We have a savings account for Christmas, but for various reasons it is fairly significantly smaller this year. Which means that once again we need to really plan, be creative, and scale down. And once again, while I would love to make more homemade gifts, I know that it's just not our reality right now. I keep a very tenuous balance, and I know myself well. I would dive headfirst into a dozen handmade Christmas projects, all excitement and enthusiasm.... then I would burn myself out and wind up frustrated, sad and stressed out, which totally defeats the purpose. I have one small idea that I might do, but otherwise I am buying my gifts and feeling good about it.
And in the past couple of weeks, I have made an excellent start! I found a too-good-to-pass up deal on a big present that will be shared by Everett and Tegan mostly, but is something that I suspect the older boys will play with as well. It is currently in the neighbors' garage, until we can figure out a better way to keep it safe and hidden away from curious eyes. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT! Last week, I found something that I know Spencer will love. I'd started looking a few weeks ago, and was more than a little dismayed to find out that it'd been discontinued, and wasn't available anywhere. Ebay to the rescue! Someone was selling one his daughter had gotten as a gift and never opened. I was the first and only bidder, and got it for less than half of its retail price of $80!
So two big things crossed off the list, and it's only mid September.
It won't be easy to stretch our budget as far as we need to stretch it, but I know that we can do it, and I'm excited at the prospect of creating another magical Christmas morning for our kids.
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