I know it’s a bit early, but just in case you guys start early, or shop Black Friday: please tell me what kind of gifts you’re giving. Honestly, I just want to copy off you guys. I’m going to allow myself to give cash this year, but I also buy some presents.
So far, I’ve bought a National Geographic fossil excavation kit for a 9 year old boy.
Also looking at some other cool toys to pair with books for the under-ten set.
Sounds like you are buying for kids, which I am not, but here’s a few things I’ve gotten:
Bombas gripper socks for my MIL (use the coupons/deals!). She’s 91 and this is an appropriate gift for her. I also buy her European-made coffee since she loves coffee and grew up in Germany, some of the brands are familiar to her.
The 1-month snack box from Bokksu. My husband was stationed in Japan years ago when he was in the Navy so I think he will enjoy this. Also: tools. He really likes tools
Winter clothes.
An air fryer (this was a hint).
Probably something else.
This is three peopIe. left Big Christmas behind when I moved to the other coast from my extended family. I had sixty years of it, and that’s enough, thanks. Now I just write a Christmas Letter and hang a few wreaths, go to church and call it a day.
I’ve started a Chrismas Eve tradition of latkes and sausage with sauerkraut, yogurt, and applesauce.This is because I love that meal but it’s far too heavy to eat regularly. This year it will feature our own applesauce, own yogurt from our own goats, and own eggs in the latkes. Maybe next year I’ll grow cabbage and potatoes, and just buy the sausage.
I envy you. Every time I broach the subject I’m talked down by all the relatives who want to go on spending money they don’t have on stuff they don’t want. I’m paring back on my own.
None. My wife doesn’t want anything, I haven’t found anything for her recently, and I have very little extended family of my own. Her family is used to not getting gifts; they make purchase orders and get cash since she sucks at gift finding.
I do look pretty continuously for goodies my wife might like. And buy them when I find them and give them immediately If there’s no nearby occasion, or hold them for the next occasion if it’s close.
Life is much easier once you blow off all the obligations.
Assuming our family tradition of silly white elephant exchanges continues, I’ll just dig around in the basement and see what I can find. The only gifting will be to the grandkids and great-nephews - probably just cash for their college funds since they’ll get tons of toys from everyone else.
Spousal unit and I quit exchanging gifts decades ago.
I stuff a small laundry basket all year long for my kiddos and hubby with stuff that might be needed, socks, shampoo,body wash, bungee cords, you get the drift but I’ve stopped buying real gifts. Instead I buy experiences. I get concert tickets, comedy club tickets, a get away ….I love it because my kids have what they need and this is something that is intangible except to them. Plus, it usually happens in the new year so they are thinking about what a great gift it is months later. Win! Plus I would tell you that for family this year I bought the Hundred Day Savings Notebook. I filled in one day according to age and I think it will be a big hit at our family Christmas party.
For my wife so far I’ve picked up this stupidly overpriced advent calendar from The Body Shop. We used to visit their brick & mortar store and she would spend a lot of time pouring over each and every item they have. That store shut its doors a year or three ago so she hasn’t been able to visit lately. I hope she like it. I might get her a couple of Olive Garden gift cards as well as it is about the only chain restaurant she likes.
For the family gift exchange I’m getting my giftee one of these power banks. He works as a commercial & medical office janitor and listens to podcasts while he’s working. I’m sure would find this useful – hell, I’d find it useful and I already have one.
I have two teenage boys and I have no clue what to get them. They are both into building their own computer systems and are always wanting newer, better, and more powerful bits for their respective machines. Since I haven’t the foggiest what any of those things are I’ll probably just give them cash, which I don’t like to do because it’s so impersonal but thems the breaks. Both of their cars need some mechanical work and of course their dad gets to pay for that, but calling it a “Christmas gift” is a stunt my dad would’ve pulled and I naturally I would’ve hated him for it, so I’m not doing it to them.
I’ll probably get the dog a new bed and a tin of treats, and the cats some new collars.
I might buy myself some bar shampoo from Camamu, a local Portland soapmaker run by a couple of hippies. I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s as a shampoo for years but I seem to developed a sensitivity to it so I need to find something else. I’ve used Camamu bar shampoo before and was happy with it. I’m told buying yourself a Christmas present is the epitome of cringe, but whatever. At least I know that I’ll get what I want.
We don’t do an office Secret Santa/Yankee Swap, thank God, and my dad wants nothing to do with Christmas, so I think that’s about it.
I still have some adults to buy for, and am pondering these eye massage masks. Several people in my family are prone to migraine, so maybe it would help. And they’ll be on sale…BLACK FRIDAY.
Yeah, I wouldn’t normally, but I became a lockdown jam maker and give jars to friends on a fairly regular basis. Either it’s pretty good jam or I have polite friends.
Now, it occurred to me just over a year ago that it must be possible to make striped jam; and this would make a fun novelty Xmas present. Didn’t have time to do it last year (thought of it too near to the day) but I have managed to get myself organised this year. Here y’go:
They have since been labelled and prettied up.
You make it pretty much as you would imagine, though I had the good sense to make a pilot batch to figure out what the practical issues are. Took from about 10.30 AM to 5 PM on a day of horrible weather.
It’s alternating plum and damson, which I selected because they are very similar sets and very rapid sets. Plus they’re similar flavours. Simple in principle…
My wife took a drawing class and drew something she’s really proud of. She hung it on the refrigerator and loves to show it to people when they come over. I had it framed. She has no idea because I made a copy of the original (fortunately it was drawn in black ink on white paper so it was easy to duplicate) so that she won’t know what I’m up to.
The kids are getting new phones because they apparently are the only kids who still have phones with a physical home button.
