It’s The Little Things: Advent Calendars

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Oh my gosh! It’s December! It’s the holidays! How did this happen? I am beyond unprepared.

What better way to increase the panic than a countdown of days you have left until you implode into a falling pile of wrapping paper?

Awww, I love it.

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Every year I do an advent calendar that ties on the little Christmas tree in my family room. I fill the small bags (I bought my darling Matryoshka Doll bags from Etsy many years ago) with random small items for the kids. If there is not a small item in the bag then it may contain a date with their dad and me (such as a note that says, “get your coat on. We’re going for ice cream.”). Don’t worry I keep track on my calendar as to what day they are going to open their little notes. This way I can switch them when their little heads are turned in case I need to change the dates.

Well, as of today, the fifth, I have not stuffed these advent bags. I am so behind. Oh well, it will just have to be us counting down the eighteen days until Christmas here.

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I finally got them their chocolate advent calendars from World Market yesterday. I know Trader Joe’s makes them as well. They love opening the boxes and popping out a chocolate.

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My son gets a Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar every year. It is considered an early Christmas present. I am not providing a link, because the prices for it are ridiculous right now. Check your local Target. I have always seen them there for the correct price each year (retail $40. I actually purchased mine months ago. Wha’?). My daughter gets an extra present to open on Christmas to make up for it. I was not quick enough to score Sephora’s advent calendar they produce every year. I wanted to surprise her. Next year! Next year I will be more on top of it. Do you believe me?

I love the holidays. I love counting down the days until Christmas. To say this is my favorite holiday is laughable. I love it so much I almost always cry when the twenty sixth arrives.

Do you do advent calendars at your house? Are you prepared for the holidays? I am 75% done with my shopping. I hope to finish by Friday. We will put our two real trees up this Sunday. I want wrapped presents under the tree. Now, I just need to get on that.

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Do I look ready?

It’s the little things: making every day a mini holiday. Let the countdown begin!

Gift Cards Scam Warning

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Tis the season. For cheer. Family. And, well, scams. I hate to be a downer, but I wanted to do a post on this to make everyone aware of what is happening.

You know those gift card kiosks at the grocery stores? Well, I purchased several of those gift cards from one last year. My grocery store was giving $20 in grocery money for every $100 in select gift cards purchased (this is a fantastic deal and you should check soon to see if your store is running a similar program). I bought a lot of gift cards for Christmas presents. I also grabbed a $100 Amazon gift card to use for myself throughout the year.

The holidays passed, and when I went to use the gift card in January, I had to scratch off a code. I went to do so, and the entire back of the card started to scratch off. I could not understand what I was seeing. But then I figured it out.

Someone had grabbed a handful of gift cards. They went home and photocopied the backs of half of the cards. They then kept the real copy of the card and placed its printed carbon copy onto a card that had not been copied. Does that make sense? They placed it so well, it was hardly noticeable. I did not see it at the time of purchase. When I activated my card, I was actually activating the original card they had at home. They then used the original card and I was left with a worthless piece of paper.

Now, if I was at all organized, I could have fought the purchase with the grocery store. But I wasn’t and I didn’t. People, be better than I was: keep your gift card activation and purchase receipts!

I want everyone to be aware that this is happening. Heck, they could even just write the number of the gift card down or take a picture of it with their cell phone (I just read that this is happening also) and use it online after you have activated it. The scammers call on the gift card numbers every day, just waiting for someone to activate them. Be very careful this holiday season! Check the backs of the gift cards for fake paper backing. And always, always keep those receipts (this is a reminder to myself, as well. I have given two gift cards lately without the receipt!). Give the receipt with the gift card to the recipient or a copy of the receipt with the gift card. You do not want to be giving your loved ones a fake present. Here is some more information on the subject from Yahoo Finance.

Be careful!

And let’s all have a fun and innocent fraudulent-free holiday season!