[HomeschoolMomma]

Anyone else get "egg-timers" this year? Or just a box of chocolate covered cherries?

And are all of you extremely thankful for them as well?

[ventana]

Bless you in the year to come and at this Holy season. V’s wife.

[ContraryMary]

I didn't get an "egg timer", but we didn't spend as much this year as we usually do. I'm getting laid off in a few months and we're trying to save as much as we can. Job hunting will be tough.

Still, we had a good Christmas; we just didn't go crazy as we've done for some Christmases past.

[albie]

“Anyone else get “egg-timers” this year? Or just a box of chocolate covered cherries?
And are all of you extremely thankful for them as well”?

...we’re grateful every year for everything we get! We had a nice Christmas that wasn’t overly lean. I anticipate that next year will be different. I’m in Real Estate. Everyone should read Glenn Beck’s “Christmas Sweater”. Both my kids are reading it and their Mom and I read it last week. An excellent lesson in the true meaning of giving, family and Christmas.

[Dallas59]

Lol...I got two T shirts...and I love em both...Grey and Blue. I got one of those boxes of cherrys from my Dad! Yum!



Merry Christmas!

[Allegra]

I got socks!

[Allegra]

Anyone else get "egg-timers" this year? Or just a box of chocolate covered cherries?

{AHEM!}

[mylife]

I would have given you a pair of scissors.
To cut up those credit cards.☺

Merry Christmas

[wombtotomb]

Pretty much the only thing my husband and I exchange every year is- I get him his budweiser collectible holiday mug, and he got me my hallmark rocking horse ornament until they stopped making them. Now he gets me the lennox annual snowman ornament.

During the first 15 years of our marriage he also bought me piece by piece, the lennox jewel nativity scene. This was a little easier for him than most as he worked by the Lennox warehouse in NJ, and they carried slightly imperfect pieces at a huge discount. I guess we were luckier than most.

The last 5 years its only been the mug and ornament (mostly cause we buy them early) cause by christmas there is no money left :). I LOVE those cherries btw!

[evets]

I gave firewood. (Hey. I cut it myself!)... Bush's fault.

[Hyzenthlay]

Yes and no... I’m not too sure whether my small number of gifts was due to hard times, or just people accidentally forgetting me again (I’m leaning towards the latter, as it’s happened multiple times before, and my siblings all got nice enough gifts). In any case, I’m as thankful as I ever was, but for me the gifts on Christmas morning aren’t a big part of Christmas, and the good part of the holidays is in our traditions, both official family traditions and unofficial personal ones.

[navygal]

I got to watch my kids faces light up when they got a toy they wanted. I am thankful for that and many other things as well.

[SLB]

You might try this web page for some advice: http://www.daveramsey.com/ Mrs SLB and I use a debit card, so no maxing out a credit card.

We had a decent Christmas, have a daughter getting married in two weeks and have the normal catastrophes that happen - the fuel pump went out on the Suburban on Christmas eve. However, we realize that Christmas comes on December 25th each year and that emergencies do happen. We live within our means all year, and yes we have food allergies that have to be taken into consideration. We have five children, and although they are older, they still like Christmas and the stocking stuffers mom and dad get for them. This year we did cut back some, but we also picked up Christmas for a sister-in-law who is trying to raise two grandchildren on her income.

What I am trying to tell you is BUDGET all year!

[BellStar]

I live in a Hurricane Ike devastated area. Many here do not even have homes and the business that they worked at are gone. Some have FEMA trailers that are parked in front of destroyed homes (the lucky ones). I was blessed because I still have my home. We gave to those in our community who have lost hope and everything they owned. I re gifted all my presents to them. So did my Tom.

[y6162]

Egg timer...pfft...I gave my wife a new toilet plunger. Our old one was broke.

[Desdemona]

Actually, it was a rather lucrative year around here. Rather than getting a lot of little things, though, we all got one expensive gift and some other smaller things.

[Larry Lucido]

I figured a vacuum cleaner would beat out an egg timer any day. Boy was I wrong.

[autumnraine]

I got a pack of underwear I bought myself to have something to unwrap. My 7 year old gave me a teddy bear of hers. My 11 year old made me a clam shaped jimclip holder at school and my 13 year old bought me a card. My husband and I spent our budget on the kids and we both were happy to see smiles that Santa really did get to come.

[BellStar]

Story of Hurricane Ike Devestated Kemah area.One Christmass Story!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2154459/posts

[radiohead]

Anyone else get "egg-timers" this year?

Yeah. I got a set of measuring spoons and cups. Actually, that was OK, I asked for them, but I thought they would be the 'base' for a nicer gift as well.

Oh well.

[Cloverfarm]

Our kids have a $1 gift bazaar at school so we gave our youngest a few bucks to buy his gifts. THe teachers help them make a budget and calculate what they can pick out. He got Sister a tube of lip gloss, a screw driver for dad, a toy car for Bubba and for me ... he snuck in with something behind his back. Eyes got real big when he saw me.

“Mom! Don’t LOOK at your CANDLE!”

STill chuckling about that.