Christmas shopping

i have already finished my shopping, and spent about $75, however, my main christmas present to all of my family will be me lol i am planning a trip to my parents', where my daughters and sister will also be there. it will be a surprise for everyone except my oldest daughter who knows i'm going to be flying down. she is going to help keep everyone busy while i pull up the driveway and get to the door. the only down side to this is that my s/o won't be able to go with me, but it will all work out and be worth every minute since i haven't seen my family in 2 years.

It won't be much. We have an new baby arriving right before Christmas. My hubby says that will be the big gift!

My fiance and I are going to only be purchasing for his parents and my mom. Actually I'm making something for my mom out of crochet, so therefore I've already got the materials. I am a beginner crochet so I am going to take one thing I know how to make, and make it for her. We bought his father golf things and his mother books. We would get things for our grandparents but we don't have that much money, so we are going to appreciate our parents instead. I know money is tight for everyone and I hope more are going for the creative route and not the more expensive route. It surely is a great time to start being more crafty, picking up old traditions and making new traditions out of them!

Well, recession is not a new thing in the philippines, we have crisis all year round.lol!but whatever financial difficulties we are facing, we really have to spend for christmas, we are known having a close knit family and reunion, feast and spending for whatever occassions are big deal. Christmas is being celebrated in the Philippines happily, including gift giving and all. Since January this year, I am already making a budget what to buy this christmas. My list includes christmas decoration to bring home (in the province), clothes for my godchildren, grocery items for my parents and gift for them and for my younger siblings. I also included extra budget for Noche Buena (food eating at 12 midnight on christmas eve) and media noche (food eating at 12 midnight on new year's eve). Christmas season is my happiest season all year round, so I don't mind spending great deal of money for this important occassion. In the province, we have the happiest christmas celebration where every household prepare a feast day celebration with lots of food preparation plus family reunion.