And then there's the financial side as well. Even if I had unlimited money to spend on gifts, Christmas would be a challenge for me. On limited funds, it's almost worth a trip to a padded room to escape it. But that would be even more expensive. So I muddle through.
Once upon a time, I spent about $40 per gift. Boy was that was a long time ago!
I am so relieved that I pulled off Christmas this year. I am also quite proud of myself! May I brag?
This Christmas, I managed to give my daughters 14-15 gifts each for about $50 per child . Seriously. I just told a co-worker this and he looked at me like I need that padded room I just mentioned. But I DID IT! I know 14-15 each is overkill but since I only spent $50 each, why not? It was wonderful balm for my terrified soul.
Luckily, my girls are accustomed to thrift store clothes. They were all "Oooh, that's icky!" at first, but they've come around to my perspective on thrift stores as their closets filled with Abercrombie and Fitch, Aeropostale, Hollister, Miss Me, Gap, Old Navy, and American Eagle clothes for an average of $3 per piece. The most I paid for any one item was $7.32 for Sara-Grace's jeans. The girls know that these clothes sell for $30, $40, $50, plus per item new in the store. $30 can buy them one item in the store or 10 items in the thrift store. No one at school knows the difference so what does it matter where it came from?
Let me show you some of what they got:
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| $2 Aeropostale and VERY Emily! |
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| "True Love Always" with bird that matches Emily's bird earings. Hollister $3. Aeropostale $5. |
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| World's cutest pj bottoms(Old Navy) $4, basic skirt $1.94, jeans $6. |
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| Old Navy $3, ? $1,94, Forever 21 $2.92. |
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| Purple Old Navy shirt was FREE. Black Old Navy $2.75. Orange Gap $2.92. |
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| Lavender Old Navy $2.78. Pink Aeropostale $2.78 |
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| Green Old Navy $2.74.74. Brown Old Navy $2. Red Faded Glory 75 cents. |
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| White Old Navy $1.94. Melon Mossimo $2.74. |
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| Brand ? but who cares because it's got our luckly number "4" on it! $4.50. |
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| Old Navy, Old Navy, and Children's Place - $3.50, $2.78, and $1.75. |
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| Jeans (2 Levi's and 1 Old Navy) $3.94, $7.32, and $7.32. |
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| $4 Abercrombie and Fitch jeans. |
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| $2.92 and $2. |
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| $3 Aeropopostale. $3 Abercrombie. $3 Sketchers shoes. |
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| $2.75 Old Navy. $0.50 American Eagle. |
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| $3.25 Ariizona sweater. |
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| $5 Wet Seal sweater. |
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| No fancy names but cute and $2 each! |
I also bought several books for $1 each that went over very well and are already half-read!
I wrapped everything in brown paper packets and tied the packages with left-over yarn color-coordinated by recipient (so, no need for gift tags). I love the old-fashioned look of it. I just hope no one thought I'd made a big trip to the butcher!
I spent a grand total of $28 on Mark and I don't think he felt the least bit deprived! Here's what he got:
Coffee maker $9 (for which he has thanked me every morning since!)
Old Navy gray and chartruse striped shirt $5
Blue windowpane Daniel Cremeax dress shirt $1
Gorgeous tie $1
3 books $1 each
Some hot new underware (3 pair) $7
Army men $1
Funions (always his favorite chip!) $1
Holder for his glasses $2
Mark went wild at the dollar store for me and I was delighted! I will use everything he got me almost daily!
Milk Duds $1 (ok, so those will only last a day or so!)
3 pack of super glue $1 (3 repairs completed already!)
First aid kit $1 (I swear someone needs a bandaid at least once a day!)
Lint brush $1 (4 dogs, 4 cats, need I say more?)
Sham wow 2 pack $1 (see above)
Eyeglass cleaning cloth $1
Bookmark $1
Plus, he got me a BIG box of chocolates, a gift certificate for my favorite Origins lotions, and a custom sweatshirt with "Coppock" and our lucky number "4" on the back! I think he's a keeper!
I'm pretty sure Santa had a few tricks up his sleeve as well. I bet he'd LOVE to tell you about what he pulled off!
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