It’s official: the holiday shopping season is finally upon us. Did you get up at the butt-crack of dawn, race to your favorite store, and fight the other shoppers to get great deals? We didn’t.
Hell, we didn’t go to bed until the butt-crack of dawn! Then I got up at 10 am and ordered presents online. I’m not totally against Black Friday shopping (although I can’t tell you the last time I participated), I’m just never in the market for anything that’s on sale. Besides, I admit that like this article over at MSNBC states, I’m more towards the side of viewing it as “an obnoxious and distasteful display of unrestrained consumption.” Just the thought of all those people clamoring like animals over DVD players gets my heart racing. The closest thing we came to that insanity was last year after Christmas going to Target to buy wrapping paper 50% off. That was enough stress for me, thank you.
Do you budget for Christmas present-giving? We do, although it’s not a rigid budget. Typically we spend between $100-$125 on each of the kids, $25-$50 on each of our parents, and under $100 for each other.
My mom gave us money yesterday to buy presents for the kids and one other for her. I guess when you get to be her age the joy of giving is surpassed by the aggravation of finding something to buy. She gave us $30 for each of the kids so I ordered a GBA game for each of them. At least that’s taken care of! I couldn’t believe she gave us $100 each, however. I don’t have a clue what I’m getting Joe since I used up all the good ideas myself. I’m shocked because I don’t think she gave us that much last year. Besides, it seems so … wasteful. Not to mention the fact that I feel guilty since I make more money than my dad and I’m not supporting five people. I’m inclined to spend $50 on Joe and use the other $50 to buy a gift card at Target which we’ll then use on groceries. My mom hates when we do that, but that’s what usually happens as we have a hard time spending money on gifts just for the sake of it.
I know many of you probably have your Christmas trees and decorations up by now but I can’t do that until after Thanksgiving. Poor Thanksgiving doesn’t get enough respect as it is. All the stores put out Christmas stuff right after Halloween as if Thanksgiving doesn’t even exist. It’s so sad. Besides, I get so sick of the Christmas stuff that by the time the actual day comes around I’m already over it. Therefore, this year we’re not putting up the tree or decorations until December 17th. Oh the horror, I know!
