Christmas plans, gifts and wishlists

Well, we've only got 10 days left until Christmas. I imagine most people have already done their shopping or at least intend to by the weekend. So, what are you doing for Christmas this year? What did you get your loved ones? And what did you ask for? Also, how do you go about the whole asking for stuff business?

I honestly don't know what we're doing for Christmas this year. Typically I'm forced to go to my mom's or sister's home and sit in a room with a bunch of people I can't stand for 8 hours while my little sister gets showered with gifts from my mom's side of the family who neglects to account for the 3 - 4 other children who she birthed and are present. Not that I really care about the gifts; just that they completely ignore us as if we're not family. At least get us Christmas cards or something. Sometimes they talk to me while my little sister is opening their gifts and I just want to tell them to go pineapple themselves. What's worse is that my aunt, the biggest offender, always expects me to get something for her kids because I'm pretty well off and "because they're just kids." I told my mom to tell her I was just a kid once and that didn't move her to get me anything. I don't really care about my family (except my niece <333) so the whole event is mostly just awful.

I think most of their lives are too hectic this year to actually plan anything, which will likely result in a small party of us meeting at my mom's place for 3 hours and awkwardly exchanging gifts.

Last year my mom decided it would be cheaper/more efficient to do Secret Santa instead of buying presents for everyone. I thought it was kind of stupid last year but I do feel like it took some of the pressure off this year. I only had to shop for my dad, niece and sister's ex-boyfriend. Uh, he's my niece's father, so we count him as part of the family. Plus he's a great guy and is always around so I had no problem with it.

I got my niece a leapster leapfrog learning thing. It's really high tech. I think I had more fun with it than she will initially but oh well. Hopefully she'll grow into it over the year. (She's 18 months) I also got her a rubber blow up chair because she's always bouncing around looking for a seat of her own.

I got Final Fantasy XIII for my niece's father. He said "get me snake stuff" and I was like :| NO I DON'T EVEN CONDONE YOU HAVE A SNAKE AROUND MY NIECE I'M NOT GOING TO HELP YOU MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE. He was then like "well I wanted Final Fantasy XIII but..." and I was like "Okay great." and walked away. I'M GOING TO KILL THAT SNAKE. That will be my christmas present to myself.

Annnnd I gave my dad my copy of Red Dead Redemption. He borrowed it back in like... June or July and has played it constantly and repeatedly. I was going to buy him his own copy but he's probably worn mine to hell so I told him to just keep it. I'm also going to get him the disc version of the DLC, but he doesn't know that yet. EHEHEHE.

Oh, right. While I prefer this secret santa stuff, I was out with my mom the other night and she was making googly eyes at this stupid old PC game. It was a 3 pack of point and click mystery games. So I figured I'd get that for her. BREAKING THE RULES. Still only spent about $200 total which is waaay less than usual.


As for asking for presents... I don't know. I hated have to make a list as a kid and I hate that "what do you want" moment every year, too. I don't like asking for things. I usually just say SOCKS because if I ask for clothes I get something disgusting from Wal-Mart. I think my older sister drew me for Secret Santa this year so I'm kind of cringing at the idea of what she'll get me because she has no taste in clothing and that's the only thing I can imagine her buying without checking with me first (and she has made no attempt to do that.) My dad asked me a couple days ago and I was just going to say socks again but I recently remembered that I don't own The World Ends With You and never think of it when I'm near a store, so I think I'll ask for that.

What about you guys? How are your holidays?

Best read in days. It's always nice to read about how everyone's elses lives are.

On topic: I'm probably just gonna ask for money, because I need that to go to Uruguay on vacation. Probably some clothes or something like that.

I'm probably just gonna get something for my sister because my budget is pretty small this Christmas, lol.

As far as plans go, it'll probably be like every christmas, when most of my mother's sisters that aren't gathering with their husbands' families get together. I don't mind it though, because I love my family.

Agreed with Rob: excellent read. Thanks for sharing, Sarah . And your generosity impresses me. Hope the niece loves the high tech gloriousness!

OT: My last final is on December 22nd, after which my parents are picking my pomegranate and myself up and driving back home to the Chicago suburbs. Christmas Eve we usually have our annual "Cholesterol Fest," aka a buffet-style dinner of crap everyone enjoys. Though it has become a lot healthier over the years, so now the name just remains as a funny reminder. We'll probably do traditional Christmas things while eating, like listening to holiday music, watching A Christmas Carol or something else, and maybe exchanging a gift or two. I might have to go to church that night as well, if not Christmas morning. Otherwise Christmas morning will be awesome with gift exchanging, time spent as a family, and just happy laziness amidst good food/company with everyone in pajamas all day. Mhmm such a great thought with finals looming this week.

I haven't picked up gifts for loved ones yet because I'm working on actually getting the moneys for it (I needs a credit card; middle of the month is rough for me as is). But I'll be getting my sister and roommate something from LOFT (oh the perks of working in retail), my parents Wisconsin football jerseys (because apparently they're DYING for some), and potentially something for my boy toy thing...the relationship isn't exactly in a place where exchanging gifts is an understood facet of things.

And for myself? At first I asked for money. My parents make it really easy now that I'm older (they literally just call me up and say "what do you want for Christmas?"), so, considering Microbio textbooks will be hella expensive next semester, and I need to replenish a lot of my skin care products, moneys made sense. BUT THEN I remembered about Golden Sun: Dark Dawn and Eat Pray Love on DVD, which are currently on the list. On top of that, J.Crew had a big extra sale sale yesterday, so I gave my parents item numbers for a few things I also wanted. Aside from those things, however, moneys is always good.

*Looking forward to reading more responses*

Wishlist:
Inception DVD
Avatar DVD
25k Nexon Game Card (from Texas Aunt)
24 season 8 box
+ candy and clothes

Gifts
Dunno yet...

None, for all fields.

i'll be studying for th next 3 days so that means no thinking about christmas till the weekend

What ima be asking for: monies or giftcards. all of my famioly is practically high school and college age, so not much you can get them at all that they would want. Plus i already bought myself a christmas present in the form of the card game Bang!

Gifting: dunno, we didn't do secret santa this year

I'm so lost this year it's not even funny.

Parents are taking the whole family to cancun which is awesome but also limits presents somewhat to what can be carried on-board or I guess shipped later.

I have zero shopping done and not even a clue as to what to get people. Even worse is I'm lost on what I want as well. I don't really need/want anything but that just makes me a pain to shop for, easier to just give them somethng but I'm drawing a blank.

I originally wanted a Canon EOS Rebel T2i, but I kind of passed that off as unrealistic. I think I'll wait for my birthday next year on that one unless my stupidly rich relatives end up giving me so much money that I can afford to buy one on the side. I'll settle for just a watch or something this year ([URL=http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SKX173-Automatic-Urethane-Strap/dp/B00068TJ76/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=watches&qid=1292461173&sr=1-2"]this one[/URL]). I'll be making a good deal of food and pretty much just handing out some money to people this Christmas since I'm a college student who pays for half his tuition and room.

But anyway, aside from the problems I have with my family and Christmas, I really enjoy the Christmas parties we have. We all gather at a family member's house (We never know whose until December) and just do Christmas stuff. Stuffing faces, Christmas carols, Christmas TV, lots of Xbox, etc. and when midnight hits, we all start opening everything. Since my relatives are so rich, all the kids (and me, 19, and my cousins, 20 something) have a competition to see who got the most money. Christmas day is just a day where I do nothing but buy champagne and prepare for the new year...and, this year, try to court a girl. With champagne.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I spent 45 minutes picking out a scarf for this girl last week just to realize this week that she's not someone I'd go out with.

She's still getting the scarf.

I haven't asked for anything around Christmas.. ever. I don't usually give anything either, depends. I give close friends stuff, but not sure what I plan on doing now. *sigh* @_@

Well....I don't really want anything. Maybe for some NX cash, but my parents will never give it to me.

Well, I do wish for good SAT grades O_o.

Basically canceled this year here. We haven't done a whole lot in recent years anyway since our family reunion with my Dad's family on thanksgiving is our "all out" holiday where the family gives out the gifts. We still used to have a tree and everything on top of that, but this year everything is foul.

The thanksgiving thing everyone was upset and aggravated since my grandfather had passed away in spring and my grandmother was still playing favorites with an uncle of mine that has taken advantage of them and was still living with them at 60. He's bought 4 cars using their money in my lifetime, and ran off with a motorcycle group when my grandmother was hospitalized. By the end of the trip, the rest of the family more or less agreed to disown her.

Back at home on the holidays, my aunt (mother's twin) died a year ago. So anything of the sights of Christmas get her very depressed so we have nothing there. On the gift point, my mother bought plenty of things on great sales thanks to me on black Friday, but I don't intend to get anything myself. She bought a laptop, gps device, coffee machine, and 2 smart phones with a plan for free (one of which mine, but I didn't ask for it, and since the monthly charges will be higher with internet I'm expected to help with it).

Dog has cancer, and we were planning on going to my grandfather's (mother's side) place for the day of Christmas, but when we mentioned the dog, he said no because he had alergies (which is a lie). We explained the situation, and wound up settling on not going. Not that we wanted to since he just proposed to his caregiver not one year after his wife died. He's always been a self centered person, and it was assumed before this happened that he married his second wife only to act as a domestic worker for him.


tl;dr Bah-humbug.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I spent 45 minutes picking out a scarf for this girl last week just to realize this week that she's not someone I'd go out with.

She's still getting the scarf.

Classy guy.

Man, Christmas is supposed to be jolly. Anyone else?

Classy guy.

Man, Christmas is supposed to be jolly. Anyone else?

I used to be very jolly near Christmas. Til I started working in retail.

Considering how big of a Spongebob fan I am, this is a really nice present! ^___^

I plan on going to North Carolina, and I heard it's supposed to snow on Christmas Eve or Christmas. I'm really excited to go see my mom and grandma, and get away from Texas.
My wishlist just consists of: AP Statistics prepbook, and DKC returns. Maybe some cash and Sonic Colours, but nothing really.

I feel bad for not doing any shopping, I feel like I should go to China Town and get some interesting things for my family. However, I don't really have a way to get anyone anything.
Final exams are over for me though, so thats all good.

I hope everyone else has a nice Christmas. :o

I love Christmas. I always say that Halloween is my favorite holiday because Christmas usually translates into a boatload of family drama, but it's a lie. I feel like an idiot sometimes walking down the street because seeing Christmas lights makes me instantly like a little girl.

This year though, we're pretty broke. Kevin's hours got cut unexpectedly at work, and we had some surprise expenses (aka a bullshit parking ticket that we fought and lost.) I'll be making presents this year: lola bears. Gonna make teddy bears out of my grandma's old clothes and scarves. Is that creepy? I really like the idea but I'm not sure if it's creepy.

I'm having a rough time hearing Christmas music though. Sometimes I'll just start crying if I hear Christmas music because it reminds me that it will be our first Christmas without lola. It's very bittersweet because it's also our first Christmas at our own place with our own tree, which is super awesome and sweet. Yeah.

I'll be making presents this year: lola bears. Gonna make teddy bears out of my grandma's old clothes and scarves. Is that creepy? I really like the idea but I'm not sure if it's creepy.

I didn't know this was common practice. We got one of those from the hospice house my aunt stayed at, and I found it completely disturbing to have a teddy bear made out of the clothes a family member died in, but my Mother loves it. Then again, I also get creeped out by having the ashes of relatives in open view on display in their urns.



Grades took an unexpected turn in the positive way, so I might actually get something now.

I love the holidays because old friends come back into town and it gives us a chance to catch up. Christmas Eve and Christmas day should be okay. In the past everyone on my mom's side of the family would meet at my grandma's house for Christmas. Too bad everyone grew up and Christmas gatherings became a lot less important to them. It's just going to be my parents, my brother and me. We'll probably enjoy a nice, quiet Christmas.

As for a wish list, I never make one. I usually ask for something that's easy to get, like gift cards. I don't give many gifts because of a general lack of money but I have bought a gift for my brother. It's really cool because the gift I'm getting him is closely related to one of the gifts my parents are giving him. I usually exchange gifts with two of my best friends but we haven't talked much about trading gifts so we probably aren't going to.

Well, first off, it doesn't even fell like Christmas here. Usually there's a billion and four feet of snow on the ground. Right now there's about 3 inches. We've only had 5 storms so far this winter really, starting in August...It snows, then it melts a few days later. It's freaking ridiculous. On top of the lack of snow and extremely warm weather (it was 50 here yesterday...), half of my neighborhood has moved in the past year. How does that affect it feeling like Christmas? Christmas lights. My old neighbors would always deck out their houses like none other. This year all the new people just put a light up snowman/deer/santa on their front lawn and call it good. And on top of that, some of the houses are just an eyesore to look at...as in, purple and orange lights. What the hell? Did they leave those up from Halloween?

Well, as for gifting things for people...My family does a secret santa thing too. Everyone gets assigned a random person in the family. Once upon a time, when I was littler, and a whole lot nicer and keen towards my family, I'd attempt to get everyone in the family a gift. That's 7 older siblings, 2 parents, and my brother in law. The past 2 or so years I've just completely tired of that. Everyone is ungrateful. I'd just get everyone silly presents that they could laugh at. I didn't mean for them to keep whatever I got them forever and ever, but when they would open it it would be a more of a "What the hell is this?" kind of expression. So now with gifting, I really only get who I'm assigned to give to for secret santa. This year I'm giving to my little 3 year old nephew, who is adorable as hell! I got him those little Bugbot toy things. I got them in his favorite color and got him the little arena starter kit. He'll LOVE it. As for my parents, I don't really care for them. I mean, they tell me they hate me so why do I even bother to get them a present? I'll probably go pick out a nice few things for a few of my best friends, but other than that that's about it.

As for getting stuff, as like Sarah, I hate asking for things. I really do. It makes me feel selfish and spoiled. This year I asked for a laptop that I can use for school next semester and that's it. I know I'll be getting it because I picked it out and ordered it. Unfortunately, the laptop counts as my Christmas AND Birthday (which is in late January). I'm not one to usually be ungrateful, but my parents clearly play favorites. My sister is getting a brand new iPod Touch 32 Gig for Christmas. That's a couple hundred bucks right there, plus they got her a $200 Visa Gift card, and a bunch of random other pointless stuff. Okay, that's about a $500 value. My laptop was about $300 bucks (after discounts and such). That's all I'm getting. And that counts as my Birthday, too. My sister's Christmas is bigger. It always is. She doesn't have to use her Birthday for Christmas. And other than that laptop, I did ask for some things that I will need at school. My oldest sister has me for secret santa, so she's getting me a set of dishes which I will be extremely grateful for! Haha.

But yeah. Thats about it. Don't have any plans. I'll probably hang out with friends Christmas Eve night since my family doesn't do crap. :]