This year we will
1. Only send card to people that send to us first.
2. Not taking part in any gift exchanges
3. No "real" garland/wreaths
4. No outdoor christmas lights and only on our tree inside.
5. We are giving only homemade gifts to our children (except for ONE store bought from Santa) ,each other, and the children's grandparents.
6. Only the people listed above will be getting a gift from us.
7. For birthdays throughout the year we will only be giving to imediate family adn less that $5 each.
8. We are staying home Christmas Eve and Day and inviting family to come to us instead of us doing all the driving around. (This will save over $100 is gas alone. Not to mention having to buy for all the little kids at the parties, since everyone is still expected to buy for the kids that come)
9.The HARDEST one for me will be limiting our charitable gifts. Usually we help many families throughout the holidays, including adopting families from our local food pantry project and provide all the food and gifts for their entire family. This year I got my Mom in on it and we did an extra family instead of exchanging gifts to each other.) Anyway....This year I will be choosing one child of an angel tree and will collect for that child during the year with either a boy or girl in mind of a certain age. There are so many it wont be hard to match up with one.

Hmmmm.....I think that is about it.

Last year I started saving for Christmas in June, this year, I'm starting NOW...even if it's only $10 a week....I will not touch the credit cards for Christma gifts! It felt SO GOOD not to use them for gifts this year, I want to repeat that feeling!

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i already have two gifts for next years christmas!! at the tune of 5.25 for both of them i got a great deal...we will be taking 500.00 of our tax return and putting it in the credit unions christmas club and we will try to add to it thru out the year...that way we won't touch it (it is not our primary bank so we don't go there often anyway..) i already have 50 bucks on a visa gift card for those unexpected clearance items that i could use for gifts for next year. so we should be in good shape.

When I'd go to target, or Old Navy, or the mall, I'd spend an extra $20, and ask for a gift card - that way, it wasn't cash in my wallet that I'd spend, and I then used the cards to buy gifts at Xmas. You could I suppose just give the actual gift cards as presents.

We spent approx 4K for the holiday season, (big extended family, party, food, clothing) luckily, none of it went on credit cards. However, my mother in law thought that the $250 I'd spent on my two kids was way too generous, so I've been "chewing" that over.

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Julie
Maryland SAHM to 2 Toddlers - 26 months & 16 months old!

I've already started finding things for Christmas 2007. I bought a few things at 90% off at Target and am keeping a list of who and what. I'm also going to try to make as much as I possibly can. I am going to crochet an afghan for my neices and maybe more if I can get them done in time. I'm also going to do gift baskets for just about everyone else, even the guys. I've found a few cheap (priced,not quality) little things and I'll be signing up for freebies ALL Year long to help fill them up. Can't beat free!

This is a pretty good idea. I never thought of it. I have a spending account too, some of it definitely has to go to help with the dental/medical payments I'll have to make this year, but I could probably swing a little bit out of my pocket and save that amount for Christmas time.. Good idea!

I put back $25 a pay into an online savings account. That way it is much harder to get to and it has higher interest rates. I also try to buy throughout the year if there is a really good deal. I did not go all out this year, I only put a little bit on my cc and the rest I paid for up front. What a relief to be able to do that!

Hopefully, next year, I will be able to do the same thing.

I also collect Air Miles points. Even HBC (from Zellers) points. I used up my HBC points this year due to 2 birthday gifts I needed to buy. It does help.

Like most people have said. I search for after xmas deals. Just after xmas I found some cloth placemats and some baskets on sale. I will put that together with candle holders and candles and maybe add a little something extra and wrap that all up in cellophane paper.

I made some gifts-in-a-jar (cookies mixes and hot chocolate) last xmas (2006). Hopefully they will be used. I plan on doing that again for 2007 and also make some picture frames. I bought the frames, I just need to stain and decorate them.

that's a good idea. i'm going to take some and stash it away.

I put all my coupon savings into a jar in my kitchen. Last year, we used a bunch of the take 25 off for spending whatever amount it was at Penneys (dressy work clothes for DH), and at New York and Co. I used a 25 coupon too. I put all that, grocery coupon money, oil change coupon money, etc in my jar. I usually wind up somewhere between $600-1000. We do occasionally use it for vacation, but I mostly put it toward Christmas.

I cut way back on all the kids. We have a big family, they get so much from everyone.

Actually on my side we are thinking of no gifts and taking a family trip. We're working on that now.

For the kids I'm budgeting $100 for each child, which equals putting $34 a month into a savings account for Christmas.

For gifts for extended family dh and I use the Reward Points on the CC for gift cards.