<p>jym626, that gives you an excuse to host a dinner party on xmas!!</p>
<p>Some people make it easy. My mom loved roses. When in grad school, I’d order a different rose bush for her each year. With my help, my dad got her platinum rose earrings with diamond center, ivory earrings in rose shape. He sent me pink roses for my 21st. (The rose theme died out when I was in md-twenties.) </p>
<p>Saintfan, my family sounds like yours. </p>
<p>My mom just called me practically in tears because she forgot my b’day. My dad just got released from the hospital a few days ago and besides having to be there constantly, she had to do a lot before he came home - arrange for 24/7 aide - clean out a spare bedroom for aide and she was having all new appliances installed which came with issue like trying to figure out how to get old stove out. She had to get a welder to cut in it in half! It broke my heart hearing her feel so badly. I told her she was being silly and not to worry - I understood completely. </p>
<p>S did call. He said he forgot until his google calender popped up. </p>
<p>Saintfan, If you don’t mind, would you give a couple of examples of the multi-part theme gifts you and your sister do? Sounds intriguing. </p>
<p>Does that mean we can’t do our traditional xmas dim sum, bookworm?</p>
<p>Gosh . . . one Christmas in college (high 80s) I was searching around for something to call out her name and I found this great vintage silk teddy that was peach with a celery colored ribbon. I put together a peach theme with the teddy, a silk scarf (AK I think) that she was accustomed to tying in a big bow on her pony tail, there were several other things that escape me now but it was wrapped in specially bought paper with peach tissue and celery grosgrain ribbon. </p>
<p>One year she did a great thing here she found a necklace that she decided I needed - it was large link silver with a big carnelian “lozenge” pendant about 1x2 inches. Her DH thought she was nuts, but her plan was to wear a black jersey wrap dress and the necklace. She thought that when we rang she would open the door and I would notice the necklace and compliment her whereupon she would present me with it. Well, we arrived on Christmas and she threw upon the door and I said, “OH MY GOD I LOVE YOUR NECKLACE!!!” and the rest is history.</p>
<p>In HS she gave me a rabbit themed set one year with a pair of giant fuzzy rabbit slippers as the first purchase center piece. I am notoriously cold footed.</p>
<p>Saintfan, that sounds like great fun! Glad you and your sis have a lot of fun with gifts! I tend toward practical and give folks “who have everything” consumables or gifts of experiences/events, like meals out. It works well for me and them. I give up trying to find odd knick-knacks, that they already have too many of. Give a lot of food/kitchen items that are gourmet or things they probably wouldn’t buy for themselves but would use.</p>
<p>Conmama, I’ve been reading this thread - the good and the bad - and I just wanted to say I know exactly where you’re coming from. I think I have a similar attitude towards gifts that you do: the gift doesn’t have to be something flashy or lavish, it’s just something that says “I saw this, I thought you’d like it, and I’m thinking of you on this day.” </p>
<p>My D is a pretty good gift giver, but that may be because she’s learned that it’s important to me (go ahead, call me small-minded, petty, whatever.) She doesn’t buy me expensive stuff - rather, she buys me thoughtful things. A sweater in a color she knows I like (or one that she thinks I’ll look good in.) A book by an author she knows I like that I wouldn’t necessarily buy for myself (because I’m cheap when it comes to buying stuff for myself.) A copy of the DVD “Homeward Bound” because it’s a family joke that I can’t watch it without crying.</p>
<p>It’s not JUST a $5 pair of earrings - it’s the story behind the earrings, how someone remembered that I wanted more silver earrings or that I lost one of the silver hoops that I love. That and a card - I don’t think it’s too much to ask! </p>
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<p>Is there anyone who can??</p>
<p>Uh oh. Showing my ignorance. What’s Homeward Bound?</p>
<p>Thanks, saintfan. That’s great gift-giving.</p>
<p>Homeward Bound? </p>
<p>Separated from owner dog movie by Disney, invoking memories of Lassie.</p>
<p>Is it like “Goodbye my Lady?”</p>
<p>We do have to cut the guys a break since most of them do try. I think in general many men just wait until the last minute and then find themselves in a pickle. A few years back on xmas eve D and I ran out of wrapping paper and had to go out to get some. We were in Target headed toward the register with an armload of wrapping rolls and spotted a dad with his teenage son. The dad was holding up what looked to us to be some sort of wooden salad bowl and said “here, I think she would like this, what do you think?” The son said “I wouldn’t get her that dad, but hey whatever, it’s your funeral.” D and I burst out laughing. Think it was one of the most adorable things I had ever heard.</p>
<p>jym - you’ve got to rent/stream a copy! It’s the old pets-separated-from-owners movie (with Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, and Don Ameche as the voices of the pets) with lots of adventure and tear-jerking moments. Will the animals be reunited with their owners? Will Shadow (the old golden retriever) be able to make the journey?</p>
<p>Man, the reunion scene… it’s making me tear up just thinking about it.</p>
<p>OK-- have a cross country trip coming up. Will see if its on amazon streaming. Thanks!</p>
<p>Thanks @scout59 …I appreciate it.</p>
<p>Homeward Bound: the best pet movie every made. Just had to throw in my 2 cents on that one…</p>
<p>Yikes, sorry but I find the email tacky and inappropriate. Your birthday was acknowledged by your kids…they thought of you. Your email will make ANY future gifts seem forced. I don’t expect anything from my daughter, and although the last couple of years she has sent a gift…I like the spontaneous unexpected gift or gesture better. </p>
<p>We don’t really exchange gifts. Usually we take the kids to get something bigger than usual in the month before their birthday, but not always.</p>
<p>Some cultures don’t celebrate birthdays. We go out to eat on our birthdays and don’t give gifts.</p>
<p>My mom guilted my husband into giving me a lot of stuff for a belated Valentine’s Day, when he was my boyfriend. It made me feel bad.</p>
<p>Maybe your sons feel that you aren’t that shallow to need a gift, like perhaps their girlfriends do.</p>
<p>In my family, DH and D work as a team. He’s the one who remembers, and she’s the one with the good ideas, so I usually get a joint gift. This year they gave me a gift card for a massage. :-)</p>