Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope the day finds everyone happy, healthy and filled with joy. And not so overwhelmed with wrapping paper that the 96 gallon recycling bin can't close. Ahem.

This year our Christmas was a little different, since we're moving in 2 days. But we still managed to make chili and apple cider on Christmas Eve. We also drove around looking at Christmas lights - way to go Anthem Coventry, you guys rock the Christmas light contest.

The Amazing Husband and I continued our tradition of wrapping gifts on the night of Christmas Eve, and the kids were up at 2am wanting to open presents. (We said no.)

We did handle gifts a little differently this year, and I think it was a success. Last year I went out on Black Friday and bought all the kid's gifts. I got killer deals and managed to put tons of gifts under the tree for very little money.

It was fabulous until about February when I realized we were already donating some of those amazingly low priced gifts. Problem was, I bought anything that I thought they would like because everything was on sale.

This year I went at it differently. Each kid got one big gift, one thing they HAD to have. The cost of each gift varied but the desire for it was the same. They also each received a couple books, some clothes and a pair of shoes (all needed items). And of course some gifts from the grandparents.

That's it.

There were noticeably fewer gifts under the tree this year, but they were all absolutely thrilled and satisfied with what they received. And I'm hoping we won't be clearing any new gifts out until next Christmas.

I think we'll stick with this gift-buying method. I certainly prefer them to have a few beloved toys than rooms full of junk, and they seem just as happy this way. It is fun to have a ton of gifts to open on Christmas, though, so next year I may do more clothes and other items that we would purchase for them anyway throughout the year.

Oh, we do stockings, too. Their stockings were filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, little toys, lotion, chapstick, earrings (for the girls), candy and pencils. Again, mostly things we would buy for them anyway, but they seem more fun gift wrapped.

How do you do Christmas gifts?