brought two quilts at a yard sale  for the  Christmas box  and I found to old perfume bottles into the Christmas box .  not bad for under $20 .

Again, this year, no cards to go out.  I didn't do it last year either.  Stamps are just too expensive.  I only buy for my DD.  I will buy small things for her dad and grandma, and for a couple close friends.  I already bought a journal on sale and stuck it in a bag for DD. 

Last xmas I bought lots of xmas ornaments on sale, they are very woodsy and cabin-like.  I am planning on a real tree this year as a treat for us.  Very small one!  I can't wait to see it with all the new ornaments.  Very simple will be the key.

So... as I see small things will pick them up, but this year is def. not going to get me in debt.  Last year I did spend too much but not as much as the year before and will be better yet this coming season!

 dmc_2008 

Last xmas I bought lots of xmas ornaments on sale, they are very woodsy and cabin-like.  I am planning on a real tree this year

Cool.....do what I do ...... I take a weekend after Thanksgiving, I put a nice instrumental xmas cd on, make some mulled apple cider, air pop some popcorn, and make homemade strings of popcorn and cranberries for my xmas tree. I do this every year, makes me feel so "currier & ives"....(---sorry---) I am such a sap when it comes to an old fashioned christmas......

Newfs:

I am such a sap when it comes to an old fashioned christmas

That sounds like my kind of fun!

 I found a lovely red long sleeved top with a red beaded yoke for oldest DD on clearance for $2 & picked that up. 

Youngest DD brought home a small metal sleigh that held lotions,etc for me to "recycle".  She got it on clearance 2007 & used the lotions for "roommate Christmas presents", all 4 for under $1 - she's a good little shopper.  I am planning to paint the little sleigh black - right now it is an odd gold - & fill it with pine cones to set outside the front door on one of the upright cut logs I have there. I think it will be cute all winter, with a small investment of time.  My winter door wreath is fake pine with a green bow & 3 small sleigh bells handing from it, so it fits the "theme" for no $$ out.

 I ordered and received in the mail on sale from Gooseberry Patch a fill-in cookbook,  my oldest daughter has been wanting one for a few years.  I also got a small blank book for $1 for my 7 yo daughter, and a bag of gingerbread cookie bags to package homemade treats in for presents.  I think it was a good purchase.  

I went through my little "stash" and now I need to get in into a box and out of the way!  I have a picture frame, two small photo albums (hold wallet-size pics), two pair of sterling silver earrings.  No item was more than $10 and some were free!  I had three small things stashed away for misc. gifts for DD---she found them when I got out the supplies for her birthday earlier this month!  I went ahead and gave them to her.  DH said she'd forget about them by Christmas, but this kid is still talking about last Halloween!!  She won't forget something by Christmas.  I'm always listening when I'm around people for what they might like and the nieces and nephews all get clothes, so that's easy. 

Last year DH's sister & I decided that we wouldn't exchange gifts---SIL has six kids to buy for.  My SIL & sister decided that we wouldn't exchange between all six siblings & spouses, but we would draw names.  I didn't really want to do that, but it ended up working out well.  We don't need "stuff" and we're spending Christmas with our families so it's all good. I was able to concentrate on a more thoughtful gift for two people. That was four gifts we didn't buy---$100 saved. I supposed it will be the same this year.

DH & I did something different last Christmas Eve.  We hung around the house until after DD's nap, then went to the mall just to see what was going on & had lunch at the food court. Then we came home and made cookies for Santa.  I truly enjoyed it.

They had half price disposable cameras at Walgreens, I bought one for now and two for Christmas.   

I have noticed many stores are featuring American flags (with poles) for sale. I imagine that after the fourth, they will be clearanced even more. I think a flag is a good "family" gift to give at Christmas.  I have seen military-service type (army, navy, etc) flags for sale as well. A veteran of a particular branch of the military would enjoy a flag as a Christmas gift.

My MIL has a flag  beginning to fade and look worn from exposer to the weather. A new flag would be something she wouldn't think of purchasing for herself.

Darlene

At the start of the year, I had all sorts of wonderful plans for year round gift buying etc.  For a number of reasons, I didn't get started until today.

I've been finding some summer related stuff on sale all over the place - shorts, t-shirts, beach mats even sunglasses.  Thankfully we live in a year-round hot climate so "summer" items will still be useful for Christmas.

1. For one diva-in-training on my list, I bought an inexpensively priced, but expensive looking, pair of sunglasses (US $2.50 on sale) at one store, then I found a really cool looking hard case for the sunglasses at another store for US $1.    I might be tempted to put something else with the gift, but I think it's a great gift on its own! 
2. At a Chinese "dollar-store" where I found a really gorgeous fan.  Instead of the usual cheap paper, the fan was made of thin strips of beautifully carved/ burned balsa wood.   Looks like a million bucks, but cost me all of US $1.50 each.  I LOVE it - and it's the kind of thing that my mother and MIL will enjoy and use often.  There are a few other ladies that we give small tokens for Christmas - the fans will be perfect for them, so I'll pick up a few more
3. Costume jewelry earrings (reduced to $1.50 per pair) and an assortment of scarves (2 for 50 cents) for my 17 year old DD who LOVES accessorizing her outfits.  The girl really knows how to transform a boring, cheapo outfit with inexpensive accessories - she had redefined the concept of Frugal Fashionista/ Recessionista.   I also found a great party top for US $ 1.50 in DD17's favorite color combo - black and white. 
4. At another dollar store, I found some nice photo frames - they look like they're covered in suede and are available in sand, pink and blue.  They're lovely as they are, but I can embellish a bit with silk flowers, shells, fake gems etc.

I've been looking for a coin purse for youngest DD, something small enough to fit comfortably in the pocket of her school uniform.   She can be quite careless, so I didn't want to spend a lot, but I also didn't want to buy something that will fall apart after a week.  It dawned on me while shopping that I can actually make one for her, using denim and a zipper I already have.  I can also make a zipper pull to embellish it a bit, maybe a hand embroidered monogram if I feel so inspired.   DD will need it before Christmas, but while I'm making hers, I can make a few more for other girls on the list!

I'm getting excited about Christmas already!

 I had to order some tattoo letters for the new goat kids, so I bought one of the half gallon glass "goat milk" bottles for DD when I ordered. It didn't increase my shipping, since I was already ordering & it did not put me into the next category, so I saved shipping costs.  I also have 4 jars that previously held salsa now filled with dehydrated parsley, that will be well received by several family members. I planted extra pimentos in the hope that I can dehydrate the extras.