My DH got a cheap knockoff. I understand the difficulty justifying the expenditure. However when we compare his packing cubes to my Eagle Creek ones, I prefer mine.
Our kids are in their 20s so hopefully over the lifetime of the product, it’s worth it.
@88jm19, one of my pieces is an Eagle Creek waistpack that I bought well over a decade ago. It’s still in excellent condition. Eagle Creek has replaced a zipper once and also replaced the shoulder strap twice (it can also be worn as a purse). All I had to do was pay postage to send them the broken waistpack and they repaired it with no problems and hassles.
Anyway, I will give the new knockoff compression bags a try in January, when we go on an international trip and see how they fare compared with the EagleCreek ones. (I just purchased the knockoffs for $17+ for 4 compression bags on Amazon.)
Three of the 4 merino wool t-shirts I ordered have arrived (really, ordered 2 women’s, 2 men’s, and the 2 men’s came in one package and one woman’s in a 'not really a package just clear plastic with a sticker?). They feel really nice.
I guessed at my daughter’s boyfriend’s size as XL as he’s not a big (heavy) guy but is 6’7". Hope it is big enough, otherwise I may have a new t-shirt.
I got my daughter’s dogs a carpet shampooer. She was here today and mentioned that her dog has a bladder infection again and peed on the rug last night. I told her to take the present and it was okay if she opened it. She’s bringing the dogs tomorrow to open it here.
*She loved her Christmas Countdown Mid-Century Modern (Advent) house. She is my very very very hard to please child. She loves mid-century modern houses
These Smartish phone cases are FANTASTIC - I’ve used one for years and gave one to my son as a gift because he could never remember his wallet. He loves it! It really simplified his life.
They have these Wallet Slayer cases for all different size phones, they’re slim, and also have saved both our phones multiple times from drops and falls onto pavement.
I grew up in Seattle, and I miss Frederick & Nelson - they were a venerable set of department stores that Marshall Fields bought there in the 1920s.
(I bet you can conjure up the taste of a Frango in your memory too!)
My son is going to France this spring. Any recommendations for travel items?
Thanks!
See’s peanut brittle it the best!
You’re in luck. Go back to post 199 and read from there. Groundhog asked the same question and there were several ideas posted.
If you are buying candy for someone who loves carmels, these are soooo good.
One of those rugs with road maps on them and some metal toy cars. Many toy cars have plastic now but the older ones do not.
I always loved marble runs but the plastic ones in many respects are more fun because they can be molded for curves.
It’s hard to find safe toys for the very young not made of plastic. Sounds pretty unreasonable to me. If the problem is “all that new plastic is horrible for the world” then ask if second hand “used” plastic (saving it from a landfill and getting more life from the object) would be acceptable–many consignment shops have a ton of great toys with little use. Then you could look for suitable sports equipment (like the adjustable basketball hoop --or ball and bat).
Thanks! It is kind of dumb, I agree. The reasoning behind this crazy thing is that kids don’t need fancy stuff to play with and have been playing with sticks and such since the stone ages. / big eyeroll/ and plastic toys always end up in landfill after a few days. Another eyeroll. 
I like the idea of “previously loved” toys. And a marble run- my GD is getting one this year ( I have an “in” with Santa).
Hahaha! We had a ban on sticks when our son was little…somehow it always became a sword which narrowly missed poking his sister’s eye out. 
Wow, my Fox Experiment game arrived yesterday, long before projected! I can wrap it for D for Christmas!
Kids will always find a way to make swords and weapons. Younger S often used his Lovie as a Battle Mace!!! We always had an assortment of foam and plastic swords and shields.
We bought S something that came in a giant box. GD is having a great time with that! She moved her comfy chair there and brings books and little toys in. The big box is from a pricey desk chair (S is WFH) that came fully assembled. He loved H’s when he was here at Thanksgiving – so early Christmas present.
Mine too!
Well my carpet shampooer was a bust as they already have one. So I’m selling it to my sister for her husband.
Now I’m at ground zero for my daughter (although she liked her Christmas countdown for her birthday present)
Also anything that can you can build a fort from. Many variations are available. They also make large cardboard bricks to build forts, walls, etc. (although lots of work to assemble).
Pup tents, sleeping bags, those tents that go on your bed. Flashlights. Child size recliner.
Great book (requires parents of course)–Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough and Modeling Experiences by MaryAnn F. Kohl. (A book I’ve kept for 25 years–it’s still available though). It’s a book with recipes for making clays, doughs, pastes and glues, paper mache, etc. Now THAT was hours of entertainment (so much messy fun!)
And this will have plastic but magic sets with simple tricks.
Melissa & Doug have lots of wooden toys.
