Christmas Gift Ideas

[Shirlv]

My three children have started already asking what I would like for Christmas. I was reading the ad for Kindle Paper White and considered buying for myself. Light bulb I ask my three children to go together to buy this for me. Posting ideas might help other members with their shopping. What would you like for Christmas?

[BirdbyBird]

We gave up trading Christmas gifts years ago. Long long ago with cousins and uncles and brothers and sisters. With the kids when they got into their twenties. If I see something during the year that just strikes me as cut I may get it and send it off. The man in the recliner and I don’t even exchange presents. If there is something I need I get it myself. I like the sending off stuff at unexpected times best! Now that there are three grandchildren in New York State I called the first couple of years and got “family” type stuff, like a membership in the NYC zoo and botanical gardens. One year I purchased a very nice electric keyboard because my son and his family often host friends for weekend and holidays and one can always hope one of the boys might decide to like music. Last year I mailed each boy money to take and buy book/s at the local bookstore. I could the imagine their going to the bookstore and selecting their own books with some parental oversight and being able to purchase them with their own money. I have difficulty buying toys and stuff….. but I am a sucker for books.

[JudyJB]

I have sons who are absolutely hopeless when it comes to buying gifts. My youngest son, when he was certainly a working adult sent me flowers to be delivered on Mother's Day TWICE when I had told him I would be out of town, so they got driven around for a day and finally delivered to a neighbor! Things got a little better once they got married, but they are still hopeless.

So, for the last decade or so, I have just set up an Amazon wish list for myself. Over the months, I add a few things I might like. Right now, it has an adapter for my trip to the UK because I cannot find my old one, and some other odds and ends for cooking. Frankly, there is not much I really need or want that I don't already have.

[OregonLuvr]

I hate shopping for other folks. It is such a pain to try to figure out what they want. We finally gave it up many years ago. If I want something I buy it for myself. I dont need any trinkets or things and nothing more to dust ha ha We all felt relief in that and besides it costs an arm and a leg to just mail presents.

[Shirlv]

Geeezzz. No helpful suggestions here.

[Bethers]

The only Christmas gifts I purchase are for needy families/children and toy drives.

[Cudedog]

Geeezzz. No helpful suggestions here.

My adult children still seem to like to do the gift exchange thing.

What we did last year, and will probably be doing again this year (especially now, since it looks like a nasty new variant may be barrelling down the pike towards us) is that they email me a list of links to items on Amazon of things they might like, I click the links in the email and then choose one or two or three of these items, maybe check the price of the same item on Walmart.com, make the purchase, then have Amazon (or Walmart) ship the items directly to their homes.

Doesn't get much easier than that, plus no guesswork at all in the choosing of gifts department.

For myself, I truly don't want anything. When one or the other of my kids ask me what I want for Christmas, I say "all I want for Christmas is you". They think I am kidding. I'm not.

I think I have reached the stage in life that I would like to get rid of stuff, rather than adding to it.

Hope everyone enjoyed just the perfect kind of Thanksgiving that they wished for.

Anne

[Acadianmom]

Shirl, you won't get any good ideas from me either. If I want something I buy it, within reason. About the only person I buy something for is my sister because I see her often enough that I know what she wants. I send my grandson a gift card because I can't get an answer out of him.

My sister told me that she picked up my birthday present from my sister in law. Grrrr Don't get me presents.

Karen, you are right about the postage. It cost $12 to mail 3 t-shirts. If I want to order something for the dog or cats it's usually free shipping if I order it from Chewy instead of Amazon.

Martha

[MandysMom]

My son and I sat across the room from each other a few days ago, me with iPad, he with phone or laptop. We each went through Amazon and compared and shared links for each of us. We try to set up a list so we each get to choose, so neither of us know what we are getting. We also usually buy us a Lego set for our Christmas village, which we will spend evenings working on until Christmas. I like things for my craft hobbies. He likes electronics and games or game cards for laptop or Nintendo Switch. We also choose gifts for our kitties. My younger son with wife and kids in MN, I usually send family cash and might choose something to be delivered by Amazon for each of the two grand kids. Other than something for the neighbors, that's it for our small family. I am still using my 2013 Kindle Voyage for reading.
Velda

[Shirlv]

Did you ever buy that perfect gift for someone and then couldn’t wait for them to open it. The giver has as much fun as the one who receives the gift. That concept is still alive with my family. Instead of the family children it now centers on the oldest member of the family, me. I spend my time trying to think of a gift for me that will make them happy as the giver. Does that makes sense. I had looked at the Kindle Paper White last year and decided I wouldn’t spend the money. It’s now on sale and my children think it’s a special gift for their mom and it won’t break the budget. When I texted #2 daughter with my idea she said “perfect”. It’s money spent on a gift but it’s more than that. Afraid I am not explaining this very well but I tried. Lol

[cnq50b]

I totally understand, Shirl.
I love seeing the faces of my kids/grands when they open something I've given them. We gave Jordi birthday gifts over several days so he'd have a chance to fully play with each one as he opened it before he was prompted to open up something else. Unfortunately that can't be done on Christmas.

I've resorted to $ for my older grands, gifts (if I know what they need) for my younger 2 kids who live out here & only gift the older ones if I know of something they won't buy for themselves. I've practically outfitted my DS's kitchen out here with gadgets & things I need when I'm there & want to fix something since they don't have all those little things I've accumulated over time.

Myself, I don't want/need anything. The trip to France is a gift to myself. I hope to pick up some small items at the Christmas market for the kids & grands this year. The French seem to be into gift giving so I've had my DD help me pick out things for her mother-in-law & grandpa-in-law (?). And, of course, I'll be taking chocolate covered gingerbread santas & the special cookies I make that they love.

While I enjoyed gifting when the grands were little but it's not as much fun as they've gotten older. And I've threaten to stop sending $ if I don't get at least a text that they've received it with a Thank you.

When I was a kid we got 1 present each from Santa, adopted a needy family & all went to Grandma's for Christmas dinner & see all the cousins. Those were the days...

[Acadianmom]

Shirl, I like your idea but no one ever asks me what I want. I told my son not to get me anything. He's my Uber Driver. lol That's something I need all year when I have to bring a vehicle to the shop.

I got a catalog from Harry & David with all the food baskets. My step daughter always sends me cookies. I am thinking about ordering her the pears I received by mistake. OMG they were good. I might order me some too. The catalog says they send fruit when it's ripe but it doesn't say when that will be.

Martha

[Shirlv]

Martha, guess I was trying to express what keeps the Christmas spirit alive in my family.. I post then think it sounds like an old person prattling on. No old people living in this apartment.
.

[snowball]

if my kids were to ask me I think I'd tell them a trail cam or this item that I've seen an ad for but don't know the name of it it's off of weather tech and is a thing to put in your cup holder to hold your phone in place either to see the maps or what ever...really looks like a good idea...5 years ago I had what I thought was a good idea for years I've been giving each of the adult couples or if single the same amount probably not fair but in my mind it worked the same amount usually a gift card to some restaurant or if they were working on projects to a place like home depot ect then 5 years ago I decided that I would spend more on one couple same as before on the rest then rotate it down... for some reason I started with the youngest my son is 2nd to last so I gave him the cash in a card in like may he didn't say anything about it so was afraid the he didn't even look at it so asked him if he opened it up he said yes and don't you ever do that again... so here I am it's now the youngest turn again and I'm not sure what I want to do the kids ( my kids all sorta draw names but just do it automatic like can't remember the system well enough to explain but if they remember to do so they will know at Christmas who is the one they gift to next year.) it may even be a family gift not sure of that... when we started full timing we still gave gifts then probably about when my husband passed away I started doing money I still think I will as to whether I will put my name into the pot I don't know... maybe not this year as some of them have already gotten for their person and I would just mess it up... so perhaps next year will think about it. although will need to do it soon so it won't be the same problem next year... I really don't need anything although there are some things I'd like and guess I'm materialistic enough I look forward to opening something... This year will be at mom's she gives us money has for several years I've been saving the money for a new radio for the truck so I could have a blue tooth set up guess I will have to consider something else to do with that money ... my grandma always gave us a dollar when we got married that dollar stopped but then it was worth more... and she had lot's of grandkids
sheila

[Pooker]

Interesting subject, guys. When I was a child, my family traveled to an aunt's about 2 hours away Christmas morning for a giant family reunion. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, all scattered around the house until mealtime when we gathered in the basement around a huge plywood on sawhorses for the traditional meal. Everyone brought gifts for everyone else - not necessarily expensive ones, but everyone got to open a mountain of presents. I still remember the feeling of being surrounded by love. Now I give my grown up family cash, but also a small stocking stuffed with scratcher lottery tickets. We have a grand time scratching away always hoping to find the big one! Alas, I think the most anyone has won was $20, but the fun is in the possibility.

Evie