Four Months until Christmas

I hate to break it to you but, it's almost Christmas.
Soon I will be sitting down to write my list.
I write my present list and look at what I gave friends
and family as gifts last year 
(yes, I have a little log since 2007).
I do this so I do not get you the same thing over and over.
Except for kids, I give them pijamas 80% of the time.
They will be getting plenty of toys from Santa and I am 
totally unaware of what kids dig anyways.
They will always need pijamas.
I have rules that I have set up to keep it simple.
So, If you are:

1. Married:
a) I give the gift to the person who is my friend, 
b) I will give a "couple" gift or
c) Something for your home.

2. Married or single with kids:
A) Present is for kids.

3. Single or dating:
The present is for my friend.

4. Co Workers
Everyone gets either the same thing or something similar.
I have done book markers, Carrot cake, cookies, brownies.
It's just a tiny something from me, as we all play Secret Santa.
In this line I include neighbors, usually just one next door (it's 2 apartments per floor).

5. Ex Co Workers
I send one thing so they can share.
They have gotten plants, huge baskets with cookies, brownies, eggnog, special jams, nuts, crackers and so on.

6. Family
I follow the same "rule" as for friends.
If my uncles/aunts have kids, the kids get it. Even if the kids are 30.
If the kids (my cousins) have kids, then their kids get the goodies.
If you live in another country you will get a handwritten card through the mail.
This goes for everyone except my mom, she gets a present which I usually buy on line and have it delivered at her home on time.

7. Godsons/daughters
Between my H and I we have 4 godsons/daughters.
We try to spend the exact same amount on presents for each, we also try to give them similar items, so there is no "favorite".
For example, last year two of them whose moms are friends got two big bags, each carried:
2 Books, one same color polo t shirt, one tricycle and so on. All very similar.

8. Service Providers
This includes: Security guards and staff from our apartment building; cleaning lady, pet groomers and the girls at the salon I have gone to for the last couple of years.
For the apartment building personnel it's usually cookies, for the cleaning lady usually ca$h, pet groomers get brownies or similar and for the salon I have chinese breakfast delivered. They are all nice, they all don't do my hair or nails, so I give them something they can share.

My list use to be really long... 
with the years it has been getting shorter.
I begin shopping for these presents usually in October,
mostly because the presents come put of my paycheck and 
not savings and it's a way to balance it out.

SO, tell me.

How do YOU do it ?

6 comments

Bombshellicious said...

omg Lorena u seem so organised lol. I havent even thought about it yet xx

Anonymous said...

Way to organized, I like it, maybe I should do that. I usually wait until the first week of December and then I go full force in gift shopping. I just don't like Christmas shopping and I usually only buy for family everyone else....you are on your own.

Biba said...

You're fabulously organized, I start thinking about Christmas presents come December...

Emma said...

I hate Christmas ! It is too commercialized. I only buy for my kids and husband. I have been thinking about Christmas shopping since July lol.

LyddieGal said...

I know all about it being in four months. I was already starting to worry when it was six months. haha.

Which is one of the reasons I hate fall. It's just a high speed free fall to Christmas and by October 1st I swear we will skip halloween and thanksgiving and be in full Christmas mode.

But I'm nowhere near as organized as you! I only gift family and friends, and even then, only ones who I will see, with maybe one exception. If I don't see them, they just get a handwritten card.

With my married cousins (no married friends yet) I just give one gift. Though my Brother will be married soon and I will continue buying separate gifts for him and his wife (although they don't give me separate gifts anymore, so maybe I'll change, haha)

Chic on the Cheap

Carla said...

very organized!! The only people that get a christmas gifts are my family nowadays. Because its a pain to send stuff to germany. I'll send stuff to my mom, dad, bro, sis and niece. I'll buy something for my husband and maybe we'll get something for my husbands little brothers and sisters, the youngest is 7 haha =D