Christmas Preparations!

Until recently I've been feeling rather pleased with myself on the Christmas preparation front. Back in September I bought a portable DVD player for Mum and Dad so that we can send them DVDs of K in action, since Japanese DVDs won't play on a standard British player. I also got digital photo frames for my grandparents and loaded them up with, yup, pictures of K. Mum and Dad were then able to take it all back with them after their visit here, leaving me well ahead of the game.


So the other day, I started thinking... I've only really got my sister and her partner to buy for now. Oh, and K, I suppose. Oh, and H too! Then there's a friend in Canada I want to send something to, several friends here I want to give presents, a couple of H's relatives, something for the present swap at a Christmas party we're going to.... Hang on, I'm not organised at all!


Luckily, the panic has subsided a little now. My sister has suggested a present moratorium this year, since we're all stuck for what to get for each other and it's pointless posting stuff you don't need halfway around the world. So they're off the list :-)


Then the other day K and I made a trip to a lovely little toyshop near here and crossed 3 more people off my list (and only one of them is a child. Technically.) It really is a great shop, selling things that I don't often see in the other shops around here: lots of board games, Lego, Play Mobil, wooden toys and more. The man there entertained K with some of the little-boy toys while I browsed, and made him this balloon car too:





So I think I've finished all the presents which need to be posted now. Time to turn to the big pile of cards to write I suppose. And then I'll set about a few handmade gifts I have in mind for friends here.


There is one present-giving dilemma you could help me with though... What's the protocol for people who we have never exchanged presents with before, but who have now started sending presents to K? Should I be sending them something? Or would a nice thank you letter and a couple of photos suffice? I'd love to hear what you all think!