when do you start preparing for christmas?

[marjekas]

when do you start?

[stellajean66]

I actually buy Christmas gifts year round, and contest wins that I know someone would like, I put back from Christmas. Yesterday I won a 2 GB Apple Ipod, worth $150 that I am putting back to give to my son for Christmas!!!

[Amayesing]

I try to shop all year long buttttttttttttt. I have a new granddaughter and this year it's so hard not to just buy stuff for her and send it to her

[BuddyBeanieBaby]

I shop all year long too...But this year I am starting the decorating inside and outside at the end of November just so I can enjoy it all until January...

[trainlady]

I too, shop year round. I watch for things on sale that I think my family would really like. We have a very small budget so trying to find good deals helps!
I am about 3/4 done.

hugs, train

[barbszy]

Connie, I am always so impressed with your contest wins!

I chose "after Halloween." I'd like to work farther ahead than that but it never happens!

As far as decorating, we never start that until the first Sunday of Advent (usually the Sunday following Thanksgiving but this year it will be December 2.)

[mommytimes3]

I shop lightly all year round--problem with that is that I forget what I have purchased, and sometimes evening up with 3 kids can get dicey!!
We do the majortity of shopping after Halloween, but we do after Christmas sales as well--normally to be used as birthday gifts though!

mandi

[Bunny]

I start after Christmas and Get one or two things at a time as with all my GC but this year its only going to be for the children not the adults as we are on a very limited income and for the adults I am making candy,cookies and Jelly and am making a lot of blankets and other thing even for the kids.

[RobertaD]

I pick up things all year that I find on sale and have been ordering from Points & Prizes all year with people in mind for Christmas.

Will pull out my box pretty soon and make a list of who I already have for and who needs more so I can finish up before Thanksgiving.

Roberta

[Joy]

I am with you Barb, I have plans to shop earlier, but it just doesn't seem to happen.
I kind of like last min. shopping (as long as I am not looking for something special).
Decorating is another story. I usually have my side of the family for an early Thanksgiving dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving. We try to clean extra good for this so that the day after Thenaksgiving we can put all of the fall decorations away and get the Christmas ones out. I never use to start until the 1st of Dec, but now that I am working it works out better for me this way.