[kellydid]

I too know how you feel. We lost my mother and my father-in-law in the same year and that first Christmas without them was so hard. I did a very stupid thing. I tried to do everything that my mother had done and of course I couldn't do it all. So after that, we made other traditions but incorporated the ones that they both loved and that has worked out great.

I also have a teenage nephew to buy for and I usually give him a gift certificate for gas for his car, movies, magazine subscription, or I will just give him a card with money in it. These games that he wants for the computer and x-boxes are just too expensive.

I try to get started on shopping early, but I'm getting a late start this year.