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How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

How We’re Doing Christmas Shopping In The ‘Burbs This Year

in Everyday on 12/05/16

happymonday

Have you ever stopped and thought about the staggering number of special people in your life.  People that have touched your life, the life of your children, who make your day to day living just a little bit sweeter.  We are blessed.  When Christmas rolls around, you may find yourself counting them again.  Why?  It’s time to figure out who you need to buy Christmas gift for?

From teachers, to coaches, your hairstylist to the babysitter, the crossing guard at school, bosses and secretaries, all the way to the garbage man and Fed Ex delivery guy there are so many people you want to acknowledge at this time of year and it seems this list grows at a staggering rate.  So how do you go about making sure all the people who have touched your life in big ways and small know they are appreciated?  How do you check them off your Christmas list without going insane or breaking the bank?  I’ve seen a number of different approaches to tackling the “non-family list”.

  1. You can spend hours running through the malls in a panic trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on that list.  Personalizing every single gift to perfection and praying you didn’t forget anyone.
  2. Get your bake on whipping up homemade gifts for all (and then hope half of that home made goodness doesn’t end up in the trash?)  Hint:  It does.  Do you really thing Teachers can eat 30 gifts of homemade fudge?
  3. Just do cards.
  4. Be a Scrooge and acknowledge no one!  (like I could ever do that)

I’m afraid after all these years of making this crazy Christmas shop, panicking that I may have left someone out, and spending more money than I are to admit.  I’m over it.  And dare I say, I’m not sure some of those gifts I sweated about were even appreciated?  So this year, my plan is this.  KISS.  Keep it simple stupid.  Yup, it’s time to simplify baby.  My list of special people in my life is going to fall into one of two categories.

One:  Starbucks Gift Cards with handwritten thank you card.

Two:  LCBO Gift Card with handwritten thank you card.

Coffee or booze? If this is wrong I don’t want to be right.

All gifts will be purchased, “wrapped” and ready to go with two stops.

Fa lala la lala la.  Merry Christmas and Ho Ho Ho.  This is how we are doing Christmas shopping in the suburbs this year.

 

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    Comments

    1. kathy downey says

      November 30, 2017 at 11:01 am

      Wine with get my through

    2. kathy downey says

      November 28, 2017 at 9:06 am

      I love showing the people in my life that they are appreciated!

    3. Josie Tusa says

      October 19, 2017 at 10:44 pm

      Great tips and advice! Who doesn’t love coffee and/or booze right?

    4. Debbie White Beattie says

      March 25, 2017 at 11:26 pm

      You’ve got a great idea going and the thing I do is visit our local nut shop (not the psych ward) but in my area we have a place called Picard’s Peanuts and they have all kinds of gift boxes with different combinations of nuts and chocolate. For me it’s a great way to give holiday gifts.

    5. kathy downey says

      January 22, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      This year i started something new and made gifts for my family and friends such as cakes and bottled jellies and jams and they were a huge hit.

    6. Melinda Jana says

      December 23, 2016 at 6:41 pm

      sounds like the perfect gifts to me! this year, I found a local preserve and hot sauce store, so everyone gets goodies from there

    7. Sara Lima says

      December 21, 2016 at 4:14 pm

      I mean – you got it.

      Coffee for those harried mornings.

      Something stronger for end of those harried days!

      Put your hands together for the REALLY special people, and make fancy coffee! 🙂

      Way less wrapping, too. Very environmentally friendly.

    8. Krista M says

      December 20, 2016 at 1:50 pm

      Simplifying Christmas like this is the way to go to reduce all that holiday stress! No sense running around panicking trying to find a ton of different gifts.

    9. Anne Taylor says

      December 15, 2016 at 5:26 pm

      lol it is difficult to pass up coffee and booze! Great post!

    10. Julie says

      December 13, 2016 at 9:21 am

      Makes a great gift and the added benefit of keeping you sane, win win I’d say!

    11. Kelly says

      December 13, 2016 at 12:02 am

      Love it! KISS with coffee and booze. My kind of thinking!

    12. Michelle says

      December 12, 2016 at 2:36 pm

      Great tips – it makes people happy to know they are appreciated!

    13. nicolthepickle says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:16 am

      I have visions of teachers and bucket loads of terrible homemade fudge.
      I love baking and homemade presents, but some people don’t need it.

    14. maryd says

      December 7, 2016 at 8:04 pm

      Both are lovely, aren’t they?

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    Travel addict, sun seeker, coffee drinker, fashion lover, picture taker. This is a peek behind the closed and competitive doors of the suburbs. A place to come to learn about the best places to travel with your kids in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and beyond! stephanie@sassymodernmom.com
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