Well, Halloween's nearly here which can mean only one thing- it's almost Christmas Shopping season! Seems we Americans run the gamut… we either spoil ourselves & others w/ materialism the theme, as we buy-buy-buy and give-give-give… OR we prefer scaling-back, taming our pocketbooks, and remaining reserved giving small minimalist items, or home-made treasures, opting for frugality over bounty & excess. How is the economy this year going to affect your gift-giving this season? What l'il tricks will you use to make foodies on your list happy without going over-budget? What kitchen-related items will you have on your own list this year? And for you and yours- how will this year differ from past holidays?
I really don't anticipate any change for us. My family has been scaling back for a while because it seems like all the fun has gone out of the gift thing for us. We are all so different it's practically impossible for us to figure out what to buy each other with out asking them what to get. For the last few years we have gone to stockings only for the adults and this has worked out really well. We each have a big stocking and you wouldn't believe all the fun little things you can fit in there. Candy, hand lotion, screw drivers, refridgerator magnets, candles. We find that it's a lot more fun. As for dinner I'm sure I will be cooking as usual.
Same as ever economy or No! I have not ever been one to break the bank at Christmas, I shop very conservatively, and bargain hunt. My biggest expense is sometimes the shipping:( I love Christmas, but Thanksgining is my all-time faVorite!
Jon and I spend $50 on each other for Christmas. We used to shop for Jons whole family but things have gotten so hard for everyone we all decided to stop. We still shop for his Dad and that is all. I enjoy cooking holiday treats and time with the family more than gifts anyway. A nice winning lottery ticket in my stocking would be nice lol.