<p>Ah, what a nice Thanksgiving weekend. S was a pleasure, he only got testy once when I started bugging him about school. He did ask me to stop staring at him though, which I totally was- ha ha. My back was to the tv and I was just sitting there staring at him, like I did when he was little and sleeping. I used to have gold charms for each kid that I wore around my neck on a long chain. I would play with them when I was nervous for one of them. I stopped wearing it at some point & they were stolen during an open house last year. I am thinking I need some type of replacement. With my closest 18 hours away now, I’m going to be a little tense.</p>
<p>Fingers crossed that he finishes the semester strong. He only has 2 weeks left & 2 exams, so it shouldn’t be overwhelming, but you never know. I have backed off a bit, but I couldn’t help texting him this morning. </p>
<p>Not too much going on here for the weekend, he was home early most nights. I think we all were surprised about the lack of parties. I’m sure it will be different over the long holiday. He spent a lot of time with a couple of different friends, but that was about it.</p>
<p>I did do some damage on Black Friday. I got up at 4 am and the outlets were empty. I wanted to get older S some clothes for his big move to the UK & boy did I, 3 pairs of shoes, pants, shirts, sweaters. He really needed it, although he could buy it himself. I was happy to do it though. I can’t do much else for him now, but I can shop.</p>
<p>We are happy to be in a position this year with me working albeit temp-ish to fill my MIL’s oil tank. She is 75 and still works 20-30 hours per week & gosh if you can’t make it at that age with Soc Sec & working part time things are pretty sad. </p>
<p>I do have to ship some things down this week that didn’t fit into his carryon like sweaters. With the $25 baggage fee, it’s pretty much just as easy to ship things now. So off to the package place tomorrow. I also have a usb tree for D to plug into her computer. Less than 3 weeks until many of them are home again. Looking forward to having 3/3 for Christmas.</p>
<p>gsmomma: I struggle with what to get the inlaws, too. I try to find something that they will like, but they don’t make much effort. It used to upset me – but now we laugh and try to guess what it will be this year. Among other goodies, I have received a wallpaper stripper and a staple gun…neither would have been on my “wish list” if I had had one. My husband has tried to give them suggestions from time to time, but they insist that they like to come up with their own ideas.</p>
<p>ohiomom- When my inlaws actually used to buy us ‘gifts’, one year, I got a lovely set of mixed nuts- you know the type that are sold in the front of Target for last minute shoppers?</p>
<p>I would use the wallpaper stripper, but it is an odd gift, to say the least.</p>
<p>gsmomma: Wow! A lot of thought went into those nuts. Well, I’ve used the wallpaper stripper and the staple gun, so I’ll say they’re useful, but strange.</p>
<p>I have decided to only give gifts to parents/inlaws that are consumable/disposable. I send my family greenery (wreaths, centerpieces live mini christmas trees). They are beautiful for the season and can be disposed of (or planted in the case of the tree) at the end of the season. They are also a fundraiser for my DS2’s boy scout troop, so it’s a win-win situation. I also send cookies and jams/jellies (AK you and I should get together!) that I make. They are well liked and they don’t have to be spent, worn, stored, etc.</p>
<p>I have made mixed berry jam, salsa, spiced apple jelly and blueberry jam this year. It’s great because I bake mini loaves of breads (cranberry, banana nut, etc) and put the jams and bread in a basket for gifts. Works great for friends, neighbors, teachers, tutors, etc. </p>
<p>Now if I could figure out what to get for my immediate family, I’d be golden. I have some ideas for the boys, but DH is always difficult to buy for. I’m tempted to get him a new phone since he keeps talking about it but never does it. I don’t know exactly what he wants, but since he won’t make a decision, maybe I’ll make it for him! ;)</p>
<p>Fogfog and others with family members battling cancer - you may want to check out [Gifts</a> For Cancer Patients | Cancer Gifts | Breast Cancer Gifts](<a href=“http://www.CancerShopUSA.com%5DGifts”>http://www.CancerShopUSA.com). It is a web site created by a cancer survivor with items that people with cancer will really find useful.</p>
<p>Haha - the inlaws and Christmas! One year, mine got generous and thoughtful gifts for everyone in the family Except me. I got a $5 picture frame from a drug store. And I have always been kind, gracious, and inclusive with them - often communicating with them more than their own two kids. I am not a gift person - I would rather not exchange among adults or I prefer to do charitable donations in honor of a loved one, but I must say I was floored with the frame. Apparently, the fact that we don’t see them enough is all my fault (which is actually the opposite of the facts) because their son (my hubby) is PERFECT! </p>
<p>Now, it just feels like a cash exchange - which I think is often the most useful/helpful and least likely to disappoint, but is less fun than tangible gifts.</p>
<p>Years ago we decided that Hanukah was for children and stopped giving gifts to the adults. Now that the kids are adults (or almost) we give all the nieces and nephews checks. It does feel like what mnmom called a cash exchange, but they still appreciate it.</p>
<p>One gift that my in-laws really loved was a CD player. They are elderly and mostly house bound, so they really enjoy listening to music. I’m also considering getting them an upgraded cable package. They love sports and would really enjoy the premium sports channels.</p>
<p>Both girls happily returned to school yesterday. D2 called last night, and she said that she’s happy at home, and happy at school. She’s luck to have good friends both places.</p>
<p>D1 has accepted a consulting job for next year. She took full advantage of the recruiting opportunities at her school, and things worked out very well. She will be a part-time student nest semester (yay for tuition savings) and plans to really enjoy her last semester on campus. Those four years went really fast.</p>
<p>Good morning all. No countdown today. The house is quiet and S is back in full school mode as he texted and asked us to review the drafts of his latest op ed articles for his Political Systems class. All of our inlaw shopping is completed as they are overseas and we need to mail by the end of this week. AvonMom does the shopping, DD helps shop and wrap and I get to pack and ship. This system seems to work well in our household. Now all we have to finish are the two older kids, grandkids (they are the most fun as we get to go toy and kids clothing shopping!) and the 4 of us. :)</p>
<p>With five siblings and spouses and kids, Christmas gift-giving in our family was getting out of control. So years ago we decided to do a drawing: each child (under 21) draws the name of another child - same for adults (except my parents). Most of us do mutual charity gifting with my parents where they (my parents) pick a charity they would like a donation made to and we do the same with them. Since my parents also have enough “stuff” this works really well. On Christmas morning, we each give them the thank you note from their charity … although sometimes there’s a “cheat” and someone has to give them a little something extra (like a bottle of wine). The holiday has become a lot less stressful for most of us who don’t love shopping, and I love being able to have some money going to good causes that may be overlooked during the year.</p>
<p>I love the idea of sending a gift from a local farm, etc. What a great way to support the community.
Do the in-laws like to watch TV? Maybe a subscription to NetFlix would be good. Or a magazine subscription for those who enjoy design mags, or sports or People, or whatever. I know that I would love if someone gave me a subscription to some of my favorite magazines (they are so expensive to buy off the rack, that I just don’t do it anymore).
Do they have pets that they indulge? Maybe something special for Fido or Fluffy would make them smile.</p>
<p>I love the gift ideas being shared. I think a cable upgrade or CD player are especially good ideas for the older folks that do not get out as much.</p>
<p>I am looking forward to giving my English mom a “diamond jubilee” tea bag rest and my SIL who loves all things royal a William and Kate wedding mug. Both terribly tacky, but I hope they will be big hits! If you have anglophiles on your list, this year is fun.</p>
<p>Wow. I am impressed with those of you who are ready for the holidays. Although, in fairness, I only have to ship two boxes this year and we don’t put up our (artificial) tree until the 3d Sunday of Advent, so I have some time.
Christmas has gotten much easier around here in recent years. It was always stressful living up to my MIL’s expectations. Each person had to receive a minimum of 3 gifts from each family (happily only ours, my SIL’s, and the in-laws, but that still added up to 18 objects) and the $ per recipient had to be similar. My H gets excited for Christmas about noon on the 24th, so this was all on me. Boy, those nuts at Target would have been tempting!
This year, I only have to shop for my parents (the same list every year: cookies from Trader Joes as they don’t have one, renew the magazine subscription, next year’s calendar) and SIL’s family, but that’s mostly gift cards now that the kids are in college. It’s much nicer. And I have over 2 weeks to do it before D comes home again!</p>
<p>I’m embarrassed to admit the amount of stress I allow myself to feel regarding gift giving during the holiday season. Bluedad’s family is impossible. We are still required to send individual gifts to family overseas including cousins and their children if this gives you any indication what I am up against. I then face the comparisons from my mother who quips ‘why don’t you buy like that for your own family?’ Because Mom, we are all adults now and are fine with exchanging cards thankyouverymuch. I hate the importance on gifts. I’ve asked Bluedad that we set/agree to a new precedent however he refuses to rock the boat with his folks. I realize I can not allow anyone to make me feel something without my permission so I take responsibility for my stress, but it still burns my behind as I struggle for balance.</p>
<p>Sorry for the rant…I do promise, that’s it for the season!!!</p>
<p>Well on the gifts for our kiddos–I have gotten almost everything for kiddo1 ordered online.
For kiddo2–I got a nice list -complete with the links and am about have done with ordering. It was a big enough list to give me choices and I appreciated it…Over the last few years we have asked the kids for long lists so we can choose.
Ordered StepMiL’s gift…scheduled for delivery the week before Christmas.
Picked out the gift for my parents–which arrives within 5 days of ordering so have to wait or it would be there too early. (One year we did do the NetFlix as well…i forgot that on my op about this issue)
I was lamenting this issue to DH and one charity we like Heifer Int’l provides animals for families…such as chickens, rabbits etc to raise for food or work animals etc. One year we bought a water buffalo–which is used as a work animal. DH’s parents used to have a llama - on their country property–so we think we might “buy her” (DH’s mom) a llama this year— </p>
<p>We have had a big year expense-wise. College for kiddo included…so Christmas for us will be leaner. DH just paid the U for the spring tuition - ouch!</p>
<p>BlueI–if it is any consolation…my parents are score keepers–so the whole gift thing to buy/send them gifts is to prevent one more strike being counted against me…If ya know what I mean.
My mother had kept a grudge over me that DH and I (25 yrs ago) we gave my dad a bottle of whiskey for his 50th. It was a very pricey sipping whisky–and 25 yrs ago was $100+. She was ticked for many many years that “all we could manage” for your father’s 50th…blah blah…when I shot back angrilly that it was a $100 sipping whiskey—that was the end of her mentioning it… Still…that tells you something about why we 50yr olds are still giving gifts to 70s+ yr olds (whole have a house brimming)…
I feel your pain.</p>
<p>Thankfully we have raised our children to not be materialistic. Kiddo moved to college in three large duffle bags (included all clothes, coats, shoes, supplies, linens, towels etc). My kids have had thin Christmas gifts/holidays before…and we have lived in rather modest conditions as humanitarian aid workers–several times. There have been “moves” where our kids belongings fit into one tall “china barrel box” each. That included stuffed animals, legos, clothes. The exception was books–I shipped those “M” bag. They are both great about using things til they wear out. I am the one who has to clean out drawers/closets etc of threadbare stuff. We didn’t even own a game system until 3 yrs ago…so thankfully lighter holiday gifts don’t even make a blip on their screen. </p>
<p>REGIONAL flat rate boxes…mine just arrived yesterday. It had been about 10 days.
I asked about them at the PO and the clerk had no clue what I was describing. The postmaster said they were at the central station and that he couldn’t even put them out on display. So thank you thank you again to whomever mentioned these gems!!</p>
<p>This year is all about practical gift giving. My kid’s lists have things on them like a new umbrella, snow boots, school sweatshirt, sunglasses, etc…99% of the items are things that they could really use as opposed to nice to haves…on one side of the family each kid picks a cousin’s name and gives a gift. We do a group gift to the grandparents…on the other side we do a big Yankee swap…everyone has a $25 limit.</p>
<p>I finally had a good idea for D2: an external phone battery. D1 has one, and she says it saves her butt frequently. She keeps it charged and can plug it into her phone when it’s dying. This isn’t the little ones they sell at the supermarket, but something made for the phone that really packs a lot of power. D says NYC “eats up” her phone battery and she can’t go out for the day in the city without the phone dying halfway through.</p>