Did you start your Christmas shopping?

[Charlie]

Yes, it's almost that time of the year again, and I absolutely LOVE Christmas!!
I've begun searching for presents for my family and friends, and I'm curious, has anyone else started?
If you have, mind sharing what you've bought already? If you haven't, do you have ideas?
I love hearing what others are buying and thinking about.
If you've purchased a gift in the past which has been awesome, mind sharing that too?
Or perhaps you've made something for someone? I enjoy art & crafts, so I'm considering making a few gifts this year too.

Let's talk Christmas! (unless I'm crazy and the only one thinking about it lol)

[rachel]

I haven't started yet, but I'm excited to!
My mom already told me what she wants, so that one will be easy easy peasy... just a little expensive, LOL.

I always struggle with things for my dad and brothers because everything I want to get them ends up being really expensive, and I just don't have the finances usually to splurge that much on *everyone*, so I usually end up getting them something that's not nearly as exciting as what I wish I could.
For some people, I'll probably just buy them a nice bottle of alcohol, ngl... LOL.
But I usually put a little more thought into the presents I get for those closest to me.
Now that I actually have a job and a little bit of funds to use for presents, I really, really enjoy shopping for other people.

I usually do a lot of making, too, although I reserve that a lot for birthdays.
My best friend co-worker, I usually make her Little Mermaid themed things for her birthday, and they turn out really cute and she always loves them, so maybe I'll try to do some more making things this year, too.

[Lindsay]

I started mine, and im done already.

I only had to buy 3 gifts.. LOL

---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 PM ----------

Oh and also. .
My sister just got married, so I took a bunch of her wedding pictures and put them in a blanket collage..

For my mom I did the same thing, but took pictures of my sister and I and put them on a 50x60 inch photo quilt. Bought from Walmart and I got them yesterday. They are sooooooo cute!

[rachel]

I started mine, and im done already.

I only had to buy 3 gifts.. LOL

---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 PM ----------

Oh and also. .
My sister just got married, so I took a bunch of her wedding pictures and put them in a blanket collage..

For my mom I did the same thing, but took pictures of my sister and I and put them on a 50x60 inch photo quilt. Bought from Walmart and I got them yesterday. They are sooooooo cute!

That's awesome!!!

I'm really excited because my grandmother is coming down for the winter season from up north, and she agreed to make me a t-shirt quilt out of all of my old sorority t-shirts.
Now that I'm out of college, wearing sorority t-shirts feels a little juvenile, like I'm trying to live in the past, but they have so many good memories that I didn't want to get rid of them. xD
Also, now that I'm losing weight, they don't really fit as well anymore, soooo I decided to get a quilt made out of them and I'm so excited about it!

I've never thought/heard of a photo quilt before, though, I bet that's super cute.

[Lindsay]

That's awesome!!!

I'm really excited because my grandmother is coming down for the winter season from up north, and she agreed to make me a t-shirt quilt out of all of my old sorority t-shirts.
Now that I'm out of college, wearing sorority t-shirts feels a little juvenile, like I'm trying to live in the past, but they have so many good memories that I didn't want to get rid of them. xD
Also, now that I'm losing weight, they don't really fit as well anymore, soooo I decided to get a quilt made out of them and I'm so excited about it!

I've never thought/heard of a photo quilt before, though, I bet that's super cute.

That's a really cool idea too! I would have never thought of that.. xD Now you can cuddle with your shirts rather than wearing them. Hehe.

I wanted to give my family something unique... Not another gift like "Oh, thanks! ...What am I supposed to do with this now". You know? So, by creating a quilt with pictures it has sentimental meaning and value now. I actually learned this idea from "Stepmother" . They created one in the movie and ever since then it's been stuck in my head. I'm dying to give it to them... Unfortunately, they dont live near me.. So I wont get to see their expressions when they open it..

[Nerevarine]

I've started thinking up ideas of what to get/make people and bookmarking a bunch of things, as well as asking friends their general interests.
I get so excited for Christmas shopping; I try to save up as much as I can just to blow on everyone!

[MonsterMann]

I went to an anime convention and bought a buncha swag for one of my friends XD
otherwise I always make homemade stuff for friends. Like, plushies and mini sculptures. Or I just draw them shit n be like "there u go"

[rachel]

Awww, @(you need an account to see links), that's a bummer that you won't be able to catch their reactions!
Are you mailing them to them? :o
That's pretty expensive, isn't it, for something that heavy?!

Crap, that reminds me, though, that my mom is flying up to see my brother and sister-in-law soon, and that's probably when I should have her bring up my birthday presents for them, if she can... hmmmmmm.

@(you need an account to see links) dang, girl!
Do you buy for a lot of people, or is it just like, your closer friends?
I'm like, I know that I can't extend my circle of friends who will get gifts too wide, or else I'll never know when to stop, haha.

@(you need an account to see links)
I always say that I'm going to be proactive and stockpile things up for months to make the season a little less financially draining and also because that's just good thinking, but it never works out that way for me. xD
Do your homemade gifts take a long time? :o

[MonsterMann]

@(you need an account to see links)
XD I sometimes cave and send it early. Most of my friends live across the states tho, so I usually send birthday and Christmas presents only (2 packages a year derp)
And depends on the thing. Some can take a few days (like a plushie) but some sculptures I can do pretty quick XD I don't spend to much time on anything really >.>;

[rachel]

@(you need an account to see links) but you said that you made your Halloween costume that you posted, right?!
If that's indicative of the kind of stuff you do, even if you don't spend a lot of time on it, I'm sure your friends alwaaaaaaaays love the handmade things - looks SO good!!
And yeah, I get that - the couple of friends that I have that I actually send gifts to from other places, I already have their addresses.
Sooooo I usually just order them something nice and have it shipped directly to them, lol.
I'm boring like that!
But I still like to put a lot of thought into what I want to get them.

---------- Post added at 04:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:50 PM ----------

Dang, now this thread has got me thinking that I should start getting my apartment ready for Christmas again.
Last year, I was so disappointed - I had this awesome little Christmas tree with fiberoptic lights that change colours, and these bright pink ornaments and I went to go put it up, and realized I didn't have anything to hang the ornaments with.
I ended up being too lazy to ever stop by the store to do anything about it, but THIS YEAR I'M PREPARED.
TACKY, CHEESY, FIBEROPTIC STROBE LIGHT CHRISTMAS TREE IS MAKING A COMEBACK WITH A VENGEANCE.