<p>I think my family singlehandedly keeps thinkgeek.com in business! I think I have already placed and received about 5 orders just for myself and the boys (H and 2 sons). Tradition has it that H MUST get at least one new flashlight gizmo (this year it is a lego lantern), and I always get a bunch of stuff I hope the kids will reject and I will get to keep and play with!
We do Chanukah as well, so I have many, many gifts to get… this year for S2 (16, the 2012 boy) the electric kettle with variable temperatures for both green and black tea was a huge hit, as were the travel chopsticks made out of brass and Japanese baseball bats… the wind up “Sushi Panic” game not so much so and caused great embarrassment when I presented it at the sushi restaurant and wanted to play it right there. Anime T-shirt passed muster. Other gifts were all small, like candy. Caffeinated candy is always a hit, which I only do in very small packages, as is gross candy like zombie brains. We get a lot of “stocking stuffer” or endless nights of Chanukah milage out of ethnic groceries by buying what to our palettes is strange and amusing food, like “happy whole squid better than love snacks” or chocolate covered crackers shaped like forest fungus! 2012 son is getting an organizer for MY car… he decided he wanted to learn to drive and he is fastidious, and I am a slob… so the gift will come with a promise that I’ll clean my car before his first lesson.</p>
<p>oooo oooo now I am all excited to open presents! Wait… I have to wrap them first! Darn!</p>
<p>Debbie7452 - my ds also enjoys the quirkiness of the UofC mailings. he’s quite interested in seeing what’s come in the mail each day and will ask if there’s anything for him. his older sister is applying to law schools and so both are interested in seeing what came in the mail for them.
thanks everyone for the gift ideas.<br>
remember to check with AAA for discounted movie tickets.</p>
<p>My 2012 daughter really wanted a coffee maker so I got her the kind that fills directly into a travel mug. Apparently she is on a first name basis at the Starbucks across from her dorm. I’m hoping to get her off that expensive habit. Does anyone know where I can shop for little bottles of coffee flavorings to try to “recreate” fancy coffee drinks? She does have a dorm fridge but ideally the flavorings would not need to be refrigerated.</p>
<p>In related news, her end of semester went better than I expected. She ended up with a B+/A- average. I was afraid that her new school would spell disaster to her GPA but it went better than I thought and she finally learned to use the teachers’ office hours and to study for exams. I don’t think she did too much of that at her old high school.</p>
<p>Good morning all! It’s great to see more people jumping into the thread! I’m still stuck for one more Christmas present for my college freshman. I’ve gotten him books and two sweaters (yawn), but I’d like to think of one present that’s just plain fun. He doesn’t have or want an iPod, so I can’t get him any accessories. He is completely non-materialistic. The luxury he likes most is a daily Starbucks (I can relate to Apollo6!). In fact, I’m going to look for some of those coffee flavorings too. He’s got a coffee maker for his dorm room, but it’s a french press type and I think he feels it’s a hassle for one cup of coffee. </p>
<p>I think we finished buying presents for our 2012 S yesterday - we got an FM transmitter thing so that his iPod will work in his very old car radio.</p>
<p>As far as college mail and email goes - S hardly gets any. He scored very high on the PSAT, and he thinks he checked the box for colleges to send info, but so far - nothing. I guess that’s fine, except I was hoping for a couple free and quick applications to colleges that would save us some money. plus, even though I’m sure all that mail is a hassle, it would be nice for him to feel like colleges want him!</p>
<p>Well, last week i was feeling way ahead as far as being ready for Christmas, but then i ignored my lists all weekend and found out we have relatives coming Tuesday - Thursday for a visit (yay!), so i think I’d better check my lists and write some new ones or I’ll end up scrambling on Friday!</p>
<p>I saw a one-cup coffee maker at Bed and Bath. Since I gulp down 4-5 cups in the morning, I passed it by rather quickly. Now I know what they are for. They also had packets of coffee, different flavors that makes one cup. All fit in together, now I see. </p>
<p>PN, In the PSAT thread someone mentioned how their kid with score close to 240 was getting no college mail and their newphew with 19x tons of mail. </p>
<p>It was nice not to wake up to the alarm clock this morning. Now only if I can schedule the driver’s road test before the break is over.</p>
<p>I may have the most unique gift for a 16 year old boy. He asked for, and is getting, a panini maker.</p>
<p>PN - It sounds like a Starbucks gift card would be greatly appreciated. I got my freshman son a UNC Christmas ornament that’s pretty fun. Santa is dressed in a Carolina Blue Santa suit.</p>
<p>DS won’t be happy when I wake him up in 20 minutes to go get his bloodwork done. Hoping we won’t have to wait forever since we do have an appointment at the lab and also hoping that this is our last quarterly lab visit, since he should be coming off the HGH soon (he is severely growth hormone deficient). Also hoping he can stay off the HGH, since some people with his level of deficiency have to be on a maintenance dose for the rest of their lives! Nice to have some “not college related” hopes for son! Meanwhile he has played xbox all weekend and I am trying to figure out if I should start to nag, I mean remind, him about his extensive homework and his SAT prep that he promised he would accomplish this vacation?</p>
<p>BUandBC - I like your style! The panini maker is a great idea, and it’s cool that your son wants one. My 19 year old already told me he wants to learn to cook this summer because he hopes to get university apartment style housing with a kitchen.</p>
<p>I think we will get a small Starbucks card, but I’m still hoping to be struck by inspiration between now and Saturday for one more present idea!</p>
<p>Starbucks sells insulated thermos cups that are amazingly spill proof…D carries one with hot tea in it every am, it really is spillproof (the kids were bored and tried it out in Chem last year, couldn’t get it to spill more than a few drops). Not really FUN, but handy if he likes Starbucks.</p>
<p>silversas - I forgot to welcome you earlier, so welcome to the 2012 thread!</p>
<p>seiclan - I hope your son’s lab visit went well. Good luck with the SAT prep. I’m pretty sure my S hasn’t even thought of it once since taking the SAT in November…and he needs to be thinking about it. :)</p>
<p>PN - My freshman had also asked me to help him learn to cook this summer because he thought he might want to move into an apartment. He since has decided to stay in the dorm another year. When I asked him if he still wanted to learn to cook, he said “eventually”.</p>
<p>MizzBee - So, did the fondue pot work that one time?</p>
<p>LOL - I was just wondering whether I should ask if it being used just once is good news or bad news…</p>
<p>seiclan - SAT prep over Christmas break? I am impressed! </p>
<p>My son gets his SAT subject score back tomorrow. Hope it’s good news. He felt confident about it - it was Math and that’s his thing.</p>
<p>In the meantime, my cousin is bringing her adorable 5 and 3 year old girls over to do Christmas crafts tomorrow! I have three teenage boys - I am SOOOOO looking forward to this!</p>
<p>BUandBC1982: Yes, he dated the girl all summer. I am proud of him for learning the effect of chocolate at such an early age!</p>
<p>Pinot: from his perspective, it is good news and bad news. he has realized that he doesn’t want a steady girlfriend right now, but I think he would love the opportunity to “romance” a few more ladies at this point. He has learned that it is best not to try too hard so they will think he is more mysterious, when he is really just not that interested in putting out much of an effort if he doesn’t need to. He says he will only try hard if the girl is amazing. With the girls around here, I don’t think he will be breaking out the fondue pot for a while.</p>
<p>Well, I hear there is a lot more drama with girls - can anyone out there substantiate that? It’s what sustains me through the burping and scratching…</p>