What's new

Xmas gifts?

bcgal00

bcgal00

Say, "birdseed!"
Pollywog
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
9,647
What did you get? Surprised? Did you pick it out? Decide to skip the commercialism of Xmas and save your money? Or did you get something totally unexpected?
 
We put a cap on how much we'd spend so that we wouldn't be too stressed out with holiday spending. It was great. A few gifts each, lots of thought went into each gift and it was a fun, relaxing family time. My surprise was an air fryer (thank goodness for great sales b/c otherwise I don't think that would have been under the tree for me). I hope to try it out in the next week or so. Practical things like a scale that measures BMI, warm thick gloves, a pink zipup hoodie for jogging, dry wick socks for running and a gift I never thought of asking for but now that I have it, I know I'll be very thankful for it....an insulated cover for my windshield to protect it from the snow/ice. I love everything I got.
 
We kind of put a limit of around $20 per person roughly as we’ve had a tough year on the whole financially. Our big gift to each other was 5/6 family members together for a meal - we did a mix of North American tradition (turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce) with more summery traditions (ham and salads) I always love cash and gift cards which I got but other than that my fav gifts were a full set of towels and facecloths for when I finally move, a magnifying mirror so I can do make up etc
 
I am very happy with my gifts. We didn't go too crazy this year and I very much like that.
I got a bamboo bath tray and from someone else a luxurious set of bath oils, candle, etc. So my bath-needs are covered! I got a bracelet and necklace from Fossil which are perfect. I am not much of a jewelry wearer, but I like to think I am. A handheld blender which is practical but needed. And a chocolate bar!
I gave everyone a book, because you can never go wrong with a book. Right!
 
we saved up every free with purchase that arrived over the year form my favourite craft shop, I never looked at them particularly and they were wrapped up as my Christmas gifts (will be shared with the children who craft with me). The camera was my surprise, along with a Christmas present that arrived from the craft shop. The Toucanettes got lego.
 
DH and Chance got me an Apple Watch. Chance knew I had wanted one for awhile and he was so excited to give it to me he refused to open anything until I opened it. I also got a new rug for my living room from mom, a big frame with photos of the grandbabies from DD, and a Himalayan Salt Lamp from DS #1.
I have a special savings account with my credit union through work and a small amount of money comes out of my check every month and goes in there. I take all the money out at Christmas to do my shopping, and then I let it build until June and take it all out again for birthdays (all 3 of my kids b'days are late May/early June) and summer spending.
 
My sister has a no money restriction on presents. Everything has to be homemade and practical, and we are not allowed to specially purchase supplies to make them either. She moved to a drafty old farm house this year, so I made her another up-cycled crochet rug, and the children helped me turn old school tights and worn out joggers into draft snakes. We haven't had our gift from her yet, normally it's home made chutneys and cider from their apple trees etc.
 
I made and gave lemon curd this year! IT is SO Good! I've never made it before but I am very pleased with how it turned out! I've been eating it like it's going out of style on top of eggo waffles! I'm going to gain 25 pounds, lol...

My favorite gifts this year were a giant lego head that was a girl face (got it for myself on clearance for $8), and a box of Unikitty legos that my daughter got me! I put them all together and played with my UNI-verse, lol... It was awesome! Now, my unis are chilling in my girly head and none of the boys are allowed to touch it!! But, I also got an Instant pot quick meals cookbook! I'm really looking forward to trying out the recipes and I'll need to since we have had to fix 2 cars in the last 5 weeks so we are strapped for cash. :(

Curtis' favorite thing this year is a measuring and weighing set I found online and a set of counting bears his sister got him! Also, bonus points for coconut smelling silly putty in his stocking! Milo is enjoying his walking, talking dog from some TV show. It's awful but he loves it...

Merry Christmas!!
Huggles!!
~Sarah~
 
This is the part of Christmas that is always hard for me -- 'nearly what I wanted' things. It feels like such a waste to me but maybe I'm just too particular?!

I asked the kids for a robe. I even took DS (who has the best memory) to the store and walked him over to the robe and said which one I wanted. I did get a robe but it wasn't the one I wanted. I don't even think it was from that store. They actually got me two -- one warm (for winter, I guess?) and one lighter. They are okay and will do the job but they feel very cheap/a little scratchy and are just plain white and plain pink. That really has more to do with DH not knowing me well enough to get me something I'd like than the kids, I know, but still... They also got me a small Bluetooth speaker for my phone.

My parents did get me the InstantPot I asked for when they asked me what I wanted for Christmas. They got my sister a more expensive gift and I was VERY explicit that I did not need extra presents to make up the difference/I did NOT CARE that she was getting something more expensive. My mom agreed to not buy anything else but then did, anyways. Sigh. My "extra" gifts were a pajama set (which is fine to wear around the house but too hot for me to actually wear to bed) and some (expensive) clothes from a store that I don't shop at and don't particularly like the style of, either. Either way I'm going to have clothes I don't really like but maybe next weekend I will go to the store with my receipts and see if there is anything I can exchange for that is slightly more my style. I just wish she would have either stuck to her agreement or told me that she was going to buy more despite my wishes so I could have told her what store to buy from with clothes I actually like.

My sister got me a Tervis. I don't drink coffee or tea so maybe I will make hot chocolate one morning to take to work to use it? It will probably sit in my cabinet. My aunt got me a throw, and my grandmother got me a 'nice' Tupperware set that my sister got me 2 years ago.

See what I mean? I don't want to be ungrateful but it seems silly to exchange gifts with people who don't know me well enough to get me something that I'll actually enjoy and use. Gifts is so not my love language so I would be perfectly fine not exchanging presents with any of the adults in my family but they insist so I comply.

I do get them gifts they will like so I think it's just a talent that you either have or don't have? Maybe I'm just really observant and they're not? Or maybe they just don't particularly notice the things I use or buy? I know it's the thought that counts and all that; I guess it's just the money spent that bothers me.
 
Bottle of perfume from my hubby which is exactly what I wanted. I got hubby insulated long undies so he is warm when walking dog.

We want a new electronic lock with a large black handle for our front door so we asked daughter for gift cards which she got us two from Home Depot.

Son got us a gift card to our favorite restaurant which is perfect.

We are happy with our presents and know that our big money spender will be our big family vacation in June (we are paying for beach house in June at Outer Banks for all of us to vacation - 6 adults and 8 children).
 
LeeAndra said:
My sister got me a Tervis. I don't drink coffee or tea
Click to expand...
Me neither. But I have an insulated mug that I use for water. I like my water cold and it keeps my water cold all day long! Even the ice stays. Mine isn't a Tervis, but I imagine it works the same way?

LeeAndra said:
Maybe I'm just really observant and they're not? Or maybe they just don't particularly notice the things I use or buy?
Click to expand...
This is a tough one! Sometimes I think it means more to some people than others. Last year, my dad gave us an "obligation gift card". It was a gift card for a fancy restaurant that we don't eat at, and it only covered about half the dinner price. When they asked about it, I was honest. Maybe too honest! They spent less on us this year, but bought us a board game. It's a fun one! We played through it Christmas evening. We are much happier with our gift this year.

On the other hand, I bought them insulated mugs like mine. It's not something they would think to buy themselves. But I know that my dad likes to take milk to bed and it often sours overnight. And my mom will work on a soda drink all day long. So, I'm hoping that it's one of those things that they didn't know they would use. And those gifts can be hit or miss. But I didn't want to buy them yet another clutter item.

I'm sorry about the robe! I hate when people buy me clothes. I'd rather they give me a gift card and let me pick them out myself. Even if it's a store I don't usually shop at, I can usually find shoes that I like, or socks and bras.
 
This was the Christmas where things went wrong. LOL!
I bought Dh and munchkin a game to play on the PS4. Opened the box, wrapped it up. They opened it to find it was the wrong region. Argh! Of course, I looked it up, and I ordered correctly - Amazon messed up.
Dh bought me a planner. It's a binder one. So, he bought me a hole punch for it. Well, the hole punch was not correct! Ugh. Too late to return it now.
Dh and I were filling stockings. He realized he totally forgot to buy anything to stick in mine. I don't mind, but it made him sad. So, candy went into mine.
We opened all the presents and that's when he realized he forgot to put out the planner!

But you know what? It doesn't matter. We had a nice little Christmas. A new game is coming from Target this time. Micheal's had the planner punch on sale. And munchkin didn't even notice DH going and getting the other forgotten presents.
 
We don't exchange anymore.. haven't for the last 20 years I think. I don't exchange with my brother either and my BFF & another friend of mine, we use to exchange and we talked about it and stopped that. We all have enough "stuff" at this point in life. My Hubby and I will do something together which I prefer more, like on the 19th we went to the movies to see Mary Poppins Returns and had lunch.. DH & I will get what we want during the year if we need it.. I prefer it that way.

This year we did a project and made another cork wreath which we sent to my brother & sister in law. It was fun making it together, and even though my brother's Birthday was the 19th, it was not a Birthday or Christmas present. I was rather impressed that we mailed it after the movie around 3pm on the 19th and my brother got it on the 20th! UPS was on the ball and we told them we wanted the cheapest mailing as we were not in a rush!! My Brother and Sister in Law were thrilled and it was nice to do that for them, not for the holiday or anything.

I enjoyed spending time with DH & our Christmas Eve snack/appetizers and watching Miracle on 34th Street . On Christmas day we had a nice meal of Shrimp Scampi and Sticky Toffee Pudding (his favorite) for dessert. I love looking at the Christmas tree, listening to the Christmas music, watching the Hallmark Channel and other Christmas movies, and sending and getting Christmas cards from people I don't see or hear from all that often. That to me is the greatest presents of all... family and friends.
 
We have a very small extended family, yet we also have spending limits and “guidelines”. That way we don’t go overboard.

My best gift was that I have a grand-niece! The adoption was finalized on Christmas Eve. It was too far to travel for us to attend the ceremony, but were thrilled all the same!

My big surprise gift was a sushi knife from my hubby. Today is our 22nd anniversary and we’ll be taking a sushi making class together as our anniversary gift on New Years Day, so this special knife will come in handy!
 
QuiltyMom said:
We have a very small extended family, yet we also have spending limits and “guidelines”. That way we don’t go overboard.

My best gift was that I have a grand-niece! The adoption was finalized on Christmas Eve. It was too far to travel for us to attend the ceremony, but were thrilled all the same!

My big surprise gift was a sushi knife from my hubby. Today is our 22nd anniversary and we’ll be taking a sushi making class together as our anniversary gift on New Years Day, so this special knife will come in handy!
Click to expand...
Happy Anniversary Jan, and congratulations on the new addition to your family! I can't wait till they send you pictures and you can scrap some pages of her :)
 
We mostly went for more practical gifts this year. DH got me a light weight vest to wear snowshoeing, while my eldest daughter got me a new waffle maker as she heard me complaining about how hard mine was to clean. This one comes apart and also cooks two Belgian waffles at a time. My younger daughter got me a new iPad cover, ceramic knife and new coffee grinder,while my mum got me mani/pedi gc, so I was really lucky to get done thoughtful gifts this year.
 
My grandma helped me with my new camera.

My dad got me an Amazon Echo Dot with a smart lightbulb. I'm a little obsessed with it. I worry that he started something bad. Haha. It was a total surprise gift too.

I got three ornaments for the tree (yes. three. but one is now a desk ornament). It was a nice Christmas.
 
My hubby and kids usually buy me random gifts. It's always fun to see what they think I would like. ;) This year I got a sweater, teacup, decorative bowl, and purse. We always get some cash from my parents and we use that to do a fun family outing.
 
Back
Top