Christmas of Dreams Blog Party Day 3

Day 3 of Christmas of Dreams Blog Party is here. For those of you just arriving hello and welcome. Remember that you can participate in the fun at any time. Come and join us over at Momdot. Let me explain again what the party is all about. Each day you answer a Holiday Question. Then you get to go to other participating blogs and comment on their answers. Others will visit you and we all become friends. Hopefully in the process you can meet a new friend and even win some great prizes. Click on the Day 3 button to join in. So onto Day 3 question.

Day 3

When do you start Christmas shopping? How do you budget for Christmas? Do you stick to your budget?

Sponsered by Appledonia and Hippos Toes and My Bag

I have already begun and am almost done with shopping this year. I began before my daughters birthday in September. I hate the stress of Christmas shopping and wondering if I got everyone. The longer I wait, the less Ihave to choose from. So this year we decided to buy early. Our goal is to be done by Thanksgiving. However, I do have plans to hit the After Thanksgiving sales.

How do we budget? Well, that is a good question. I think we just see how much we have and know not to spend over that. We haven't really ever "budgeted" for Christmas. Probably not a good thing because that leaves me to the next part of the question. We try to stick to the budget. We always seem to spend a little more. Now to justify. We are known to give our children what they "need" and then just wrap it. I know that sounds horrible. I found underwear on sale and the boys really need them, but can wait a month so I am wrapping them up. I like the look of wrapped gifts under the tree. In a way I think that is bad because I wonder if my children are always going to expect alot of gifts, even if they are socks, underwear, and clothes that they are in need of. And when I say we spend a little more than we were thinking that doesn't mean we go into debt. We don't buy on credit cards or anything like that. It just means we saved less during the month of December. I heard from a friend that they only buy their kids 3 gifts because that is what the wise men brought Jesus. Thought it could be something we would try, but then I probably wouldn't be gifting socks, and underwear. What do you think?