Gifts We're Giving!

[nilesgirl]

I'm surprising my husband with not only the new Michael W. Smith cd (MWS is a contemporary Christian artist that my husband absoloutely loves) but I also got him the Ultimate Matrix Collection on DVD. I can't wait to see his face. I got my friend a book, my other friend a Jeff Gordon teddy bear, another friend an Elvis ornament, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law gift baskets from Bath & Body Works, my cousin and her husband a gift card to BJ's Wholesale club, her daughter a dreamcatcher, my goddaughter and her sister the Barbie Princess & The Pauper movie on DVD, my 2 brothers-in-law AMEX gift checks, our best friends a "New Home" ornament and my father-law a robe.
I love this season. Not because of the gifts. Just because everything looks so pretty with the lights and everything. I hope we have a white Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!

[Lucynda]

I let me son pick all the presents this year as he is the only one who still gets gifts from everyone, us adults stopped buying for each other a few years ago. He likes to give themes so he decided to give his grandmother dinner and a movie as he and she both share a love of movies but she lives 12 hours away in a different state. So he brought her a cook book, a mixing bowl from the same chefs range, a voucher from the supermarket, a DVD and a voucher for a gold class seat at the movies. So she has the tools to make her didnner the money to buy the ingredients and a movie to pop on while she makes it and a gold class ticket to see a movie after the dinner. We wrote an explanation on the card but unfortunately we wont be there to see her open it.
For his father he decided to do an Italian Job theme (its his favorite movie) He brought him the original 1969 version on DVD and a romote control game that has two minis racing around in a circle.
I am always amazed at how imaginative the kid is.
Must take after his mum........................... ...not

[libra1022]

My favorite gift I gave I mentioned somewhere else, and it's already been opened by my friend....one of those blow up/light up yard ornaments of SpongeBob Squarepants. He LOVED it and had it blazing next to his driveway for his Christmas party last weekend (which is why he got it early). He's so paranoid about it being stolen that now it's lighting up his pool deck every night for him to enjoy My friend is in his 50's but was seriously like a 5 year old when he opened it, one happy dude!

Other than that, he's getting several DVD classic shows that I found on the dollar rack at Target and SpongeBob silk boxers....all of my employees are getting a box of candy and Target gift card....Mom is getting a collection of gourmet coffees....step father wants/needs a paper shredder so that's done....and Granny was easy, she just wants pictures of me so I took a couple of my better ones from this year and got them blown up to 5x7 and framed them for her.

[Gutmutter]

Your stepfather will love the paper shredder. I needed one and still get a thrill out of using it (I know, cheap date). I can't wait 'til tomorrow. My kids are going to love Christmas this year. My son's getting the Lord of the Rings ring, a Q-Ray bracelet (long story), and a Jack Skelington hoodie, my college girl gets a long white scarf I knit, new clothes, DVDs, etc., my baby girl (13) is getting the movie Big with Tom Hanks, some pretty sweaters, and an electric laminator she really wants (does she take after me, or what?)

[nlmcp]

Lets see....
the oldest daughter is getting the first season of Stargate on DVD (she loves that show), dark blue jeans, Hilary Duff's Cd, several books, a Lord of the Rings pillow case and a make up case.

Youngest daughter is getting a Sponge Bob Square pants personal cd player. The Cheeta Girls cd, black jeans, several books, a Happy Bunny pillow case and a make up case.

Soon to be ex husband got as a gift from his daughters, a travel dvd player(not sure if that was it's called) I was just going to get him a dvd player, thinking he could use it in his bedroom and then take it with him when he goes but got talked into this.

Gave all my nephews Best Buy gift cards. Gave my neices' calenders and Hillary Duff cd's. Gave my sister in law whose name I picked a small backgammon travel board and lots of scrapbook stickers.

[nlmcp]

I made fleece blankets: two yards of fleece with a great pattern, laid out (bad side in) on top of two yards of coordinating solid color fleece, trimmed even (ok - cut to the size of my dining room table ), cut a seven inch square out of all corners, then cut 1 1/2 inch-ish (I eyeballed them) strips x seven inches deep around all sides, then simply double knot the two fabrics together all around, making fringe all around the edges (does that make sense?) Toasty cozy warm, takes about 40 minutes per blanket at a cost (if the fleece is on sale) of about 15$ per blanket, and NO SEWING REQUIRED.

Sixteen (!) complete, two to go (oh - and I'm out two pairs of scissors, too )

My sister did those a couple years ago for all her neices. They love them. My kids think they are the warmest toasty things ever. (I want one for myself but I think I just have to do it myself.)

[MarlaD]

My dad is suffering from a moderate level of Alzheimers. One of his quirks is going to T.J. Maxx about three times a week and blowing all his money on useless knick knacks that he hides around the house. It drives my mom crazy because they don't have much money and you can't get refunds at TJMaxx, only credit. So my "joke" present to him is a stock certificate for TJX. Might as well be a shareholder.

[Marleybone]

I was an art major, so I try to do at least one artsy gift each year. My secret santa at work lost her husband at Christmas several years ago, so I painted a picture of her with an angel shape in the background with his arms around her. She really appreciates it, so I'm happy.

That's so cool, I was an art major too! Just for one semester though. I still paint and make candles but it's not how I make a living... it just keeps me out of therapy.

I gave lots of my candles for gifts this year. I got my husband an XM Satellite Radio for his truck plus activated it for a year. My son got a digital camera and my older son and daughter-in-law got everything on their list.. DVD's, perfume, computer software. I'm giving my parents a $100 gift card to the grocery store, it's a huge store with restaurants inside so they can buy groceries or go out for dinner. They have said for years that they don't want us to get them anything but I don't listen very well! :santawink I'm thinking I should have gotten them more but they will be scolding me for getting them anything at all. I'm just thankful that I still have both my parents, who knows how many more Christmases there will be for them.

I did one other thing for my son.. last year when he was a senior in HS he had the leading role in the competition one-act play. They won Districts and competed at State, and there was a huge write-up in the paper with his picture on the front page performing. I got the picture from the newspaper, matted and framed it for him and I printed the name of his character, the play, and the date. His birthday is Monday so I might give it to him then.

[Gutmutter]

Marleybone- that will make a great birthday present. My ex's birthday is Jan. 1 and it was always so hard to come up with something after Christmas. He won't be expecting that. I really hope people come back here and tell about people's reactions to the wonderful gifts we're hearing about. My son (16) was like a little boy on Christmas morning when he opened his ring from Lord of the Rings. It is beautiful - on a chain to wear around his neck, in an engraved wooden box. It set the tone for everyone else. We really had the best Christmas ever. My youngest got up early with me to bake muffins, make hashbrowns with eggs, and a pot of hot chocolate with candycanes melted in it. We had cut up fruit the day before and had leftover pie, so it was a smorgasboard. Happy holidays everyone!

[Marleybone]

Gutmutter; I know what you mean about the after-Christmas birthdays. It all started back when my brother got married on Jan. 2. We always forget to send them a card because it creeps up on us so quickly after the holidays.
Besides my youngest being born on Dec. 27, my older son's birthday is Jan. 12. At least that gives me a little more time to shop for him, plus if something doesn't arrive in time for Christmas I can just tuck it away for his birthday. It was hard sometimes though, especially with Matt, because I always made sure he got separate birthday presents wrapped in birthday paper, on his actual birthday, and he didn't get less just because it was 2 days after Christmas. He got the same as if his birthday was any other time of the year. Now that he's older he WANTS to get just one big gift for both, last year was a new bass guitar and this year is a digital camera.

We haven't had Christmas with my older son and daughter-in-law yet, they were just married in October so now he is obligated to make the rounds with her family, plus with their work schedules we haven't been able to get together. They're coming over tonight for dinner and we'll open gifts then. I'm getting a birthday cake for Matt and giving him a little something in birthday paper too. He'll be 19, and he doesn't really care about making a big deal out of it... he would much rather hang out with his friends, so we'll do this tonight and tomorrow will be his day to do what he wants.