The Holiday Gift Thread

Fruitbat · Nov 17, 2015

I thought it would be fun to have a thread for ANYTHING to do with holiday gifts. Neat ideas, horrible or wonderful things you received, holiday shopping gripes, and so on.

I'll start with a neat idea. QVC has little microscopes that clip on to phones, a set of two for $20. So if you get bored at work or your relatives' homes, you can go about looking for interesting bacteria. I thought they'd make neat stocking stuffers.

http://www.qvc.com/CatalogSearch?langId=-1&storeId=10251&catalogId=10151&keyword=microscope+phone

Maryn · Nov 17, 2015

I intend to buy as stocking stuffers these small lights that plug into a USB port and light the keyboard. It's something like this but cheesier and cheaper--but still really handy at times.

And I have added the best caramels in the entire world to my wish list. If I get them, I will not be sharing.

Caitlin Black · Nov 17, 2015

I've already bought the majority of the Christmas presents for this year, but I'm stumped when it comes to dad and stepmum. Anyway, the things I'm gifting:

For mum: A nice scarf (idea courtesy of a friend) and 2 magazines about painting.
For nanna: A murder mystery novel and some sort of foodstuffs (chocolates, maybe?) that will be bought closer to the day.
For grandad: A nice bottle of wine and some gourmet nut snacks (to be bought closer to the day).
For sis: A nice bottle of wine and a book.
For sis's fiance: A gaming PC mousepad and a Boba Fett bobblehead.
For brother and his wife: A gift card (because they're interstate and I'm not paying exorbitant shipping).

Anyway, that leaves dad and stepmum, who happen to be living in a caravan right now while they travel round Australia. No freakin' clue what to get them... I did think of a compilation book of rules for various card games (like, the rules for 100 different card games or something) plus a couple nice decks, but I just could not find such a beast at all. So yes... No clue!

Southpaw · Nov 17, 2015

Obviously, Cliff Face has not seen my post in the "Things I hate about November" thread. :gaah

Brightdreamer · Nov 17, 2015

Let's see... I ordered the usual photo calendars last weekend, so the aunt and uncle have that much coming to them. And my workshed currently has a snerkload of almost-finished armatures for the annual ornament blitz. (Another memorial-based one, unfortunately... that's two years in a row. Last year was Grandpa, this year was his sister. And I technically only need 7 ornaments, but I have 13 armatures out there, because every year at least one of the things goes wrong so I need backups... and when they don't go wrong, hey, extra ornaments for our tree.) My aunt's husband already compiled his list, so I got an item off that: a book on home cheesemaking. My aunt asked for one thing, but it's fairly pricey (a Roomba-type automatic vacuum cleaner), so it may be a group effort if we decide to do it. I'll probably get something chocolate-based for my father. No idea what to do for Mom and my sister, though...

juniper · Nov 22, 2015

Last year we spent about the same amount on shipping as we did on the actual gifts. We live on the west coast of USA and most others live on east coast.

I like wrapping the presents myself and sending them off, but that's not going to happen this year. We'll probably shop online and have everything sent directly to recipients. Even paying extra for gift wrap would probably be cheaper than sending things myself.

We've now got 8 - nope - 9 grandkids so the parents of those don't get anything or just something small. Concentrate on the kids. And then our own siblings - my brother, BIL, SIL - and father-in-law.

A few days ago I came across the list of what I bought for last year - I'll probably work from that for this year.

Maze Runner · Nov 22, 2015

Not to pander to the crowd, but I think books can be great gifts. They're fairly compact, fairly inexpensive, and if you nail it, offer entertainment and/or information untold. The problem, of course, is it's a pretty personal, subjective thing, so you have to know the person pretty well. I used to give CDs for the same reason, but not too many people listen to CDs anymore.

stormie · Nov 22, 2015

Fun thread!

Here are some ideas:

Magazine subscription

Wine

Specialty olive oil

Wine

The HUGE box of Whitman's chocolates --a 2 pounder (it sells at KMart in NJ for $19.99)

Wine

William-Sonoma or Harry& David condiments that are different (and they have sale bins)

Wine

Shutterfly/Snapfish/etc. photo books (you can get coupon codes from Retailmenot.com )

Wine

Maze Runner · Nov 22, 2015

hahahaha, I was thinking wine might be a good gift.

Maryn · Nov 22, 2015

Be aware that it's illegal to ship wine into some states, though. Poor me, I have to buy my own.

My peers and I are starting to need these or this. I've given both in the past and probably will again. Very nice quality for the price, especially the second one, and useful to anybody who struggles with fine print.

stormie · Nov 22, 2015

One year I gave my dad a very good, gold-frame magnifying glass. He loved it.

brainstorm77 · Nov 22, 2015

I buy gifts for the hubby and for everyone else it's gift-cards or money. I honestly don't know what to get for the other members in my family. Books are always a good gift though

Fruitbat · Nov 22, 2015

I like to give magazine subscriptions, too, if I think I know someone's interests well enough.

Oops, now I see that was already mentioned.

MaryMumsy · Nov 22, 2015

We really don't do gifts with anyone except my one BIL/SIL/nephew and my MIL. As most of the nieces and nephews got older, got married, had kids of their own...it just got to be too much. And when you don't know peoples' likes/dislikes etc, it makes it even harder.

Cliff: maybe a gift card for your Dad and step-Mum? Something they could use for eating out? I would imagine that cooking in a caravan is a challenge. To say nothing of having no space for 'things'.

MM

Caitlin Black · Nov 22, 2015

Yeah, I was leaning towards food-based gifts for dad and stepmum. It can't be alcohol, as dad isn't meant to drink anymore (too much iron in his blood). As for eating-out vouchers... I really don't know what to do with that. Like, the only places I know that you can give vouchers for are a collective of fine-dining sort of places, which generally have the kind of food dad and stepmum wouldn't care for too much. I dunno...

I think I'll have to ring dad and see if he'll even be nearby over Christmas. He's said in the past to not worry about getting him anything, which I've done for the past 2 years... But if he'll be local at the time, I think I'll get him (and stepmum) something anyway.

Introversion · Nov 22, 2015

I mostly buy gift cards or give cash to family these days. Maybe one small thing (usually a book or movie) for each, so they have some "real" gift, but the remainder as "money".

It's not that it's too much effort to buy a real gift, it's that I really have very little idea of what most of them want or need. On the occasions when I've tried to get creative, especially with parents, it's usually not been a good idea. So I'd rather give them the ability to pick out what they really want.

And frankly, I myself would rather get gift-cards.

I know that probably seems a bit impersonal to some, but it seems to work well for our family.

jjdebenedictis · Nov 22, 2015

My workplace got a 3D printer, and I was dying to try my hand at making gifts for family with it, but darn it, I got busy, and it takes time to create the files you use for the printing.

Wouldn't lithophanes have been awesome, though? I could even have printed them with a frame and support, then wired in an LED and battery to turn them into a bedside lamp!

Lavern08 · Nov 23, 2015

Introversion said:
I mostly buy gift cards - And frankly, I myself would rather get gift-cards.

Ditto!

Oh, and ixnay on the Fruitcake - For the love of all that is sacred and holy, please just DON'T! :ROFL:

Maze Runner · Nov 23, 2015

Lavern08 said:
Ditto!

Oh, and ixnay on the Fruitcake - For the love of all that is sacred and holy, please just DON'T!

God, I don't understand Fruitcakes.

stormie · Nov 23, 2015

There's a great fruitcake made by the Trappist Monks. 120 proof.

Good stuff.

jjdebenedictis · Nov 23, 2015

stormie said:
There's a great fruitcake made by the Trappist Monks. 120 proof.

Good stuff.

Reminds me of a story where a mom found out one of her teenage sons kept raiding the brandy-drenched fruitcake.

Was it for the alcohol? No, it was because he was an avid backpacker and had discovered the fruitcake not only tasted better than power bars, it also didn't freeze because of all the booze in it!

Wye Pen · Nov 23, 2015

What holiday are you talking about?

MaryMumsy · Nov 23, 2015

Wye Pen said:
What holiday are you talking about?

Any holiday you celebrate this time of year.

US Thanksgiving
Christmas
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
New Year's
Winter solstice

Take your pick.

MM

Fruitbat · Nov 23, 2015

Don't forget Festivus!

stormie · Nov 25, 2015

Yep. More for me to celebrate!

The Holiday Gift Thread

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At Sea

Wild one

The squirrel apocalypse is coming!

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Always curious.

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At Sea

storm central

practical experience, FTW

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the original blond bombshell

Wild one

Pie aren't squared, pie are round!

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Sit Down, and Shut Up!

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the original blond bombshell

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