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I am awful at buying christmas presents. I just really struggle for inspiration then end up buying useless tat at the last minute.
This is not helped by the fact that my family are lucky enough to have everything they need and most of the things they want (within reason).
I can't be the only one on here with this affliction.
I also don't mind spending the cash so long as it's spent on stuff which is genuinely useful and won't just be shoved in a cupboard.
In the interests of avoiding the usual panicked cash-down-the-toilet-athon I am aiming to be prepared this year.
Lets help each other out.
Suggest the best christmas presents you have either given, seen given, or recieved, to provide some inspiration to others. Nothing too specific to a particular interest - ideas which are quite general in their appeal but not boring or too obvious like the usual chocolates etc.
Here are my punts:
* Woolpower thermal longs / jersey: http://www.woolpower.se/uk/asp/info_uk.asp got bought these last year by my missus. They are fantastic - very versatile for winter, camping etc. and very easy to care for (don't need special care like many other wool products).
* Get a calendar printed at an online print shop (e.g. bonusprint) with pictures of your kids on - good for grandparents. These get requested each year now.
* Hate to say it, but Ugg boots went down very well with the missus (I'm no fashionista so they might be terribly old hat this year though!)
Er, that's about it for me unfortunately!
I'm going for the heehaw approach this year...last few birthday/christmas's I've been lucky enough to get something from my daughter but my wife hasn't done anything...I'm going to go with this approach this year...I'll get something for my daughter but the wife can make do with a homemade christmas card from our daughter!
Ba humbug and all that!
This should be filed under 'Worst idea for Christmas'...so don't take it as advice!
Ive got my mrs a new hoover 🙂 seriously
Also try and buy locally or from small businesses.
Any small kids in the family?
Fingerprint jewellery is very popular as a gift for parents/grandparents. Pendants, cuff-links, charm bracelets, etc.
P.S. Order asap as they take time to make (and short of kidnapping, you have to arrange the print-taking with at least one of the parents!). Though can be done mail-order to a degree where they send you a kit to take the print and send back.
Carbon337 - I hope it's Miele Cat & Dog? Although even getting the 'best' hoover wasn't enough for my ex on Valentines'.
domestic goods as presents for wimmin?
never goes down well!
My wife and daughter are getting a new boiler. Hot water; the gift that keeps on giving 🙂
I've done very well in the last few years by buying my wife tickets to dancing on ice and x factor, that sort of thing. They're a bit pricey but she loves it.
Also, ladies love it when you buy them clothes. Get the size right and that's all that matters. They never like what you buy 'em but you made the right effort. Just keep the receipt and you're sorted.
I'm starting to hate Christmas for that side of it. I like the effort of getting round to seeing everyone but feel bad if I do it without a gift. Last year I was just honest and said i can't afford to buy you anything you could possibly want.You'd be surprised how relieved people are when they know they don't have to get you something back.This year will be even worse money wise as we have none. I'll just buy for my parents as they put us up for three nights and it's always good so its a thank you really.
However on the present buying front some things I have learnt:
Kids that aren't immediate family don't need presents
Old people don't need presents
Secret Santa is lost on my mother 🙂
chaos - like the sound of that fingerprint stuff - may be just the ticket for Gran - cheers.
For adults, who have bought what they want, I often buy food, wine etc. Either poncey stuff or items that are difficult to get hold of where they live.
For instance, my sister lives in italy so she give me lots of italian stuff and I give her industrial quantities of curry and chinese spices as well as marmite, branston, colemans dry mustard etc etc, some poncey teas etc.
my lil brother bought me a blues harmonica and a very basic teach yourself guide book one year..
I was quite touched.. it was completely out of leftfield.. we're not a musical family or very imaginative with gifts.. ace present.. It has been gathering dust ever since..
yunki - Membermy lil brother bought me a blues harmonica and a very basic teach yourself guide book one year..
I was quite touched.. it was completely out of leftfield.. we're not a musical family or very imaginative with gifts.. ace present.. It has been gathering dust ever since..
haha.... brilliant punchline
i've settled on not buying much in the way of presents over the last few years.... myself nor the GF are in any way religiously inclined. we don't celebrate ramadan and the same goes to christmas.
a bottle of wine here and there or some odd jobs for the GF technically inept family. my folks are happy not recieving anything, though mum likes a card.
We've done <£10 presents for the last few years and I love it (but there's no kids about). None of the guilt of giving away more expensive gifts that you don't like, most things you can buy for that sort of money will be things you eat/drink or little luxuries like posh soap. Even if it's something you (or the recipient) doesn't like, at least it didn't cost much anyway.
It's far more about getting together for some family time, and it's surprisingly fun (and tricky sometimes) to find good stuff that doesn't break the budget.
My missus knows me well and is also a great one for a bargain.Therefore she bought her pressys from me, and her mum and my mum, back in the summer. All i have to do is pay for them! Eventually. My approach is to email her links to things I want, especially obscure books and wait to see what happens. Those links are also then passed onto her mum and mine.
Surprises will be nice wool sox.
I wanted to get my mrs a phase plasma rifle in a 40 watt range, but the shop only had uzi 9mm's in stock. Typical.
If you are stuck for ideas and like a bargain, hotukdeals is a good website. groupon, livingsocial, itison too.
chaos - like the sound of that fingerprint stuff - may be just the ticket for Gran - cheers.
Printing photos onto canvas or printed photo albums also go down quite well with grandparents, I've used [url= http://www.myphotobook.co.uk/ ]Myphotobook[/url] a couple of times, good quality and reasonable prices.
Christmas presents are a tricky one. I like buying presents for people that I know they'll like and appreciate, but I hate buying tat just for the sake of it- it just feels like going through the motions and it's obvious to me and them, and it's a waste of money. I like to think I'm not tight, and I'm happy to spend money on people in general, but I'm not happy buying $hite just because it's Christmas. The same goes for receiving, the last couple of years some members of my family have bought me some right old crap and I've just wished they'd saved themselves the money, although that might sound terribly ungrateful. Understanding sort of reached for this year though I hope.
buy nothing, Jesus saves.
As we are in need of a new sofa we are just buying each other half a sofa each.... I would much prefer to get a whole one though...
A few years ago we got a joint present from my other half's parents...
Historically we tended to get rubbish presents from them, so I let my other half open it, so she could feign mock joy.....
......and it was a brilliant camping stove! We've used it loads and it has been really useful.