October 2009 Weddings
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Christmas...
I know it's early but I got really excited for it yesterday and found some presents for DH and online so I ordered them. Every year I tell myself I will buy presents throughout the year so I don't spend all of my money between November-December. But I love black Friday too much!
Anyone start shopping yet?
Re: Christmas...
Knitting Blog
Updated 3-12
DH is easy - stocking stuffers only. We're buying a new computer instead as our "gift" to eachother.
Dad is taken care of - needs a new bird feeder and the one he wants is expensive so my sisters and I are splitting it.
The rest - no clue! Something not terribly expensive this year.
We are going very small on EVERYTHING this year. ?DH and I decided stockings only for each other this year... I told him a new hair brush would be great as part of my stocking... see? ?Small...
As far as other people, I recently went to TJ Maxx and got a bunch of different glass items that I plan to etch using my cricut machine. ?For example, I got a great cookie jar for SIL that I will etch and spruce up with a fun ribbon bow. ?Then I'm going to make some home made cookies and fill it up. ?
Hopefully people will understand that with a newborn, we just don't have a lot of extra cash this year. ??
Our Christmas gift to each other was Vegas, so we're set.
That being said, I've been really good about saving money for gifts this year. I've been putting away money every pay check since July for that sole purpose. It's neccessary, because from mid December to mid January, we need to buy christmas gifts for 4 nieces, 2 nephews, my parents, his parents, our two family secret santas, and six birthday gifts. That's 18 individual gifts! Oi!
My husband is really excited for the holidays, but I'm not. We've started dividing holidays, and not trying to make it to see both sets of families every time. Running around like that really takes the fun out of the holidays. Thanksgiving this year will be with my family, Christmas will be with his. My family really does Christmas big, and his barely does anything. I'm not going to lie - not being at my family's for Christmas makes me sad.
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It's really nice of you to take turns though. ?I would be extremely sad too! ?My family is always big for Christmas and his really couldn't care any less. ?Since they don't care, I'm not going to sacrifice my family Christmas to go to theirs! ??
I was in this same situation last year. Christmas in GA was just not the same, especially since his family doesn't get as excited about the holidays as mine does. I ended up having a pretty good time.
And then think about how fast this past year went. Before you know it, it'll be your turn to spend the holidays with your family! I'm really really looking forward to a Maine Christmas this year!
Knitting Blog
Updated 3-12
Thanks for the thoughts Higgy and Reine. There's just certain things that make Christmas "Christmas" at my parents' house:
1) Christmas Decorations
2) Candlelight church service on Christmas Eve and Christmas service on Christmas Day
3) Dinner Christmas Eve followed by our big gift opening
4) My nieces in their Christmas Dresses
5) Christmas Dinner
The problem is, MIL/FIL don't do any of that stuff. No stockings, no Christmas tree, no decorations (though they have all these things in the storage shed). The gift exchange just kind of happens and takes about three minutes, and it is promptly followed by MIL getting emotional about not having more money. I feel bad for her, but the way she carries on really kills the spirit of the holidays. It kind of gets depressing.
Still, you're right. One more year and we'll be back at my family.
Can't wait!
Can you offer to help MIL put up the tree and some decorations? Maybe organize a Christmas potluck style dinner? I know it's touchy because you don't want to over step your boundaries as a daughter in law but maybe there is something you can do to help in changing the "bah humbug". Just a thought. It's really too bad that your MIL gets emotional about not having more money... that's not really what Christmas is all about anyway!
DH and I have tried. We've offered to put up the decorations for her, and I always offer to bring or make a dish, which she sometimes takes us up on.
Really, the decorations or the Christmas dinner wouldn't really matter to me if at least there was some sense of excitement around the holiday. It's really just another day to them.
Yeah that is rough. ?I hate to say it, but DH's parents kinda boarder on being hoarders. ?I'm sure they have Christmas decorations stashed away somewhere but I doubt they could fish them out of where they are and then they have no space to put them up anywhere. ?
My parents are the complete opposite. ?My mom will even decorate the house for Memorial Day! ?We just have so many more traditions that we all refuse to let die out. ?
?Good luck... maybe try to start your own traditions with them and make sure you carry through on it.??
We have just started. With Liam due in 5 weeks I'm trying to get a jump start. We only give gifts to the nieces and nephews on DH's side, and everyone is getting a book or two and some new PJ's this year.
My side, we exchange with my parents, brother, uncle, and my 2 cousins (who are more like siblings), but it shouldn't be too difficult because we are definitely going small.
Karen- I hear you on Christmas with the in-laws just not being the same. Does your DH feel the same? We have opted to do Thanksgiving with his family and Christmas with mine for the indefinite future. We tried one Christmas with his family (after 3 or 4 with mine) and HE was like "never again. It isn't Christmas unless we are with your family in Vermont!" If your DH feels the same...just go with it and don't feel bad! DH's family tried to guilt trip us a few times but we just said that we prefer to do it that way, that Christmas is a big deal for my family and we like having the time up there with them since we see DH's family all the time. Almost 7 years in, they have given up trying to get us to stay. We usually do something special with them on another day.
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The problem is that his brothers and nephew come in from Kentucky for Christmas, so it's one of the few chances he gets to see them. So it's not that we're going "for Christmas," necessarily, as much as it is to see his family when they're in town.
I'm so excited for you, though! Baby Liam is going to have his first Christmas!!! I know he won't even know what's going on... but the thought of buying his first christmas stocking... first pictures with Santa...
I'm gushing at the thought!!!!
People will totally understand! And besides, this is the year the baby gets everything from everybody anyway!
I can't even consider Christmas right now- this house is sucking every sliver of my soul. That being said, I love the idea of decorating the house!
DH and I will likely get something house related for the both of us, if there's any $ to spare. We made a deal with the parents to buy gift certs to our favorite restaurants for each other, and the daughter just asked for funds to cover a winter trip. She'll be 17, so it's not so much fun shopping for her!
I haven't stated yet. I always say I am going to start early and then I never do.
This year the Mr and I are going to go through world vision or something a buy a goat or some chickens or something fo a village. We are going to get other presents for each other as well but only useful things we've decided...but I bet a treat or two gets thrown in there. We really have no one else to buy for except our parents and my sister. Small family. Oh, and my work secret pal.
We always spend Christmas with my family. His family is super weird and their Christmas consists of sitting around the kitchen table smoking and drinking coffee and making snide remarks about how my family can ``afford`` Christmas and spoils us. Truth is my family actually knows The Mr better then his own mother and gets him things he likes not just the exact same present she buys for dad. It`s not about money, it`s about thought which she has no concept of!
The holidays are stressing me out already because of what we went through last year....in laws came for Thanksgiving then had a cow when we wanted to spend Christmas just the two of us....turned into a big drama thang, very mean words were said (not by me or DH) and a dark cloud with little lightning bolts was held over our head. It's like all or nothing with them....they are invited for Thanksgiving again and can come early for Christmas....but dang I have family too and my parents are divorced and my mom is single....so leaving her alone on a holiday won't be happening. Should be interesting because this year there will be no biting of the tongue....and those who sh!t a brick will just have to deal with it because I will not have our holiday season ruined again....lightning bolt
As far as gifts I always seem to wait until the last minute....blah!