I need help! I’ve got to shop for Christmas presents.
So far I’ve bought a down comforter for my husband who’s allergic to feathers. See, this is what writing does to my brain. I have none.
Sooo, I got this great idea.
I’m going to pooch your shopping lists out there and buy what you all are buying. Hey, I figure I write this blog every few weeks and share my very shallow thoughts and now’s the time for you all to pay me back with gift suggestions. What’s everyone buying?
For your kids? Mother in-laws? Aunts and Uncles?
Come on, give. I’m desperate here.
Is there an impossible gift to find this year? I remember driving for two hours and waiting in line two more for a tickle-me-Elmo. Then there was the run on those Cabbage Patch kids. I think they were scalping them for two-hundred bucks a piece. I had three and was really tempted to sell.
I can buy a lot of printer paper with that kind of money.
So, what are you all buying that I should be buying before it’s too late or is it too late already? What’s the tickle-me Elmo of 2005?
23 comments:
I am just as stumped as you are Dianne...and did I mention I HATE to shop? I love trying to find gifts for people, but I can do without the crowds and such, so now I've taken to shopping online! This year is going to be hard though because I have no clue what to get, no extra money to spend, and not much time to look! I'm sure I'll figure something out (maybe I'll get some cool ideas here as well!)
I bought one gift today for my mom; a book about See's Candies. That's it so far. I really don't know about my dad though. If you started a contest for the most impossible person to shop for, I know he'd win hands down! Some of his presents (that he's specifically asked for) end up being used by others because he lets them sit (without opening them) for YEARS! And just a couple of months ago, he called to tell me he FINALLY is using the watch I bought him for Christmas... 3 years ago! And last Christmas, he used a gift card I bought him for his birthday to get my mom's Christmas present (and he actually wrote on the tag To: XX From: XX (via Michelle)). I could go on, but I think you get the picture. He's impossible, I tell ya! Anyway, I've gotten way off topic. Sorry I'm not much help!
Michelle
Sheesh, I don't think I'll be a lot of help either. I haven't heard a peep about anything that could be the TME of 2005. My oldest wants a new pair of white gold hoops cause she lost one of her others. The youngest wants, a cell phone, playstation, guitar, clothes and jewelery, not much huh. the middle one hasn't said a word yet. So far I've bought, flannel pj's for all the girls, getting cold doncha know:) Chanel No5 for Jasmyn. I'm doing a lot of my shopping on line this year. Money is tight because he's been sick and things have gone from bad to worse around here so I'm thinking of doing some handmade gifts for the some of the family. Those that won't mind something handmade anyway. The others, I'm still trying to think of ideas:) so I'll be paying attention here too.
hugs,
Shari
Uh sorry Dianne. I won't be any help to you. I am a big believer in gift certificates, gift certificates and more gift certificates. I might divert a little from that plan of action by getting my mom scratch-off lottery tickets (her obsession) but that's about it.
I find that the things people want, they usually have bought them already anyway, unless they're so expensive - which eliminates them from my list as well. Of course whenever we do a grab bag, we always give a list of the top 3 items - maybe there's a thought?
I haven't bought one darmed thing... not one! I just can't get into the mood until after Thanksgiving and that always leaves me in a panic right up until Christmas morning.
I am going shopping with my girl friends in a couple of weeks on an ver nighter shopping spree to maybe this year I'll actually get finished before Christmas Day.
I haven't bought a thing yet. Working retail really kills the shopping mood. I usually get my mom a gift cert to where she gets her hair done. My dad likes local interest books. My older nieces and nephews its gas gift cards. I am like Stacy Gift cert are it.
uh... I haven't started yet?
lol
Might buy the DH a Thomas Kincade. Dunno yet. Regardless, there's a new boxed set of the comic Calvin and Hobbes and he always loved that... think I'll get that.
As to the inlaws??? shoot, they are impossible to shop for.
Okay, I've bought a ton of stuff already, but that's because I absolutely HATE being stressed, so I get a jump start.
One son-in-law is getting one of those "stick" drives for his computer (roughly $40). The other son-in-law has asked for the boxed set of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (5 books I think).
I ordered cool thermometers from L.L. Bean for my sisters and their hubby's. They come with a sensor that you put somewhere outside so you get both indoor and outdoor reading. Thsoe were only $20, so I'll put something else with them since it's a couple gift.
Actually, I love the L.L.Bean catalog... lots of cool gifts... I love the Adventure duffels that come in all sizes. They're doing free shipping right now.
At Macy's I bought each of my grown daughters really cute Teddy bears for $12. Six dollars of each goes to breast cancer research.
A couple of peeple on my list are getting Muppet Monopoly games. I found those at Barnes and Noble for 75% off (regular $35).
Anyway, that's a sampling... now I just have to start wrapping!!
Janice
I won't be able to give you many ideas for the upcoming Christmas season, years ago when my husband was still alive the family made a decision to not buy gifts for the adults, just for the kids. So that is what has happened now for years. I will be buying a Christmas present for my two grandchldren, one of which is an 11 year old girl and the other a 7 year old boy.
But the big thing for me will be to buy my Mom and Dad an 60th wedding anniversary gift, since their anniversary is on the 22nd of December. What do you buy parents who are 83 and 81 respectively that they already don't have. So maybe I will get some ideas from you all.
Sorry that I will not be much help to you Dianne, but this is one year that I am hopeless myself.
Cryna
You all are the best!!
Lots of great suggestions.
Here's what we'll do. We'll collect gift suggestions till Wednesday and I'll pick the craziest one and send a prize. I have signed books by Vicki Lewis Thompson and Erin McCarthy that I'll give away.
IMO hand-made things are terrific but I just don't have the time. One year I sent my brother and his crew ten different kinds of cookies all wrapped in neat containers with a poem to match and in a lovely picnic basket...
Let me tell you...those days are gone for good. :-)
I'd like to get my retired dh a job...guess that doesn't count does it. :-)
Dianne
Hey, Michelle, what are See Candies?
If it's candy it't got to be good!
My dh sounds like your dad...impossible to buy for.
My son's inherited the gene...he's impossible too.
For my hubby I'm buying a "little giant ladder" that is what he asked for, and he is so hard to buy for.
My mom is getting an under the cabinet TV. My dad a digital camera and my brother movies, He collects movies. And my other brother is getting a camera too. Now with the new baby he needs one and that got double purpose cause now he wont have excuse to send me pictures of my new nice! LOL
For my best friend Kathi, I bought a book and for her hubby a Jeff Gordon backpack, he has been wanting for a while.
I think thats it! Hope it helps!LOL
Hugs
Niny
This is what's on the wishlist. Bratz Rock Angelz - CD Boom Box, Bratz dolls, Baby Annabell Function Doll, Shake and Go Speedway Raceway , Nitro Notebook, V-Smile, Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover, Bratz Big Babyz Doll, Furby, Sony Playstation Portable, Spongebob gameboy
I've bought Keepsake boxes that include stationery, a diary, and a timecapsule for my daughter, gift certificates to both my children's favorite stores, and Playstation games for my son. I don't buy for my nieces and nephews anymore because the majority of them are teens and their toys are sooo expensive, so it's just my kids, parents and in-laws I buy for and I buy gift cards to their favorite haunts.
Every year it gets harder and harder to come up with original ideas. DH and I have elderly parents and we get them newspaper and magazine subscriptions. We also make up a goodie box with favorite foods/snacks and bulky items (like a 12-pack of paper towels)that are harder for them to handle now. And every year my mom *has* to have a new pair of flannel PJs. For my reading friends I like to buy books and cute bookmarks. This year DH and I have decided not to buy gifts for each other. Instead we will use the alloted gift money to buy something big that we need for the house.
My family does stocking stuffers for the adults. We each buy something to go in the others stockings nothing over $5 dollars. We get creative sometimes like this year I'm thinking of whoopie cusions and small slinky's for the but when I go to Emory's 5 & 10 who knows what they will have and what they will get.
Dianne,
I always forget that See's is primarily a West Coast thing! They have candy stores in various places, in malls and some stand-alone stores. It's a big holiday gift for some. You can see the actual candy info at their website which is:
http://www.sees.com
They have quite a variety! My mom loves the candy (and so do I!), so I figured she'd enjoy reading how the company got started and all that.
And if your DH is anything like my dad, I feel sooo sorry for you! I think the craziest gift I ever got him was the year he wanted new athletic pants but they HAD to have zippers on the pockets (so he wouldn't lose his wallet). I looked all over and the only pair I found with zippers were women's. I was so desperate, I bought them (in the largest size they had as he's tall) just to show how much trouble I went to for him lol. Of course, he ended up taking them back.
Probably the most memorable gift that I've given is the year my sister and I paid for my parents to go to a bed and breakfast in the mountains for the weekend. I volunteered to cat-sit so they wouldn't have to leave the cats alone:)
Michelle
Wow, I love reading your gift comments. I think Chanukah is terrific, you get to spread out the holiday.
Instead of giving presents to my dh's brother and sisters (who have everything already) we give a donation in thier names to the Nature Conservacy.
You've all been a great help. I've got to go shopping. Courage...I need lots of courage to face the crowds. Maybe a glass or two of wine will help. :-)
Rice cooker, gift cards, DVDs, books, stationery set.
I've mostly shopped only for my kids and my nieces so far, mostly Legos and Bratz dolls. The only toy I had a hard time finding was the Littlest Pet Shop Hermit Crab, but I did finally find one (what did I do before the internet?)
For my dad, FIL and BIL I found tool caddies that sit on top of a ladder to make home repairs easier.
For the boys teachers, I found a place that has gourmet carmeled apples that I'm not sure I can pass up.
As for the craziest gift, I'm sure it will be something off my husband's list, he does triathlons and is always looking for some kind of strange training equipment, like the computerized program that he can use with the exercise bike so he can "ride" the courses he will be racing (I think this thing is like $5000, so it will stay on his wish list for a loooong time).
Book Winners!!!!!!!!
I so loved all your suggestions and truly appreciate the help. I got some great ideas and lots of inspiration.
I think I'm ready to shop!
thanks, guys.
As for the suggestion winners...I put everyone's name in a hat (actully it was a box) and drew names.
I picked out: Jenny, Ellory, Amy
Send me your addresses at DianneCastell@hotmail and I'll send you signed books by either Erin McCarthy or Vicki Lewis Thompson!
Thanks for playing! You all are the best.
Congrats to all the winners.
Congratulations to all the winners, enjoy your prize......
Cryna
Congrats to the winners:)
Michelle
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