How accepting is your partner/family

[JerseySpud]

About buying Christmas stuff so early in the year?

My DH is really really good, i was even asking him last night which princess doll to buy dd2 for Christmas and he actually sat and thought about it for a few minutes as to which one she would like.

He knows why i do it, to save money and to make sure we give the kids a Christmas that we WANT to give them (not need to)

How accepting are your partners?

[notamonkeysuncle]

He thought I was nuts until he realised how much I have been saving.
He sort of has to go with the flow as I do buy for both families and the cost is split between us.
He is useless at present buying, the first year we were together he brought me a lightshade which didnt match the newly decorated and furnished house!

[FaFoutis]

My DH thinks it is a good idea. I think I get more excited about the bargains than he does though.

[misstiredbuthappy]

Its just me and DD so I can buy what I want when I want

. My mum thought I was bonkers though when I mentioned to her I was buying a few presants but when I told her how much I was saving she thinks its a brill idea.

[nickdrakeslovechild]

They all think I am mad, I don't really save too much money I just get much much more for my money. I don't really talk about it outside of MN!

[lostlalaloopsy]

Dh used to give me the face whenever I mentioned Christmas. But he has been converted by Christmas bargain thread and he even checks it everyday now!

[50shadesofknackered]

Dh just leaves me to get on with it, often with a good natured My mum gets it but I think she thinks I'ma bit obsessed OTT. I don't care tho, I love it and I love planning and saving for it

[beatingwings]

It's not something I would think to even mention.
I keep that to myself. I have a big chest in the attic and i keep all sorts in there, emergency gifts, stuff that I bought last christmas but didn't give for whatever reason, things that I will "regift" and bargains see as I go along.

Oh doesn't really get too involved with buying the gifts anyway, maybe one or two last minute things as he often has good ideas.

I don't buy for the children this early though, something that they want dearly atm will be forgotten about and somethig else hankered for come christmas.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Mine thought I was nuts until last November I pulled out a load of stuff I had bought through the year and told him what was for whom.

Especially as dds birthday is six days before christmas - I need to bargain hunt!!

This time round he is leaving me to it. I bought dds christmas present for this year over a year ago purepy because it was a massive discount on something I would have ended up oayig full price for

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

YY my DH is a bit whaaaaaat but over the years he's either come to terms with it/ learned to ignore me/ realised JUST how organised I am and how un~frazzled Christmas is when it's well planned.

Like a swan, elegant on the surface but paddling like billy-o under the surface.

[RiverTam]

what if they change their mind about what they want - do you have to say, tough, Santa's done his shopping?

I get that it's money-saving - but surely not if the present's no loner wanted?

[nickdrakeslovechild]

Because RudyMentary if you know some of the things you want you can find them at a good price now rather than an inflated price at Christmas. My LO loves disney princesses and I managed to get 2 of the toddler dolls for £10 each 2 weeks ago rather than £20 or £25 each at the normal price. With older Children yes you may have to wait for the main present if they change their mind, but for all the other items and friends / family if I see a liberty scarf for £10 instead of £100 or a play doh set for £2.00 instead of £20 then yep get it now!
You do need to be organised and keep very strict lists otherwise you end up with 2 cinderella dolls oh no, not me honest

[elQuintoConyo]

I keep my Christmas bargain hunting to myself, DH doesn't bat an eyelid.

I do make things all year round with my best friend. We're both off work soon for a couple of weeks and are going to meet up to do some serious sewing, dc-free. Very excited.

We also keep that to ourselves, I'm sick of seeing this face from people who earn more than me and can just buy their decorations and presents at full price.

[chanie44]

I do most of the Christmas shopping in our house so OH lets me get on with it. He is quite impressed with some of my bargains.

I dont normally show him my stash until nearer the time as he has given the children stuff early.

I haven't done much shopping so far this year due to finances, but I'm getting there.

[JerseySpud]

The reason we buy early in the year is have you not noticed how toys shops inflate the price of toys from October on wards?

Also if you have younger children they don't care if what they have is the previous release of say a disney princess doll. If its a previous release it is usually on sale around about August/September time to make way for winter stock.

Same goes for previous season clothes, games, consoles, tvs, jewellery etc etc

[JerseySpud]

Also stocking fillers are cheaper to pick up in sales around the year. Avon books are great for these as are supermarket sales.

[MTWTFSS]

Just as long as you are not related to Richard Dawkins...

[DeanVsSam]

My DH used to think I was mad. His childhood Christmas' were pretty crappy from the sounds of it so it took him a few years into having DC before he really got into the whole thing.

Now he comes home with stuff to put away. He was buying stuff in March this year!

Now I just have to work on his grumpiness when it comes to putting up the decorations and I'll have it perfect.

[BiddyPop]

DH does the face at me if I mention it before mid November. BUT, he will have a plan for dad's Christmas and birthday (Boxing Day) presents early in the year (last year, she was being shown a particular skateboard to gauge reaction in Orlando airport in July!) and he will organise those.

I get left with most of the buying, as we have almost 50 to buy for. So I don't want to do that in the madness of December, which is mad at work too. I am not really started this year yet, normally have at least 10-15 sorted by now. The plan was a homemade year again, but time is against me so I have accepted that point. Just need to start buying now in Sumer sales.

But over the years, DH has become better at realising I am not mad, and talking about plans in advance. This year, I am determined it will be a stay at home year, but we haven't had that discussioni yet. Last year, I had booked self catering cottage near our families by Easter, as there is very little options to stay independent and it's needed at Christmas. The st if the year is fine.

DH also spends half his time abroad for the past 3 years, so the household organisation has fallen much more on my head. So anything that takes that load off him is now more welcomed too. And he is also starting to be less grinch-like about my planning and coming up with his own ideas too .

[Trooperslane]

It's an off limits subject in my house until at least 1st of December.

I hate it might be better this year with dd being 16 months

[chanie44]

I mentioned to mr chanie today that I I had bought his nephew a superman suit for Xmas and that it was reduced to £5.

He said great and asked if it would fit by Xmas, thinking it may be too small. I said I got the next size up.

My reasons for this were:

1. It was the only size they had, but I would have sized up anyway.
2. His birthday is in April, so it's only a few months before he is the right age.
3. He isn't a small child so it won't be long before it fits him, so would get more use out of it.

Mr c has a bit of a rant about it being too big and it won't fit him for ages... Blah blah.

I think he is ungreatful and has no vision don't you agree!!!!!!!

[TheOnlyPink]

Last year was my first year that I really got my shit together and bargain hunted. My husband just left me at it with an affectionate "yes dear" every so often. Then December came and every weekend leading up to Christmas was so relaxed and festive, no rushing for gifts or fighting for parking. On Christmas eve I produced amazing gifts that were worth double what I paid. He was seriously impressed.

So now while I'm talking about it in June, he's happy to discuss it! We had fuck all money last year but it was just terrific.

[MumofWombat]

DH thinks I'm a bit nuts but also recognises that it spreads the cost.
My parents come over to visit us at the end of November for Christmas and I want to spend our time doing fun stuff, Christmassy and beachy (I am in Australia) and want to spend as little time as possible shopping. So I'm well over half completed now, and know what I'm getting most of the rest.
To me, it just makes sense.