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  • holiday gift shopping tips and trips

    So, it is that time of the year. There is only one way to reconcile the desire to buy pressies for loved ones and friends with the family budget; start buying early. It can be argued that Oct is "early", but nevertheless I find myself starting now.

    Instead of merely "spending to spend", I like to have a target list in mind, to get the most meaningful experience per buck. Let's look at this demographically and help me fill in the blanks, will ya?

    What to get for:
    1)an old broad (retired, 70s-ish)
    2)an old boar (retired, same age-ish)
    3)yoga people (drive priuses, span from very wealthy to broke-ass)
    4)teenagers
    5)preteenies
    6)starving college kids
    7)coworkers (boss or garut assistant)
    8)teachers

    if you want to add to this list, go ahead.

    pax

  • #2
    Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

    *sits patiently for only soooooo long*

    gang, are any of you tackling the behemoth known as (((holiday shopping)))? What ideas are coming to mind? I was in Ala Moana last week and all I could think was about how Chinese Manufactured Toys Are Now Upgraded to Very Bad™. I could just go home, head to Safeway, and wipe out the gift card rack and be done with it all, but I'd like to put a little more effort into it.

    I know I cannot be the only one who thinks this way.


    Right?








    Right?







    Gang?

    pax

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    • #3
      Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

      <imports Obscene Shopping Slur Here>

      pax

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

        ...goes back to playing with piko...

        pax

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

          im in denial especially after seeing 48 days left til christmas posted at walmart :P

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

            Originally posted by Pua'i Mana'o View Post
            So, it is that time of the year. There is only one way to reconcile the desire to buy pressies for loved ones and friends with the family budget; start buying early. It can be argued that Oct is "early", but nevertheless I find myself starting now.

            Instead of merely "spending to spend", I like to have a target list in mind, to get the most meaningful experience per buck. Let's look at this demographically and help me fill in the blanks, will ya?

            What to get for:
            1)an old broad (retired, 70s-ish)
            2)an old boar (retired, same age-ish)
            3)yoga people (drive priuses, span from very wealthy to broke-ass)
            4)teenagers
            5)preteenies
            6)starving college kids
            7)coworkers (boss or garut assistant)
            8)teachers

            if you want to add to this list, go ahead.
            i say gift cards for the whole lot of em.

            for the broad/bear what can you get that they don't already have??

            teachers : GC jamba juice, starbucks
            collegkids, coworkers ; food gift cards
            well you get the gist

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

              I always give gift certs and cards....and I LOVE receiving gift certs and cards!

              My parents (who have everything) love gift certificates to their fave restaurants.....CA Pizza, Zippy's. Teen aged niece loves Build-A-Bear so I got her a gift card for that store.

              I've also given out gas cards, Phone cards, gift cert to online stores, grocery store gift cards, Dunkin Donuts and Borders Bookstores gift cards, as well as AMEX gift cheques and savings bonds.

              For baby shower gifts, instead of buying clothes, I always buy a laundry basket and fill it with several bottles/boxes of baby laundry detergents. I've put together gifts sets of teas or coffee or hot cocoa w/mugs a have included a paperback book, music CD or DVD in the gift set as well.

              In-laws are Boston Red Sox fans and hubby is Pats fans so they all got team jackets and matching caps.

              I like to find out what the person likes...music/sports/hobbies/food preferences and go from there....
              Lovena

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              • #8
                Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                Disney store has some really good sales going on!

                was there earlier today. take an additional 40% on lotsa items.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                  Instead of merely "spending to spend", I like to have a target list in mind, to get the most meaningful experience per buck. Let's look at this demographically and help me fill in the blanks, will ya?

                  What to get for:
                  1)an old broad (retired, 70s-ish)
                  2)an old boar (retired, same age-ish)
                  3)yoga people (drive priuses, span from very wealthy to broke-ass)
                  4)teenagers
                  5)preteenies
                  6)starving college kids
                  7)coworkers (boss or garut assistant)
                  8)teachers

                  if you want to add to this list, go ahead.
                  I should've answered these questions earlier.

                  I don't know how crafty you are, if you know how to sew and if you bake, so I'll just give you some of my ideas.

                  For older people who have everything already, a very sentimental note on perhaps a scrapbook like card with photos in it would be appreciated by most older people or maybe creatively framed in a shadow box with captions and mementos in it.

                  For yoga people, perhaps a little booklet that explains yoga in more detail or yoga mats.

                  Teenagers usually like gift certificates to whatever "trendy" stores are in vogue.

                  Preteenagers usually like books, like a book on dinosaurs if they into that, etc.. Or a home sewed cloth bag to carry their books with their names embrodiered on it.

                  Staving college kids, gift certificates to restaurants like McDonanlds, etc., or a homemade gift basket filled with food items that most local kids like. (For example: cuttlefish, chinese style beef jerky, arare, etc.) Staving college kids are probably tired of eating cheap packaged ramen.

                  Co-workers usually appreciated homebaked goods along with a token gift certificate to Longs or whatevers.

                  I agree with CranBeree that jamba juice cards, starbucks, etc. would be appreciated by teachers. If not that, then maybe a homemade basket filled with various school supplies that you've got on sale, because so many teachers use their own money to buy these things for their students.

                  Hope this helps...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                    Pua'i, I had NO IDEA I was on your list! WOW! my sorry broke-ass yoga butt is on YOUR list! namaste!!!!
                    Aloha from Lavagal

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                    • #11
                      Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                      I, for the most part, have contacted all friends and family (except keiki) with whom I exchange gifts and said..."Stop! No more!". I really would rather spend more TIME with these people instead of adding another dust magnet to my collection!

                      I've also resolved, beginning 2008, to change my gift giving to my grandsons. I think I'm gonna allot a set amount for each birthday and Christmas, say $50. each, and give a gift card for half and invest the other half. Then I'll explain the investment and give them a web site to track the money.

                      Who knows...I may become the most unpopular tutu on earth!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                        My oldest DD is into scrapbooking and she has used photos and scrapbooking accessories to make birth announcements, wedding anniversary, birthday gifts, etc.

                        When the kids were younger (and I had more time) I would sew gifts. I live less than 10 miles from Malden Mills, makers of PolarFleece and have made blankets, pullovers, jackets, vests and socks for gift giving. My nephew and BIL's used lap blankets I made to car races, football games and ice fishing.

                        HTH
                        Lovena

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                          The gifts I've most enjoyed receiving were hand made especially for me. I wish I could convince my family and friends to exchange only hand made things, but I don't think it would go over very well.

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                          • #14
                            Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                            I don't do gifts, except for the kids. It's cheaper that way, and hassle-free.
                            http://thissmallfrenchtown.blogspot.com/
                            http://thefrenchneighbor.blogspot.com/

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                            • #15
                              Re: holiday gift shopping tips and trips

                              Mom: one of those digital picture frames - the ones you put the flash card in and it slide-shows. I'm uploading a bunch of pictures of my girls to it.

                              Dad: Red Sox dugout jacket in red (home game)

                              Wife: No clue. Alleged $100 cap. Riiiiight. I'm thinking of a digital camera and claiming it's her birthday present too (1/11 is the b-day).

                              Kids: one got a dog, the other her room made over. That's it. They're old enough not to mind nothing much under the tree.
                              "The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
                              Socrates.

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