Simplifying Christmas Day 8~ Homemade Gift Ideas

Well usually I don't do homemade gifts only because of time. Before we had children I was a teacher at the local Christian school, which kept me really busy:) I loved my job, but boy even during Christmas break I had work to do. All that to say, I never really made gifts for anyone for Christmas. This year, however, things are different:) I am so excited about the gifts I am making for my nieces and nephews, and I am sure you are tired of hearing about them:)

I also love to get homemade gifts:) I think about all the time and energy that the person put into the gift. After Christmas I will have to put up pictures for you, but till then I will have to keep you on the edge:) (Insert evil giggle:)

This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 7~Simple Gift Ideas

Sorry this is past the date, but today was super busy:)
Every year for Christmas I try to get things that are cheap in price, but not in quality:) This year I was able to get almost all of my children's gifts for yard sales. I was so excited when I was able to save some money and still get what I wanted for them:)
I also get them some clothes. I try to only get an outfit or two and I also try to get them something with a character that they like.
For my extended family I usually try to get something little for everyone, but that is not the case this year:) This year I am making something for all my nieces and nephews and giving a family picture to their parents. I am making them all the same thing, and while I am making it I spend the time thinking and praying for each child. I think this gift is more from the heart then ones I buy:) I will have to reveal what they are after Christmas:) Some of their Mommy's are reading this:)
This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 6~ Share Some Simple Family Traditions

As far as family traditions goes we don't really have very many:( We are a fairly new family (only 4 years) and really have not had time to make any.
One thing that we do is we ALWAYS spend Christmas with our family!!! I love being with family, and since in only a few years we will be in Canada, no where near any family, I try to get as much family time in now as we can. I know we are doing what the Lord will have us to do by going to Canada, but when we get there it will be a hard adjustment.
Another thing I try to do every year is make cookies. There is a certain cookie that my Father-in-Law makes that my Husband just loves, I try to make them for him. Although this year both my cookie presses are packed and up north, so sadly I think I will be making them:(
I think that is it. I know, it is kinda sad that we don't have more. With our life right now (deputation) we are not really able to have family traditions. But I do love the ones that we have:)
This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 5~ Simple Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas decorations:) So far we have been married for 4 years and for the first two years we had our tree decorated with music stuff. Then we had a baby and all the decorations changed. It is now full of kid stuff and so much more fun:)
I am so sorry that I don't have any pictures to show you:( But I can tell you that I love all the beautiful and fun decorations that everyone has on and in their houses:)
This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

New Pictures of Little Princess

Simplifying Christmas Day 4~ Share a Favorite Christmas Memory

I have a couple of favorite memories about Christmas. The first one is that every Christmas Eve we would all stay up till midnight and open one gift. We also opened the gift from youngest to oldest, so I always went first:) As a child I thought that was great since I was the baby of the family:)

My other Christmas memory was after we had opened all of our presents at home we would go over to my Grandparents house. Nana (Grandma:) and Popop (Grandpa:) always had something special for us and I loved being with them. I praise the Lord that I was able to have a great relationship with my Grandparents, and I am looking forward to being with them in Heaven one day!!!

Now that I am older I try very hard to make sure my children have a relationship with their Grandparents and they are even blessed to have Great Grandparents form my husbands family.

All of the to say my Favorite thing about Christmas is that we get to spend time with family:)

This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 3~ Keeping Shopping Simple

Shopping, did someone say shopping? I LOVE to shop (With a purpose). I love to shop if I have something I am looking for and the money to buy it:) I do not like to just look around with nothing in mind to buy, however.

I always start Christmas shopping right away, and do it all year long. I look for certain things and then look for the best price. This year most of the things we are giving to our children came from yardsales and thrift stores, and most of them are brand new, still in the package:)

As for Black Friday I do sometimes go. I go if we are at my parents house. Black Friday is my Mom's favorite day to shop! She says she gets a thrill out of getting a great deal and the excitement of it all. I don't feel that way about it, but I do go to get to spend some time with my Mom. This year we were not with them and I did not go.

This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 2~ Christmas Cards

Christmas cards are usually a thorn in my flesh. It is so hard for me to get them all filled out, addressed and in the mail. I try to get a picture in the cad so everyone can see how our family is growing but, that doesn't always happen. So I weeded threw everything and came up with a couple of ideas that work for me:)

1. The first idea was to save money by buying the cards after Christmas for the following year. I put the boxes of cards in with my Christmas decorations so I wont lose them and they are not in the way. The next year when I get out all of our decorations I have Christmas cards. And they didn't cost me a lot of money:) I do the same with the wrapping paper!!!

2. Next I narrowed the list down. This helped a ton:)

3. Then I hand deliver all that can. At church they even put out a table so everyone can leave their cards out and you don't have to spend the money to mail them.

4. Lastly I get a friend to take the picture and then get copys from Walmart.

I also set aside a day and just get them all done while the children are napping. Thankfully both of them nap for a couple of hours so I can get a lot done:)

This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.

Simplifying Christmas Day 1~ Simplifying Budget and Gift List

Every year for Christmas I work really hard at getting something for EVERYONE. That has gotten to be really expensive!!!! So this year I have decided not to do that, although that totally goes against how I was raised!
I am making something for all my nieces and nephews, but their parents are only getting a family photo. For our children I was able to get most if there gifts from yardsales and used stores. Most of what I was able to find was new things still in the package.
I really didn't have a budget per say, just everything cheep:) I was able to spend less then $50 for both of my children. I also try to look for Chritmas presents all year long. That way I can get things at the best price, not when it is marked up for the Christmas rush. And that is how I am simplifying Christmas:)
This meme is hosted by my friend Heather! If you would like to play too, or just read about how others are simplifying Christmas, click here.