Christmas comes but once a year....thankfully.

[australiankaren]

So, here we are again.....

The tree is up, the shops are crazy busy and the poor Visa card is straining under the pressure.

So this thread is for us to vent/ share/ lament about anything Christmas.....

Oh, to be in Disney...

Remember: a problem shared is a problem shared

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Great idea Karen

I shall not complain as I am having an awesome Christmas. My presents that need to be in Oz are done. EXCEPT MY INLAWS. No idea, clueless, so is DH. Stock standards do not work. I am sure I will find something creative in Hawaii.

They are just so hard to buy for. No hobbies, not big readers, hard to buy clothes for and I HATE VOUCHERS.

It is the same for every present. My FIL then has a birthday three weeks after Christmas. Does my head in every year. I think this year I shall put this solely in DH's box. I am over it.l

 

[australiankaren]

Great idea Karen

I shall not complain as I am having an awesome Christmas. My presents that need to be in Oz are done. EXCEPT MY INLAWS. No idea, clueless, so is DH. Stock standards do not work. I am sure I will find something creative in Hawaii.

They are just so hard to buy for. No hobbies, not big readers, hard to buy clothes for and I HATE VOUCHERS.

It is the same for every present. My FIL then has a birthday three weeks after Christmas. Does my head in every year. I think this year I shall put this solely in DH's box. I am over it.l

i dont know why we do it to ourselves every year......wasting money on stuff the other person doesn't want/ need......

Thankfully, our DH's are easier to gift for..he gets to live with us...so thats a gift that keeps on giving all year round

 

[areweindisneyyet]

i dont know why we do it to ourselves every year......wasting money on stuff the other person doesn't want/ need......

Thankfully, our DH's are easier to gift for..he gets to live with us...so thats a gift that keeps on giving all year round

I got lucky earlier this year and got them bits and pieces for a holiday they were going on, jacket, handbag. Perfect. I was so happy, I knew there would be a downside at the end.

My grandparents lived with my parents, and have always lived next door, it is wonderful having family so close (most of the time).

It is hard when it can be years between visits to really know what to get someone and still keep it personal.

 

[cassi8]

areweindisneyyet Ditto. ILs are just so hard. I have left it with DH this year as well and knowing him he will be shopping on Christmas Eve!

I am hoping THE day will be as nice and relaxed as it was last year, well as relaxed as my xmas will ever get!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Is Christmas over yet???

 

[PrincessInOz]

...oh....my cards are written and I managed to make it to post office today. And I'm not saying this for any other reason than the humour of the next statement......

I'm sure you'll appreciate that there was a lot of tongue and licking going on at my place today!








(What can I say? I'm really tired....and when I'm tired, my fingers type faster than my mind thinks....and there are no filters in place )!

 

[Anne_Aus]

Lol Princess... thank you for the laugh

I am loving Christmas this year... but I think that is because I am going away after it. Though not enough to have the motivation to write cards out

 

[battymum]

Well I just got a $900 mobile phone bill - sucked the christmas cheer right outa me!!!!

Fighting Vodafone tooth and nail about it though!!

 

[Anne_Aus]

Well I just got a $900 mobile phone bill - sucked the christmas cheer right outa me!!!!

Fighting Vodafone tooth and nail about it though!!

Oh that is terrible, I hope you win! Makes me countdown more 12 days left with crapaphone.. can't wait to switch from them

 

[battymum]

Well I have a 14 year old, not getting a christmas present and looking for a job at the moment!

Although to be fair, he didnt know it was happening - thought he was downloading on WI FI at home - and it roamed to 3G - it shouldnt be that easy to do.

 

[alicia1506]

wow, that's a huge bill. hope you get something back from them - it shouldn't be that easy to roam from wifi to 3g.

we are having a very low key xmas this year. our tree isn't even up!! my Brother & Sis-in-law are about to become first time parents (approx march/april they are due) so xmas is to be at their place & we're all bringing food with us so she doesn't have to prepare everything. we're all doing small gifts, with a preset $$ value, which is good as we just got back from buying everyone souvenirs from the trip!!

the credit card is still groaning from that, and we only just got our refund from being overcharged in vegas, so a nice quiet and cheap xmas this year. not sure what to get carlo's family as we normally only see them once or maybe twice a year.

love my family, and looking forward to seeing them. my grandma has alzheimers and the dementia is affecting not only her, but my mum as well, who is her primary carer. we're actually looking at homes for her after xmas, so don't think this one will be all that's merry & bright

to everyone else, i hope you have a wonderful xmas season

 

[Mum from oz]

Well I have a 14 year old, not getting a christmas present and looking for a job at the moment!

Although to be fair, he didnt know it was happening - thought he was downloading on WI FI at home - and it roamed to 3G - it shouldnt be that easy to do.

Poor kid. Vodafone does suck! I hope they let you off!

As for me. I've spent all day hunting down a Barbie camper van. After 3 Big W's, 2 Targets, 1 Myer and one toy shop I was finally able to nab one at Penrith Big W. (Big W #4) It was the last one and they put it away for me for tomorrow.
Also ordered Christmas cards from Vistaprint. What a rort, goes up every year. $21 for shipping? Gah!
Tree's up, lights are up and I've done about 90% of Christmas shopping. Just gotta a few more things to get and I'm done.
Then theres the list of food for Christmas day.....

So this:

Is Christmas over yet???

But I really do Christmas!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Well I just got a $900 mobile phone bill - sucked the christmas cheer right outa me!!!!

Fighting Vodafone tooth and nail about it though!!

Hope it works out for you and DS.

 

[miss.potatohead]

I used to love Christmas, until I started working in retail a few months ago (at one of the lovely places you mentioned Mum from Oz, but I hate having to tell customers we've run out of stock [those Barbie Campervans sold like hotcakes]). Christmas brings out the best, and worst in people.

I've come to the age where I don't want presents for Christmas, as anything I do want is way too expensive! Working up to 30 hours a week between two casual jobs at the end of my first year of uni is taking its toll on me, but I'm hoping that by the end of Christmas I'll have enough money to travel sometime next year, hopefully to somewhere Disney!

Also, goodluck with fighting Vodafone battymum - I've heard the best they do with those accidental 3g downloads is up to 50% off what you have been billed, so fingers crossed that you get through it without too many phone calls going round in circles.

 

[PrincessInOz]

But I really do Christmas!

I love Christmas too. Don't mind me. I'm only just Bah Humbug because I don't love the work involved with Christmas and every year it just seems like I'm starting earlier and earlier to get things ready for Christmas.

But I'm nearly done...on the cards, house and presents; and nearly done on the food preparation side as well.

I just have 5 birthday presents to get between now and Christmas...

 

[Toy Story]

We have our tree up, freshly picked and cut from the Christmas Tree farm on Saturday, one work function and one family get together done.

I have wrapped presents to send down to my sister this week, and hope to start on Christmas cards tomorrow night (I really wanted them done my the first).

A $900 telephone bill would do my head in at the moment, I am trying to remind myself that all $ should be going to NY and WDW.

 

[battymum]

Also, goodluck with fighting Vodafone battymum - I've heard the best they do with those accidental 3g downloads is up to 50% off what you have been billed, so fingers crossed that you get through it without too many phone calls going round in circles.

If I get 50% off I will be stoked, I've also heard thats what they usually do - but it will still be $420 more than I want to pay... grrrr - But at least I have the lawns mowed for the rest of summer (as well as anything else I think of) and I dont have to go shopping for him.!!

We actually celebrated Thanksgiving this year - I think its a much nicer holiday - all the food and family with no presents!!! I dont think I have sold the family on the idea of giving up Xmas though

 

[WAMUMOF4]

battymum i would freak i hope they sort it out very quickly for you don't forget to mention the ombudsmen to them the phone company's seem to move quite quickly once they are mentioned.

We have put up our tree tonight i must say i would not of cared if we did not have one. Last Christmas we refused to buy the kids anything electrical and are continuing that this year but in honesty i have no clue what to get them at all the spoilt brats have already had everything they wanted brought for them in the USA to be truthful right now i would be happy to wake up and discover it was the 26th of Dec and all the money to be spent on Christmas was magically still in my bank to be spent to on next years trip Have already told the kids they have to make each other a present this year DD12 and DS10 are quite excited they are making photo boards for the others of our trip. DS14 and 16 are horrified and keep asking me if i am serious Yep i am time to remember in this house that the real meaning of Christmas is not Presents.
Bring on tomorrow looking forward to a new day!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I love Christmas. When my kids were younger and I worked only very very part-time, I would start my Christmas shopping in June and had a rule that all shopping and wrapping had to be completed by 1 Dec so I could sit back and enjoy the season. I much prefer the lead up to Christmas than the actual day, I find Christmas Day to be stressful and exhausting.

Since my photography business has gotten busier and busier, it has sucked a little of the joy out of this season for me. Dealing with people who have unrealistic expectations and small orders because everyone's money is tighter really takes its toll.

Because I have always loved Christmas so much, I created all of these beautiful little traditions that we do each year, millions of them. Now that my time is limited, I sometimes feel like these traditions are now strangling me as the kids expect everything to be as it always was.

I wouldn't change a thing, but sometimes it gets a little much...sigh.

I finally got to start my Christmas shopping yesterday, 4 hours straight, no dawdling, a clear list and vision - and I'm nearly finished. Whew....

I only have 5 shoots left for the year, I do have about 15 orders to get out the door but they should all be finalised this week so next week is going to be about baking and wrapping and enjoying my kids.

Actually now I think about it, I'm going to start that this week. I'm going to make a gingerbread house with the kids on Thursday after school and on Friday night my DH has his work function so the kids and I am planning on snuggling up on the couch for a Christmas movie marathon with my traditional homemade rocky road, my famous "nuts and bolts" and some Christmas coloured M&M's.

I feel more in the spirit of Christmas after writing that now. Thanks Dis family.