Well...I am FINALLY!!! Officially done at 12:49 AM Saturday hahah...now I have to do all the wrapping though!
We had such well laid plans...but my husband and I both were thwarted by the flu this week....eeek. Because the last few (err..5 or 6) Christmases have just been WAY too many toys...my husband and I really tried to commit to cutting things back this year. We still spent a good bit of money, but the kids are only getting a few things from us, and not a lot of toys at all. My girls have way too many toys, and I just don't feel the need to add more to them, christmas or not. We started cutting back this year on the bdays too.
Tonight we tried something new with the kids: Secret Santa. I know many families do that already. Usually we don't do a lot with our kids getting stuff for each other. Sure, I have them make something for their grandparents, and my two stepdaughters' mother and fiance, but not so much their siblings. This year they all did extra chores to earn a little spending money to buy presents. When I took them to the mall tonight, I realized that $10 per kid, wasn't going to go very far, even for just little things, since we have 5 kids. So, I wrote each of their names down, and they each pulled a name.
It was a lot of fun, actually. They took turns going into a store with me while the others stayed with my sister. No one got anything very expensive or exciting, but they all seem pleased they were able to get a real gift.
I think I would like to do this again next year. We have a good size family. I figure that if each kid gives something to their sibling on their bdays, there is no reason to have to give all the siblings something at once on Christmas...at least not this young. I think it may take out a lot of the angst that goes with Christmas.
Anyhoo...my inlaws will be here at 9AM...so I need to get going...still doing laundry...ahhhhhhhh....
Merry Christmas, Happy Human Light day (ooops...that was yesterday), Happy Festivus (was that yesterday too?) Happy Hanuka (too tired to spell it right) and Kwazna.
=)