Let's start with the good. I went through the closet where I hide gifts and found a LOT of stuff that I'd purchased through the year and forgot about, so I actually have less to buy than I thought.

Teacher Gifts: Boxing day week last year, I bought snowmen plates, oven mitts and matching tea towels. I bought enough for 6 teachers assuming each child has two. Only dd has two teachers, but ds11's teacher is male so ds picked out a book that he though he' d enjoy. We gave one of the plate ensembles to the school librarian because we all love her. Each of these gifts totalled $2.50, except for the book which cost 19.00, but I had a 13.00 gift card that I used, so I paid $16.00 for 5 gifts.

While shopping, I picked up something for each of the 2 older kids that they both need and will be thrilled with. Total cost was 17.00.

Lunch out while shopping cost 12.00 for ds5 and I.

Tonight we went to buy all our holiday food for open houses. We also bought a Secret Santa gift for dh's work, a gift for a child for a giving tree, two pasta dinners for the food bank, and I started the gift for my boss. Altogether we spent 150.00 at Superstore but I used the $90 in points that I've accumulated over the year, so there was 60.00 out of my pocket.

My brother and I decided to buy each of the 5 cousins a gift certificate to a different store. So I got my nephews gifts today, too.

Tomorrow I am power shopping with my best friend. I've got my list and I am ready to go....