Thursday, November 10, 2011

elfster.


So it's *almost* Christmas! Not really, but it is next month! I love Christmas. Definitely one of my most favorite holidays. Unfortunately for our work schedules, we are unable to go home to California or Colorado this holiday season to see our families. We usually alternate years going to spend Christmas-ish-time with Matt's or my family.  It's tough living in a different state from everyone! So last year we decided to start a thing called elfster. It's a free gift exchange program on the internet that chooses names for you...secretly. That way we have a spending limit and we each give/get one present. We do a separate elfster group for each family. It's a blast. It worked out so beautifully last year. I have to admit it was a little weird not getting a car-full of gifts...but we are all adults, it's about time that we grew up...I suppose :) I think once we have kids in our families the kids will get gifts from everyone- because isn't that more fun anyways?!

Also, on elfster you can make your own wish list. So I am sculpting mine! :) It's fun!! Prenatal massage perhaps? Manicure/Pedicure? Etsy jewelry? Do I choose baby-things? Or do I enjoy my last Christmas as a non-mom, being selfish and decadent?

Oh, and if you're wondering Matt and I have our own tradition that we started up...we exchange stockings! I think gift giving is nice, but we share the same bank account...and we are on a budget. So we do a stocking thing. We fill up each other's stockings with at least these 7 certain items. Then we open up the stockings on Christmas with each other.

1. an ornament
2. something shiny
3. a fruit or vegetable
4. something utilitarian
5. something salty/ spicy
6. something sweet
7. something green

Do you have any new family traditions you started up? I love thinking of starting new ones with our growing family while carrying on old ones.

4 comments:

  1. a few years ago we started "the 12 dates of christmas." during the month of december we go on 12 dates (or do 12 things together) that cost little or no money. it is about the time together- not the extravagance of it. we usually make a huge batch of dog biscuits as one of our dates- christmas music blaring in the kitchen the whole time. we have already started planning this years dates! ooooh i can blog about them this year!

    love your stocking tradition- stockings have always been my favorite!

    we also always have pizza the night before thanksgiving... my parents started that tradition before they had kids!

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  2. I love this idea! We are working on creating new traditions in our home. I can't wait to someday have a little one who wakes up on christmas morning, can you? and yours is already on the way :)

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  3. This year we are starting a new tradition for the boys. I know they are too young now to enjoy it, but I want to start it anyway. The tradition will be that they get to open one gift on Christmas eve and it will be Christmas jammies! I love the idea of them making their way down stairs as they get older in cute little Christmas Jammies that they slept in on Christmas eve, dreaming of just what Santa will bring them. My husband and I don't do gifts, we just try to do a nice dinner together. His sister always has a ginger beard house making party a few weeks before. The whole family gets together, everyone brings something to share as far as building materials, it is so fun. There are awards at the end, everyone has a great time. My sister also got the boys the book the elf on the shelf!! I love it. As the story tells you the elf comes to your house around thanksgiving to watch you and report to Santa every night. So each night after they go to bed we will find a new hinding spot for the elf. The boys will get to name him and the rules are they are not allowed to touch him or his magic will wear off, but they can talk to him and tell him their wishes!! I am so looking forward to age 3 when I think the boys will totally love this :)

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  4. I'm using your stocking stuffer idea. Such a good idea, without having to drop big bucks!

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