Christmas Shopping....Are you done??

So Halloween is past, Thanksgiving is two weeks from tomorrow, and Christmas is less then 44 days away...just over a month! Our Bishop has advised not to go into debt for Christmas, but how do you do that with just over a month left, 2 and in some cases three paychecks away, yet for some only one more paycheck!! Can you pay for Christmas with your next one or two paychecks, or does the thought of that throw you into a mid life crisis?? Have you started your shopping yet?? Do you have any ideas in mind? Are you making most of your presents this year?? How many people do you buy for and will you cut back this year because of the economy??

Although most of you will think I am crazy, we are almost done. I am making some of my presents this year, and those are mostly put together with a few finishing touches left to sew. Making presents will save us a ton of money, and alot of time in the stores. The presents the kids are getting from Ron and I are done. Our parents are about 70% done. Other family, ideas are in place or mostly done. Neighbor gifts are figured out and a tiny bit started on. I love being done with my shopping by Thanksgiving. I hope to be able to do that this year as well, then I will only have things to put together and wrap after Thanksgiving!! So yes, we are able to do as advised and follow the Bishops counsel.....our Chirstmas will NOT send us into debt!! Instead it will be more homemade, and hopefully we will be able to use that to our advantage and be able to teach our kids to focus on Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, instead of the presents!!

I hope this post doens't panic anyone....just a reality check!! Start your shopping early, make gifts, have a plan, make a budget and stick to it....but most importantly, remember what Christmas is all about and don't go into debt buying presents!!