Just curious! I’m shopping for my two best friends [who live in Canada and Seattle] and Mrs. Chatelaine. She’ll gift-hunt for me [hopefully!], her parents and some of her work friends. Whatever she buys her parents will be from “us”, natch.
All I have to do is buy for V. and D. [my friends] and my shopping is done! I got all of Mrs. Chatelaine’s things last night. FWIW, all of my shopping is done online. Og bless Amazon and other assorted e-retailers.
I’ll have you know that actually spending money on something as horrible as The L Word caused me physical pain, but… you know how it goes. What we do for those we love and all that. I comforted myself with the fact I bought The Short History… and a Meshell Ndegeocello album for her, as well.
So. What’s in your Santa bag?
Disclaimer: I didn’t start this thread to make anyone feel bad if they’re low on funds this year. I know it seems like I bought Mrs. C a lot, but I’m making up for the horrible birthday she had this year. Also, it ain’t what ya buy, it’s the love ya give it with. I’m just curious about what other Dopers are shopping for or hoping for under the tree/in the stocking/around the menorah/in the wooden shoe this year.
I’m getting my giftees magazines and coffees of the month. I live 1000 miles away from my family so it’s easier to send them mail gifts. Besides, mags and ___ of the month stuff goes on all year!
I’m only buying for my son, as is the rest of the family. My sister, mom, daughter and I have been “boycotting” Christmas for about 10 years now.
Here is how we celebrate Christmas. The day after Xmas, the four of us (well now just the two, only my sister and I are still in AK), we all go out to lunch and shopping together, where we find normal and way marked down prices of things that were superinflated before the holidays.
When we’re exhausted from shopping, we go to a movie we’ve been wanting to see.
Well, buying for the fiancee (who is a doper: Alias) and family (some of whom are dopers) so I should keep my mouth mostly shut.
Still I can tell some. My daugher is getting a male Bratz doll because she is tired of making her barbies marry beanie babies. I also got her a Spongebob video game for PS2 and two faerietopia barbies.
Alias is getting Silent Hill: The Room and she is getting me LOTR: Third Age. We figured it would be safer if we agreed to a similar gift in advance.
Last year we agreed to not get each other gifts since we were both unemployed. She went out and bought me the complete far side collection. I’m figuring it’s my turn to double-cross her, but I haven’t quite figured out how.
Various friends: shower gels, other smelly-good items, a tote bag and flip-flops, calendars, air fresheners, ceramic cup or bowl, some photos of Hugh Grant, and Chai mix.
Cousins and their families: ??? I don’t know yet…I’ll figure it out.
I don’t wish to mention here what certain Dopers might receive.
Airman’s family does an exchange thing every year. You draw a name out of the hat, and you get a Master List of stuff that everyone wants.
Two of the three people we got are easy. They’re getting gift cards. The third is probably getting the videos she wants. Nice, easy, cheap, and our familial obligation is over.
Well, I’m not going to give away the whole caboodle, but I will share a few examples of why our extended family finds us to be hopelessly geeky.
Stonebow is getting a silk tie with images from the Bayeaux Tapestry.
He’s bought me a replica of Hermione’s time turner.
The almost three year old Son of Stonebow will be getting the Chunky Playschool version of the Millenium Falcon.
Ten year old son has a stack of books almost hip high, including a few Redwall titles, some Arthurian legend, and Cornelia Funke’s latest, Dragon Rider.
Eldest child will get outfitted for his latest hobby, cooking, as he had dreams of being an international chef.
We can get ourselves practical items or clothes any time of the year. Christmas is for the FUN stuff! Plus, I admit, I’m not a member of the average family. Case in point: Thanksgiving Dinner, yesterday at my Grandmother’s house, I look up at my brother, completely deadpan and say “Thanksgiving is a special night.” Without even missing a beat, he looks up and says (again completely deadpan) “Jimmy Walker used to say Dy-NO-mite!” We all smile, and continue eating. After dinner, we played a very nasty grudge-match round of Trivial Pursuit, 90s edition. My team lost, and I will never forgive Kim Cattrall, Jimmy Carter, or the Cracker Barrel for it. I have no idea why I have related my Thanksgiving experiences in a Christmas thread. Sorry…carry on.
First Christmas with a girlfriend and I’ve got no idea what to get her. To make matter worse, my last final is on the 20th, which means I’m coming back home on the 21st, meaning I probably won’t be able to hit a mall until the 22nd.
If I’m lucky, I’ll have the money to buy some people cards and maybe a $5 gift certificate. If I’m not, which I expect to be, I won’t even be able to afford that.
I got my husband’s niece’s (ages 5, 3, and 6 months) stuffed animals, a Curious George book and several coloring books.
I’m going to get my mother a hands free headset because she insists on talking on the phone while driving- even after she totaled her car and broke her back earlier this year.
I don’t know who else, if anyone, is getting something from me.
I’ve got most of my shopping done online - this is a first. I’m usually the panicky one you see running through the mall the weekend before Christmas hoping something will strike me as ‘the perfect gift for so-and-so.’
DH is getting a couple of computer games, Return of the King on DVD, and a book about the Beatles. I’m also getting Harry Potter 3 on DVD and a chess set for us - I figure that he can’t keep using ‘But we don’t have a chess set’ as an excuse not to teach me!
Since I had to take my measurements, I know I’m getting a kilted skirt in one of my family tartans (Keith) from DH.
Mom is getting a scarf in one of her family (Thomson) tartans and a nativity (she collects them)
Dad is getting a set of drinking glasses with London Tube stops on them, and I’m putting together his photo album of our trip to London/Paris/Edinburgh this summer. I actually found Tube map wrapping paper, too!
Bro is getting some sort of PS2 game - that’s DH’s problem!
SIL is getting a page-a-day calendar with scrapbooking hints.
Niece is getting a copy of “Mary Poppins” and the first “Anne of Green Gables”
Nephew is getting “The Phantom Tolbooth” and “Treasure Island”
For friends - one is getting a Gorey book, and another is getting one about the Stone of Scone. I got one a Peanuts chess set, because she’s the biggest Peanuts fan EVER. Another with a Border Collie is getting a ‘draft dodger’ (put it at the bottom of the door to keep out drafts) that looks like a Border Collie. Another friend and I saw “Kiss Me Kate” at a local theatre awhile back, so I’m getting her the DVD of the movie.
My boss is getting a Westie mug filled with low-carb candies.
I have some little dog and cat-related ‘nothings’ for some co-workers who are fellow critter-people.
Except for the Mac World subscription you get free for a year when you buy a new Mac. That one takes well, never. I’ve purchased 3 new Macs, over 10 years and narry a magazine.
I got another new Mac for Christmas (early) when My old one burped and died.
My husband wants a gift certificate for music, and (his words) “something for the car.”
A couple movies, a pair of running pliers, my sanity back, my figure back, a house in where ever we’ll be, California (Hubby is 90% assured of a job with CDF, but it could be anywhere in the state.), someone else to pack this one, the pictures, I lost when my 'puter died, back, a bottle of Calyx purfume, and next year’s subscription to the Straight Dope.
I’m buying gifts for sure for LuanChild, Medea’s Child, and ebok47. Not sure exactly what I’m getting them, but I’m sure it will involve lots of scrimping, saving, and out right begging for money. Any other gifts I may buy for people depends on just how broke I am after acquiring those three first-priority gifts.
Mom - A friend of mine from high school is a massage therapist and my mom loves them so I always give her a few hours on the massage table. I’m also gonna find a good romantic comedy for her, hopefully one she hasn’t seen - but ends up loving.
Dad - I think he wants a gift certicate for some place I’ve never heard of so I’m giving my mom some money and she’ll buy the certificate for me.
Sister - She’s going to do some work in Panama for most of next year so I’ll probably buy her something that will help her with that.
Brother (21yo) - I’ve got no idea. He’s got a new girlfriend so maybe I’ll buy him some tickets to a play so that he can impress said girl with how cultured he is. Either that or some basketball tickets.
Brother (18yo) - Cripes it’s his birthday thursday, i just remembered…anyhow we usually see a lot of movies together in theatre so I’ll probably pay to take him 5 or 10 times. Also a DVD or something, maybe a book as well.
I have like 30 cousins (15 a side or so) so we draw names so I just buy for one per side. The two cousins I got are babies so I really don’t know what to buy just yet.
I’m doing so poorly this year. I’m usually done by now.
Already bought:
Best Friend: Anniversary edition of Monopoly - designed to look like the original game.
Book Fairy Child: Little House on the Prarie, Bridge to Terebithia, James and the Giant Peach, and The Secret Garden (my favorite books from when I was her age)
Yet to be bought:
Fiancee - not a clue
Mother - not a clue
Step Father - Even less of a clue
Step Brother - Who knows
Oldest Sister - Gift Certificate to Old Navy
Sister’s Boyfriend - No clue
Sister’s boyfriends kids - no clue
Sister’s kid - no clue
Middle Sister and Husband - All 3 Harry Potter movies.
Sister’s kid - magnets
Best Friend’s kid - match box cars
Best Friend’s boyfriend - something coffeeish.
It’s a damn good thing that my fiancee is buying the gifts for his family. I’m at a complete loss when it comes to my own family. We want to get his parents a new spa cover. Other than that, we don’t know what to get the rest of his family either.
I have thirteen nephews and three nieces. This time of year is always… interesting.
For my mother, whose feet are always cold, I knitted and felted a pair of warm wool slippers in her favorite color.
For my father, who lives in a landlocked state but loves the sea and ships, I bought an amber picture of a tall ship at a charity auction way back in April. I just saw it and thought of him.
For one of my nephews, age 5, I am going to make a fleece jacket and buy a Lego kit.
For his little brother, age 2 1/2, I’m almost finished making a stuffed toy dog and I will make him denim overalls and a T-shirt to go with it.
For my newest nephew, just a week old today, I’m almost finished making a stuffed toy cat. It’s machine washable!
For my three nieces, all teens, I’ve bought floating bead necklaces with cultured pearls - one white, one pink, one blue. I’m going to add a pair of earrings for each girl.
For my parents-in-law, who have everything but no place to put it, I have no clue. I also don’t know what all the other nephews will get, but I’ll be calling their parents in a few days to see what’s on their wish lists. The oldest two, I suspect, twins aged 19, will say MONEY! At least it’s easy to wrap…
