Where Did I Put Those Presents?

It's in the genes. I thought I would never become my mother but it's happened. I start shopping for Christmas. . .well, right after Christmas. Usually those are for the big kids--novelty gifts that I wouldn't spend the money on but are fun to see them receive.

Around September my mother would hand my kids catalogs and tell them to circle what they wanted for Christmas. I try not to do that with my grandchildren. I remember that most everything in the catalogs got circled. While I don't often start out to shop that early, if I do happen to see something that catches my fancy for a gift, I purchase it.

I've also been known to buy something while traveling. Books are a great find when you go to unusual places. Often there are books there by local authors you don't normally see in bookstore chain stores. This year, I found a book on whales in Hawaii that has Japanese as well as English text for our bilingual granddaughter. (Shhh. Don't tell.)

The problem I have had in the past though is remembering that I bought the gift and/or remembering where I stashed it. I've solved that with my little pocket-sized notebook. Each year I start a section of a notebook and list all the names, one family to a page. I then carry that with me or keep it handy at my desk for writing down what I've purchased. I have designated a special place at home where I stash the gifts (I'd tell you where but then I'd have to. . .well, you know). I now have a record of what is purchased and when it's time to wrap, all of the gifts are in one place.

Am I the only one who's had this problem? By the way, the adult Sunday school class I used to teach thought this was so funny that they purchased a lifetime supply of little pocket-sized notebooks for me!

I'm Making a List and Checking it Twice by Trish Berg

I truly think Santa had it right with the list making thing. I started years ago, making a Christmas gift buying list. I do it in Excel, with each person I am buying for in the left hand column, and then start with each cell to the right with ideas for gifts for them, and if I can, prices in the next column over.

I can then add the price column total at the bottom and see where I am spending wise. Then I can go back up and adjust my shopping list as needed to make sure that I stay within my budget.

And when a gift is bought then I check it off, and subtract it from what I have spent, so I know what I have left yet to spend.

Christmas shopping can truly get out of hand if you are not careful. We convince ourselves that this gift will make that person happy, and in turn, make us feel good about ourselves. When the reality is that over-spening on Christmas will only create self-absorbed and self centered children, and a feeling of disappointment when otherts don't react how we want them to when they open their gift.

For example, one Christmas about 15 years back, I was working way too hard to make my sisters-in-law like me. My husband, Mike, was an only son with 3 sisters, and I thought I could buy my way into their friendship circle. Sounds stupid now, but hey, I was desperate back then.

So, at a local craft show, I bought my sister-in-law, Lisa, the most beautiful and extremely expensive Christmas gift. It was a snowman pitcher with 6 matching mugs. It was ceramic, hand crafted, and gorgeous. It was the kind of gift set I would have loved to have had myself.

It cost well over $80, and we were only supposed to spend $30-40. Yep, overspent to try to find joy and friendship.

So, Christmas Eve, my grandmother-in-law handed out her gifts to everyone, and she gave Lisa this antique Santa ceramic pitcher set with matching mugs that Lisa had grown up with. Kind of like a piece of her childhood.

Now, Grandma had no idea that I had made that purchase, or that I was giving Lisa a snowman pitcher and mug set. So, as Lisa oood and cooed over the Santa set, my heart broke.

I went home and cried for hours. Wasted tears, you see. I set myself up for failure in overspending. Over reaching.

Christmas morning, I did give Lisa the snowman set, and she thanked me. I think she liked it, but it was most certainly not magical. And it did not buy her friendship.

Lisa and I have become friends because we have taken the time to get to know each other, not because of any gift we bought one another.If I had only known or realized that back then, I could have saved the $80, or graced my own counter with the snowman pitcher set.

So, as you begin your Christmas shopping, don't look for gifts to fill the holes in your life. Give gifts that are well within your budget that will make people smile. But don;t seek joy there. Simply give out of love, and let that be that.

Seek your joy in the baby in the manger. In the gift that was given to us all and the everlasting life we have in Christ.

And make lists. Stick to them, and know that 5 years form now, you probably won;t remember the gifts you gave or received. But you will remember who you spent time with.

Enjoy the journey-Trish Berg
www.TrishBerg.com

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

Whether you've watched The Christmas Story or not, you'll recognize that phrase in its relationship to a BB gun. I love watching the DVD of the movie, The Christmas Story (followed closely by Lampoon's Christmas Vacation). It reminds me of the Christmas my brother got his BB gun and yes, the caution every time he took it outside was, "Be careful you don't shoot an eye out!"

The movie was filmed in Cleveland and used the old Higbee building that now stands fairly empty except for some offices, I believe. It was a big deal to get dressed up and go shopping, see Santa, and then have lunch at the Silver Grille. For dessert, there was always a scoop of ice cream with chocolate syrup and whipped cream topped with a cherry and decorated with a paper parasol. Even at an early age I was intrigued by mysteries. When you took the parasol apart, there was Chinese writing on the paper that was made into a roll that slid up and down to open the parasol. I imagined it was secret code.

Suburban malls have taken the place of that Christmas shopping experience where the lights of the city, the window decorations and that special lunch were something that made memories.

What movies spark childhood memories for you?

(If you go to this site and scroll down a bit you can see a picture of Higbee's at Christmas in 1952. I would have been five, dressed in something velveteen, with little white gloves, if I remember my mother's tastes. Okay, do the math--I'm old.)

Think Outside the Gift Bag

Since I love helping moms simplify motherhood, saving money is a part of my everyday life. And, as a stay-at-home-mom, I have had to get creative when it comes to Christmas shopping.

I have learned a few lessons over the years.

Lesson #1 DO SOMETHING

Kids will remember memories much more than gifts.
-DO you really remember what you received for Christmas when you were 8? Probably not. But you might remember a trip you took with your family. So one year, we cut the clutter of gifts in half, and took the kids on a fantastic train ride in December. We told them the train ride was a part of Christmas, and they were great with that. And now they have a neat memory to share.

Lesson #2 BUY USED

Kids don't need everything new under the tree. My sister-in-law was married last year, and she and her husband are selling a bunch of things they had double of, like a very nice digital camera...for $50. So we are buying that for Hannah for Christmas . Shhhh...don't tell her. Be sure to check out garage sales, used clothing stores, even Goodwill. I once found a beautiful cashmere sweater for Sydney at Goodwill for $3. Yep, that was a find.

Lesson #3 WRAP EVERYTHING INDIVIDUALLY

My kids love coming downstairs and seeing the gifts all wrapped in piles under the tree Christmas morning. And since we open one gift at a time, one person at a time, we can enjoy each one. So, I wrap everything separately. If I buy several books for my child, I would place each book in a larger box, cover it with tissue paper, and wrap it up. I wrap each shirt, or pair of pants separately. The kids simply love the excitement of opening the gifts.

Lesson #4 BUY AFTER CHRISTMAS

I know it's too late for this year, but buy all your wrapping paper, ribbons and bows AFTER Christmas has passed. You can find rolls of wrapping paper for under $1, and tons of bargains you can put away for next year.

Lesson #5 SIMPLIFY

Most of all, keep life simple during the holidays. Don't eat out when you go shopping, that wastes money. Eat and then go. Make homemade gifts when you can, like Cookies in a jar, and just relax. Your kids don't want a stressed out mom. They want mom - happy and content. And your attitude reflects through the entire family. Simplify what you can, relax and enjoy the time with your family.

Enjoy the journey-Trish
Psalm 118:24
www.TrishBerg.com

Hooked on Chocolate--Godiva Chocolate

I'm not much of an online shopper--for that matter, I'm a disgrace to my gender regarding shopping. Even when we are traveling, I don't spend much time in souvenir shops or those "bargain outlets" you find in the Caribbean. I do have a favorite story however about being on the receiving end of an online gift.

My husband had a company he did business with that always sent us a gift at Christmas. One year they chose to send Godiva chocolate. Unfortunately, when the box arrived, we opened it to find that many of the candies had been crushed. Trust me, it did not hurt the taste one bit. I had never had such an indulgence before and after the first taste, I was hooked.

Knowing that the company had probably spent a great deal on the gift, Bob called the sales rep and told them the condition of the chocolates when they arrived. The company called Godiva and complained and a week later we received a second box--beautifully intact and scrumptiously delicious! Now I'm addicted and worse yet, there's a Godiva chocolate store in our mall that I have to pass--well, it usually calls my name and I indulge. Can't let those fresh chocolate covered strawberries go to waste.

Do you have a good chocolate story?

Swings and Things - Online Must Have Gifts - By Trish Berg

I love Christmas shopping, walking around the stores, seeing the neat decorations and enjoying the atmosphere. But with online shopping becoming more and more a part of our lives, I have also learned my way around cyber space.

The best gifts to buy online are the gifts that are specific. Like when my daughter asks for a pink unicorn Webkinz toy, or a specific song from a specific singer on a specific CD. As much as I enjoy Christmas shopping, I do NOT enjoy going from store to store, wasting gas, and losing my temper as I go in search of something that specific.

Those are the times when shopping online becomes your best option. Simply Google the gift, and voila, options. With just a click, you can search a variety of stores without spending an money on gas.

This summer, I have spent a little bit of time shopping online, and wanted to share a couple of neat gifts you can get for your children, or gift exchanges.



THE BEST TOTE BAG EVER

First of all, my almost-thirteen (thinks-she's-fifteen) daughter, Hannah wanted a tote bag from Ron Jon Surf Shop. My mother-in-law had been on a vacation in Florida a few years back, and had purchased one for me as a gift. I love the bag. I keep my cross stitching in that bag, and all the books I am reading. I toss my camera in there, and it is perfect for small trips.




It's cute. It's the perfect size, and it has lasted very well over the years.



The problem is, Hannah wants it. Yep she wants MY BAG!!!!

So, as her fall birthday approaches, my mother-in-law asked her what she wanted, and she said a bag like mine.


(2 Ron Jon Tote Bags pictured at right)



Well, we do not live near the beach here in Ohio, and Ron Jon Surf Shops are located near beaches on the coasts.

So I went online, and found the perfect bag for her. With a quick click, voila. Shopping is done.

Check out Ron Jon Surf Shop at http://www.ronjons.com/


TREE SWING FANTASY


The other online shopping I have done is to find a wooden seat, old fashioned tree swing for my daughter, Sydney's birthday. Though, this would also make a fantastic Christmas gift for kids and adults.




There is something romantic about a nice big tree swing you can sit on in your front yard.



I started by searching online for tree swings, then wooden tree swings. And though I did find some that were exactly what I was looking for, they were, well, NOT CHEAP!


The cheapest one was about $70 plus shipping. For a wooden seat and a rope????

They were beautiful, and well worth the money, but I just can't see spending that much on a tree swing. One place that had beautiful tree swings was "Breezy Wooden Swings" at http://www.breezyswings.com/


But, being cheap, I did what any mom would do - got creative.


I found the dimensions of the seat and called my local lumber store. I asked them what they would charge to cut a piece of pre-treated lumber in the dimensions of the swing seat, round the corners, and put 4 holes (1 in each corner) about 1 inch in. The holes needed to be 5/8 inch so I could get a very sturdy rope.


The bill? About $5-$10 for the swing seat.


I can stain it myself, and am going to a local hardware store to purchase the rope. I will look up online how to tie the rope through the swing and hang it on the tree.


My total cost? Less than $20.

So, as great as online shopping can be, you need to know what things are worth, and what you are willing to pay for an item, plus shipping.

And sometimes, you can simply get the dimensions or directions for a gift online, and make it yourself.



For directions to make your own wooden tree swing, check out DIY here.

ONLINE SHOPPING


Online shopping is about more than buying gifts. Its about having options, getting information and simplifying your life.

And if you use it wisely, it can do just that.

Whether you are shopping for the perfect tote bag or the romance of a wooden tree swing, you can find it online.


I'd love to hear your online shopping stories. What was the best online gift you found? Or what did you find online that you ended up making yourself?

Let's talk online shopping this week, and since it's only July, we have tons of shopping days until Christmas.



As always, enjoy the journey, Trish
Psalm 118:24