when do you write lists & start buying for OTHER PEOPLE? sorry just having a bit of a waffle :)

[lauracindy]

hi all, as the title says really....when do you write lists? & then start buying? Do you ever see something else then change your list? What if you've already brought something when you see something else? Sorry for the waffle.

Its just that were moving to a bigger place soon, just need to get the last bit of savings sorted so im trying to be VERY organised this Christmas as last Christmas seemed very rushed & stressful (we had a 6 week old at Christmas so Christmas almost took a back seat & i didn't really look forward to it even tho all the shopping was done through the year).

So ive already got my lists for my DF and 2 DS's sorted & have started buying for them, so far for my 2 boys ive got:

DS1 (3 in march so will be nearly 4 at christmas)
Scooby doo bike
Scooby doo scribble

DS2 (9 weeks so will be 13months at christmas)
Scooby doo ride on
Bounce & spin zebra
Winnie the pooh activity table
Fisher price amazing animals train

I know what else im getting them so they are sorted (will get DS1 1/2 things from his santa list nearer the time)

But what do you do about your other family members/friends? I know what im getting my mum/dad/granddad and fiancée so they are sorted.

But im stuck on what to get my 2 sisters & dont know when to buy them something (not even had an idea for them yet) . What do you do about lists? Sorry for the long post x

I read these threads before last Christmas and loads of people bought their presents (especially big presents) really early , some in October.

Problem I find with DCs is they change their flippin minds. Or DS who has a December B/Day doesn't know what he wants.

I do buy the stocking gifts early, start in September because I want nice little bits that don't cost loads, and these are the things I CBA looking for when I'm busy or laden down with bags.

We buy- loads from QVC for me
M&S Online or with a list.Even then I can't find half of what I want
Lakeland Limited- online

Food shopping- at the supermarket, not online

We do a child free shopping trip at the end of December.

I am Queen of Lists. Found my Meal List for Christmas Eve/Day/Boxing Day still on the fridge.

I usually start shopping in August. DS will be 4 1/2 this Christmas and I won't buy any of his 'bigger' stuff till much later this year - his list to Santa threw up a few surprises this year and I had already finished my shopping!

I have a generic list on a spreadsheet, which i update every year, so I remember who to buy for, what I bought them last year and how much I spent. It's also got a budget planner so I know how much I have saved in shopping vouchers and how much cold hard cash I need to add to it.

I buy stocking fillers when I see something dd would like, anytime really, but I make a point of looking when we're on our summer holiday, I follow her around gift shops, see what she shows an interest in and then buy it while DH distracts her, just interesting rubbers, pencils, small toys that kind of thing.

We also have a child free shopping day in early December.

I also use amazon wish lists, you can add items from any website, it's easy to add something when you see it or it gets mentioned before you forget.

The bit that drives me mad is family members asking what dd wants, especially as she has a december birthday, that's the more difficult list. Now she's getting a bit older people seem happier to get her a book shop voucher which helps.

I have a list I start just after xmas, where I write down each person's name under birthdays and xmas presents, I sometimes write ideas of what I would like to get them and a rough budget amount, and as I buy I write down what I've bought them and the cost. This stops me buying twice or getting carried away.

DS is very solid in his likes and dislikes and therefore safe to buy for.
I've decided to buy him less 'stuff' next year though and more 'experiences' so things like vouchers for cinema, bowling, soft play, etc. What I'd bought him was very restrained but then when you added all his other relatives presents to him the pile was massive and I had no where to put things!

I have an excel spreadsheet, that tracks everyone, what the budget is, what I've already bought for them (or made - including buying raw materials) and how much I've spent (with how much I can still spend on other bits to stay under budget). And keep track of what I've bought them year to year (so that I don't give my sister a very similar necklace 2 Christmases apart again).

Every year, I just create a new worksheet, copy last year's over, and wipe out the actual pressies bought and money spent, to start again with the same basic budget per person. And then start putting in ideas for what to get them.

This year, I have already identified that SIL will need household stuff (they're building their 1st house and should be in late summer), and that my Bro overseas will need something fun to take his mind off upcoming wedding and currently seriously ill future IL's). And it means I have a baseline budget to save towards.

I got a lot of books in the post-Christmas sales this year for the kids, and a cookie jar and 2 nice plates that I will use as the base for HM cookies and sweets for grownups. Otherwise, not a lot bought yet.

But the Jan sales, and especially the summer sales, are rich hunting grounds. One year, I got 1 sis and SIL 2 Benetton handbags which were 75% off, but very funky and "them", which were in my budget (in fact, saved me a little), but looked fab and they loved them too.

Now though, I have to wait on buying my siblings anything really until early autumn, as we now do a KK between us and tend to draw names in Aug/Sept (if I can get them then) or Hallowe'en.

thank you everybody. have been busy shopping and planning since my opening post. DS2 will be 1 in November so hes sorted for his 1st birthday & 1st Christmas. Got him age appropriate toys for 12month plus, very happy with what ive got him.

Still no further along the list for DS1 who had his 3rd birthday at the start of march (he had his bike for his 3rd birthday due to a growth spurt) so have learnt that lesson!

Everything is now in a black book that is in my bang & also on the computer. Both my sisters still live at home so i normally by my 21 year old sister things for her bedroom & my 17 year old sister cds etc. However my 21 year old sister now cannot fit anything else in there & my 17year old sister is off to university in september so am just thinking topshop vouchers? Or do vouchers say 'couldn't be bothered, you pick something'? Its just they both don't need anything. Thanks x

Uni means using up lots of paper and pens etc, and books are expensive too, as well as probably large photocopying bills for library stuff. So you could get a few of the "project" type notepads anytime you see them (especially around back to school time) - they have 5 or 10 dividers in it, so she could split up her notes by subject easily (I find them great for both college and work purposes). Sticky notes for marking pages for revising, coloured paper for putting notes around the walls at revision time, pack of nice pens (few colours can be handy to highlight important things in notes, especially some like pink, green, orange, purple etc as well as plain blue/black/red for general notes) and some highlighter markers....

Perhaps?

I've saved with Park Hampers this year I have £1000.00 love to shop vouchers,
£200.00 Amazon vouchers
£100.00 M&S vouchers

The Love to shop vouchers covers most shops so I will prob get

Mil a set of somekind from Boots, Benefit/No7/Oil of Olay or somekind of nice set.
FIL same, a nice set of nice aftershave/bodywash or I was thinking of a nice cashmere jumper from John Lewis (also from the vouchers)
Mums husband something like a nice jumper from John Lewis (with the vouchers)
Mum, dunno yet
An Xbox game from Argos for the nephew (from the vouchers)
Something pre agreed with sister from Argos for other 2 nephews (again vouchers)

Christmas is pretty much paid for, I will use the M&S voucher for nice food and I'll prob have £500.00 left in vouchers and the £200.00 Amazon voucher. I want to spend these in the sales

The list will be finalised when the vouchers are due around end of November, but this is the kind of thing i'm looking at getting everyone.
I will write down the person, the gift and the shop I need to get it from and I will stick to it

In the past I haven't made a list, DS's have had LOADS and i'm still finding the odd gift set etc, in January at the back of the cupboard.

I plan to be very organised this year

My ds1 is easy to buy for - skylanders, Lego, wii games, books. Ds2 much harder as he just doesn't have any "interests".

Ds1 has already told me which Lego figures he still needs from Harry Potter and so I am starting to ebay for them.

I also look on the Facebook selling pages for items as I have grabbed a few bargains along the way.

I have decided on hampers for my 2 sisters....still unsure on what to put in them tho.

Both the DC are nearly finished now, just need fisher price cookie jar shape sorter for DS2 & 3 more things for DS1.

Will be starting to by the christmas eve hamper items next week x

I start looking in the new school year (although I have bought my Dad panto a panto ticket to come with us - wanting good seats meant booking early)
Then I just order slowly through Amazon etc. I do sometimes ask family if there's anything in particular they would like.

The children write a little wish list in Mid October. Late enough to mean they don't have much of a chance to change their minds, yet early enough to find and buy what they want (if it is within budget!)

I have an amazon wishlist that is my lifeline! Throughout the year if I see anything that might be good I add it to the list. We don't have a big family so not many to buy for. My DSCs are very easygoing and give us ideas later on so I wouldn't buy too far in advance for them. DS is easy as he's only 2, but DD is 5 now so starting to have her own very pink and princessy ugggggh ideas so I am leaving some room in the budget for December.

I do my lists in sept once the kids are back at school as I find thinking of pressy ideas is the hardest bit!
Then start picking bits up in oct and November wrapping as i buy, but I leave the kids last as they change their minds so leave them till start of advent and they have written to Santa.

Xmas puds and cake made around oct half term, cards early nov, so that come dec I can enjoy the build up.