Christmas shopping

I love Christmas shopping! I can't give too many spoilers because many on my gift list read the blog, but I can tell you what is going to be under the tree for the Nugget this year. We try not to overdo it, and we'll definitely have him participate in a charity gift again this year. What's great about a 3yo is that I can still give him what I want him to have. Soon the lists will start, surely to include all manner of weaponry, video game consoles, and exploding volcano kits. Anyway, here's what I will do this year, and I'll share my savings tips with you. His entire haul should come out to well under $50.

1. My love of all things stainless continues with this divided plate. The Nugget will love it because it's shaped like a bus. I got it for FREE by participating in an online university study, from which I was paid with an Amazon gift card. Dude, how can I get hooked up with more of those?!

2. Llama Llama Holiday Drama or Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney. We love the cadence of these addictive stories and the beautiful painted illustrations. The author definitely has a deep understanding of early childhood, and Mama Llama always knows how to handle whatever challenge Little Llama throws at her. The Nugget requests the Llama books over and over and over again, and we never get tired of reading them. I will either get it discounted with free super saver shipping on Amazon, use a Borders reward coupon, or use my spouse discount at the campus bookstore...I never pay retail for books.

3. A t-shirt from my favorite Etsy shop. I'm thinking about this freight train, and HappyFamily often will do custom, so I'm going to request it in a long sleeved version.

In the stocking:

1. An ornament, probably the Hallmark John Deere collectible, since tractors are a new obsession. Using a Hallmark rewards coupon. We give the Nugget an ornament each year that he will take with him when he leaves home as an adult. We try to pick something that represents the year he's had - last year, it was a tricycle. And, um...while he's still little, I may even wait and buy it after Christmas to get a deeper discount! Cheapskate? - yes, I am!

2. A ceramic reindeer mug I picked out last year at Borders. The Borders post-holiday sales are among the best ever. It's child-size (kid-sized mugs are really hard to come by) and will hold the perfect smidgen of hot cocoa after a morning of snow play.

3. A couple of his favorite treats - a pack of Annie's fruit bunny snacks and some peanuts in the shell.

4. Crayola Bathtub Markers. Because bathtime has become a struggle, and anything that will make it remotely appealing is worth it. Target had them for under $5, and I used my final 10% off day. (Not sure how I feel about the RedCard rewards revamp.)