Planning a Christmas Gift List.

 

The Christmas crowds at our local shopping centre.

 

It's beginning to look like Christmas, the shopping centres have been decorated for a month now, the number of people crowds at the shops has increased and finding a car park is getting difficult. So what is a girl to do? Get herself organised and start thinking about what gifts she's going to buy or make for the family and extended family. Now I'm not going to give you too many idea's as I have family members who read my little blog so I don't want them to find out what they are getting before the big day.

 

Like many families Mr Opoes and I have lots of people to buy for at Christmas, because of this we've tried hard to stick to a budget. I know that I should be purchasing gifts during the year so that we can spread the cost of Christmas over many months BUT unfortunately I never remember so the cost savings spending start in October. With four children I need to plan smartly, I make lists of what I'm going to buy, I add additional items to it just in case grandparents, aunties or uncles get stuck for ideas. This generally means that at the end of the year I'm not left with unwanted toys, clothing or nik nacs that the kids aren't interested in. If we do receive a toy the kid's don't want I'll re-gift it the following year while also getting something small to go along with it.

 

So how much do we spend on each child! Every family is different, your finances, available space, upcoming bills and day-to-day needs won't be the same as the family living next door to you. Mr Opoes and I try to spend around $60 on each child, we try to get them something big and then use the left over money to buy smaller items. However, this year Mr Opoes has suggested we purchase Caelan a gift that's priced around the $80 mark so we may increase the money a little for the other three e.g. $75 and then buy Caelan the big gift and give him a small book so that he doesn't get jealous of the others. Technically this increase our budget by $65 but it just means that I have to make savings in other places.

 

So here are a few idea's I've had so far.

It's funny that once you start to write out peoples names all those great gift idea's just fly out the door. I had loads of ideas and now I'm straggling to remember them so I hope in the next few day's I'll get my memory back so that I can start on the shopping. After I've accomplished all of the gifts I'll move onto what we'll be eating Christmas Day.

I hope you all have fun getting your gifts together. I'd love to know what presents you're thinking of giving loved ones. Are you going to buy them all or are you really crafty and are you going to make some beautiful handmade items.

 

Megan