# Christmas



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Is everyone getting ready for Christmas? 
I just finished up my Christmas shopping over the weekend! How I did it I don't know LOL I just have to get stocking stuffers for the kids, and my sons class is going to do a gift exchange <school supplies, magazines, books, etc. not toys  >, just waiting to see who he gets.

The adults in my family decided instead of us all buying gifts for each other this year, we'd try the homemade gift exchange again. We did it 2 years ago and it was fun  
I had previously posted I was lost on what to do, but since photos are my thing, I found a way to make homemade stuff pertaining to...photos LOL

I bought some unpainted photo frames at Michaels, and painted them with extra paint I had sitting around, <purple from my daughters room, blue from my sons room, and a light yellow from my bathroom LOL>. I bought some pretty foam cutouts and glued them on. They turned out really well and final cost is about $1.70 that includes the $1.00 frame.

I also bought a little photo box that has a swivel so it turns, painted it and decorated it for my sister since I got her name, and we bought a wooden box for my brother since my husband got his name. Painted it and decorated it. 
We're going to fill the boxes with candies, and we'll put my brothers 2 picture frames inside.

On the side, I also made them each a photo book from pictures I took on July 4th 
I made my oldest brother/his wife, and uncle a photo book, and made my dad a calendar.

Tonight my kids are painting frames for teachers, the bus driver and bus monitor, and my 5yo is doing one for my dad. 
We're waiting for the first coat to dry, and it's agony for them LOL

We're not having Christmas here this year <praying weather co operates!>, so I don't have to plan a big dinner, etc. Instead, I'll make a candy tray to take, nothing fancy, just chocolate & almond dipped pretzels, bark, and maybe some carmel/peanut cups.


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Yup! We have all our Christmas decorations up!  Those gifts sound really cool!!


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

our decorations are always up before thanksgiving due to my husband LOVING christmas! I swear he would have christmas all year if he could...his bday is 2 days before xmas and he loves it!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Got the tree up this evening...getting some lights and decorations up still. Shopping is mostly done. :stars: Getting excited!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving. I don't have a place to hide gifts from my nosy kids, so I wrap them and put them under the tree. I did a lot of my shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

No outside lights this year, and not really decorating the house like I normally do  We're having Christmas at a relatives house, and won't leave lights on when we aren't home <my hubby is strange about that LOL>.

My kids did their letters to Santa last night and put them in the mailbox today. When they get home we'll finish decorating their picture frames that they painted.

Here's the finished ones my 5yo daughter and I did the other day, the colors are prettier than they are in the pics LOL BTW these are 4x6 frames



















A box for my sister, we're going to print some pictures to put in the slots, and fill it with candy 


















Not sure if we'll make any other items like these or not. It's fun for the kids to do though


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very nice.... :thumb: 

Christmas is up here... :greengrin: :snow: :snowbounce: :snowlaugh: :snowcool: :snowcheese: :snowhat:


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## newmama30+ (Oct 4, 2010)

We have to go buy a new tree this yr won't be til next wkend though. Money is really tight right now, Randy's working but the elevators are getting full, and with Dec grain coming in the lines are really long, so not very many loads a day. hopefully though Jan will be a better month.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Pam  The kids finished theirs last night and did a great job! I'll have to get pictures of them before they wrap them tonight. They each did one for a teacher, the bus driver, bus monitor, and for my dad and step mom 



newmama30+ said:


> We have to go buy a new tree this yr won't be til next wkend though. Money is really tight right now, Randy's working but the elevators are getting full, and with Dec grain coming in the lines are really long, so not very many loads a day. hopefully though Jan will be a better month.


I hear ya, this is a tough time of year. Things seem to have a way of working out though 
I try to do all the Christmas shopping on my own with $$ I earn. I was able to do most all the shopping besides a few odds/ends that my husband bought, and I also bought Tday dinner, and extras. I feel very blessed to have done this. My husband has enough to worry about with the bills, and our property taxes are due at the end of the month.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

No tree yet and no decorations out.....too wet outside to put out my lighted deer, maybe I'll get my Christmas cards out today?

Hoosier...those frames are very pretty, I can just see a pic of your youngest in one hamming it up for you  

I try and get at least one thing on my niece and nephews Christmas list for them each year but I've found that the older they get, those "wants" are getting even more expensive! Destiny is happy with anything horse related but Dillon is wanting all sorts of expensive clothes and electronics...I'm pretty much going to go with giving him a gift card so he can add to it to get what he wants.

I got my mom a sterling silver chain....since my dad passed away, she's been wearing her wedding band that he had made for her out of stainless steel as she didn't want to wear her set and ruin them...she's wanting to wer her rings on a chain so thats what I got her for Christmas.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Liz - your mom will like the chain  I can understand her not wanting anything to happen to her rings, I would be the same way.
Totally agree the older kids get the harder it is to buy for them. 
My oldest is at an age where it's hard to buy for her. She just turned 13, has ADHD and isn't very responsible with her things. I don't want to buy her anything too expensive, I am afraid she won't take care of it. 
For Christmas I bought her clothes, an mp3 player <fingers crossed!>, and a portable dvd player w/7in screen, a holder for it, and some dvds. My rule with the dvd player as soon as she opens it is, it stays in my room unless she is watching it. She doesn't have a tv in her room, so I thought she'd really enjoy this.
My son and youngest daughter are so easy to buy for, so I have to really be careful I don't over do it LOL

Today in the little town we live closest too, they are having Christmas open house. We go every year, in fact I need to get the girls up so we can get ready. It's COLD out, coldest morning of the season so far, 22 out...BRRRR!
Our high today is 32!

Anyone else doing anything 'Christmasy' this weekend?


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

We are going christmas light looking tonight....there is a farm about 45 mins from us that does christmas lights every year...thousands of lights and has a small petting zoo and everything for the kids...should be fun..we have been going every year for the past 3 years...taking dad this year though since mom passed in may...trying to make the best of it


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## pitchik (Dec 2, 2011)

For us Christmas just isn't Christmas anymore-at least not like it ever was. My kids are grown. Gone. One lives in Florida and the other only across the yard but in his own apartment over the garage with his girlfriend, so it feels like he is gone. No grandchildren near. I got out the Dr Suess looking tree, hung a few lights, pulled out some decorations but it doesnt feel "right" to me.

Pry some has to do with the fact that we had otrrential rain a few weeks back and I had all of my homemade decorations in a Aeropostle bag in the basement, ones the kids made all the years in school....I went down to get them and the rain had leaked in thru a window and when I lifted the bag, there were all those decorations melted in a pile of water, ruined on the floor....


Maybe it will get better.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

We haven't even begun our Christmas shopping yet!!!! However, I did finally get all of the decorations up around the house and the tree decorated so it feels like Christmas in here at least! Really love Christmas.....just wish I was creative enough to MAKE people their Christmas gifts. My hubby and I do a LOT of baking for the holidays. LOL People look forward to my hubby's Cookies all year.....they are DELICIOUS!!!!


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

I have family presents bought, and I'm going to bake my Grandparents a GIANT tin of goodies probably tomorrow.  So far I've thought of fudge, Russian teacakes, oatmeal raisin cookies, rumballs, and..... Probably some cheese to lol.  I  Christmas!!!


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