“It’s the most wonderful time, of the year!” No, not because it is halloween but because the holiday season is approaching and I love it!
I’ve been Christmas shopping twice this week. Well actually, I’ve been shopping for stocking stuffers this week. 
I am pleased to say that I got some great deals today and am now nearly finished with all the gals in my extended family, i.e. my kids, parents, siblings, spouse, and their kids. I have even gotten a good start on my boys – and that is impressive, since they are difficult to buy for, so much so that I told Mike that he should go buy stocking stuffers for all the guys in the family. 
Unfortunately, He didn’t agree but not that I thought he would.
I like to get my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving Day, this way I can fully enjoy the holidays without trying to run around and find gifts for everyone on my gift giving list. I also like to give gifts I’m certain the recipient will enjoy. Consequently we have each family member make a Christmas Wish List. In years past, they have been required to make their lists as early as August. 
Of course those were years when we did a lot of garage saling, got many stocking stuffers there, and thus had Christmas gifting on our minds earlier and more frequently. It was also easier to find things for the boys when they were little; as they have grown it has gotten more and more difficult to find good stocking stuffers for them, in part because they don’t even know what they want. It was also easier for them to make a list when they were younger because they didn’t get new video games when they first came out; they had to wait for their birthday or Christmas, so it was always the thing they wanted the most. But now, they are grown and have jobs and get the new games when they are released, so now they have to figure out what else they want. Not an easy task.
One good thing over the last several years has been the formulation of the wish list from online sources. This is good because now we can order what they want online and save us some shopping days. I have enjoyed shopping with my mom and sister over the last several years. My mom and dad have been taking vacation to Florida to visit my aunt and uncle on my mom’s side, in October, which is our prime shopping time; thus my sister and I have gone without her so that we still get done by Thanksgiving.
Starting next week, I will begin my main gift shopping, which will include lots of online ordering. Mom has also seen the joys of online Christmas shopping! It is SO much easier on the feet!!! In the first years that we shopped together, we would start around 9 or 9:30 and not finish until around midnight or 1:00 am. We are definitely older these days and do not shop that long any more. Now we just go from around 9:30 to about 5. It still makes for a long day but not exhausting. And now with online shopping, we still get it completed in the same number of days of shopping, just shorter days and less exhausting. Win! Win!
Well, it’s been a great week. I hope yours has been too.
Until next time, God bless,
Michele ºÜº