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Sun 4 Dec, 2005 04:45 pm
I know you're out there, like me, scanning Amazon and the rest of the 'Net, stalking the malls and wracking your brains to try to find the perfect gift for crazy Aunt Marge or weird Uncle Chester. And you're also begging your family to give you some sort of a reasonable idea for a gift, and not the usual "I'd like a Lamborghini" or "World Peace, please!". Gadzooks, just ask for a freakin' tie or some earrings like a normal person!
This year, we have 8 gifts to buy, plus there's my folks' anniversary but since we're throwing a humongous party for them, that's the gift. Eek, I just realized, there's a 9th gift we have to get. Plus, of course, we have to get something for each other.
I've gotten 3 so far.
I realize this isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things, but RP and I are also working lots of OT these days and will lose close to a week in various appointments and travel. Hence we have maybe 5 hours, and not all strung together, in which to actually shop.
Plus there are at least a good 20 cards that absolutely, positively must go out, and another 40 or so that would be a good idea if they went out, and all of the usual ramp-up to the holidays such as buy more film and then there's the Yankee Swap at work and dangit, I'm tired of it already and I barely just started.
So do tell, dear friends, of your coping strategies (yes, I know, some of you bought all your gifts last April. You are, I suspect, the spawn o' Satan. Or maybe the spawn o' Stan. I get 'em confused a lot). Tell us of your aching feet, the bruises from wrestling with fellow shoppers for the last whatever, the huge scary debts that make you wonder whether you can start just burning credit card bills for fuel this winter, and, of course, about how much you want to do nasty things to whoever programmed every freakin' Xmas song ever written to play, nonstop at work, on every radio station you listen to and, of course, the mall. Play "Jingle Bell Rock" for me one more time, my friend, and, well, let's just say that I will bend something into a wreath that isn't supposed to be wreath-shaped, and we'll leave it at that.
Have at it, folks, support, jokes, ideas, or just a smile will help me and others like me to cope this holiday season. And remember, admitting the problem is the first step in solving it.
Hello, my name is jespah. Your turn.
I have a double-whammy -- parents-in-law that are impossible to buy for, and parents-in-law who want gift suggestions for what WE want, and I dunno! I mean, we want a really good quality sleeper sofa, $800-$1600 range, is that OK? No?
We do like little interesting things but have really weird, hard-to-pin-down taste. Like, M-I-L was clearing out her garage and sent a list of stuff and pictures for us to choose from. I passed over the linens and silver (contemporary) and vases and throw pillows and all the rest of it and glommed on to a very old ceramic molasses jug that was found in E.G.'s dad's grandma's basement. Now that's cool!
We've told them that pretty much every year -- cool old stuff, especially with a family connection, copies of old family photos are fine, we don't need the originals or anything -- but I think they've given all they have available. (Unless there is more stuff like the molasses jug lurking...)
Anyway. Sozlet's easy, anyway. (Art stuff! Science stuff! Doll clothes!)
My folks were the easy ones this year. They both wanted turtlenecks. We did not get them matching ones, as that would be a little too weird 50s-ish, I dunno, it just seemed wrong. Anyway, I also think Dad wouldn't want a berry-print one.
Gotta send something to the Italian nephew. And soon, too, otherwise it won't be there until about February. Hmmm.
Yay sozlet! And the jug sounds funky, definitely unique.
well my folks never want anything or for the most part don't need a darn thing it gets tough - they got a Calendar! LOL not really
You might remember I always had a desire to put a calendar together and this year it finally happened anfet enough pushes, I did it.
Well, Christmas /Holiday shopping at our household isn't too much of a pain compared to what I've heard from some folks.
Basically, Vivienne and I shop together, but pick our own gifts. Usually, I never buy myself anything, but this year, I went all out and bought myself a digital camera. It's my Christmas, retirement, birthday (for next year), anniversary, and Christmas gift for next year, too!
My sister is easy. We don't exchange gifts by mutual understanding. She doesn't live close by, but in northern BC. Just cards for us.
My mother loves to go out to the movies. So, it's the usual multi-movie pass book for her, with a few scratch lottery tickets thrown in.
Vivienne's father now loves in England. So, it's a card for him. Her brother and wife get one gift and something for the adopted daughter.
We spend the most time shopping for our 2 daughters. To me, that's what Christmas is all about.
So, all in all, we usually wrap things up (pun intended) by the end of the first week of December. :wink:
Spawn of Stan, I'm tellin' ya. So, Reyn, you go shopping with Vivienne Westwood? V
husker, that's a good idea, a calendar.
Just money this year, Jes. It's the right color, I guess.
Next year, tens are supposed to be somewhat orange. So it might clash.
How ya doin', Miss Letty?
Fair, Jes. The season will be rather lack luster for me, but I hope to see my children. My word, I had forgotten that the new ink will be tinted.
jespah wrote:Spawn of Stan, I'm tellin' ya. So, Reyn, you go shopping with Vivienne Westwood?
Nope. Looks nothing like my wife. :wink:
You guys aren't used to different coloured money. We've had tutti-fruiti for years now.
I am done! Thank goodness! I went out yesterday to JCPenny to get a quilted flannel shirt/jacket for my hunting FIL, and stumbled upon a ton of great deals. And while waiting in line, I was talking to a young mother who was anxiously waiting behind me and said her sons hockey game was at 1pm and it was already 12:30p. So, me, feeling high on Christmas spirit despite the fact that my arms were breaking off from the weight of my soon to be purchases, told her to go ahead of me. Aw. Well, she turns around and asks me if I had the 20% off coupon. No, I didn't. But she gave me her "One for a Friend" one and I got an additional 20% off my purchases. I ended up buying a quilted flannel shirt/jacket thing, 2 long sleeved shirts, a cable knit sweater, a necklace and 2 flannel shirts for $65, which is not bad. I made out pretty good this year!
Looking for book suggestions for my mom. May have to default to Oprah stuff.
Smelly lotions for the wimmin folk. Except my wife. I have to find something with a power cord for her.
Not.
Reyn wrote:jespah wrote:Spawn of Stan, I'm tellin' ya. So, Reyn, you go shopping with Vivienne Westwood?
Nope. Looks nothing like my wife. :wink:
You guys aren't used to different coloured money. We've had tutti-fruiti for years now.
Oooh, pretty.
Bella, that's fantastic!
Drew - what does your Mom like? Maybe the good minds (or the weird ones, at any rate) can come up with some suggestions? Heck, we can't do any worse than Amazon.
jespah wrote:So, Reyn, you go shopping with Vivienne Westwood? V
She can come shopping with me!
I cheat.
Mr. Noddy is much fonder of his family than I am. He doesn't care whether they say, "Thank you." Several years ago I found a place that ships balsam wreaths from Maine at a not-unreasonable price.
Ten wreaths....that takes care of the in-laws.
Next week when I'm visiting my son and daughter-in-law, I'll see what they need for their new living quarters. My daughter-in-law dislikes the malls as much as I do, but we'll sally forth together to find the very latest in shirt/jackets for Mr. Noddy.
Actually, to be fair, the wreaths arrived last Friday and one of the recipients said, "Thank you" this year.
Maeve Binchy, Anne Tyler, Barbara Kingsolver, Amy Tan, etc.
Any hidden gems, or similar authors?
Thinking about Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan....
DrewDad--
Check out Angela Thirkell. Her novels of Barchestershire take place between the wars in England among the country gentry. Very soothing stories.
What about a more funky author for your mom, like maybe Zadie Smith? Hmmm.
Wreathes, excellent, too bad we don't have to buy new menorahs every year. We buy candles, but they're a tiny item, just something tossed in the shopping basket when picking up eggs.
I'm the born internet shopper -
www.redenvelope.com
has great gifts, and they send it in beautiful red boxes with
a white ribbon to whatever address you give them.
Hassle free shopping!! Well not entirely, but at least it takes
care of the 5 December birthdays in addition to christmas <sigh>
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