Ho! Ho! Uh-Oh!

So let's get right to the topic.

For those who are paid on the 15th and 30th of each month, there are 9, . . . yes, NINE,  pay periods between now and Christmas.  That is a frightening prospect.  But never fear, for "I bring you tidings of great joy ..." - and a website that has some pretty darn cute stuff that is very reasonably priced.

The name of the company is The Lakeside Collection.  I discovered them about 3 years ago but their history states that they have been in business for the past decade.  I received their new Christmas 2012 catalog in the mail last night.  If you would like to review the catalog in its entirety online, simply visit:

 http://www.lakeside.com/Christmas-2012/catalog330003.jmb?navAction=jump&fm=catalog. 

This years catalog displays 506 items and includes many categories; For The Home; Apparel + Beauty; Garden; Housewares + Dining; Toys + Sports; Bed + Bath; Gifts; Pets and so on.

In order to get a jump-start on my holiday shopping and to prepare for holiday soirees, I placed on order this morning.  The items I ordered were:

  

Mothers & Sons Sentimental

Giftbook





Jumbo Stainless Steel Spatula





Paw Print Pet Gate



Cake Pops Cookbook







Hors D'Oeurves Baking Set





Set of 2 Oven Rack

Edge Guards





Shoe Wine Bottle Holders





Set of Two Tart Warmer

Night Lights

Grand total:  $122.45.  I ordered thirteen items, so the average price paid per item is $9.42.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.  My mother will love the Mothers and Sons Giftbook.  The kitchen items will certainly make assembling and baking food easier during the holiday season.  The Cake Pops Cookbook will be fun to experiment with.  The Tart Warmers can be used all year.  You just use seasonal fragrances.  And the pieces de resistance, the Shoe Wine Bottle Holders.  I bought all four.  How could anyone resist.  I'd take a second job if I had to for the full set of those.  I'd work overtime.  Cut the neighbors grass.  Feed a friends canary.  Drive the elderly to the hospital.  I just WANT THOSE SHOES.

Granted, this is not the Neiman Marcus Annual Christmas catalog with $900,000 rowboats.  But they have some very cute and interesting items at reasonable prices.  They also have some things that I would never consider buying like a toaster that will toast the name of your favorite football team onto the bread.  I'm sure someone will want that, but not I.  That same person would probably not "feed a friends canary" for the Shoe Wine Bottle Holders.  Different people; different tastes.  That's what makes the world go 'round.

Some other items that I really liked but did not order were the Holiday Loaf Pan Sets, Sentiment Candles, Animal Planet Infant Neck Support for those with little ones, 365 Quote-A-Day Calendar, Holiday Cocoas, Coffees or Teas, Holiday Storage Collection, Holiday Treat Buckets, Tortilla Bowl Bakers and the Martha Stewart Deep Edge Punches.  I already have the Holiday Storage Collection pieces and many of the Martha Stewart Punches.  I may visit the site again over the next couple of months and place a separate order for those items.  But for now at least I've dipped my toe in the Christmas shopping pool.  If you can get started early it will make the season so much more enjoyable.  There is something here for everybody and every budget.