Yes it can be a very stressful time. I vowed this year I will be happy with a maintain weight-wise. I am still working toward being healthy but I refuse to have to deal with the mental battle over every little sweet and treat that comes by me. I have planned days where I will eat whatever I want and how much ever I want. I'm going to focus more on getting in more exercise and on the days that were not planned days to eat what I want I will just make up for it in exercise. We'll see how that goes.
As for Christmas shopping, I'm almost done.
With 3 kids, one birthday on Nov. 9, a birthday on Dec. 27 and another on Feb. 3 I have to start planning a year out. We still have to buy Chris's santa gift (a new 24" bike that I will wait for the day after thanksgiving sale) and pick out one for Lilly but that's it. Jeff is picking up Chris' birthday presents this weekend. We put them on layaway last month and then just paid $20 a week to get it paid off.
Lilly is having a barbie themed birthday and I have a couple of gifts put in layaway for her. I'll hit the day after Christmas sales for the bulk of her birthday gifts. I bought William's party favors (the 2-3-4 b-day) on clearance last year for around $3 for plates, napkins, table cloth, etc for a spider man theme.
I just ordered my brothers, their girlfriends and kid's gifts from ABC last week and just have Dad left and dirty Santa gifts to get. I'll have to end up getting the ILs their gifts but I'm going to have Jeff help me pick them out and hopefully be done with all Christmas shopping by the first of December.