<p>Personally, I would be lucky to receive a purse that Oldfort picked out. My sense is she has excellent taste.</p>
<p>Roman, May I suggest you take the upper hand? Ask for gift certificates to your favorite stores or restaurants. Actually, send them lists. No point spending a lifetime trying to look pleased with useless things.</p>
<p>When son and his s/o were here for Hanukah, I had MANY gifts wrapped for them. I made it clear I had gone overboard, so they could feel free to reject some. They got gift certificates to restaurants from other relatives, and used them during the week.</p>
<p>I hinted to my family that I enjoy scarves. My hubby gave me 2 infinity scarves, older S gave me 1, MIL gave me 2, friend gave me 1. I have scarves!!!</p>
<p>Sometimes it’s not the gift that matters, it’s the recipient.</p>
<p>My son could not come to our house for Christmas this year. He’s in the process of moving from one city to another to start a new job, and both cities are very far away from where we live.</p>
<p>I miss him – not least because he is ALWAYS enthusiastic about the gifts he receives. No matter how unlikely the present, he can always find something intriguing about it, and he is genuinely delighted to get it (or he is a far better actor than I ever gave him credit for). </p>
<p>He’s not alone this Christmas. He is celebrating with his aunt and some friends in the city he is about to leave. I’m sure he is having a good holiday. And I had a fine time with my husband and daughter today. Still, I missed seeing my son’s reaction to ripping off the wrapping paper. Nobody else in the family does it the way he does.</p>
<p>Edited to add: In case you’re wondering, my son is 27, according to his driver’s license. But on Christmas, he’s about 8. And I hope he always will be.</p>
<p>Book, I do. I send her a list every year which includes gift certificates almost exclusively. She ignores them. It’s a losing battle.</p>
<p>Normally I wouldn’t care but we live in a tiny space and will likely be moving cross country in a year and a half. The last thing we need and want is more STUFF.</p>
<p>I think the gifts I gave the kids were mostly hits. S (HS '16) was surprised to get any gifts at all. He had asked for none and expected to get none. The only thing that was a miss for him was the pajama bottoms I got him. He is 6’2" and <em>maybe</em> 120 lbs soaking wet. The pajama bottoms came in the tall I ordered, but were also in XL. So, they are going back. I hadn’t looked at the size when they came, just when I ordered.</p>
<p>D was happy with everything, especially the MCAT study guides.</p>
<p>Romani–if you don’t want the gifts or can’t use them, try recycling with Freecycle
<a href=“http://www.freecycle.org%5B/url%5D”>www.freecycle.org</a>. There are groups all over the country. It’s a great way to get rid of stuff and know that it is going to people who want and will use it.</p>
<p>Mr B was happy to get a new wallet - the exact copy of his current one which the big kiddo bought for him during her study abroad 8 or so years ago. It took me miles and miles of mall walking to find this thing! Finally, I was told to check the Coach store, and there it was! Not so many wallet manufacturers make men’s wallets with coin pockets. He was also very happy to find some CDs under the tree as well - the downside is that I will have to endure listening to Celine Dione :eek:
I got my Pixie - nicely wrapped. Baby kiddo was happy with her Expedia itinerary, and the big kiddo will get her Coach clutch (with purple lining and gold zipper - so Husky!!!) and the Lulu hoodie when she comes to our house later this week. SIL is getting some handyman stuff, and as a family they will get 1/4 of a new roof for their house. I expect that the latter gift will be a total hit! ;)</p>
<p>My FBIL is a HUGE Boston sports fan (unfortunately) and I got him a Bruins ‘Boston Strong’ black and gold t-shirt with the Boston skyline in the background that he absolutely LOVED. He found me later and gave me a big hug and thanked me profusely. I joked that I refused to spend a cent on Red Sox things but since I don’t really care about hockey, I don’t mind supporting the Bruins. I also got him a Bruins poster I found on clearance. </p>
<p>The biggest hit of the night that drew the most laughs was what my oldest sister got me. We’re all relatively easy to shop for since we each have favorite sports teams so I always get a couple of NY Jets-themed items or Yankees items. Well, my sister got me a huge cut out of Mark Sanchez’s head! It’s from the Fathead brand, if anyone is familiar with the commercials, and it’s literally just his head. We all laughed sooo hard, it was hilarious. I snapped a pic of it to put it on Instagram and Mark Sanchez ended up liking the picture! (I ‘tagged’ him in it) Best present ever. </p>
<p>Kind of a gag gift but she loved it. I got her cute fuzzy sweatpants as well and a gift card since she was wanting some boots and I know how she’d rather pick them out herself.</p>
<p>My other sister got me a custom phone case with a member of the UK group, The Wanted. That was hilarious as well, as I’m 21 years old and still into boy bands but I loved it. I’m very blessed!</p>
<p>This Christmas was different, as my father is in Mexico but I gave him a very thick and nice UCONN sweater before he left. My mother said he wears it exclusively. I like to think of myself as a good gift-giver. </p>
<p>My brother LOVED his Ralph Lauren boots I got him and he’s currently wearing the UCONN t-shirt I got him. </p>
<p>I much rather give than receive. I loved seeing my siblings’ faces when they opened their gifts. Double-bonus if they laugh. I got one of my sisters (I’m the middle of 5) an Oakland Raiders Snuggie Pillow (it can be either or) and some Raiders slippers and she laughed but loved them.</p>
<p>Got nothing for any relatives or friends - and haven’t in more than 20 years. Gave out gifts to homeless kids and clothes and hygiene supplies for the adults at the local shelter (will go back to serve food later), and BioSand Filters to families in East Africa. Oh, and some warm coats for Iraq refugees living in Jordan. </p>
<p>My non-profit will hold another “stuff bazaar” - people bring stuff they want to sell, and haggle on our behalf. Buyers know all their money will go to a good cause. Anything that doesn’t sell the sellers have to take home, but they get a tax deduction for what they sell.</p>
<p>Roman, May I suggest you take the upper hand? Ask for gift certificates to your favorite stores or restaurants. Actually, send them lists. No point spending a lifetime trying to look pleased with useless things.</p>
<p>I agree.</p>
<p>After years of literally thowing away the garbage that my MIL would send H and me (where the shipping costs had to be higher than the gifts!), H finally told her to send a check.</p>
<p>I’ve given her lists every year (we got together in a January so starting with the very first Christmas, we were serious). She even asks for them. She just chooses to ignore them. </p>
<p>I don’t pretend to understand. I just nod. This year we asked for contributions towards our wedding/honeymoon. We’ll see. :)</p>
<p>Just got back from Christmas at my sister’s. Got her 23andMe and she was psyched :).</p>
<p>Romani, I know how you feel. The gifts my mother-in -law purchases for me just never have anything to do with my interests or style. One year her other daughter’s-in-law received $50 cash. She gave me an odd necklace meant for a young girl. I was able to return it for $11 credit. I routinely just donate my birthday and Christmas gifts from her to holiday gift drives for the needy.</p>
<p>I have a relative who meant well but never knew or purchased sizes or things that any of us except H fit or were interested in. We thanked her kindly for her thoughts and donated the gifts. It would have hurt her if we asked her for money, so we switched to giving her edibles and consumables, hoping she would follow suit. In any case, I didn’t want to be giving her things she had no use for. It worked OK. Sadly she has died and I sure wish she were still around, as she was a dear.</p>
<p>We did secret Santa at my mom’s place on xmas eve. I got my BIL, probably one of the hardest person to buy for. We were limited to how much we could spend. I agonized over it until D1’s BF said the ultimate luxury would be to wear cashmere socks. I got BIL a pack of 5. I didn’t know how he would feel about them because he is not a metro-sexual kind of guy. When he opened them, he said, “Oh wow, socks. I need more socks.” Then he felt them and his eyes lit up. He kept on saying how awesome they were.</p>
<p>My best hit was a Mike Lupica book for my 17 yo D. She loved it and is so proud she’s already read 34 pages today. She is severely dyslexic and language LD. I was one of those kids who would stay up all night immersed in a book. Despite tons of intervention and time, reading is a struggle for her and it’s always kind of broken my heart she couldn’t know such joy. She loves his books and had already downloaded the audio in hopes she would receive the book. (she reads along with it). So…it’s been really wonderful to see her enjoying it so much.</p>
<p>OMG. My roommate and my dad both got remote controlled helicopters (independently- my dad from my sister and my roommate from his family). They’re currently battling in the living room. I think my mom is ready to kill both of them.</p>
<p>We exchanged gifts on with my family. I think the biggest hit was a large gift bag filled with all kinds of snack foods my BILs could eat while watching sports on TV.</p>
Baby kiddo was happy with her Expedia itinerary, and the big kiddo will get her Coach clutch (with purple lining and gold zipper - so Husky!!!) and the Lulu hoodie when she comes to our house later this week. SIL is getting some handyman stuff, and as a family they will get 1/4 of a new roof for their house. I expect that the latter gift will be a total hit! ;)</p>
I also got him a Bruins poster I found on clearance. </p>
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