2013 Christmas AA Club

[Connie106]

Bought two packages of Martha Stewart 6-packs of red & white striped cardboard loaf pans (complete with cellophane bags, ribbon & tags) for baking I will give away next Christmas. It worked out to $6 for the whole works -- 70% off. I also bought a variety of fancy Christmas sprinkles (Wilton) for my own use and for stocking stuffers. They were 70% off as well. I would never spend $30 on sprinkles but $9 works for me! Last, and most certainly not least, I bought a set of 40 driver bits for my son's stocking....regular $55 on sale for $10. I dread doing his stocking....a 20 year old male is impossible to buy for....so I am happy to have an early start and may end up doing a "tool basics" themed stocking for him.

Hi Dianne,

SDM always has a chocolate "tool kit" on sale around Easter ... we bought some last year after Easter for $1.99. I know its early ...

[bgheuchert]

My family and I are doing what we can to buy organically, so this year I will be on the hunt for Organic Chocolate and treats at really good prices, I don't want my kids to feel like they didn't get fun treats at special times of the year. Keep your eyes open for me peeps!

Something I have been pondering and starting TODAY for Christmas Next year is growing Avacodo plants and Lemon or other Citrus trees as gifts. We eat a lot of avacodoes and in the past the kids and I did grow an avacodo plant for fun, it was cute! I know that you can grow lemon and other citrus trees from the seeds in the fruit you buy too, yes they will always be indoor plants but I think a nice well established Avacodo plant or Citrus Tree would make a pretty good gift. I have some seeds that I have saved in the week and am starting the avacodo plants today. One for my grandma, one for my mom and step father, one for my grandmother in law, one for my aunt in law, and one for myself We are all plant lovers so I think they will be a well received gift. I haven't grown the citrus before so it will be a good science experment with the kids, and if they work out they will be great gifts too! Buy the time the fall rolls around I will be able to pick out some great pots to transplant them into when all the gardening stuff goes on clearance.

Oh, and if anyone wants to join me with this, don't waste your time with hanging the seed with toothpicks over water. Just clean the seed, wrap it in a damp paper towel, and put it in a zip lock. Put that in the cupboard and in 10 days ish you should be good to go, it will have a nice root

[PurpleBunny89]

My family and I are doing what we can to buy organically, so this year I will be on the hunt for Organic Chocolate and treats at really good prices, I don't want my kids to feel like they didn't get fun treats at special times of the year. Keep your eyes open for me peeps!

Something I have been pondering and starting TODAY for Christmas Next year is growing Avacodo plants and Lemon or other Citrus trees as gifts. We eat a lot of avacodoes and in the past the kids and I did grow an avacodo plant for fun, it was cute! I know that you can grow lemon and other citrus trees from the seeds in the fruit you buy too, yes they will always be indoor plants but I think a nice well established Avacodo plant or Citrus Tree would make a pretty good gift. I have some seeds that I have saved in the week and am starting the avacodo plants today. One for my grandma, one for my mom and step father, one for my grandmother in law, one for my aunt in law, and one for myself We are all plant lovers so I think they will be a well received gift. I haven't grown the citrus before so it will be a good science experment with the kids, and if they work out they will be great gifts too! Buy the time the fall rolls around I will be able to pick out some great pots to transplant them into when all the gardening stuff goes on clearance.

Oh, and if anyone wants to join me with this, don't waste your time with hanging the seed with toothpicks over water. Just clean the seed, wrap it in a damp paper towel, and put it in a zip lock. Put that in the cupboard and in 10 days ish you should be good to go, it will have a nice root

And this is why I suck at plants. Nevermind the fact that I forget to water them all the time but I would of assumed you just stick the seed in some dirt, guess I was wrong!

Anyways, I figured you guys would be happy (sarcasm) to know that I put away all of our christmas decorations and one of our trees yesterday The other one still has to be transported to Moms basement eventually.

[dreamcatcher1962]

I bought my first 2013 Christmas gift today for my niece's little girl.
WM had Pictureeka marked down from $19.96 to $10 and I used my $5 Hasbro coupon and paid $5 plus tax

[avrose]

I picked up a few good clearance deals yesterday, a sparkly garland wreath for $1.74, wrapping paper for 50c, colouring books for 25c, too bad I only had $10 on me! Lol

[dreamcatcher1962]

Every year dh gives his staff gift baskets at Christmas.
Yesterday I bought 24 lovely Christmas Stockings to use for Christmas 2013 and we will fill them with an assortment of items.
The regular price of the stockings was around $150. I paid $40

I was also able to pick up an Elmo Play and Learn Playdough game (Hasbro) on clearance for $5 and got it for Free with my last $5 Hasbro Coupon.
Since I wasn't sure if the coupon applied to this toy or not, I had the cashier check with a supervisor first and was told it was fine That's one more Christmas gift done !

[jasperandchar]

Went to WM on Thursday (yesterday) purchase 2x 4 foot lighted trees with a lighted bases reg. $44.99 on for $11.24 for next year, went back to WM today and purchased a 6 ft tree reg. $148. on for $37.00 yesterday it was $39.00 weird anyways my inlaws purchased this tree in Nov. at reg. price (suckers - lol) and dh fell in love with it (me not so much because I don't like colored lights at all - I PREFER THE WHITE LIGHTS, just my preference, so next year we will put up both tree DH does not know this yet (his & hers). Also picked up 2x cardboard cookie boxes reg. $1.00 on for 1/2 = .50 for next years dessert exchange or home made gifts for friends, family, etc. And then I seen this insulated tumblers with the hard plastic straw with a snow-globe in them on for 1/2 price $2.46 so purchased 2 for my boys for their stockings and then......
went to GT no sale but the kids absolutely loved them this year in their stockings so I picked up 2 for each boy for next years, they are sock with grippies but they look like knitted socks so cute at $2.00 each they are well worth it.

Hoping to have next years stocking all done by the time this years Christmas clearances are over.....next week is my goal.

Nancy

[Granger]

As I am an Ontario teacher on mat. leave, I arranged child care for my peanuts so I could go support my colleagues protesting today (if you have not heard, the Labour Board ordered the teachers back to work deeming the protest an illegal strike and the union complied). Like many, I now had child care without reason...I went pleasure shopping. I took an hour and browsed...really browsed. It was sooooooo nice.

I went to my local IDA and GT.

Purchased 6 gift books (small Christmas bathroom readers) as hostess gifts for 50 cents each
2 board books for my girls' stockings for $1 each
6 Winnie the Pooh learning books for kids gifts for $1 each
2 Cadbury Eggs...bock bock bock bock bock...lol...I couldn't resist the fondant is runny and yummy when they first come out.

As I put my Christmas gift list on the computer this past year, when I got home and while my MIL was playing with the girls, I edited my list and put in the gifts I have already bought. My money saving goals were to downsize # gifts purchased, which I did buy using the delete button, and by having my list ready early, I won't store away gifts and forget about them or buy in excess for ppl for whom I already have gifts.

My gifts are stored in labelled tubs marked: Kids, Books, Other. I like to buy books as gifts because they can be passed along and there seems to be less guilt in doing so for people. I am a huge supporter of recycle, reduce, reuse, regift, repurpose new or gently used. Not only is it economical, it is environmentally friendly.

[MrsSunshine]

i got quite lucky at GT this morning.. they had their stocking holders for fireplaces for $2. SO cute an ornament and a tree. chocolate truffles for $.75..

[bgheuchert]

If I can find the picture I will post it. We are always looking for pretty amd delish ways to present Veggies during the holidays, found a great idea for a Veggie Tree. Use a styrofoam cone, tooth picks, and brocolli to make an evergreen xmas tree. Use other random toothpicked veggies to fill in gaps and make veggie"decor" on the tree. Strips of yellow read or orange peppers for garland for example, cherry tomatoes as ornaments.....so cute amd delish!

[MrsSunshine]

i think i saw that on Pinterest.

[bekki3]

So I make homemade soap, and right now I am cooking up my first laundry bar batch

Would love to see & hear how they turn out.

THANKS!!!!

[Granger]

My SIL did a fruit tree of similar sorts. It looked great.

[bgheuchert]

Would love to see & hear how they turn out.

THANKS!!!!

Sorry it's all sideways....

So basically it's a "loaf" of soap, just plain old creamy white, and it works really well as a stain remover or to make into homemade detergent, I use 2 1/2 TBSPs for my washer because it is "Extra Large Capacity". Haven't had a complaint yet! Think I will package some for Next Christmas, will make it in the summer though and package in the fall.

[Granger]

Thread CPR. It's been a month, we are over boxing day sales of January, taken most of February to forget and celebrate love, time for more Christmas. lol.

Check out a list of $2 gift ideas with tags at this blog: It is a quick click and read, I promise.

http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot....s-under-2.html