Holiday Shopping

On to Day 3 of the MomDot holiday blog party. I am really enjoying this- although it has proved to be incredibly time consuming. Y'all have such great blogs out there! I wish my mama blog hadn't disappeared into cyberspace this week or I would post there- my followers are really missing out! *note to self- call GoDaddy and resolve that freakin' mess today!!*

Oh, yeah on to Day three. I love today's questions-Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Do you budget for the holidays? Do you always stick to your budget? Share with us any budgeting tips you may have!

First of all- this is the first year in Smallwood clan history that I am not finished with Christmas shopping and have started working on wrapping by this time of the year. Usually, when we put up the Christmas tree on the day after Thanksgiving I have all the presents (except for the kid's because they are sneaky and would figure out what they were) wrapped and under the freshly decorated tree. I like to look at the pretty presents all month long.
But, this year I have been slammed with one health issue after the other rendering it difficult to get to the grocery store let alone the mall- I know, please feel my pain. I miss the darn mall! But, thank God for the internet because I have found online shopping almost as fulfilling;-)

Do you notice my tendency to ramble- I apologize. Back to Christmas shopping- my husband always gives me a budget for the holidays. It really varies each year depending on how we are doing financially (he does not believe in credit except for emergencies and he doesn't define christmas as an emergency- go figure). I am an expert "clearance" shopper" and I do have a gift closet that throughout the year I buy things as I see them for people so that I can take advantage of the great price.

This year with the economy, one failed business of mine and medical bills, the only people we are buying for are our kids and the kids in our family/friends group that we exchange gifts with. This is going to be so hard for me- I love to give gifts so I am focusing on homemade, handmade things this year instead. My BIL loves my applesauce cake so guess what he's getting Christmas morning? My grandmother loves letters so each of us in the family is going to write her a letter, telling her how she has touched our lives in 2008. I think this will be good for the boys this year- to think outside of the box and give gifts that are meaningful.
I know that some of the most meaningful gifts I have ever gotten are the ornaments the kids made at school or the card where my hubby didn't just underline the card's sentiment but wrote a little of his own.

So, what are you doing to budget for the holidays this year? Do you stick to the budget you make or do you go overboard and regret it later? Please share and be sure to check in with our sponsors for today at Appledonia, Hippoes Toes and My Bag. See you Monday for Day 4!