Christmas 2011

[NaNi]

I was planning on getting something LDR related, but the quality didn't impress me. I had to send it back. But I already found something else! My SO is a huge nerd, so I found something related to that. I would say what it is, but my SO is also on the forum and she's not allowed to know what it is - yet. I'm also going to send a box full of homemade cookies and some Christmas candy.

[Malaga]

Buying Christmas presents makes my stomach turn. It's like all the shop windows are literally screaming at me. I get panic attacks for real. I tried with the online shopping but it never gets over in time and it usually ends up being more expensive than I could afford really, with the shipping and customs.

I'm sick of it. I love giving presents, but this is such a major stress every year. So a few years ago I told my parents that I don't want any old crap we buy each other just for the sake of giving each other something. Since then we've been giving money to charity instead, in each other's name. Than makes everyone feel a lot better.

For him? I don't know really. It's usually something food related, since we're both obsessed with it <3 last year I brought him over a bottle of finest olive oil.

[lucybelle]

Buying Christmas presents makes my stomach turn. It's like all the shop windows are literally screaming at me. I get panic attacks for real. I tried with the online shopping but it never gets over in time and it usually ends up being more expensive than I could afford really, with the shipping and customs.

I'm sick of it. I love giving presents, but this is such a major stress every year. So a few years ago I told my parents that I don't want any old crap we buy each other just for the sake of giving each other something. Since then we've been giving money to charity instead, in each other's name. Than makes everyone feel a lot better.

For him? I don't know really. It's usually something food related, since we're both obsessed with it <3 last year I brought him over a bottle of finest olive oil.

Consider the Heifer Foundation. You buy animals that get sent to struggling families in poor locations. My mom bought me (well a family) a goat for one Christmas. You can also buy chickens, cows, llamas, all sort of stuff. And they're all different prices, $20 for ducks, $500 for a cow.

https://www.heifer.org/give/give?msource=magento

[kat4301]

My SO is also a December birthday, so my wallet is always super empty in December. I can't narrow down my ideas, but I was thinking for his birthday to take him to the beach where they have all these lights on the boardwalk and stay the night in this oceanfront hotel that has a lazy river and waterfall pool. Christmas is harder cause I need to go cheaper, he talked about a tattoo (but I think he wants something big and colorful so lots of $), or there are video games. I am inspired by all the craftyness on this website, I might need to start thinking more creatively.

[Kerry]

So with christmas less than 2 months away I thought we could have a thread for people to post what they are buying, making, sending their SO, family members, friends to help give people ideas. Or just post if you want some advice on your gift ideas.

Well for my best friend I'm giving the sight Lovebook a go. You may have seen the ads for it around here but if you hadnt you create your own book basically. We like to buy each other gifts that show how much we appreciate each other. For her birthday I bought a photo frame you can write on and wrote down all the funny and weird moments we had and put a nice pic in it.

I was going to do a book for my ex-SO but being now ex I've decided agaisnt it. Even though we arn't together I still feel like I should get him something. Im not sure what thats going to be yet but I know I'm gonna to have a letter with it. Basically me puring my heart out, talking about what happened, ect ect.

Im finding that this year I'm looking online for gift ideas. Im in Australia and I feel thats basically if your not in a big town (which im not) there is only so many places to go to shop. And I like to have unique gifts where possible.

So what are some of your christmas gifts?

the photo frame- is it just a wooden one that you can buy anywhere? I think this is a great idea for a gift for my bf.

[Sunnyside193]

Umm its not wooden, its kinda like a whiteboard. I bought it at a shop in the local shopping centre called Australian Country Living, so I'm not sure were you could get it from. But the one I got kinda looked like this

[CanadianGirl]

He's really big on smelling good, so I got him a scent. Spent a good while at the men's counter and picked out the one that most reminded me of him. Lacoste Essential Sport. Mmm, it's delicious, fresh and manly. I'd forever have my nose buried in his shirt if he wore this around me He'd never buy this for himself but I know his taste for nice things, so I think this will be a hit. Excited

[jessesgirl]

I am bouncing around with a couple of different options. He has severe back issues due to his height so I am looking into making him a rice pillow. I made him a no-sew fleece blanket last year (we were not a couple then) and because he is on the East Coast I am looking at things to keep him warm. I am also looking into some small little things to keep him smiling in between our visits. www.pinterest.com is member-only to post but to browse ANYONE can! They have TONS of pins dedicated to unique/handmade christmas gifts. Happy Holidays everyone, looking foward to returning to this post to see others' ideas!

[sjaneec5]

By Christmas my SO and I will be dating officially for almost 2 months what is a good price range and also what are some gift ideas? I'm clueless! Lol

[Zephii]

I like these kind of threads

I think this year most people are getting some kind of cake from me. I need to learn to make and decorate cakes for our wedding (I'm too cheap to pay someone over $100 just so I can have something nice. I'm very DIY) so the practice will be useful, and the food wont go to waste. I aslo want to pick up the slurpee maker I was in Kmart for Obi, A cooking apron and maybe a scanpan for my sister, and something little for my brother in law, new sister and her brats.

If Obi's not in the country for christmas, all he's getting is a kick in the face.

---------- Post added at 06:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:09 PM ----------

By Christmas my SO and I will be dating officially for almost 2 months what is a good price range and also what are some gift ideas? I'm clueless! Lol

How long did you know each other before going official? I'd say keep it under $50

[NineInchNails_x]

For him I am getting him: A coat, a book about aliens, a wallet made out of EEL SKIN!, an external harddrive(so romantic lol. He wanted one..), and a book with a bunch of letters I wrote to him.
For his grandparents: I am drawing them each a picture..maybe. I'm really slow because I get bored halfway through so we will see. They are also getting a really pretty christmas card.
For his parents: His parents hate me, and they are very hard to buy for. They are the kind of snobby rich people who have enough money to buy anything they could ever want and so they are hard to buy for. So i'm just going to send them a nice christmas card and maybe if I see them in person sometime I'll bake them some cookies or something. Although his mom is super healthy..Hmm.
For my immediate family my parents pick out all the gifts but I have seen a few of my brothers. We got him this really cool fake book that has a safe built into the middle, a wallet, some house shoes, pajama pants...I think there was something else but I forgot.
I asked for a fence for christmas. We have a big back yard but no fence so the dogs can't use it because they will run away. Chances that I will actually get a fence are very very slim because they are too expensive haha

[floridaellen]

For my SO: He'll probably get something New England Patriots related (we're big football fans). Last year, I got him a jersey and my parents got him a customized Patriots sweatshirt. I also made him a scrapbook last year. He gave it back to me when we broke up but since we're back together and I still have it, I'm debating adding more pages to it or creating a new one. Thoughts? If that doesn't seem like a good plan I know I will have to make him something else. Maybe a customized picture frame? Idk!
For my mom: Jewelry of some sort.
For my dad: Hardest to buy for! He has everything and wants nothing. I'll probably get him dark chocolate.
For my older brother: He's really into music so I'll probably get him new guitar strings or something.
For my younger brother: He's easy to buy for. I'll probably just pick him up something Barney or Dora related. He's 20 but handicapped so he loves those things.
For my SO's family: Oh gosh. They don't like me much anymore so it has to be nice... His dad and stepmom probably won't get me anything but his mom and stepdad might. We'll see what my SO says.

[CynicalQuixotic]

I got JP a spiral-bound book of all of Scott Joplin's rags. He plays the piano and really loves playing ragtime, and I saw the "Special Collector's Edition" on Amazon for only $15 last month, so I jumped at the chance and bought it. I can't wait to give it to him.

I have no idea what he's getting me. My birthday is three weeks before Christmas, so he might just get me one gift for both. I'm excited to see what he pulls out of his sleeve.

[~whendarknessfalls]

I'm working on a scrapbook for my SO for Christmas. It's going to have pictures going all the way back til when we first met. I'm printing out old cute texts and IM's and sticking them in their too, as well as some train and plane ticket stubs and other memorabilia. (: I'm going to write him a nice letter or maybe a poem and put it in the back. I want to get him something else too..maybe. I'm not quite sure what though. We shall see. I really hope it turns out well!

[ChibiFelicia]

Well we've both decided not to purchase anything specific for each other this year. Cause we're both sooo skint! lol. I've actually bought some stuff but a lil adult related so i'll leave that for a different thread so i guess i have bought something for both of us : ).

We're cooking christmas dinner together though which is gonna be great, and we're also gonna be filling in a scrap book together. I made it for him last christmas and since we've taken many photos since then we'll add more this year : ).