I realize it is only November 8 (Happy Bday J!). But my family usually has Christmas at Tday and at Christmas. We have it with one family on one holiday and one on another. We switch families every year.

So I have less than three weeks to finish half my Christmas shopping. But I know that my sister and brother don’t have much money, so we may not be doing anything this year, except for the kids. But my kids will still be giving presents. So I’ve got to find out what we are doing and determine what we need to get.

I bought a box of Golfer fortune cookies for the boys to give my brother-in-law. (The boys will pay me back.) My bro-in-law has so much money he’s buying a Bentley, so it’s not like we could afford to buy him anything he’d really want.

For my sister the boys were going to give her books since she is still trying to fill up her library and I was going to give her make-up stuff that she normally buys from me.

My mom got a silverplated nativity set from me which I think is very nicely done. The boys were planning on giving her a Christmas card tree.

For my dad I have a book I think he would like to read. If we don’t give everyone presents, I’ll let the boys pay me back for that and they can give it to dad.

I’m thinking they’ll get my sister J, who turned 37 today, a Chili’s gift certificate card. She likes to eat out and they have a Chili’s about half an hour from where she lives.

Of course they’ll give my brother a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. That’s what everyone gives my brother since it’s the only thing you can be sure he’ll want. Okay, J gives him sweaters, but J has the eye. She can pick out absolutely gorgeous sweaters for you.

Anyway, I wish I knew what we were doing for sure, because then I would know if I need to go into overdrive looking for presents. But my folks are out of town visiting my aunt and uncle and I don’t want to intrude on their time together. So I’ll wait until Monday to call them.

I don’t have any ideas what to tell people the boys want because really they have more money than they need. Although they’ve been saving it a lot recently for Christmas presents. Between the two of them they have $150 in the bank for Christmas presents for family, including each other. Since that’s normally our budget for one family, they’re doing pretty well.

I bought them both a Christmas ornament. I buy them one a year.

I also bought M a book, The Reluctant Dragon. He likes fantasy stories and this is by Kenneth Grahame who wrote The Wind in the Willows. I am hoping that he will like it.

I just don’t know what to get the boys other than that. I’ve asked them for a Christmas wish list, but so far there’s nothing on it.

I’ll have to get them motivated.