posted
Just got back from B&N, where I picked up a severely discounted (yay coupon!) copy of First Lord's Fury so that my parents can give it to me for Christmas.
Who else has in the near or distant past bought a Christmas gift for yourself but that someone else was going to give you?
Posts: 691 | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I refuse to actually do the shopping, but every year for Christmas and Birthday I tell my dad exactly what to get me and where to get it.
Sometimes, to shake it up, I give just a category and make him go shopping. Regardless, I always have to think of it first.
But I don't mind, because the alternative is that he doesn't think about it at all and my stepmother writes me a check. I prefer this way.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've never bought myself a gift for someone else to give me. I have tried specifying exactly what I would like for Christmas to my mother. The trick is being exact. One year I asked for a "nice long sleeved casual shirt I can wear to work" and ended up with a couple of shirts I can rarely bring myself to wear. One is a dark green satin-lined faux suede which is too hot for the summer and clings unbearably in the winter, on top of just being too distractingly sensual. *shudder* The other is a form fitting gray pullover shirt with vertical stripes that only someone rather more athletic than me should wear.
The year I asked for an oxford dress shirt in a color other than pink worked out much better.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
My mother in law just gave my husband a credit card that she pays and she just has him buy christmas presents that way (including stuff for her granddaughter- who happens to be the only grandchild she has).
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I mostly rely on entertainment items for gift ideas. They're almost impossible to mess up, and I can use an Amazon wish list to provide ideas.
When it comes to functional things...I'm better off buying my own. For example, I'd rather buy a toaster that functions the way I need it to, and fits into my limited kitchen space, than allow someone else to buy it for me.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I saw the Naked Trucker in there somewhere!
I already told my brother to make sure I get the BSG series dvds. But usually I tell everyone to not worry about me, because they always get me bad gifts and I'd rather they not waste thier money and my time, throwing it away that is.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I found a really cute cream colored coat at Old Navy the other day and promptly called my mom and told her where to find it. I even texted her the model number.
Honestly, I'd rather get giftcards but my mom insists on buying gifts. But I like to save her money so when I want something for Christmas, I find her the best deal and email the link and any assorted coupons.
I also shop on behalf of my brothers. I like finding the perfect gift and the best deal. The night before Christmas I unpack all my shopping and pass it out to various family members so they can wrap it for each other.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Last year I bought three of my gifts. My parents are notoriously bad at getting what I want. I will ask for a whole bunch of stuff so they have stuff to pick from and so they can roughly surprise me. They still fail at getting me stuff I actually want.
On my Seventeenth birthday, I got a guitar... despite showing no interest in having a guitar, or even listening to any music that used a guitar. To this day, it sits in my room, rarely touched. It's a beautiful guitar and maybe once day I will take lessons. Until then, it is a monument to my parents missing the mark.
Last year, because I was wealthier, I just went ahead and bought something things for myself and gave them to my parents to wrap for me.
I felt kind of sad about it, but it was the only way.
I always try very hard to get what my parents actually want. But they tend to just buy stuff for themselves when they need or want it, so when Christmas comes, it's "um, I don't know. I like chocolate!"
This year, I've got my mother down already, though. so HA.
Two rules I think should apply about present buying:
You should always articulate what you want (as a giftee). As a gifter, you should listen to what the giftee says. If the giftee says they want such-and-such a book, get them that book-- not some unidentified book of roughly the same genre.
I have so many Historical Novels or Historical Fantasies, because this is what my parents thought I read for years.
The only person I fail at buying for is my father. He has no interests that he can articulate. He always gets semi-crappy gifts for this reason, because I can't possibly figure out what he wants aside from "paint me a nice picture."
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I always set aside some money for myself for after Christmas. My family's pretty good about getting me things that interest me, but I've long since given up on asking for the things I want. Sometimes it's because I don't think my family members would have the money to buy it, but mostly it's because my mother does the Christmas shopping so dang early that it's impossible for me to think that far ahead. By setting a couple of extra hundred dollars in my Christmas savings, I can buy myself something I want during the after-Christmas sales.
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: I just get horrible gifts and pretend to be pleased with them.
Not so bad if they're useless and poorly crafted domestic items made by your children, but otherwise that kind of sucks.
Nice thing about spending 5 out of the last 6 Christmases abroad and away from the parents is that they just send money, and we agree I'll buy something they would like me to have. This year it's an ipod touch and a bus ticket to Amsterdam, which in my book is a pretty damn good haul.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
Over the years, I've learned to derive other other happinesses from the holidays, and to buy myself the things I want when I want them.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I get very few gifts at Christmas - my husband and I agreed long ago not to buy for each other but to focus on our kids. We try to buy something nice for the house each year instead of gifts for each other - this year it was some new appliances.
Our kids we usually get one nice gift and then smaller gifts like gift cards to the book store (something they get every year and will talk about in the weeks leading up to Christmas - Lord help me if one year I decided not to give them!)
For family and friends we like to bake cookies, put them in a nice box or tin and deliver them a few days before Christmas.
I've been trying very hard each year to notch down the consumerism and spend less. I think it's crazy to blow thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts, when less expensive but more heartfelt gifts are remembered longer.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
In my family, we all get gifts for all the kids, and the adults pick names so that we each get one gift for one other adult. And we all send emails with our wishlists and our kids' wishlists to the rest of the family so that we all know what people are interested in. It tends to reduce the Present Face thing.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
We don't do adult gifts anymore in our family except for my parents. I have staked out my position as book aunt. This works great when I can remember who already has which books. For the kids who are old enough, I ask them to send me a wish list.
This is also great because I can do the bulk of my shopping online and books are easy to wrap.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Teshi: Two rules I think should apply about present buying:
You should always articulate what you want (as a giftee). As a gifter, you should listen to what the giftee says. If the giftee says they want such-and-such a book, get them that book-- not some unidentified book of roughly the same genre.
I have so many Historical Novels or Historical Fantasies, because this is what my parents thought I read for years.
That struck me as very funny, probably too funny. My fiance puts together a very detailed list for his parents, complete with instructions of where and when to buy certain things and what versions, that isn't completely unlike what you seem to do Shanna.
Likewise, I also do some of the Christmas shopping for my brother that will be from my parents. My mom and I were in a bookstore once, and she was about to pick up any old book from the Fantasy/Sci Fi section. I ended up having to steer her in a specific direction or who knows what he might have ended up with. That is one thing I do know - his reading tastes.
Lisa, I have a friend whose family does that only they post their wishlist on the refrigerator.
He he...very cool, kmboots. My cousins are twenty years younger, so it's almost like being their aunt. I function in the same capacity. Posts: 691 | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: Scifibum, are you a lost brother? we apparently have the same mother.
I guess there could be an alternative explanation for those supposed academic conferences she says she's attending. Awkward shirt delivery to her other family.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I went to a used store to buy a Nintento DS for my wife (Yes, used....we don't care if it's new, or new to US), and while I was there I found a PS3 for under $200, including warranty. It was the very first 80 G model, that plays PS1 and PS2 games, and right now that model is selling for $300-400 on ebay.
I bought it to resell, but then my wife complained because she wanted a blu-ray player. So we are keeping it, as a gift for BOTH of us.
posted
JenniK (my wife) has made homemade gifts many years. She made home made cinnamon honey butter, cinnamon orange honey butter, and from scratch English muffins, put them in little gift baskets, and delivered them. Other years she bakes 12 varieties of cookies (last time it was 103 dozen all told), and puts a variety in tins to gift people with. The last 2 years she has hand crafted a set of jewelry for all the girls; kids and adults that included a bracelet, necklace, and earrings. She is very crafty and enjoys spending the time making "custom" gifts that are one of a kind. I enjoy all the extra cookies...someone has to be quality control!
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:It was the very first 80 G model, that plays PS1 and PS2 games, and right now that model is selling for $300-400 on ebay.
I bought it to resell, but then my wife complained because she wanted a blu-ray player.
Unless you actually have a bunch of PS2 games lying around, tell your wife not to be silly. Sell the 80GB model for $300+ dollars, buy a brand-new PS3 (or, less expensively, a blu-ray player, although that's a purchase I consider to be absolutely not worth it), and pocket the difference.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sucks because the PS3 is SO much more expensive in CR than in the US- by a margin of like 40%. How the Czech market bears electronics prices at a 25-40% mark up across the board is a mystery to me. Hell, an iphone in CR is $900, 15,000 Crowns, which is 75% of the average urban salary for a month. Basically it's like the iphone costing 3 grand in the states. And yet you can buy a decent used car for 30,000Kc ($1,800).
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just sent my mom (after she asked me to) an email of possible things to send me and my husband, along with places on the web to find them. Mostly small things, a few as much as thirty dollars but most are much less. I certainly didn't want everything on the list (and specified as such), but it gives her and my dad options, both in selection and price, and lets me still be surprised on Christmas Day.
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: JenniK (my wife) has made homemade gifts many years. She made home made cinnamon honey butter, cinnamon orange honey butter, and from scratch English muffins, put them in little gift baskets, and delivered them. Other years she bakes 12 varieties of cookies (last time it was 103 dozen all told), and puts a variety in tins to gift people with. The last 2 years she has hand crafted a set of jewelry for all the girls; kids and adults that included a bracelet, necklace, and earrings. She is very crafty and enjoys spending the time making "custom" gifts that are one of a kind. I enjoy all the extra cookies...someone has to be quality control!
I like her style. I've done similar with fudge or cookies, but more years than not I have either made origami boxes to fill with chocolate or ornaments to give out to most folks. Last year I decorated tins with fancy paper and filled them with loose tea. Yay! "custom" gifts!
Posts: 691 | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: Scifibum, are you a lost brother? we apparently have the same mother.
I guess there could be an alternative explanation for those supposed academic conferences she says she's attending. Awkward shirt delivery to her other family.
My mother, for the record, got me an awesome shirt this year. Better than if I'd picked it myself.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
My husband broke the rules this year and bought me an e-reader - the Nook from Barnes and Noble. Of course, it's backordered so won't be here for a while. He justified it by saying it might save floor space in our house if I buy e-copies of books.
*glances at her bedroom floor where books are stacked five high and lined up against the wall*
Yeah, he may be right.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: Scifibum, are you a lost brother? we apparently have the same mother.
I guess there could be an alternative explanation for those supposed academic conferences she says she's attending. Awkward shirt delivery to her other family.
My mother, for the record, got me an awesome shirt this year. Better than if I'd picked it myself.
Yay for your Mom! My mother got me a fleece sweatshirt two years ago and I liked it - I wear it over pajamas when it gets cold. She has repeated her success since then. I now have three of them. Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Laugh]](graemlins/laugh.gif)
I guess there could be an alternative explanation for those supposed academic conferences she says she's attending. Awkward shirt delivery to her other family.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
