Gift closet 2012
- Thread starter luludou
- Start date
Thought I would review my Gift Closet 2012 status since we are approaching the mid way point of the year quicker than I can believe!
Current Items in Gift Closet for Christmas 2012:
Little Felt Bear Ornament for DS
Two sets of Fabric Wrapped Hangers for Sister and BF
$20 Starbucks GC
Felt Penguin Ornament for Sister
Felt Owl Ornament for DMIL
Felt Dove Ornament for DF
Christmas Felt Owl Ornament for another DF
Everything but the GC was crafted by me for little to no cost. And the GC was earned via Swagbucks so I am doing pretty good on budget so far!
Current Items in Gift Closet for Christmas 2012:
Little Felt Bear Ornament for DS
Two sets of Fabric Wrapped Hangers for Sister and BF
$20 Starbucks GC
Felt Penguin Ornament for Sister
Felt Owl Ornament for DMIL
Felt Dove Ornament for DF
Christmas Felt Owl Ornament for another DF
Everything but the GC was crafted by me for little to no cost. And the GC was earned via Swagbucks so I am doing pretty good on budget so far!
Bought dd a t-shirt to add to her stash and a pair of steak knives for ds... yes, yes, he is old enough to start getting stuff to get OUT of the house one day
lol!
Forgot to add that I have a Target Spring Beauty Bag full of samples (came in a nice little cosmetic zipper case) tucked away for a stocking stuffer too. That was a nice freebie!
I ordered their Summer Beauty bag and when that arrives I will put it away for the other "girl" stocking I do.
I also have a variety of samples I've gotten for free that I may throw in those two stockings. Lotion samples might be the best.
Forgot to add that I have a Target Spring Beauty Bag full of samples (came in a nice little cosmetic zipper case) tucked away for a stocking stuffer too. That was a nice freebie!
I ordered their Summer Beauty bag and when that arrives I will put it away for the other "girl" stocking I do.
I also have a variety of samples I've gotten for free that I may throw in those two stockings. Lotion samples might be the best.
Found some hoodies lined with sherpa for $3 at Wally World last night. I bought a few for dd and our nieces. Not for Christmas or gifts, really...but I also found tons of Rustler jeans for my youngest at $1/pair. I can't even find them used at a garage sale for that price!! At his age jeans are hard to find without the knees worn out anyway. I bought 12 pairs...some in the next two sizes up.
Not for Christmas or gifts, really...but I also found tons of Rustler jeans for my youngest at $1/pair. I can't even find them used at a garage sale for that price!! At his age jeans are hard to find without the knees worn out anyway. I bought 12 pairs...some in the next two sizes up.
Well, I have enough Speedway rewards to get a $15 Itunes card, but since Christmas is a long time (well, only about 6 months!) away, I'm just going to wait and keep earning points to see how many I can collect. I earned another $5 GC from swagbucks yesterday, and I'm only about 500 points away from a $50 GC from mypoints to Old Navy. Plus, my coke points are really adding up - I use those to get nike.com gift cards and last year even got some really nice cookware for my hubby!
I don't have a lot of gifts bought yet (okay, I actually don't think I have any!), but I am earning my gift cards and trying to put money back, so I think I am doing okay.
Oh, I remember - I have all my co-workers' gifts, so that is 10 presents! I feel better already.
I don't have a lot of gifts bought yet (okay, I actually don't think I have any!), but I am earning my gift cards and trying to put money back, so I think I am doing okay.
Oh, I remember - I have all my co-workers' gifts, so that is 10 presents! I feel better already.
Woo hoo, wvalice! You are doing great!
I am loving the Swagbucks thing! I've now earned $10 worth of Amazon gift cards and am almost at the point where I can order another $5 GC for them.
Trying to take care of an August b-day - then after that will work on earning more GCs for Christmas!
I am loving the Swagbucks thing! I've now earned $10 worth of Amazon gift cards and am almost at the point where I can order another $5 GC for them.
Trying to take care of an August b-day - then after that will work on earning more GCs for Christmas!
I picked up a couple of shirts for my oldest ds at Kohl's the other day with my $10 off a $10 purchase coupon. Five dollars for two shirts. Not too bad. The shirts were Led Zeppelin (sp?) and Futurama...so I think he will actually like them. It is much harder to buy early for teens, IMO.
The shirts were Led Zeppelin (sp?) and Futurama...so I think he will actually like them. It is much harder to buy early for teens, IMO.
I picked up a few things in the Accessorize sale this morning (I was already late going in to work, so the shops were open as I walked from the car). I needed a chunky bracelet for myself anyway - and I found 2 half price!!
But I also got a bead jewellery making kit and a cake pop making kit for my stash box (birthday presents for DD's friends, rainy day distractions, or DD's birthday/Christmas - depending on what I need and when). It's always helpful to have a few things put away there.
And I got some nice stickers (including some Moshi Monsters, the current favourite craze in this house!), a plain but nice royal blue top, some nice hair clips and a "Hello Kitty" pen with a charm hanging from it - all for DD's stocking and all at half price!!
So I am pleased with that.
A couple of weeks ago, I also got a really nice large handbag in Bennetton - it has a removable section in the middle making it extremely suitable as a "bringing papers from work" or a teacher's bag. This will either go to one of my sisters if I get them in the KK (the one who works in an office, or the teacher - it probably wouldn't suit the SAHM) or else to SIL (acountant). It was €130 originally, down to €49!!!
I am not as far on as I would like to be, but I am making some progress. And I have a few different Christmas plates and cookie jars that I plan to use to put cookies etc on as part of a foodie hamper type present for at least 3 families - depending on my energy levels, I will fill these up with homemade treats or shopbought goodies - or even a nice mix of both. So I don't have to be under pressure. Well, at least, that's the plan!!
But I also got a bead jewellery making kit and a cake pop making kit for my stash box (birthday presents for DD's friends, rainy day distractions, or DD's birthday/Christmas - depending on what I need and when). It's always helpful to have a few things put away there.
And I got some nice stickers (including some Moshi Monsters, the current favourite craze in this house!), a plain but nice royal blue top, some nice hair clips and a "Hello Kitty" pen with a charm hanging from it - all for DD's stocking and all at half price!!
So I am pleased with that.
A couple of weeks ago, I also got a really nice large handbag in Bennetton - it has a removable section in the middle making it extremely suitable as a "bringing papers from work" or a teacher's bag. This will either go to one of my sisters if I get them in the KK (the one who works in an office, or the teacher - it probably wouldn't suit the SAHM) or else to SIL (acountant). It was €130 originally, down to €49!!!
I am not as far on as I would like to be, but I am making some progress. And I have a few different Christmas plates and cookie jars that I plan to use to put cookies etc on as part of a foodie hamper type present for at least 3 families - depending on my energy levels, I will fill these up with homemade treats or shopbought goodies - or even a nice mix of both. So I don't have to be under pressure. Well, at least, that's the plan!!
I did my first major buying today. I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and got hand sanitizers and lotions for teachers and to add to gift baskets. Yesterday, I got calendars for work and my dds at Michael's. I plan to take advantage of Kroger gift cards this year when they offer extra points for buying gift cards at their stores. In my area you can get Cracker Barrel and iTunes gift cards and earn 4x the fuel points. I plan to go to Sephora for perfume tomorrow and can hopefully get some nice samples to stash. I'm really committed to buying less this year and focus on sending cards and participating in potlucks. I think a lot of us have enough stuff.
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Officially had the grand opening of my gift closet this morning. I've set it up in an armoire in the guest suite. I found a "big boy" bike with training wheels on sale at WalMart which is perfect for my grandson. It became my first official present in the gift closet. I can see now that I will be installing a bicycle lock on the two handles to keep little prying eyes out. I can always give him the lock along with the bike on Christmas. LOL
I will wait and wrap everything at once, with the exception of generic gifts which I'll keep ready in Holiday gift bags. I use the clothing bar to hang all of the monogrammed stockings which I fill a little at a time. On the inside door I keep my Master Gift List to mark things off as I place them in the closet.
I will wait and wrap everything at once, with the exception of generic gifts which I'll keep ready in Holiday gift bags. I use the clothing bar to hang all of the monogrammed stockings which I fill a little at a time. On the inside door I keep my Master Gift List to mark things off as I place them in the closet.
Ejagno that's great. Sadly, I don't have many gifts bought. I plan to get right on it in mid August. There's three pays for me in that month and the second pay is what I will use to get some gifts bought. I just have to remember to grab my list out of my notebook when I go or else I will not remember what I'm supposed to be buying.
Ejango, I've got to look at getting bikes at some point myself. I know this sounds awful, but I never thought about feeling the stockings as I go. That idea just makes so much sense, and I could hang them in the closet upstairs. Wow! I've got to work on my gift list. Good for you!
Updated List of Items in Gift Closet for Christmas 2012:
New additions in bold
Little Felt Bear Ornament for DS
Two sets of Fabric Wrapped Hangers for Sister and BF
$20 Starbucks GC
Felt Penguin Ornament for Sister
Felt Owl Ornament for DMIL
Felt Dove Ornament for DF
Christmas Felt Owl Ornament for another DF
Target Spring Beauty Bag
Targer Summer Beauty Bag
Felt Giraffe Ornament for BF
Puppy Felt Ornament for niece
Owl Tape Measure for another DF
5 Book Page/Glitter Ornaments for various friends/couples we gift to
10 Assorted Children's Books for DS
2 Amelia Bedelia Books for nieces
New additions in bold
Little Felt Bear Ornament for DS
Two sets of Fabric Wrapped Hangers for Sister and BF
$20 Starbucks GC
Felt Penguin Ornament for Sister
Felt Owl Ornament for DMIL
Felt Dove Ornament for DF
Christmas Felt Owl Ornament for another DF
Target Spring Beauty Bag
Targer Summer Beauty Bag
Felt Giraffe Ornament for BF
Puppy Felt Ornament for niece
Owl Tape Measure for another DF
5 Book Page/Glitter Ornaments for various friends/couples we gift to
10 Assorted Children's Books for DS
2 Amelia Bedelia Books for nieces
My gift closet is rather pathetic at the moment - it consists of
Hand cream
A book
A calendar (lovely Irish one I bought when I was there in April)
A Gruffalo apron
A Gruffalo bag
Still, something is better than nothing and I don't really get into gear on this front until September.
Hand cream
A book
A calendar (lovely Irish one I bought when I was there in April)
A Gruffalo apron
A Gruffalo bag
Still, something is better than nothing and I don't really get into gear on this front until September.
