I'm Christmas Shopping early, anyone else?

[Marty]

Every year I try to get the shopping out of the way early so I can just sit back and enjoy the holidays.

Last year it was a fiasco because I got too tied up in decorating and working with Jerry that I let a lot of it slip to the last minute. I found myself up till all hours of the night like 2 and 3 in the morning making cards and wrapping gifts, baking and I was so tired and worn out and cranky that I didn't have any time to just sit back with the family and enjoy any of the Christmas specials on tv that I always love to watch. The holidays just seemed to have past me by last year.

This is not going to happen this year. I love the hoidays but when it gets too overwheming I can easily see now why some people don't like it and don't even hang a wreath anymore.

But I'm on it this year! I'm going to begin my shopping this weekend and get it out of the way.

Jerry has two grandaughters in Florida that are 9 and 13. We don't know them well but I do send them a little something at Christmas so I would like some suggestions. I have a $20. each budget for them. I don't want to send clothes. Something else instead. We are told that they like everything. Yea that narrows it down.

What do they want???? What would they like?

And then there is Jerry. God Bless that man. He always gets the same old thing over and over.....jeans, a flannel shirt, and socks. That's all he says he ever wants. But I'd like to pursue something different for him for a change. He doesn't need any tools. He does like "gadgets"of sorts.......so any ideas there at all?

If you have any ideas can you please tell me where I can get what you suggested? That would help me a lot. Thanks too.

 

[Ashley]

Why not just send the girls a gift card, and let them pick what they want from which ever place the gift card is for?

 

[Bluerocket]

If your husband does not already have a "nail gun" -- this is a great tool that my husband has loved using - while helping me build the insides of our barn.

You hold it in the palm of your hand -- and use normal nails -- my husband used it to drive 16p 2.5" nails into 3/4" treated plywood --- easy easy easy!! -- works off of an air compressor -- we bought one of those for less than $99 at lowes -- I suspect your husband already has one of those however.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...100K&lpage=none

The one we bought came in a RED CASE and I don't think it was quite as expensive as the one I gave you the listing to -- again - he LOVES it. Nice thing is it does any size nail. If you are interested -- I can check the case to see what brand it is..

JJay

 

[Bluerocket]

Duplicate Post - erased JJay

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I would say a gift card top their local book store/music store. Shain is going on 15 and that is what he says he would want.

As for Jerry, tools are a great idea but how bout something more...personal. How about a pocket watch?

I just got one for Bob for Christmas from Shain. He broke his several yrs ago by "dropping" it.

SO this one has a watch chain and clip fob and a leather case that will go onto a belt. Wanna know the best thing Marty? I got it at WalMart for $30. He hates to wear a watch because of all the water and work he is involved with so I thought a pocket watch is a good idea? Whatcha think? I got the winding one not the battery one. He can see the inner works too!

 

[Marty]

Well we have three nail guns......Jerry is like Tim the Toolman Taylor....he's very power equipted! hehe He won't let me use them though, I can't imagine why....

Pocket watch is an idea....I like that.....hmmmmm

More! More!

EDITED: The boys told me that Jerry already has a pocket watch. I plum forgot.

 

[chandab]

I don't have any suggestions for you, but just wanted to say that I have started my Christmas shopping. Two weeks ago when I went to pick up my new filly, I did a little shopping and got something for my mom and MIL for Christmas. I also picked up 4 nice books for my niece and nephew.

Now, to decide for my sister and her husband, my FIL, DH and my husband's brother.

 

[OhHorsePee]

I have the same problem with Ron. He normally wants anything Craftsman related but I'm kinda tired of buying him tools.

My kids always loved getting a gift card for the music store! That was always a stocking stuffer.

Fran

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Ok, don't laugh...how about an overnite getaway. Dinner, a nice room, rent a movie...go home the next morning.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Last year my brother gave me a gift certificate for Netflix - I LOVED it!!!

Netflix

 

[Horse Hugs]

Marty,

Gift certificates are the way to go. I have to send gifts to my nieces and nephews back East and you have to think about postage. If you have a $20 budget, you don't want to spend $10 for postage. I always give them Best Buy gift certificates because that is what the whole family does. That way they can put them all together and really have a blast.

I am trying to have all my shopping done before Halloween. I do a lot on line and have it delivered directly to the recipient. Saves me having to stand in line at the Post Office.

 

[Sanny]

Marty...........I know the gift card thing might seem pretty impersonal, but my mother in law and sister in law send them to my kids and we have a tradition of going shopping on Christmas Eve and they get to pick out what to spend them on. It works out great because we usually have a pretty good idea what santa will be bringing the next day and can steer the kids away from buying somthing they will already be getting which means something they wanted that was overlooked gets bought with the gift card and then all bases are covered.

We go home, they have fun with that new gift on Christmas Eve (which makes it more memorable than being part of the pile opened on Christmas Day) and they send a thank you and a picture of the gift that was chosen and a note as to why they chose it. That is what makes the gift certificate "personal" or "special" though, is the tradition we've created around it.

She likes music a lot too, but is more into downloading music for her ipod, isn't really into CD's...but for the kids into music, movies or computer games, a Best Buy certificate covers all of that.

If you really are against doing that, my daughter age 10 just got two books that she LOVES called the "Avalon Collection" that consists of two volumns that each actually have three separate books/stories within them. She got them at Walmart and they were 9.95 for each volumn. The series involves girls and magic and animals. She was totally hooked and couldn't put them down until she finished them. Big thick books and good reading for that age level. She is now loaning them to other girls in her class and says her friends love them too.

Stuff she has been choosing for friends when she is invited to birthday parties in that age range has been fun, funky socks, sun glasses, mood rings, glitter nail polish and lip gloss, fun/crazy hair accessories at places like Claires Boutique, neat little diaries/journals...pretty much anything glittery, rhinestone decorated, faux fur patterns -- you know, a little bit tacky and over the top????

 

[Marty]

Thanks for all these ideas.

The younger girl is into Faries and would probably like that Avalon Book collection so I will look for that for sure.

Maybe a gift certificate for the older girl stuffed into a funky sock or something.

This is fun!!!!!!

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[RENMACMINIS]

I agree with Dimimore.. but throw in a massage to go with it.. after all the building he has done on your barn.. he might like to have a massage... or and dont laugh.. how about a pecicure?? yeah i know.. A WHAT?? right? wrong!!! we all know how gross most guys feet are.. well why not give him a gift certificate for a pedicure?? better yet... go have your night out on the town.. and instead of a massage go have a pedicure together... just think then you can make him take ya dancing..lol...

I gave my dad a gift certificate for one last year and my hubby one this year for his birthday.. they griped and complained at first... but after they had it done the LOVED it... and i wont say how many times they have been back since then...

 

[luvmycritters]

For years I have started my Christmas shopping monthes early, I started this year just a few weeks ago. I like the gift card idea for the hard to buy for person and for those out of state. I sell Avon, so usually buy things from there, they have clothes ( orange county choppers ) ect. that my soon to be 13 year old step daughter just loves. Of course as well as jewlery, make-up and even neat gadjets for the men. I like having stuff delivered to my door so that I dont have to go shopping. OF COURSE THAT'S FUN TOO!

 

[keeperofthehorses]

The men in my life are so very easy to shop for. Dad does model trains, so train stuff for him. Hubby always gets something from Craftsman, AND a toy. He likes remote controlled cars, boats and such. If it runs on batteries, makes noise, and can eventually be broken, he loves it. I got him a slot car track one year. That still comes out every Christmas. He also likes 'upgrades' for his truck; custom brake light covers, gadgets and such. The common theme here is TOYS.

Now my mom, she's the one I have trouble with. I've already been racking my brain on her gift.

 

[Sterling]

I did gift cards last year and it sure made shopping alot easier..and I was told that the "younger" crowd in the family really enjoyed them. Seems like kids love to go shopping for their own things and pick out whatever they want.

This year I've decided to make alot of our gifts. From gift baskets, to baking to Victorian pieces inside the gift basket to appeal to the person it's going to. For a while there Christmas got pretty hairy. All the hub-bub of having to beat the crowds at stores, to the "what ifs" of the recipient not liking their gifts. Soooo.....I decided to make gifts from the heart and emphasize with each one what that person likes. I figure the time and effort put forth into these home made gifts will compare to the hustle and bustle of shopping at the mall...only it'll be more enjoyable. Of course not everyone likes homemade crafty gifts either.

 

[lvponies]

My daughters (then ages 12 & 14) were given Walmart gift cards last year from their grandmother. They loved going to Wally World after Christmas last year to pick out their gifts. They were able to get so much more for their money ($25.00 each) because everything was on sale. It was fun for them to take their cards to the cash register and pay for their own stuff. Neat thing about the Walmart cards, you can order them online if you want and they'll ship them to the recepient in a gift card. Or...buy them in the store and put them in something the girls might like. A book, a CD or a diary.

Men...I have a hard time buying for. My hubby is into hunting, so his Christmases are usually courtesy of Cabelas!!

 

[Jenn]

Does Jerry have one of those fancy laser levels? I just bought one for my husband that is a 4-in-1 - laser level, stud finder, electrical finder and it measures stuff, too. It was $50 Cdn. on sale. Guys love gadgets!

For Christmas, I might get him a really nice Dewalt 18V cordless drill. EVERY man needs one of those!

For kids/teens, it's hard to go wrong with either cash or a gift card. For my long-distance friends, I send a Walmart gift card because sometimes shipping a box costs as much as what's in the box!