About Chantel Simmons
Our former Editorial Director firmly believes the rule, "if it's not pretty, what's the point?". And while she’s no longer updating on SweetLife, you can still find Chantel being crafty and updating pretty picks over on her SweetHome blog, Make-It Session.
Spread(sheet) the love
the cherry on top canada
(Nov.19.09)
For years, Christmas shopping was a snap. Mom, Dad, Sister, Boyfriend (if I was lucky), Best Friends.
Then, my dad got remarried, bringing not only a super stepmom into the mix, but also two stepsisters, their boyfriends, and other new cousins-in-law. Then I got married, and got a sister- and brother-in-law as well as Manitoba-parents. Now I have a nephew. My sister has a long-term boyfriend. My stepsister got married. And on and on.
And suddenly, the season of holly and jolly became super stressful. Until last year, when my dad came up with the Christmas Spreadsheet.
Remember those matrix puzzles from grade school where you had to put an X to match Sally with her favourite colour and day of the week? Well, it's like that. On the left-hand side and top of the spreadsheet are the names of everyone involved in gift-giving madness merriment.
Then, you match two people and put one of the following letters in the square where their names meet:
S = stocking stuffers
G = gift
G/S = gift + stocking stuffers
X = no gift! no stocking stuffer!
So, for example, I would buy my husband S/G = stocking stuffers & gift (and vice-versa), but I would only get S = stocking stuffers for my stepsister's boyfriend, or X = no gift for my stepsister's boyfriend who I've never met.
To make things even easier, my dad & stepmom and my husband & I agreed that our gift to eachother would be an annual summer golf vacation, which effectively eliminated two more gifts I had to buy off my list while also ensuring we spend quality time together. And my girlfriends and I decided a few years ago that in lieu of gifts we'd go out for holiday afternoon tea together. Now the holidays are happy, not a headache. And isn't that what they're supposed to be about?
How do you deal with holiday shopping?