thread and on it goes. What to buy the horsey one I haven't a clue except some air freshener for her porch! It stinks like mine did when she lived at home, but now she has a daughter of her own who is horsey too she has double the pong.😆. I have also started making things for the brothers and SiLs, so although I cannot mention the word I am actually well in advance. My excuse is I may not feel like doing anything nearer the time!

[Daisy]

Ladies - the nearest I've got to doing anything about that event in December is to read this thread!

[Qwerty]

Bah humbug !!

[Daisy]

Qwerty - Yay, my dear friend

[Plantaholic]

I will not be even thinking about that event until Nov. We have 3 birthdays in Dec. need to get those done first.

[Daisy]

Plant - November is still early!!!!! But with so many birthdays as well, I can see you need to get ahead of yourself a bit. We've only got two birthdays in December, 27th and 28th, so I just get two cards/presents each for them.

[Clover]

I confess to having bought something a while ago for DS2.It is only small but was in a sale so I got it as I find it so hard to buy for DSs.so I seized the opportunity.Apart from that I have a box where I put things I come across in sales which "might do" for someone's birthday or Christmas or as a small gift when we go to visit GC.I must check what I have in there.