I will admit to you, I still have Christmas Shopping to do.  I will finish later today, from the comfort of this very desk chair, after everyone is snug in their beds, settled down for a long winter’s nap, with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, etc.

    I boycotted all malls back in October, and have not (and will not) darkened the doors of one this holiday season.  So Amazon.com and the internet are my mall of choice, and I may invite Jim the UPS delivery guy to Christmas dinner, he’s been so important to my holiday happiness this year. 

     We employ the Amazon.com wish lists for all of us, and I installed the very useful Universal Wish List button on my browser a few weeks ago, for those items not found at Amazon.com but still centrally located on the amazon wish list.  I have items to purchase off-list and off-line, but I will be Keeping the Green in Evergreen (my village’s slogan) and shopping small local stores for these off-line items.  For shopping specifics, check out my November Blog about Shopping, Deals and Receipts.  I have been very happy to find that most on-line retailers I have been using are offering great promotions and / or free shipping. 

     Sometimes, it is the WHAT TO BUY Question that gets in the way this time of year.  I clearly remember receiving a dark blue velour (it was the 70’s) jogging suit from my Uncle John, and loving it.  He would buy everyone the same thing for Christmas, so 10 jogging suits in different colors and sizes, and he was done.  As a kid, I thought it was sort of funny, but today I recognize what a great idea that was!  So, if you are scratching your head for gift ideas, try a theme:

• Charitable donations in a loved one’s name or to their favorite charity
• One big Family gift, like a DVD player, Wii, ice cream maker, etc.
• Family fun:  Board games, popcorn maker and bucket, hot cocoa ingredients
• Events or Non-material gifts, such as Museum memberships, Theater or movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates, etc.
• Sleep: Everyone gets new PJs, robe and slippers, books, blankets, alarm clocks or herbal tea
• Reading:  Books or How-To Kits, book lights, Magazine subscriptions  
• Photography:  Frames for some, cameras for others, digital picture key chains, digital picture frames, scrapbook kits, photography classes, you name it!
• Vacation destination souvenirs
• Electronics:  everyone really likes toys – no matter their age
• Automotive:  Car Wash, driving gloves, car organizers, thermal coffee go-mugs, sunglasses
• Movies:  DVD players (big or portable), movie tickets, DVDs, trivia games

     Tomorrow night, after everyone is in bed, I’ll put on my I-Pod with my Christmas mix,  set up the gift wrapping table and pull out my supplies; gift wrap or bags, tissue paper, tape, ribbons, scissors, tags and a pen.  I’ll open up the shipping boxes that have arrived and start wrapping their contents, then sort the wrapped gifts into large boxes per destination (Christmas eve at Grandma’s, Christmas Morning with my kids, Christmas Day with my in-laws, Day After Christmas with my family) and grab the box I need as the event nears.  Wrapping things now saves me in a number of ways:

1. Everything will be done and ready by the end of the week, giving me more time to relax next week!
2. If I need supplies for wrapping, I’ll find out now instead of 11 pm Christmas Eve, and I’ll add the supplies to my grocery list for this week.
3. If I have any more gifts to purchase, batteries to add, etc., I’ll find that out now, too, while I still have time solve any problems. 

Have fun with your gift giving and wrapping, and Uncle John:  Merry Christmas and Thanks!