<p>An idea for the college kids: [You</a> Bar Customized and Personalized Healthy Gifts](<a href=“http://www.youbars.com/gifts]You”>YouBar - Protein Bar Co-Manufacturing, Development, and Private Label – YouBar Manufacturing) YouBar is a site where you create your own energy bar and they make it for you. They have gift cards and also gift boxes that contain some sample items plus gift cards. Especially for those whose kids have food allergies or special dietary restrictions, but even for the others, it’s a healthy snack that doesn’t seem quite so “mom-ish” to give (although rather pricey).</p>
<p>We are into practical gifts here too. S1 wants an external hard drive for his laptop. H uses one to back up our family albums and his collections of books/literatures. Buying gifts for the in-laws always gives me headache. We pay for my MIL’s monthly cell phone charges because her phone is included in our family plan. Like many people she does not need anything. So for Christmas or BD we give her flowers or treats.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this has been mentioned before, but for parents and inlaws, a great gift is a digital picture frame. Load it up with family photos so it’s ready to sit on a shelf in their home, flashing photos all day.</p>
<p>My mom loved her digital frame.</p>
<p>Interesting selection of presents: [Gift</a> Guide | OutsideOnline.com](<a href=“http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gift-guide]Gift”>http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gift-guide).</p>
<p>D mentioned she would like some headphones for Christmas. The type that block sounds and that she can sleep with. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated:)</p>
<p>We’ve done the digital photo frame gift and it was a big hit. The next year we sent a new SD card with a year’s worth of new pictures and it was just like a new frame all over again!</p>
<p>Hi just checking in. Was trying to read all the old posts but keep getting interrupted by my father in law asking me where things are in the kitchen. I think what he wants is for me to just get up and “fix” something for him! He is here till after Christmas, hope I stay sane.</p>
<p>Had an amazing time with kids home, the friends they brought home were wonderful and was a fun weekend with amazing weather. Did a “turkey trot” on Thanksgiving morning and lit a bonfire on the beach during the day and got the sailboat out. Amazing weather for the mid-atlantic this time of year.</p>
<p>Drove the kids back on Sunday, dropped D2015 at her school then headed up to Mass to drop the rest off. Then went to Aunts house for the night only to get up and drive back (about 7-8 hours each way). Surprisingly traffic was not an issue…</p>
<p>They will all be back by the 14th so no tears for me, was fun having them back and will be nice to have them for an extended period. Glad to hear everyone’s Thanksgiving went well. I plan on going back and reading all the posts as I want to hear the gift ideas!</p>
<p>My FIL calls…keep smiling!</p>
<p>We did the digital frames last year as well. With parents, and 2 sets of inlaws/divorced remarried parents it was 3 frames. I created a general file and then copied it tiwce. From there I added pics that were more specific to that set of grandparents. Worked well. Also- BB& B was having the frams on sale so I was able to get rebates on them wich was nice.</p>
<p>TessaR Check out these links [Noise</a> Cancelling Earbuds Guide](<a href=“Page not found”>http://www.noisecancellingearbuds.net/)
[Lower</a> to Mid Priced Noise Cancelling Earbuds](<a href=“Page not found”>Page not found)
We have been very pleased with Sennheiser and Skullcandy earbuds/earphones.</p>
<p>We don’t exchange among the adults anymore and haven’t for years-it was just way too much.</p>
<p>My in-laws exchange and I never took that job-my family is enough work without having to deal with that. 
My husband takes care of that or they wouldn’t get gifts-they exchange among themselves.</p>
<p>I too raised my kids to not be materialistic-and yet my daughter wants everything and brand name too! Her Christmas list used to be funny but now it is troubling-I truly do not know how she turned out like this.</p>
<p>Pepper - My 10 yo starts her list with laptop, uggs, smart phone and ends with trip to a chocolate factory. And this is a house with 5, count them FIVE, computers, plus an ipad. Apparently she is the sole 10 yo without a cell phone.</p>
<p>Amanda,</p>
<p>I can understand that your d probably THINKS she is the only 10 year old with out a cell phone. My kids felt the same way.</p>
<p>They still didn’t get their own cell phone til they were 13 and at that point they were required to use the alarm on it to get themselves up and out of bed on time.</p>
<p>I am laughing at the digital photo frame idea. My sister in law thought it was a good idea for the in laws also. She lives about 30 minutes from them (she is also the DIL). We had spent a few days at their house in PA when D1 did some college visits last year. We noticed one in a box in the room where we stayed. I asked MIL about it. She said “Oh DIL bought us one for Christmas last year.” I asked if she loaded it with photos, since it was still in the box. “Oh yes, she comes over every so often and puts new photos on it, but we keep it in the box.” okay???</p>
<p>Now, this is a house that has every photo ever taken of her boys and nieces and nephews hanging on the walls. For some reason, having the frame out so that they can enjoy it all the time is a foreign concept to them. </p>
<p>Oh well, I think a Walmart or Sears gift card may be a fine present, since it is the only places that they really shop.</p>
<p>AK you always make me feel better. :)</p>
<p>Does she want a Coach pocketbook too? :(</p>
<p>Our oldest didn’t get a celphone until sometime in hs. The younger two were allowed celphones in 8th grade. This was somewhat selfish on my part as they could call after school for rides home after activities.</p>
<p>We have also gifted digital frames to the grandparents who really like them. Personally I am not a fan and really enjoy still images. What can I say, I’m a purest. :-/ This is probably because I’m also the photographer and I like to appreciate the details in each picture. Most people do really love them!</p>
<p>Bluejr and his friends just put in their request for housing next year. Luckily this process goes really fast and they will know in less than two weeks. He’ll still be on campus, but an apartment style dorm, so a step up from hall-style dorms.</p>
<p>I made a slight dent in my holiday shopping online yesterday so the stress level goes down just a bit. I hope everyone else’s stress level is on ‘low’. I’m passing guilt-free holiday cookies, help yourself!! :)</p>
<p>@MathMom – The energy bars are a great idea for DS1, who is a college athlete. I’m not ordering those expensive ones, will just pick up some for stocking stuffers at the grocery store. But thanks for the idea!</p>
<p>@Amanda – My 10-yr-old does not have a cell phone either, but then he’s a boy. DS1 got his cell ph when he was in 8th grade. </p>
<p>So, I’ve read everyone’s excitement and anticipation of all the college kids coming home for Thanksgiving. I didn’t really have that because DS1 is only 15 minutes away (he does live on campus) but he comes home every weekend. So, while I am very glad he is close by and gets to see us and his little brother often, I missed out on the excitement of the airport pick-up, etc. like some of you had. Still, I think I prefer it this way! :)</p>
<p>Just 17 days or less until the kids are back home again for their winter holidays. This is based on their landing on Saturday, the 17th. Some may be earlier and a few may be a day or two later. Those on quarters such as Ohio University (Athens, OH) may already be home for the balance of the year.</p>
<p>Unexpected good news here. DD 2014 came home yesterday with the announcement that she was selected from her class (180 girls) as her school’s participant in the HOBY leadership program in May 2012. This was totally unexpected and came at a great time for her as she had been in a post Thanksgiving and missing older brother at home funk.</p>
<p>I just found out that my son’s college has meals for sick students! [Home</a> Meal Replacement | MOM - Meals On the Move program | IDX Dining Hall | Dining Services | Champlain College](<a href=“http://www.champlain.edu/Dining-Services/IDX-Dining-Hall/Home-Meal-Replacement.html]Home”>http://www.champlain.edu/Dining-Services/IDX-Dining-Hall/Home-Meal-Replacement.html) You still have to have a friend willing to pick up and deliver, but it sounds pretty nice.</p>
<p>We gave our folks a digital picture frame last year and they loved it. This year my Dad asked for an e-reader but that’s a bit out of our price range AND it’s still not all that easy to download library books and he can’t afford to buy new books as fast as he likes to read them. I am seriously trying to downsize our Christmas. It’s gotten out of hand. My boys like expensive PC games.</p>
<p>Avon, congrats to your DD14!</p>
<p>My DS’s school offers sick trays and box lunches as well. I would bet that most do.</p>
<p>Last year the adults on my side of the family decided to rent a house together for a week over the break instead of buying one another gifts. This year they are all coming to my house so we have to figure out if we are all doing gifts for one another again or not. I’m rather hoping for not, but most of the kids on my side of the family are mine, so I always feel guilty suggesting gifts for the kids only.</p>