Okay, I have to tell somebody–I just ordered Hallboy an iPod Touch for Christmas!
Even though he has a cell phone, it’s a cheapie cell phone that he uses mostly for texting and the contract is up shortly. Even though he’s on my family plan (and it’s only $12 a month), because he rarely uses it for calls, we’re thinking of going to a pay-as-you-use one. I didn’t want to buy him an actual iPhone because of the monthly fees associated with it–he doesn’t have a job, and I don’t want to be paying for his phone much longer, etc. So an actual iPhone was out of the question. (Hallboy is 17, and is very responsible, but still, I’m not footing the bill every month for an iPhone for him.)
I’ve had an iPhone for some time now and he’s always wanting to use it, ya’ know, download and play games, and stuff. He’s mentioned how much he would like an iPhone (yeah, right), but he’s basically into the apps and text messaging. I’ve been talking of upgrading my iPhone (my current is one of the antique iPhones :D, which doesn’t have video, etc.) and he keeps asking if when I do, can he have my old iPhone.
The new iPod Touch I ordered for him is on it’s way–and it’s engraved with his name! I’m going to go out and buy the case, etc. for it (Five Below, here I come!), but I’m just dying to tell someone because I’m so excited! He will be so freaking surprised, especially since I got him an early Christmas present (a good pair of headphones he can use when he jogs) and gave it to him already when his old set literally fell apart a couple of weeks ago.
So, here’s the tread to squeal on what great Christmas gifts you’ve gotten for someone, and are just dying to tell, but can’t. Of course, if the recipient is a Doper, you’re outta luck.
On my advice, my parents bought my husband a snowblower for Christmas. We’ve got quite a long driveway and he has a bad back, so I hope he’ll be geeked about it. It was delivered yesterday–the box is about the size of a dishwasher–and I managed to squirrel it away in a dark corner of my sewing room. I hope it’ll stay a secret till Christmas… or the first serious snowfall.
My best friend - who I’ve not seen since August, will see for one day in December, and then possibly not again for a year - is the person who takes credit for turning me from “sure, I’m a feminist I guess” into an ardent third-wave feminist who will cheerfully talk your ear off about the kyriarchy and rape culture and such. I was recently in London, spent some time browsing bookshops, and she is getting a stack of books, ranging from the 1970s through today, on feminism - including one which was just published and is on gender in Judaism, which I know she will love.
Dad is getting a menorah made by a small-business Indian artisan from a bicycle chain. I was paging through a bicycling magazine - both Dad and I ride - and saw it, and went, “Holy crap, someone has finally tapped the market of ‘Cyclist Jews who try to shop ethically’! It’s perfect!” It’s so perfect that, upon finding I can’t buy it online, I got my mom to take the train into the city to buy it for me. I’ve never seen anything that hits that particular combination of bicycles and Judaism, and my dad’s generally really hard to shop for, so I’m excited to be able to give it to him face to face.
The little Torqueling, age 4, is terrible about keeping secrets. It was therefore a grave mistake of my parents to tell her what they were getting for my wife and me for Christmas; she was just bursting at the seams to tell us.
“No, sweetie, don’t tell me.”
“Can I tell you a little bit?”
“No, don’t say anything!”
“But it’s a long time until Christmas, so you’ll probably forget by then.”
I told my son I’d already gotten his stuff and that he shouldn’t be expecting anything for his birthday because he got the laptop and a Dave & Buster’s trip on Friday.
But…Mario Kart Wii. And I’m putting brown wrapping paper over it with the ? symbol.
I’ve been waking him up every year with a cupcake for breakfast on his birthday. I’m excited. It’s not Hanukkah/holiday, but same idea, right?
I found my brother the absolute most perfectest gift for him – a Superman snugglie, as in, when you put it on it looks like you’re wearing Superman’s costume.
My brother starting lifting weights in college and is quite the hardbody. When my husband met him, it was at a Halloween party my best friend threw and my brother came as Superman. He’s one of the few guys who can dress as Superman without needing any muscle padding to look the part.
Now we’re older and parents and all grown up and all, so comfort is a greater priority than before. But he can still be Superman!
Also, two boys on my list are getting Air Swimmer Sharks from us, and I know they’re going to be blown away. But the Superman snugglie is what I keep coming back to mentally and getting a huge, silly grin about.
We got married a little over a year ago. I just this morning ordered … our wedding rings.
I’ve ordered myself a few things - a skirt, some thigh-highs - and I might just wrap them up anyway with To: purplehorseshoe From:{one of our cats.} Makes for more pretty wrapped presents under tree! Although, in the interst of fairness, now I have to get something for the cats.
A new TV and blu-ray player, which are secrets from the kids.
The ones I had my eye on last week at Best Buy are no longer on sale (boo) but I’m hoping others will crop up, as we have a very specific budget.
But anyway, the really big challenge is whether we smuggle it into the house some time when the kids aren’t up, and try to set it up Christmas Eve after bedtime, or just say the hell with it and set it up during the daytime on the 24th and blow the surprise.
I told the wife we weren’t exchanging gifts this year (we’re going to Disneyland), but there was a really good sale at flirtyaprons.com last week that I couldn’t pass up, so I got her a couple of cute aprons.
We’re getting our 5-year-old a DSi this year. He is always begging to play his older cousin’s one, and also my husband’s Android phone. Since the almost-fiasco in which he spent $400 on “coins” for a game he gets VERY limited to access to said phone, and the DSi will satiate his desire for a game-playing gadget. It will be a ref-furb, with money kicked in from the grandparents.
My cousin indicated that she would have liked to get one of my grandmother’s teacups, which have since passed into my hands, so that’s what she’s getting along with some nice tea.
