Christmas update!

I have only 7 presents left to buy! I'm so excited!! I LOVE Christmas, and I LOVE getting it done early and saving so much money! I know to some it seems extreme since there are people in the world that still have Christmas lights UP at this moment from last year, but I say leave em up! It's Arkansas afterall, and it's gonna roll around here again before too long! :)

What kind of progress have you made on Christmas so far? Have you decided if you will draw names? Have you set a budget for each person? Have you decided to try something new this year?

I have so much going right now that I honestly can't remember if I have posted or not about our "recycled" Christmas for this year. We have decided to only buy used things. OR, at it can be brand new if it was bought at a re-sale shop. Sometimes you DO run into those great buys that still have the tags on them but they are for a fraction of the cost! That counts :) I'm so excited! It's been so fun! I have enjoyed shopping for nice, gently used, items that will make up our family Christmas! Unfortunately we got on the ball too late so the only ones this affects are those that LIVE in my house, but I plan to branch out next year if it comes off successful.

This makes it a challenge. It makes it a challenge to find great items without breaking the bank. Oh and our budget is $50 bucks a person. So for $50 bucks I have to provide a Christmas for my husband and then I get $50 bucks for my daughter. Now SHE has already racked up because I get awesome deals at consignment events such as Rhea Lana and Duck Duck Goose. In FACT, I got her 2 brand new toys for $3 bucks a piece back in the spring and I am holding onto those for dear life. She will LOVE them!

Keep the savings fun. Make it a game. Create a challenge out of it. Even make a reward for who saves the most? You GOTTA keep it fun!

So what about you... any fun stories you can share?