I'm still not 100% what we are going to do for Christmas.
The younger kids are easy to please. Last year the baby only got one gift & you wouldn't be able to tell. She was so enthralled with that one gift.
This year I am really trying to plan this out carefully. But the problem I'm running into is... the kids want everything under the sun. Well, the older kids.
The younger two, I could probably get away with spending between $100-$200 total. The older two, its crazy. They gave me a list to give to Santa that was 10 pages long.
Lots of things were stuff that - if they hadn't have seen it in a catalog, they wouldn't have thought to ask for.
So I don't know. In planning the budget I've thrown out any hope for even a mixer. Just a modest budget for DH & I to get clothes. I do want to get him another video game though for his birthday.
So we'll see.
Speaking of holidays, my oldest did not like any of the costumes at the store for Halloween. So we never bought any.
Then last night we were talking about it & she said she wanted to make her own costume. So we took the extra fabric we bought for DH's chargebook cover when he made Chief & made her a costume.
Its very basic, but she loves it and I didn't have to spend $15-$20 on a costume. Since she wants to be a fashion designer I thought about buying her a sewing machine for Christmas. Amazon had one for $76, a basic starter machine that I could see also coming in handy when we need to mend clothes.
It could also help fulfill her passion to make her own clothes since designing & sewing is something she's been wanting to do for years.
Last year, she got a Build A Bear that you make... not the one from the store, a bear you actually sew yourself. Its a craft kit in Target. So I sat down with her one afternoon and we made the bear together.
When her brother and sister broke one of her toys, we had them pay for a sewing kit for her so she could fix the toy. Many people said they should pay to have the toy fixed... but my daughter still uses the sewing kit today. So although my daughter had to repair the toy herself, what she got in return she has used countless times - including helping to make her Halloween costume.
So we'll see. I really want to stick to my rules of no credit cards. My mantras that I keep repeating to myself are that I'm whole without "stuff" so I want to make the most of my resources & only buy something that would help make life easier (aka is practical) without compromising my future financial security.
As a result of the mantra, its become easier to part with the idea of my getting a mixer, a kindle, or my anniversary band. Now I'm just trying to prioritize what the kids want w/what they will likely use and will help benefit them in the future. Which is a main reason why I'm seriously considering the sewing machine but I don't want anything too fancy either for her. If she doesn't use it a lot, then I don't want to look at some $200 piece of equipment that just collects dust.
Planning Christmas
October 25th, 2009 at 01:08 pm
October 25th, 2009 at 02:16 pm 1256480170
Could you sit down with the kids and help them pick out the top 5-10 things on their wish list and pare it down some?
October 25th, 2009 at 02:46 pm 1256482013
I dont think my children look back at our christmases with regret that they didnt get everything on the list...in fact, they dont remember 99% of the gifts they got...what they do remember is that we always had hot cocoa before opening presents, we always gathered around the tree with anticipation, we always exchanged names for stockings, and we always spent the day enjoying each other and any extended family that stopped by.
Perhaps this will help you with your dilema (or not)..each family's situation is individual..good luck with what you decide!
October 25th, 2009 at 03:59 pm 1256486390
I would tell them to put the items in order, than you can buy as many of the gifts off the top of the list until you get to what your predeterminated spending limit is.
I love the free-cycle idea, you could try it for some of the other gifts also.
October 25th, 2009 at 08:13 pm 1256501594
PS I got a lovely machine for my high school graduation and used it for years.