With the economy being in the toilet, we have to be really smart and start buying while the things are on sale or clearance, just to be able to give the kids something. Although, if I couldn't afford anything, they would understand and we would still be a loving happy family. Material things just don't matter. But, we do LOVE to decorate!

My mother started it, and I am continuing it. With many birthdays in December, we decided not to start celebrating until after Thanksgiving, and our tree don't go up until one of our birthdays. Fortunately for me, it's the 10th, so my tree and decorations will go up on the 10th as my birthday celebration. Some years I'll do it on my sister's birthday, which is around Thanksgiving, but that's if I'm impatient. But never, never, never, NEVER before Thanksgiving do I start celebrating Christmas. Get the commercialism out of Christmas.

Preparing for Christmas? I try to live the spirit of Christmas all year long by loving and caring about my family and friends. I live it by treating other people kindly that I meet in the street. I live it when I tip a waitress at a restaurant for the wonderful service I was provided. There are so many ways. Prepare for it? Why not just live in the spirit of it all year long?

I start Christmas shopping soon as the catalogs start coming. The fruit catalog is a good one and everyone in my family is getting grapefruit this year! Cheese logs and beer nuts are also given to help celebrate this holy season. My rum-drenched fruitcake is no longer on the menu ever since I slid off the roof Christmas Eve of '71.

I started last March on a trip to Florida. It's always good to get a head start and I can put more thought into what I'm buying.
I do wait until Thanksgiving for the little ones though as the new toys and games are being introduced.They let me know then what they like the best.

We draw names on New Years Day for the Holiday that year. Each person is to make (yes make with their own hands) a gift for the person they have choosen. We celebrate with a birthday cake for Jesus. It has become the greatest celebration our family has ever had. No more stress from who to buy for, what to buy and how much to spend. Yes we have young children in our family and their gifts are the most precious of all!

I start early on my wish list and usually have it complete the day after Halloween. I want all my friends and relatives to have plenty of time to save so as not to disappoint me with cheap and ill thought- out christmas gifts. I'm tired of mindless crockpots, loud ties, and busted teeth on nasty peanut brittle. Christmas is supposed to be a time for sharing and generosity so maybe with an early "heads up" gift list I can help reduce the stress of those giving me presents and increase the value and worth of my Christmas loot!

The day after Halloween I get to the store and buy the discount Halloween candy, take it home, repackage it in cheerful holiday boxes, and give it as Christmas presents. I rewrap candy kisses, taking off the orange and black wrappers and substituting red and green wrappers for a cheerful holiday flair. Packaged popcorn balls can be unwrapped and sticking three balls together with carmel will provide a fun snowman form to entice the kiddies.

I usually start looking for Christmas gifts for family members in October. I have recently purchased a ceramic nativity set from QVC as well. I try to spread the cost factor out over October, November and December so it doesnt hurt the pocketbook too much! Christmas is my favorite season/holiday of the year because it truly is a celebration of Jesus's birth! By giving gifts we continue the event started by the three wisemen. In a world that would rather dismiss or explain away Jesus's birth, I am thankful we still
remember this blessed event that changed the history of mankind.

Well...personally I haven't done any preparation for Xmas

but its always a welcome time for all the color and cheer

within us all. (Well most of us) I think parents and the

media should emphasize the true meaning of Christmas first

and utmost. Who can argue with the festive light and lovely

songs that we hear during these blessed moments? Its not all

what we see or buy but what's live in our hearts that matter

the most. Reminds me of the guy who works at Tv 6. He gave

of himself not long ago...by helping that lady clean up her

yard in Marquette. And the fine people who chopped wood for

the older guy who couldn't do for himself. Both should be

real proud for giving...Certainly wasn't Xmas but they gave

their time. Its not the season but the reason. Great job!

I don't like walking into Mendards and already seeing the Christmas stuff up. I understand people have taken the religious traditions and tweaked them but we are getting so far away from the true purpose of celebration, it is getting ridiculous.

I understand not everyone is strict religiously but technically the Christmas season does not even start until Christmas Day (goes until the Epiphany) in Catholicism. It saddens me to see people throw their trees away on Dec 26 (sometimes sooner). People celebrate during Advent more than they do during Christmas. Perhaps the birth of Christ is no longer what people wish to celebrate. Very sad.

anything for these stores to make a buck. xmas has become so capitalized that it's almost a hallmark holiday. it has no religious ties at this point and most don't even know the meaning of it. bah humbug