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General Category => Grab Bag => Topic started by: pam1 on September 28, 2012, 08:16:29 AM

Title: Gift Ideas
Post by: pam1 on September 28, 2012, 08:16:29 AM
It's getting to that time of year of gifts at holidays.  To take some of the stress away, I've been buying/shopping now.  (There are also a ton of birthdays surrounding the holidays too!)

And now I'm running out of ideas for people, so I thought we could start a thread for the holidays and cool gift ideas we've found.  I know last year we talked about how hard it is to buy for some people.

Anyway, my favorite I've found so far is a beer holster for my brother.  It looks like a pistol holster but it will hold a beer instead, he likes to play darts and pool, now he won't have to put down his beer!  LOL

What about you guys?  Any gifts you've given or received that you really liked?  All ideas welcome!



Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on September 28, 2012, 10:52:55 AM
Ha ha ha...we bought something similar to that at a craft fair last year for DH's best friend.  It was the beer holder plus a "skoal" can holder next to it!  He loved it!

One of my favorite gifts I received last year from a friend was a gift certificate from a local "paint your own pottery" place.  I love stuff like that but after thinking about it this year, I think I am going to buy several for friends and family this year.  You can buy them in different denominations and I figure if they pick out their own whatever and paint it, they can't blame me if they don't like it!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: luise.volta on September 28, 2012, 12:46:50 PM
20 - 30- 40 years ago when I was the age you guys are, I bought Christmas gifts all year long. I never went shopping for Christmas or Birthdays. I just spotted items that were perfect, and often for sale, through the year on my "wanderings." I got several gifts for each member of my extended family and just labeled who they were for and put them on my Christmas/Birthday shelf. Now, I just buy a single item for two of my sort of daughters, on line. (I am being penalized by Kirk and Sandy because the only way to get them to accept the iPad I got them two years ago and a vacation three years ago was to promise I would cease and desist "forever." I sneak them little things and pretend I don't remember but they are onto me and watchful! LOL!)

At their request I have put up a Wish List on Amazon which they sometimes use but not always. They also do Amazon and Audible.com gift certificates, now that I have a Kindle and a second iPod dedicated to books, only. Mostly I love visits, flowers and edible goodies.  :) If I'm given something for my home, a 400 sq. ft. postage stamp, I have to take something out to bring something in. New clothes are the same drill. No space without a purge. All of the above seems to work well for all of us. Sending love...
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on September 28, 2012, 09:18:54 PM
Thanks Pam, for reminding me that I need to start thinking about the holidays. I was trying to pretend it wasn't going to happen, lol.

This year I'm not going to ask DIL before purchasing DS's gift as her advice backfired on me (and him) last Christmas. After that fiasco I'm not very enthusiastic about trying to think of the perfect gift, but I'll come up w/something. Boring old gift cards, probably...since we don't see DS/DIL very often I have no idea what they want.

One of the best gifts I received from a friend was every book ever published by an author I loved. My friend scoured used book stores for months to put the set together. She put in a lot of time & effort, and I appreciated it very much.

I've given gift certs to http://www.blurb.com/ (http://www.blurb.com/) Everyone loves creating their own hardbound, high quality photo books. For friends & family who 'have everything' I give Heifer or Kiva gift certs. We also make gourmet foodie gifts - who doesn't love a no-clutter present?

Pooh, I would love to paint my own pottery & I'll bet DD & her friends would enjoy it too. Thanks for the great idea!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: luise.volta on September 28, 2012, 09:33:56 PM
P - You mention books and it reminds me that Kirk Sandy published a book:

The Sacred Seven Steps: A Practical Guide to Peace & Freedom [Paperback]
Sandy Breckenridge (Author), Kirk Vandenberghe (Author), John Harricharan (Foreword)

When they didn't opt for a second printing, the book became very hard to come by. I did an Amazon search and found a few used copies and bought them for Christmas several years back. You should have seem their faces.
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on October 01, 2012, 12:53:25 PM
You're welcome Pen and Luise, that's priceless!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: constantmargaret on October 01, 2012, 05:23:19 PM
Well, don't laugh. My mother is on a fixed income and is always apologizing for her gifts. "Nothing rich or rare," she always says. Well, recently she gave me a wooden back scratcher. And I love it. I have a bad shoulder so there's this spot on my back I can't reach, you know... I keep it right by my laptop. Best gift I've received in a while.

Sounds silly but when you gotta scratch, you gotta scratch.
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on October 01, 2012, 09:32:13 PM
Lol, love it, CM :)
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: pam1 on October 03, 2012, 10:43:19 AM
Great ideas ladies!  Love the back scratcher, that's going on my list for Dad. 

I can come up with good ideas for people, but they are always so expensive, especially considering the amount of people I'm buying for.  Usually I resort to gag gifts lol.  And some of the people on my list are very picky about soaps, ornaments, and food that it leaves those types of traditional gift items out.  So, the quirkier the better it is for me.
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on October 03, 2012, 04:36:40 PM
Ya gotta know your giftee, though. Some people just don't get the humor :D
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on October 04, 2012, 06:48:32 AM
Don't know if any of you buy something small for co-workers, girl's friends, etc. but I saw the cutest, inexpensive thing last night on my addiction that I am so doing this year.  We have several young girls in the family and also, I also try to do something for the girls at work here (about 12 of them).

This lady showed how to make your own lip gloss!  I found the little containers on a website for .36 each.  Then dollar tree has the little organza bags with a ribbon that come in a package of 6 for $1.  Big thing of generic vasoline is $2.50, koolaid is .10 a pack and I'm going to print some little round labels for the top, on stock paper I already have and glue them down on the lid.  So total cost for about 40 of these (2 per bag) is $26.60.  So 20 gifts for $1.33 each.  2 personlized lip glass in a little organza bag each.

All you do is melt the vasoline in the microwave, it turns to a liquid form, add the flavored koolaid, pour in the containers and let them set for a couple of hours.  It turns back to the consistancy of vasoline and takes on the color, smell and flavor of the koolaid.  They say it is the consistancy of like the carmex stuff.  So going to try this!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: pam1 on October 04, 2012, 07:36:41 AM
Quote from: Pen on October 03, 2012, 04:36:40 PM
Ya gotta know your giftee, though. Some people just don't get the humor :D

Oh absolutely!  I learned my lesson on that one with DHs FOO.  No laughing matter there!

Pooh, that is the cutest gift.  I'm going to do that for DD and maybe some girlfriends. 

On another note, I found a local farm that is organic, antibiotic free that you can buy a pig or cow from.  I heard pork is going up as much as 75% by December.  Think I'm going to buy a pig for my entire side of the family, just one since you get a lot of meat from them.  This farm will do everything there, so no worries about the butcher and they will evenly package all the fresh pork chops and bacon!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on October 04, 2012, 08:01:56 AM
Cute lip gloss idea, thanks Pooh. Perfect for DDD to make & give to her friends.

Pam, I like your pig idea too. We've been buying pigs from a local guy & the meat is fantastic. Your family will surely appreciate it. Mine is too far away, darn it.

;D Don't get mixed up and make pork-flavored lip gloss - eewww!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Doe on October 04, 2012, 08:07:51 AM
Quote from: pam1 on October 04, 2012, 07:36:41 AM
On another note, I found a local farm that is organic, antibiotic free that you can buy a pig or cow from.  I heard pork is going up as much as 75% by December.  Think I'm going to buy a pig for my entire side of the family, just one since you get a lot of meat from them. 

What a great idea! 

I made the mistake of meeting the pigs at our CSA after eating their brother at the annual barbeque.  They were so sweet and eager to visit, like dogs!  After that, I just couldn't buy meat from them.  Totally illogical, since I do love pig meat.  I just can't know them!
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on October 04, 2012, 01:23:41 PM
Ha ha...I did the same thing with a cow one time!  My family always when I was young bought a whole cow from a local butcher guy.  Never thought much about it until my Grandpa took me with him one time and we went to pick out the cow.  I thought it was so cute and petted it and then found out what we were doing!!!

Here's the tins I found, but I didn't look around too much.  You might find some cheaper.

http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/M515C
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: luise.volta on October 04, 2012, 06:31:37 PM
I just love the lip gloss thing, Pooh! How creative, sweet and loving!  :)
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: pam1 on October 05, 2012, 01:56:47 PM
LOL Doe and Pooh.  The guy asked me if I wanted to meet it and I just knew I couldn't.  I would probably give it a name and take it home...
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on October 05, 2012, 04:49:29 PM
Our neighbor's grandson calls their piggies "Pork Chop" & "Bacon," lol.
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: pam1 on October 07, 2012, 02:34:42 PM
Omg, funny Pen.
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on October 08, 2012, 06:38:19 AM
Well, when I get out of baby shower and wedding hades, I'll let you know if the lip gloss is any good!  I've got 90% of the baby shower stuff bought, now just to start putting it all together.  I made a motorcycle diaper decoration this weekend while FDIL finished working on her bouquets, and tonight I'm starting the diaper cake centerpieces for the tables while I show FDIL how to make her boutineires.  My house looks like a craft store took over. :)  On a wonderful note...after a whirlwind 12 hour shopping day Saturday, we FINALLY found her a dress!  It's really hard to find one when your belly is a size 10 but your top is a size 4! 
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: luise.volta on October 08, 2012, 12:36:18 PM
FDIL has my sympathy...that's sort of the way I'm built. I was so tired reading about what you are in the middle of that I had to go take a nap!

Boy, did she luck out in the MIL Department!!! 8)
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pen on October 08, 2012, 05:29:10 PM
...as you did in the FDIL department, Pooh. What a couple of sweeties :)
Title: Re: Gift Ideas
Post by: Pooh on October 09, 2012, 12:16:52 PM
Aww...thanks.  She is very sweet and loving.  She's going to make a great Mom.