Are you buying yourself anything for Christmas? I did. See that shiny new “MEMBER” designation under my user name? I’ve done a lot and bought a lot for other people this year, but this is just for me. If I weren’t modest I’d say it’s a gift for all of you, too. Good thing I’m modest.
I’ll expand my question and ask if you do anything special or have a routine at Christmas that’s just for you. I have one of those ceramic Christmas trees that many think are tacky. Mine is beautiful, and my grandmother gave it to me when I was seven or eight. Every Christmas Eve it stays on the whole night in the bedroom.
This is the very first thread I’ve started here. Hope it doesn’t sink like a stone.
Every year I take all the change in my change bowl and run it through the CoinStar machine and end up with an Amazon gift card (there are no fees for getting an Amazon gift card, like there are for getting cash). I use that to buy myself something. I don’t know why but usually my coins total about $35. I just did it tonight - $37.14.
The reason I waited til now though is that I already bought my gifts for myself, not on Amazon. The last couple years I’ve been suckering myself into Black Monday Me Shopping. I bought a board game I’d wanted (saved $20), some clothes (saved $50) and some stuff for facial care (saved $20) and some Kindle books that were way cheap. I don’t remember if I got anything else but it was fun to get all the boxes in the mail
I only have to buy for my 2 nieces on Christmas so if I want anything for myself, it’s mine!
I bought a new acoustic guitar, but it’s pretty much just a coincidence with the time of year. I spotted it on Craigslist at a great price, and it’s the model I’ve had my eye on for some time. My wife and I don’t do gift exchange any longer. It’s just too frustrating and stressful. So we buy whatever we like during the year, sometimes for each other.
I always buy for myself. Who else knows exactly what I want! I also wrap my gifts and open them with the kids. Of course, they get some money to buy for each other and me as well.
This year I bought myself several books on my Nook. Who knows what else I may find when I finally get around to shopping. We won’t open gifts until about the 27th, so I still have time.
I bought a really lovely pair of pyjamas for a good friend of mine. I really, really liked them! When I found myself in that shop again, the next day, inadvertently, I just went ahead and bought a pair for myself! I’m wrapping them and putting them under tree from the dog!
I also bought some small trinkets that I will put in my own stocking. Both of these things will, no doubt, surprise my husband! So, win win, I figure!
When I’m out shopping for other people, I’ll usually get something for myself too.
Christmas stopped being a point of excitement for me a long time ago. Except for the handmade gifts that my sisters make me, I don’t usually like most of what I get since it’s usually generic stuff–like bath salts that will never get used or sweaters that don’t suit my style. The thoughts behind them are sweet, of course, but they just don’t make me look forward to answering the question “What did you get for Christmas?” So by shopping for myself, I guarantee that I will always get a gift that I’ve always wanted.
My Christmas gift to myself this year was a Nintendo 3DS XL. I’ve been thinking about various platforms and it became evident that I couldn’t justify the price of something like an X-Box 360 or a PS4, particularly because they don’t carry many games that I’m into.
So far I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the vast number of RPGs on the 3DS. Playing Fire Emblem: The Awakening right now and it’s pretty sweet.
And I didn’t even have to wait until Christmas. I love being a grown-up sometimes.
It’s Christmas for me the rest of they year, so at this time I’m just buying presents for others. Also my bonus doesn’t come in until Dec. 31, so if that’s big enough I will waste more money on myself than I would otherwise, but the words not in yet on that.
I was a Christmas burn-out for a number of years, then my cousin had a kid. I’m surprised at how much he’s re-energized the Christmas spirit in all of us. Amazon has a feature that keeps track of what you’ve looked at already, categorized with clickable links. Mine looks something like this:
Cookbooks (6)
Pets (4)
Electronics (5)
Toys and Games (72)
He’s getting a lot of stuff from us this year.
I just remembered I got a new digital camera, but I need it for work so I don’t know if I should count it.
Combination Christmas and birthday present: time to renew by Internet/landline agreement, and I realized that adding basic cable would be about $40/month. After decades of defining myself as being someone who doesn’t have cable, I’m about to have cable.
One of my best art shows of the year is always the first weekend in December. I almost always end up buying myself something from another artist. This year, I’ve been squirreling all my show proceeds away for a trip to the southwest in May with my son, so I didn’t buy anything. But I made some awesome trades with a couple of other artists. I could have, of course, traded for things to give to other people, but all my trades were for ME!
Hell yes – I started giving myself gifts when I was about 9 years old, and wanted to start writing in a diary (I’d been reading a book that was written in the style of a kid keeping a diary). My mom thought this was a daft present; to be fair, my mom was ridiculously generous with presents until I was about 12 or so, but the diary just seemed daft to her. I don’t have many of my childhood things anymore, but I’ve kept a diary continuously for 40 years, and I still have that first volume.
I’ve continued to buy myself presents for birthday and xmas for the past four decades.
This year I took a bit of pocket money to spend on myself in London & Brighton, and the thrill of the hunt (I like vintage couture shops) plus the actual haul was most satisfying. The annual xmas shopping rampage also included two shows: Electra at the Old Vic and Sunny Afternoon at the Harold Pinter theatre (I buy my tickets way in advance to get good seats); I way prefer going to the theatre (and shopping) alone.
I bought a region-free DVD player a few months ago so I could get hold of some movies and other things released in the UK or elsewhere but never in the US.
I had already ordered and received several series of “Time Team” from Amazon.uk as my very own present, but wandering their site last night, I discovered that a 1980s BBC miniseries of Vanity Fair has just become available. I’ve been waiting, waiting, waiting since the '90s for this to come out on videotape or DVD. It won’t get here until after the holidays, but I actually said “Merry Christmas to me!” as I ordered it and I’m simply delighted at the prospect of finally seeing it again after all these years. Hope it lives up to my memory of being the best adaptation of the novel.
I bought myself an emerald ring. Even though emeralds are my birthstone I’m not a huge fan. Two weeks ago I took my watch to the jewelers to have the battery changed and while waiting, browsed the emerald and sapphire sections. You know what happened–I went in for a $10 battery and came out with an emerald ring.
I’d much rather shop alone as well. Standing around while someone takes their time looking at stuff in which I have no interest? Or not wanting to make them stand around while I look at things that don’t interest them? No thanks.
There are a lot of interesting things you’ve purchased for yourselves! I appreciate your sharing, and for making my first thread a success! I was so afraid of it being a bust.
I’ve done a lot and bought a lot for other people this year, but this is just for me. If I weren’t modest I’d say it’s a gift for all of you, too. 
Good thing I’m modest.
