I just want to say, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
Thanks for reading my blog and I’m very very thankful for all your PF blogger friendship over the years, and for all the great posts fellow PF bloggers write for me to read, and last but not LEAST I’m also thankful for all the readers who regularly read this blog.
I hope everyone has a relaxing, restful, and invigorating (hey, short bread cookies, biscotti, and egg nog are invigorating, IMO) Christmas spent with loved ones.
I am also thankful for stores that open past 9pm and I’m thankful for the ABILITY to last minute shop for Christmas presents (if stores all closed at 6pm I wouldn’t know what to do).
This year, I spent about $400 on Christmas gifts and I bought gifts for my mom, sisters, brother, boyfriend, boyfriend’s family, and 8 close girlfriends. It was still higher than I’d like, but better than if I didn’t do any secret santa gift exchanges or homemade gifts, if I didn’t do these, I would guess my gift total would be closer to $500 or even $600.
Readers, how much did you spend on your Christmas gifts this year? (I know, I know, I’m nosy.. but that’s what personal finance is about.. isnt’ it?) 
PF Blog Love:
Invest it Wisely has a great guest post about getting out of student debt (very relevant for me right now as I’m trying to avoid this at all cost)- Krystal from GMBMFB has huge news to share! She’s quitting her job and moving to Germany! Great way to follow your dream and incorporate some adventure
- Little House in the Valley has a guest post talking about saving up for a down payment
- Financial Samurai shares his encounter with a beautiful, smart, but single dentistry student
- Money Smarts Blog has some super last minute Christmas gift ideas (ahem, GUYS, you may want to read this
) - The Financial Blogger is giving away $500 in cold, hard, cash (via paypal lol). All you have to do is confess your biggest financial sin of 2011.
- My Own Advisor has a really cute poem incorporating all of the Canadian personal finance bloggers. Go check it out- it’ll put a smile on your face, I know it did for me!
- Retire by 40 updates us on his New Years resolutions of 2011. And YAY! He survived 2011! Now he has to survive 2012, which is the big one we need to worry about
- Prairie Eco Thrifter shares some tips on baking cheap holiday cookies and breads
- Boomer and Echo talk about the important risks involved in having joint accounts. (this is important for all us cohabitators out there!)
