Christmas Shopping

After being talked into going to Tanger Mall (an outdoor strip mall type place, not a real, indoors mall) in the freezing cold at midnight on Thanksgiving Day with a bum foot and a bad cough, I have actually completed the vast majority of my shopping. I didn't know how it would go, but I had a really good time and enjoyed the company of a friend and my brother.

Granted, like everyone else, we are having to cut back this year (even though our typical holidays look scaled back from what I see around me) so I was looking for a few really good sales to help provide the filler items for my boys.

Most of the stores were running wonderful sales, 50% off, and the like. I did pick up some nice clothes with "labels" that weren't any more expensive (maybe a little less so) than if I had picked them up on sale at Wally World, so that was good. I even came in under my budgeted amount, although I was picky in order to achieve that.

I had already shopped for many of our items back in October when our local "Sock Shoppe," which is a Griffin, GA icon, had a warehouse sale. I got really good quality pot holders, dish towels, etc. to put in food baskets for most of my family gifts. I'll fill in around with pear preserves and pear butter that I made with free pears earlier this year. I also have cranberries and more pears put aside for a lovely cranberry relish that always gets raves.

I will likely give a jar of preserves to my kids' teachers also.

For our parents, I got a great deal on a gown for my mom (and hubby's aunt) and fleece lounge pants that feel heavenly for both fathers. With so many of us cutting the heat back, they should feel really cozy.

Hubby finally told me what he would like, a cd collection of bird songs that he can download into an mp3 player for when he is out birdwatching. So, that will be easy enough.

Now, there is a book I would like to get my Dad and some slippers for my Mom, but that is it for the adults.

I only have to find something for each of the boys that says, "Wow!" I also need a good gift for my brother (20 and in college).

All in all, a frugal season for us. I feel accomplished and we're incurring no debt whatsoever. I'm feeling "merrier" already!