I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey and listen to his show during my commute home every day.  Yesterday he offered (free) a Christmas Budget tool.  All you have to do is go to myChristmasbudget.com and get started.  Since I am pretty much done with my shopping this year it helped me put in perspective what I have already spent. But I will definitely use it next year as well.

And as Dave would say....  He would like to remind everyone that Christmas is coming on December 25th this year....  Mainly for those who it just seems to sneak up on.

Toy

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 11, 2014, 05:48:36 PM
I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey and listen to his show during my commute home every day.  Yesterday he offered (free) a Christmas Budget tool.  All you have to do is go to myChristmasbudget.com and get started.  Since I am pretty much done with my shopping this year it helped me put in perspective what I have already spent. But I will definitely use it next year as well.

And as Dave would say....  He would like to remind everyone that Christmas is coming on December 25th this year....  Mainly for those who it just seems to sneak up on.

Toy

We don't go in for a lot of expense at this time.  We've always let the kids dictate how we will do the gift giving thing and we can always count on a big feed for the whole immediate family.  Getting together with all of them can be trying because of their work schedules.  I have just invited them all over for breakfast on Christmas Eve.  It worked out great. 
The most fun any of us had at Christmas one year was when I gave each family a big box that had been wrapped in Christmas tissue and filled with things for the whole family.  I started in August and bought the stuff one family at a time until I had purchased everything that went into the boxes.  They had stuff from jogging suits to Audobaun clocks in those boxes.  They have reminded me of that box many times since.  I avoided the greater expense by shopping earlier.

Quote from: keyboarder on December 14, 2014, 09:26:10 PM
We don't go in for a lot of expense at this time.  We've always let the kids dictate how we will do the gift giving thing and we can always count on a big feed for the whole immediate family.  Getting together with all of them can be trying because of their work schedules.  I have just invited them all over for breakfast on Christmas Eve.  It worked out great. 
The most fun any of us had at Christmas one year was when I gave each family a big box that had been wrapped in Christmas tissue and filled with things for the whole family.  I started in August and bought the stuff one family at a time until I had purchased everything that went into the boxes.  They had stuff from jogging suits to Audobaun clocks in those boxes.  They have reminded me of that box many times since.  I avoided the greater expense by shopping earlier.

The good wife and I get thing all year around for everyone.  No last minute shopping for us.   That way we can also enjoy Christmas. 

Quote from: keyboarder on December 14, 2014, 09:26:10 PM
We don't go in for a lot of expense at this time.  We've always let the kids dictate how we will do the gift giving thing and we can always count on a big feed for the whole immediate family.  Getting together with all of them can be trying because of their work schedules.  I have just invited them all over for breakfast on Christmas Eve.  It worked out great. 
The most fun any of us had at Christmas one year was when I gave each family a big box that had been wrapped in Christmas tissue and filled with things for the whole family. I started in August and bought the stuff one family at a time until I had purchased everything that went into the boxes.  They had stuff from jogging suits to Audobaun clocks in those boxes.  They have reminded me of that box many times since.  I avoided the greater expense by shopping earlier.

I give a paper to the kids usually in summer.  It states  Something I want, Something I need, Something to wear, and Something to read"...  I get great ideas and limit what can be spent.  I have a huge roll of brown paper and everything gets wrapped in that.   Then we give a family gift to each couple - gift cards for dinner and a movie.   Toy

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 15, 2014, 04:50:25 AM
I give a paper to the kids usually in summer.  It states  Something I want, Something I need, Something to wear, and Something to read"...  I get great ideas and limit what can be spent.  I have a huge roll of brown paper and everything gets wrapped in that.   Then we give a family gift to each couple - gift cards for dinner and a movie.   Toy

What no 

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 15, 2014, 04:50:25 AMI have a huge roll of brown paper and everything gets wrapped in that.

I did that for years too.    My husband had ordered a giant roll of that for something that I can't remember.  I think it cost $40.  I've used it for wrapping gifts, covering carpets and floors while painting walls,  kid art projects, making patterns and so on, and I still have some left. 

Quote from: Dori on December 15, 2014, 07:14:22 PM
I did that for years too.    My husband had ordered a giant roll of that for something that I can't remember.  I think it cost $40.  I've used it for wrapping gifts, covering carpets and floors while painting walls,  kid art projects, making patterns and so on, and I still have some left.

I fear it may be around long after I am gone...   

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 15, 2014, 07:21:08 PM
I fear it may be around long after I am gone...   

H O N E Y....You're not fooling anyone, TP isn't brown, and it definitely does not come on 18" rolls. .

Quote from: Solar on December 15, 2014, 07:26:33 PM
H O N E Y....You're not fooling anyone, TP isn't brown, and it definitely does not come on 18" rolls. .

Tee hee, that 18" roll stuff is what I write letters on.   Funner that way, especially the responses I've gotten.     

Quote from: keyboarder on December 17, 2014, 09:53:54 AM
Tee hee, that 18" roll stuff is what I write letters on.   Funner that way, especially the responses I've gotten.     

When I was much younger one of my summer pen pals and I would try and find unusual "paper" items.  Our letters would come on, toilet paper, backs of food can labels etc.  It was funny what we came up with. 

For the youngsters on the forum a pen pal was someone you wrote to using actual pen and paper and then you mailed the letter at the post office. 

I felt a need to clarify.  lol  Toy   

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 18, 2014, 05:21:02 AM
When I was much younger one of my summer pen pals and I would try and find unusual "paper" items.  Our letters would come on, toilet paper, backs of food can labels etc.  It was funny what we came up with. 

For the youngsters on the forum a pen pal was someone you wrote to using actual pen and paper and then you mailed the letter at the post office. 

I felt a need to clarify.  lol  Toy   

I had to explain what kick the can was to an 11 year old.
Now that's just sad. I have no doubt he'd never shot a BB gun, considering the protected life he'd lived, he'll grow up with an ingrained fear of guns.
Now you know why single parent families are supported by leftists.

Quote from: Solars Toy on December 18, 2014, 05:21:02 AM
When I was much younger one of my summer pen pals and I would try and find unusual "paper" items.  Our letters would come on, toilet paper, backs of food can labels etc.  It was funny what we came up with. 

For the youngsters on the forum a pen pal was someone you wrote to using actual pen and paper and then you mailed the letter at the post office. 

I felt a need to clarify.  lol  Toy   

ROTFLMAF

My wife just lost her pen pal just over two years ago.   She has all the letter from over the years.  It was started as a school project.

I didn't learn of such a thing as writing letters on toilet paper until the summer I turned 15.  The new preacher of our church moved here with his wife and two kids and they were from Mississippi.  The girl was 14 and her brother was 11.  The girl and I became friends and she told me that she was writing her friends in Miss. one day and I noticed the she was writing them on TP.  I offered to let her use some of my stationary and she just laughed and told me that it was something they always did.  It WAS funny back then when we were so young and looking for laughs anywhere we could find them.    I have many memories like that one and people to reflect on.     

Quote from: keyboarder on December 19, 2014, 07:08:55 PM
I didn't learn of such a thing as writing letters on toilet paper until the summer I turned 15.  The new preacher of our church moved here with his wife and two kids and they were from Mississippi.  The girl was 14 and her brother was 11.  The girl and I became friends and she told me that she was writing her friends in Miss. one day and I noticed the she was writing them on TP.  I offered to let her use some of my stationary and she just laughed and told me that it was something they always did.  It WAS funny back then when we were so young and looking for laughs anywhere we could find them.    I have many memories like that one and people to reflect on.     

My pen pal that summer - I was 14 - was my friend I had made while in my freshman year of high school.  I came very a very small town in the midwest and the 5 towns in the area shared one high school.  I was bused to high school 15 miles from my town. We were not allowed to use the phone to call "long" distance so this is how we kept in touch.  LOL   I hate sounding like my parents but if the kids today only knew the conveniences they have.

Pin Pals? My Pin Pals have a different take on it's meaning.