# Christmas shopping is finally done!



## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

I'm finally done with Christmas shopping!  After a week with no heat when the ice storm hit, we got our heat back on Thursday night. I was not in a festive mood while I was cold. Then we had another big storm come through on Friday thru Sunday and got A LOT of snow.  Yesterday we dug out the cars and hit town to finish shopping.  

Crowds were hostile and traffic was crazy but we survived!!  Now....  I have some wrapping to do....  wrapping will actually take me the longest because I'm one of those "I've got to make it really pretty" people with the wire edged bows and ornaments tied onto the gift.  

How is everyone else doing?  Done?  Still have some last minute stuff to pick up?


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Congrads! Now is a good time to have a nice cup of coffee and read the kindle with the good mood and all.

Finished shopping..day before yesterday. With the awesome sales, I ended up getting things too. Family picked out their gifts and I did mine. My brother gets a Zune pass. My mom got the cooking books she asked for. My aunt and uncle got that hard to find new Raving Rabbit 3 TV party game for the wii. (called around town for a copy and put it on hold). Other than that my family does family gifts. Family gifts usually include my mom's much loved bake goods: homemade made by scratch banana bread and cookies (usually at least three kinds then their with or without nut version) We start baking today. Meanwhile I will get dad his gift right before he gets back from the middleeast. (He did take my soundcancelling earphone! His gift is on hold until I get them back.)


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Kirstin, it is good to see you back online. Being without heat can be so miserable. I did some last minute shopping yesterday that turned into 8 hours of lines and terrrble traffic, but the moods of the people I came in contact with was for the most part pleasant. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. *See* you when we get back in town.
Angela


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

Vegas_Asian said:


> Congrads! Now is a good time to have a nice cup of coffee and read the kindle with the good mood and all.
> 
> Finished shopping..day before yesterday. With the awesome sales, I ended up getting things too. Family picked out their gifts and I did mine. My brother gets a Zune pass. My mom got the cooking books she asked for. My aunt and uncle got that hard to find new Raving Rabbit 3 TV party game for the wii. (called around town for a copy and put it on hold). Other than that my family does family gifts. Family gifts usually include my mom's much loved bake goods: homemade made by scratch banana bread and cookies (usually at least three kinds then their with or without nut version) We start baking today. Meanwhile I will get dad his gift right before he gets back from the middleeast. (He did take my soundcancelling earphone! His gift is on hold until I get them back.)


I've actually got a nice hot cup of coffee next to me but I'm not reading Kindle... I'm surfing the net. ha ha

Chris and I actually exchanged our gifts on Thursday night when we got the heat back on - we were carried away with the joy of being warm.  I got him an iTouch and an audiobook (he prefers to listen rather than read as he travels so much) and he got me 2 pairs of Zigi Soho boots that I've been drooling over.

I plan to veg out today and tomorrow and on Thursday it is off to his parents for Christmas breakfast then we drive up to my parents for Christmas dinner. Friday we will hit the outlets in Kittery Maine for their day after Christmas sales. Coldwater Creek for me and Ralph Lauren for him.


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

Angela said:


> Kirstin, it is good to see you back online. Being without heat can be so miserable. I did some last minute shopping yesterday that turned into 8 hours of lines and terrrble traffic, but the moods of the people I came in contact with was for the most part pleasant. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. *See* you when we get back in town.
> Angela


Thanks Angela! I wasn't online much during the cold days because I was cranky and would have been a buzz kill. 

Glad to hear your crowds were not hostile when out shopping yesterday! I actually started laughing at one point because everyone we came into contact with yesterday was so moody. It was insane!

Have a great holiday!!


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## Teninx (Oct 27, 2008)

Glad you're back online, Kirstin! My sister, who lives out in the Merrimack boonies, just got power back Saturday. She's postponing the Christmas celebration except for the household; a decision I wholly support. I would have hated to be down on the DW Highway around Pheasant Lane Mall this past weekend!


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## Mikuto (Oct 30, 2008)

My roommate Jer had Christmas with his daughter and ex-wife on Sunday night. He didn't go shopping until Sunday afternoon. I don't know how you can do that!

I got all my shopping done in November, but have been picking random things up here and there. All I have to do now is wrap, decorate the ornaments and candy jars, bake the gingerbread, cut the fudge, and decorate and arrange the baskets (everybody is getting "Christmas Baskets" this year).

So I guess I'm waiting until last minute for some stuff, but I _hate_ crowds so I was determined to get all my shopping done early!


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

Teninx said:


> Glad you're back online, Kirstin! My sister, who lives out in the Merrimack boonies, just got power back Saturday. She's postponing the Christmas celebration except for the household; a decision I wholly support. I would have hated to be down on the DW Highway around Pheasant Lane Mall this past weekend!


DW Highway was the worst!! We had to go to DSW, Toys R Us, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble yesterday and it almost took an hour to go one block!!

Glad to hear your sister got her power back! Fitchburg MA is STILL without power. I'd have to be committed by this point if I lived there!!

We'll be driving by you on Thursday on our way up to my parents house in Milton Mills and I'll wave.


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

Mikuto said:


> My roommate Jer had Christmas with his daughter and ex-wife on Sunday night. He didn't go shopping until Sunday afternoon. I don't know how you can do that!
> 
> I got all my shopping done in November, but have been picking random things up here and there. All I have to do now is wrap, decorate the ornaments and candy jars, bake the gingerbread, cut the fudge, and decorate and arrange the baskets (everybody is getting "Christmas Baskets" this year).
> 
> So I guess I'm waiting until last minute for some stuff, but I _hate_ crowds so I was determined to get all my shopping done early!


I wish I would've finished early but with Chris in Europe for 5 weeks, I wanted to wait for him to get home so he could "Share the crowds joy" with me. 

your baskets sound great! I love homemade goodies!


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

that family members that haven't finished their shopping are borrowing my little car. they say its easier to fit between the huge SUVs at the stores. (my car get better gas milage than their SUVs too) So long as they bring me back a starbucks, and some In N Out (double double with a side of animal fries) we are good. lol. hmmm. In N Out gotta love those animal fries


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Kirstin said:


> After a week with no heat when the ice storm hit, we got our heat back on Thursday night... Then we had another big storm come through on Friday thru Sunday and got A LOT of snow...


Kirstin,

I am so happy you weren't too badly damaged from the ice storm. 
It must have been a nightmare for all of you without power or heat for such a length of time.

So glad you are back with us, you were missed,

-sailor


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

Vegas_Asian said:


> that family members that haven't finished their shopping are borrowing my little car. they say its easier to fit between the huge SUVs at the stores. (my car get better gas milage than their SUVs too) So long as they bring me back a starbucks, and some In N Out (double double with a side of animal fries) we are good. lol. hmmm. In N Out gotta love those animal fries


In N Out... OMG!! I miss those double double with cheese and onions so much from when I lived in CA!! I wish we had them on the East coast.


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

sailor said:


> Kirstin,
> 
> I am so happy you weren't too badly damaged from the ice storm.
> It must have been a nightmare for all of you without power or heat for such a length of time.
> ...


Hiya Sailor! I need my haircut - wanna come visit?  pleeeeaaasssseeee!! I'm picking at my split ends and it is driving Chris nuts.

We had did have power in half the apartment - living room and master bedroom had power and half the kitchen worked. We just didn't have heat. I took a shower by candlelight for a week and that got old fast!! I guess if we hadn't had hot water I would have killed someone by the time it came back on.


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Kirstin said:


> Hiya Sailor! I need my haircut - wanna come visit?  pleeeeaaasssseeee!! I'm picking at my split ends and it is driving Chris nuts.


Kirstin,

I would love to cut and style your hair, I would make you beautiful for the holidays...everyone would be taking your picture!
Unfortunately, we are a whole coast away - my magical powers have not advanced to that distance as of yet. If you aren't squeemish,
you can take a pair of shears to your own ends just to get you by until you can get it professionally done. It will make your hair feel better.

Sorry we werent closer, I wouldn't even charge you...

-sailor


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## Kirstin (Oct 29, 2008)

sailor said:


> Kirstin,
> 
> I would love to cut and style your hair, I would make you beautiful for the holidays...everyone would be taking your picture!
> Unfortunately, we are a whole coast away - my magical powers have not advanced to that distance as of yet. If you aren't squeemish,
> ...


awwww you are so sweet! I hate my photo taken though - always have. I like to TAKE the photos!

I'm so lazy about making regular appointments and I'm the kind of person that will get to the point that I can't stand it anymore and will call and see if anyone can get me in that day. Some times it works and others it doesn't. I think my hairdresser hates me but she also understands it is just the kind of person I am. I usually trim my own bangs but haven't lately and am toying with trying to grow them out but I'm at that "too long for bangs" and "too short to sweep them over" stage so I've been wearing a lot of headbands until I make up my mind. It's driving me crazy and I have a feeling before I go back to work on Monday that I'll pop in for a cut and get them chopped so they stay out of my eyes.


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Oooh, sorry about your heating situation, Kirsten.  What a miserable week that must have been!  We actually finished the shopping last weekend, and everything is wrapped, except my sister's DVD.  I was freaking out yesterday when I couldn't find it, and it turns out it was in the bedroom in the same bag with my saline solution!  Good thing I spotted it today.  Oh, and I decided I'm just not going to wrap her boys' ride-on fire truck.  Maybe I'll put a big bow on it or something, but I'm just not feeling the paper on it.


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Kirstin said:


> I'm so lazy about making regular appointments and I'm the kind of person that will get to the point that I can't stand it anymore and will call and see if anyone can get me in that day. Some times it works and others it doesn't. I think my hairdresser hates me


I know the feeling, I hate making appointments to have someone do my hair, plus, they never get it right. I have the advantange, my hair is long and layered and I cut it myself. Saves lots of buku-bucks. I also do my own colors and highlights. For me, I just decide I want it done, go in the bathroom, and in an hour, it is colored, cut and styled without leaving home. And I love it. 

-sailor


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I've been done for a while.  Unfortunately, every time I walk into a store, I find something else I want to buy for my family.  I'm so weak.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Vegas_Asian said:


> that family members that haven't finished their shopping are borrowing my little car. they say its easier to fit between the huge SUVs at the stores. (my car get better gas milage than their SUVs too) So long as they bring me back a starbucks, and some In N Out (double double with a side of animal fries) we are good. lol. hmmm. In N Out gotta love those animal fries


yummmmy.... double double with cheese, extra messy!! One of my favorites places to go when in LA!! Wish we had In N Out in Texas!


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