What are you GIVING this ChrisNachuWanzaWeen?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Here’s what the family is getting from me…

Mom; new camera case for her digicam, she recently purchased one of the Nikon ZLR (zoom lens reflex point and shoot) and she needs a decent belt/shoulder case for it

Sister; still trying to think, she’s tough to buy for, she likes practical gifts, so maybe a couple nice Yankee Candles and some locally roasted coffee

Niece (8 yr. old) A nice fly tying vise and some fly tying supplies, she’s really taken to tying her own fishing flies and is always using my vise, she’s also darned good at it, has a natural talent for it, and is very creative with her designs

Her current favorite design is a dragonfly made out of pipe cleaners, it’s a tad heavy for fly casting, but works GREAT on ultralight spinning tackle, I got her some supplies she could use to recreate her design in a truly lightweight fly form, I think her designs have serious potential, plus, I want to see how she uses these supplies in the place of pipe cleaners

Nephew (11 yr. old); a 1940’s vintage Sheridan Blue Streak .20 caliber pellet rifle and a selection of pellets, it’s a multi pump pellet rifle, gorgeous wood on it, and some honest wear to the bluing, it’s the model with the spring loaded thumb safety, and is a very desirable airgun amongst airgun aficionados, he loves the Benjamin 392 .22 multipump I picked up recently, and had been dropping not so subtle hints that he wanted his own 397 (.177 caliber version)

He also loves old guns, and single shot guns, given a choice, he’d take an old classic gun like a Marlin 25 over a brand new Marlin XT any day, and given the choice between a new Ruger 10/22 or a well loved Wichester/Marlin/Savage/Remington/Sears*/Montgomery Wards* bolt action, he’d take the classic! well loved gun every time! it’s the craftsmanship and pride of work he loves

Cooper (my dog); a selection of tasty treats, he hasn’t really liked any of the toys I got him yet, but he loves a good doggie treat or five…

So, what are you giving this holiday season?

  • most “store” branded guns were made by the big makers like Marlin, Winchester, Remington, High Standard and others, and simply rebranded with the store brand and sold at a lower price, even today, “store” brand guns are less desirable for collectors, but perfectly functional Users
2

I think the most “different” present we’re giving this year is to our younger son. He’s always making stuff, fixing stuff, doing stuff that sometimes involves using my needles and thread, buttons, snaps, elastic…
Right now he’s converting a small remote-control helicopter to a boat. (Don’t ask me why, I just try to provide what he needs.) I noticed that a carpet needle has become part of the transformation and has something to do with the rudders ??? which he’s got working.
Anyway, not being able to afford a proper tool set for Christmas, we bought a fishing tackle box with trays and a couple bags of sewing stuff for him to go through. I’m going to tell him it’s a Man Basket. :stuck_out_tongue:

3

For my little one: Bratzilla dolls (2), a ballerina Barbie, a Fashionista Barbie, a pack of outfits with the tiny little stiletto heeled boots, a big hairstyling Pony family (looks like some generic My Little Pony), a few fairy-themed chapter books, a pack of Fluttershy MLP stuff, a purse she can paint, two spiral bound “fashion design” stencil books, one of Barbie and the other I think is some Bratz style dolls. A pair of binoculars, two fuzzy sweaters, and two little girl make-up kits.

Yep, gone are the days of Thomas the Tank Engine and baby dolls. It’s all about fashion when you’re nine!

My oldest is getting a stocking full of candies, about a dozen nail polishes, and a book, plus a little cash to go toward her recreation fund.

4

While we were in Michigan the summer before last, my wife went out to garage sales with my sister and aunt. Her favorite find was a 1950s vintage yellow Pyrex bowl for a few dollars.

Last summer, while visiting antique shops on Cape Cod, she found a set of the three multi-colored Pyrex bowls that complete the set as originally sold. The yellow one, which she already had, was missing from the set on sale. She balked at the price, though, and we left as the shop was closing.

I got up early the next morning to take a business call, but I also sneaked off to the shop and bought the bowls just as it opened. As I anticipated, she had a change of heart and went there later that day to buy them, only to find them gone.

So now she’s getting them for Christmas. I expect that this will either turn out to be one of the most appreciated gifts I’ve given, or I’ll be in trouble for stealing them out from under her and hiding them for months. Not sure which way it’s going to go.

5

Make sure you let us know!

For my husband some CDs and a sweatshirt.

For my daughter a 2 qt saucepan because she told me she didn’t realize how much she uses the one she has now and is always needing another, some table napkins, a couple t-shirts, and a gift to the zoo -free admission and parking for a year.

6

i’m cooking my fried spaghetti, and that’s about all for material things. oh and playing violin for christmas mass (despite my being non-religious) : p

i’m 25 and most of my family members literally get mad at me for buying gifts. my brother mentioned he was getting me something, but 1-upped him on birthday presents this year anyway, so that will save me from looking like a jerk

my dad has been begging me to blow up an old photo of the two of us kissing and frame it, and i’m sure he’ll be disappointed that i didn’t do it again. it’s kind of weird as it was his idea… kind of takes away the meaning of me giving it to him. i find his intensity on this a little unnerving, to be honest.

sigh. i’m giving my family the straight dope,
and of course my love

7

I’m very excited about one of the gifts I got my 18-y-o son. When he was little, he was a big Power Rangers fan. He always asked for (and usually got) some gigantic zord for Christmas. When he was six or so, a friend’s family was having a yard sale, and his friend said he could bring some toys over and sell them. One of the things he took to sell was the Power Rangers Lost Galaxy Deluxe Megazord. It didn’t sell, so his friend bought it from him for a quarter.

He confessed to me years later that he always regretted selling that megazord. Probably because I did something similar in my youth, this resonated very strongly with me.

So I haunted eBay for weeks. The NIB ones are ridiculously expensive ($200 +), and it’s difficult to find a played-with one that isn’t missing some parts. But I finally scored one for $40 (which is about what the silly thing cost new).

I can’t wait to see him open it! :slight_smile:

8

All the gifts I am giving this year are made by me. Mom and Auntie = necklace and earrings, Sister and BIL sweaters each. BF sweater. Two of my friends who are married are each receiving a personal chef (me) and clean up. BFF necklace. Everyone else = cookies or tea bread.

9

His main gift was an R-Pod teardrop trailer, or at least the half I’m paying for. Sounds like a gift for us, but really he will be the one using it almost exclusively for playing music festivals. He’d been longing for one for a while but didn’t want us to take on that much cost for something that only he would use. But hell, we both have good jobs that can’t be outsourced, no kids, and we are at least 15 years from retirement so why not?

Other than that, he gets a bottle of 12-yr old Redbreast Irish whiskey, a game, a couple tee-shirts of the geek variety and a box of chocolate.

10

Sophia is getting a bicycle so she can go riding with Dad. She also has some smaller things as well.

On the 14th, I told my wife that it was officially the “12 Days of Laura Christmas”, where for each day I put a present under the tree for her. These presents include books, gift cards, jewelry, and more.

With a few exceptions, I did cards for everyone else.

11

We just do a $10 goofy exchange. My contribution to the fun is a picture book about outhouses. I wrapped it in TP - very appropriate! :smiley:

12

A good friend of ours got us a CALENDAR of pictures of outhouses - he gave it to us last week! :smiley:

13

I sent my nephew a $50 Steam card for a video game he wanted.

I ordered some ‘custom’, red, hyacinth design, seat covers for her Tacoma. She’d been wanting some, but always balked at the price. Unfortunately, they’re made to order; so they won’t get here until after New Year’s Day. In the meantime, I printed off the gift notification (‘Surprise! You will be getting…’) and framed it. Wrapped the frame.

I was thinking I might send my best fiend and his wife a gift basket of some sort. Amusingly, he sent me a gift basket of Étouffée mix, gumbo mix, dirty rice mix, hurricane mix, hot sauce, and Zatarain’s Creols mustard. I sent him a Trader Joe’s ‘CARE package’ of pancake mix, real Grade B maple syrup, a Pound Plus Belgian dark chocolate-with-almonds bar, and a sampler box of coffees from three countries (Vietnam, Peru, and somewhere else).

I got my boss and coworker each a box of chocolates.

14

Wife: Crockpot, embroidered bath sheet, book (from Hyperbole & a Half) and she has a coffee mug coming but the site lied about “Order premium shipping now to have by Christmas!” and that somehow really meant “You’ll have it around December 28th”. 'Lest anyone think the crockpot is terribly unromantic, she really wanted a new one and is aware that she’s getting something utilitarian. We’re taking a long weekend at a hotel this weekend and that’s more of our “real” gift; I just wanted her to have some stuff to open.

Older Son (14): Couple PS3 games, a bigger PS3 hard drive, year’s membership in Playstation Plus (sensing a trend?), Gamestop gift card, a balacava for snowboarding, a book (surviving 500 worst-case scenarios) and a big bag of beef jerky all for himself.

Younger Son (3): Buncha Jake & the Neverland Pirates stuff, case of 50 Matchbox cars, indoor trampoline and a big plastic school bus.

15

Mom: pair of light-up earrings. She loves that kitchy stuff.
Dad: ergonomic mouse. Cuz he spends waaaaayyyyyy too much time on front of a computer.

SDMB secret Santa … Go on over to that thread.

Office secret Santa … Insulated “paper cup” mug. He seemed to like it.

Cats: early dinner before having to howl and whine for it.
Ehhhhrmmm… I think that’s it.

16

Just had to go out and buy the guys a couple more gifts today.

I’m so excited. this is me trying to act grown up

We open our Christmas gift bags (instead of stockings) on Xmas Eve now, saving the bigger presents for morning. Younger son wanted to about three hours ago. I said “This is Christmas Ave (afternoon), not Christmas Eve. We’ll open them when it gets dark.”
Almost time to plug in the outside lights.

I’m so excited.

17

I’m givin’ 'em a hard time, and a stocking full of bad attitude! :stuck_out_tongue:

BAH - HUMBUG! :wink:

18

As requested, here’s the response: “I was wondering when I would get these.”

I carelessly paid for them with a credit card, and she saw the statement. :smack: So she was more or less expecting them.

19

Dad: Biography of Richard Feynman with Penguins-Caps tickets hidden inside (he’s a Penguins fan but has never been to a game). It took him a minute to notice the tickets, which was what I had intended. The reaction was everything I’d hoped for.

Mom: Complete DVD series of BBC classics “Upstairs Downstairs” and “The Pallisers” because she loves Downton Abbey and these were supposedly similar. She’s been really into TV series this past year, after decades of claiming she didn’t like them. She was very excited.

Brother: Haven’t ordered it yet because he’s not coming home until mid-January, but I’m getting him an official 2014 World Cup soccer ball, one of those Brazuca things. Unlike the 2010 Jabulani, this one apparently goes where you kick it. And it looks cool. He plays tons of soccer recreationally and I already got him a new Liverpool jersey for his birthday recently, so this was the next thing I thought of.

20

Husband: tickets to see prairie home companion live. A brevile juicer so he can make fresh orange juice. A carafe to hold juice. A book on juicing. A winter wool coat with his company name embroidered on it. A bunch of shirts with his company name on it.

daughter 5 : a bouncy castle that can be used wet or dry. This is what she really wanted. Tickets to a kid concert. A skateboard ramp. A microphone to sing. A projector to show the solor system on her ceiling. And various floor puzzles and kinetic sand. A nabi and headphones.

Daughter almost 2- Elmo Minnie Mouse a tricycle- she’s sharing the bouncy castle and Mickie mouse club house toy and a shopping cart. Various Sesame Street cars.

Niece nephews - gift card to iTunes some skylander toys. A rainbow projection and arts and crafts kits.

Baby niece - a dress from England and the booties. A baby toy. A bunch of baby dresses and a personalized sign.

My family - cash

My inlaws- some edible gift that they would enjoy.