Buying Christmas presents.

[Doofy]

Do you still enjoy buying Christmas presents?

I like buying for my DW and DD but as for the rest its becoming quite a chore.

All of my family lives a long ways away. I see them every couple of years. So I basically have no clue whats happening in their lives.

As DW says thats a choice I've made.

Anyways when it comes to buying for my family its a royal pain as I know so little about them.

Even on DW's side some of the enjoyment is fading.

One of her sisters wants to cut out buying gifts all together, as she says people ask me what I want then buy it, theres no thought I might as well just buy it myself.

Another sister is constantly complaining of the expense, which gets old fast.

[lakelady]

Doofy, how about getting gift cards for your relatives?

[kim]

all we get is stuff for the kids and grandkids anymore...

occasionally my bro dave and i get eachother presents too if we have extra money...

- in any case this year a bunch of money is going towards me getting some new teeth...

p.s. humming that old song (except it's my molars - not the front - yet - and heck yeah right now i've got a freaking lisp - four were extracted just two days ago)...

[kim]

p.s. and yeah (forgot to answer your first question) i very much do enjoy getting stuff for kids / grandkids...

- all the rest of it...um blah...really blah...er uh i mean...bah humbug...! :D

[Kandi]

I love buying for the grandchildren and the adult kids (maybe because I love toys and buy some for myself as well). I don't buy for anyone else anymore though. I just make homebaked goodies and my special spiced tea for friends and other family members. They yammer for my cookies every year anyway, so that's what they get.

I learned this year that gift cards can be iffy. I got one for Linens and Things. Good thing I used it before they announced their bankruptcy. They refused to take gift cards after that which I think is so wrong. They were closing the stores and liquidating, they should have still taken the cards.

PS: Sam's Club in Overland Park has Elmo Live today. Woohoo! I already have Tickle Me Elmo Extreme and he's a riot. Can't wait to see what all Elmo Live does.:1clap:

[bluekazoo]

We made a deal in my extended family years ago ... when we would be able to spend the holidays together, we would exchange gifts, otherwise we'd spend time together on long phone visits instead ...

When my daughter remarried and relocated, we made the same deal with her and the new husband ...

But I do send money for her to pick out something special for the grandson every year and then I send him some spending $$, too, so he can shop for something he has his eye on ...

It certainly takes the pinch out of the holidays, and makes them a lot less stressful ... but we've never been really big holiday people, anyway ... I don't even mess with decorations or anything now that everyone lives somewhere else ...

[Doofy]

Lakelady my DW thinks theres no difference between sending a gift certificate and cash in an envelope, and part of me says she's right.

If I get a 50 buck gift certificate to chapters, and my sister gets 50 bucks to the movies, couldn't we have just kept our fifty bucks?

On a different note DW is making a chair quilt for my Dad.

Thats what Christmas should be, I've tried to tell her, and I wish I had the words some of you people have, how much it means to me to have her do something like that for my family.

So when she drags me all over town to find the perfect gift for my Mom, part of me hates it, but part of me says its as it should be. I owe her at least that much.

[lakelady]

Lakelady my DW thinks theres no difference between sending a gift certificate and cash in an envelope, and part of me says she's right.

If I get a 50 buck gift certificate to chapters, and my sister gets 50 bucks to the movies, couldn't we have just kept our fifty bucks?

On a different note DW is making a chair quilt for my Dad.

Thats what Christmas should be, I've tried to tell her, and I wish I had the words some of you people have, how much it means to me to have her do something like that for my family.

So when she drags me all over town to find the perfect gift for my Mom, part of me hates it, but part of me says its as it should be. I owe her at least that much.

But Doofy, if you each kept your money it would mean that neither of you cared to put any thought into a gift. I think gift cards are good if you give one that you know will be appreciated and used. Something related to their hobby, or to a book store for a reader, or for a treat that they wouldn't pay for themselves - like a spa day.

I'm not understanding why you can't get DH to make something for your mom.

[paleryder]

A recent news story puts gift cards losses (this year) due to bankrupt stores at $100 million.

Circuit City claims they got approval to honor gift cards from a bankruptcy judge but why even chance that.

Cash might be a tacky gift but it's green........ and green is good as gold.

[lakelady]

True PR, but Doofy is in Canada, and I don't think they have as many stores going under - maybe I'm wrong.
And there are always online stores, like Amazon and Zappos, etc.....

[newslady]

Christams shopping for friends and loved ones isn't so much of a chore for me anymore as I do so much advance shopping online.

A couple of months ago, I started taking metalsmith classses. Can you guess what folks are going to get for Christmas this year?

[paleryder]

horseshoes?

:1clap4:

[newslady]

Uh no. Jewelry.

U so sillee.

[krisinluck]

Well, I don't have to worry much about holiday gifts this year. I'm going to bake my self crazy, and give that as gifts. I'll give my son a gift card so he can get himself whatever he wants or needs, because that's what he prefers.

So my daughter is the only one I really have to "shop" for. She's already made clear what she wants. Whether I can do it or not, I don't know, but I'll do my best with what I've got!

[bluekazoo]

horseshoes?

:1clap4:


^^ Funniest comment of the night.

:111drummer02: < --- obligatory rimshot for comedic emphasis

[Kandi]

Kris, can we ask what it is that your daughter wants? I'm assuming it's likely expensive.

[VocalVixen]

Everything kids want is expensive.

This year, it's gonna be clothes and shoes for the boys. We had to buy a generator in September, so that's DH and my Christmas/anniversary gift. I wonder if I can get a pair of overalls to go with that? Hmmmmmmm

:1rotflmao

[krisinluck]

She wants a new bike; she's had her current one for two years and she's outgrown the whole "Barbie" phase now. Plus, now she can ride her bike to school, and I think the Barbie thing is getting to her. heh She wants an iPod, but the one she has her eye on is not the most pricey one because despite her diva princess counter-reality, she does seem to have a good grip on her chances being better if she's more modest. There is a new release of her favorite book series out now, with the fifth in the series coming out next month. (She's got a good chance with the iPod and the books.) She always wants the latest clothes and shoes, because the diva princess in her loves that shit.

Along that same line, when I went out for karaoke on Friday, she called me. She was surfing eBay (!!!!!!) and found a pair of brand new jeans in a brand that fits her really well, don't even need to be cuffed. $10, no shipping. "Mom! It ends in seven minutes! Can I bid on them?"

Oy. At least she called me first. Her brother never called first. lol

[lakelady]

Kris, does it have to an Apple Ipod or will she settle for an MP3 player?

Can you sell the Barbie bike for money to put towards a new bike?

It sounds as if you two are doing well in your new lives and I'm thinking that the Diva Princess thing has been scaled back.

[tekobari]

I'm sorry you're in such a tight financial situation now, Kris, because if she can ride a "new" bike (it can be second hand) to school, that's practical, too.

[krisinluck]

I think she'd take any music player I could get for her. She's getting more practical now days. lol I'm watching things on eBay (in my favorites, though, since she's nosing around in there on her own I can't just put them on watch!).

As for the bike, chances are I can score one locally. I'm thinking about making up a sign along the lines of "I need a new to her bike for my 10 year old daughter. If you have one your daughter has outgrown, call...." Hell, it can't hurt.

Selling the Barbie bike would be a stretch. The puppies used the seat (and plastic handlebar covers) for teething last summer. Dammit.

It will all come together. It always does. :)

[lakelady]

Kris, if you don't already know about this site, check out http://www.woot.com/ for the MP3 player. Changes at midnight TX time every 24 hrs, or when sold out, whichever comes first. They often have MP3 players - good one last week. Often the comments will tell you if it is a good buy. If you don't stay up that late, I can always get one for you - it changes at 10:00pm here. PM or email me if you want.

Do you have CraigsList and/or FreeCycle locally? Might be a good bike source.

[krisinluck]

Kris, if you don't already know about this site, check out http://www.woot.com/ for the MP3 player. Changes at midnight TX time every 24 hrs, or when sold out, whichever comes first. They often have MP3 players - good one last week. Often the comments will tell you if it is a good buy. If you don't stay up that late, I can always get one for you - it changes at 10:00pm here. PM or email me if you want.

Do you have CraigsList and/or FreeCycle locally? Might be a good bike source.I've been watching FreeCycle for this county and the one just north of us. Nothing yet, but who knows?

CraigsList covers the cities to the west or Eau Claire to the east of us. Either one is a bit of a haul, and the ads often say "first to arrive in the alley behind xxx gets it", so that's risky for me because I've got a lot further to drive! lol

I've been doing a lot of contract work this month that I get paid in December for. I'm hoping that will help make things come together easier. As long as the weather holds out and I can travel distances, I can keep it coming in.

I just opened woot, and I'm laughing my ass off at the description for today's deal! Bookmarked! I'll keep an eye on that!

[lakelady]

Yep, the descriptions are always worth looking at.

If they have a Woot-off (items one after the other until sold out, you can tell by the flashing lights) and I see a good MP3 player I'll try to snag it. People have been known to go without sleep for days waiting for a certain item. The last Woot-off was just a couple of weeks ago so there probably won't be another for a couple of weeks.

[krisinluck]

Cool. I'm on the road enough I'd never be lucky enough to catch it. I'd appreciate the help!

[lakelady]

Okay - I'm approaching Wootholicism, so there is a good chance I'll see it. :irollers5

[lakelady]

Well, maybe that should be Wootholic status. Wootholicism doesn't look right.