raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Nov 7, 2013 14:27:41 GMT -5
I was waiting for Phoenix to start this thread, but got impatient. I need ideas--what are you buying for friends/family? Things that don't cost a ton, but don't suck either. I'm going to get 'Cards Against Humanity' and alcohol for my sister and SIL/BIL. That's about the only thing I can come up...
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Nov 7, 2013 14:32:16 GMT -5
I'm going to attempt to make my dad kolaches again this Christmas. Inexpensive but not "cheap" because I plan on buying the uber expensive irsh butter for the dough.
Vintage trucker hat for my brother who just got his CDL.
No clue for my mom yet.
I need to see if I can find a needlepoint I wanted to do for my grandma, it's around the house somewhere.
No clue for my great uncle
ETA: I forgot I found another vintage trucker hat that says "This what the world's greatest GREAT GRANDPA" looks like. It's a challenge to find something that says "great grandparent" on it. I'm so getting it for my grandpa.
We don't do adult gift exchanges in DH's family.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Nov 7, 2013 14:32:57 GMT -5
I was waiting for Phoenix to start this thread, but got impatient. I need ideas--what are you buying for friends/family? Things that don't cost a ton, but don't suck either. I'm going to get 'Cards Against Humanity' and alcohol for my sister and SIL/BIL. That's about the only thing I can come up... HAH, I just looked at the other day. Trying to decide if my brother will think it's funny or be horrified.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Nov 7, 2013 14:46:49 GMT -5
I have no clue who's getting what, I just want it to be January already, this makes my brain hurt.
Last year, I gave my sisters frames with spots for multiple 4x6 pictures, and put pictures of my kids/them in them. I left a few empty spaces for the one sister who was expecting at the time. I have no idea what to do this year.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Nov 7, 2013 14:56:31 GMT -5
We don't do much exchanging anymore between my siblings or DH's. We still buy for our parents, each other and of course DS. But that is about it. Though I did find a type of wine I'm going to send my oldest sister. She's big into wine, and when I saw the name, I laughed so hard that I had to buy it. It's by Middle Sister and it's called Drama Queen. Fits our middle sister to a T and I just had to get it. She lives far away so our other sister will never know.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Nov 7, 2013 14:57:41 GMT -5
Well, it's a bit early in the season yet. Your thread is better than mine was, I was going to start a thread about ideas for me personally. Your thread covers everyone on the shopping list, not just men.
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justme
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Post by justme on Nov 7, 2013 15:00:50 GMT -5
I have no idea. I only have my brother, parents, and maybe 4 friends to buy for. One of the friends is new, so I don't know if we're doing that, and two are a couple so I usually just get them something together. Never know what to get any of them.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Nov 7, 2013 15:08:07 GMT -5
Magazine subscriptions for the adults, educational toys and books for the kids. iTunes gift cards for the teens. Food gifts (this year it's homemade blackberry jam) for the office, friends and neighbors. $50 gift cards for the housekeeper, gardener, massage therapist and hairdresser. [Don't be hatin', but I'm almost done ]
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Nov 7, 2013 15:16:52 GMT -5
Yay drama's brother for the CDL! I hope he likes the work (and finds a job soon if he hasn't?) Love the hat idea!
Homemade is always good. I made soap bars this year so everyone will get a bar and want to do homemade vanilla (guess I better get on that one like yesterday...). BIL likes fruitcake, and my mom actually makes really good fruit cake so I'll ask to make that with her this year and give him a loaf.
Agile--I like the funny wine idea. I always get hung up on looking for a type of wine that it becomes stressful, but picking it out by name would be so much more fun. SIL and BIL have great senses of humor so I could get Drama Queen and Fat Bastard for them. I wonder if I could find 'Crazy Cat Lady' for my sister...
Chocolate--I love to do picture gifts. I've done some kind of picture themed gift for family for years. One year we got relatively cheap digital frames and filled a flash drive with pictures for everyone, and when I'm really ambitious I do full albums. Last year I made christmas tree ornaments by decoupaging pictures of the kids on 2x2 tiles. This year I was thinking of cutting up the hundreds of 'extra' printed pictures I have lying around and making those into paper ornaments. Not sure if it will happen though...
Phoenix--gifts for men in general are just plain tough. I've given my dad hundreds of golf balls, tees, shirts, and lefty golf gloves over the years. He really does like and use them, but it just seems so generic.
Any suggestion for gifts for gardeners? My MIL/FIL have a beautiful yard and work very hard on it. They have a koi pond and bee hive. I can't come up with anything to get them.
Other couple/family gift ideas?
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Nov 7, 2013 15:17:36 GMT -5
BFF's Kids: 2 year old boy- two HABA board games (nice solid wood games for toddlers) and a couple of Thomas the Train various engines. 7 year old Girl- Karaoke machine (it's what she wants) and a board game (loves them)
Still need to shop for my nieces/nephews on this side of the family. But I did make scarves last weekend for the girls as one of their gifts.
My best friend and her husband are getting the "Snow Man Kit" from LL Bean and gift certificates so they can have a date night while we babysit.
Our other close friends will all get booze and board games and I am making Super Hero Capes for their kids.
DS- is getting cash mostly because he wants to pick out a new gaming laptop. Plus we'll get him a couple of t-shirts from Think Geek.
DH- is getting a travel case for his miniatures gaming army
My folks- are extremely difficult to shop for- seriously- what do you buy for millionaires that buy whatever they want, whenever they want. For my mom I usually make her something crafty and my dad is a hunt to find things from his childhood that he remembers or autographed books by authors he likes. Their "Big" present that they really like is that my sister and I always adopt a family from a local charity and get presents and Christmas food for the entire family. Last year the family we adopted was the mom and dad and three kids (9, 6 and 7 months).
My immediate family and most of our friends are total geeks and love gaming so things tend to have a serious gaming/geek slant to them.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Nov 7, 2013 15:18:01 GMT -5
DS is going to decorate cardboard picture frames for his Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. I get the picture frames tomorrow, so I'll let you know if I think they will work. I had to order the picture frames online. I'm making ornaments for DD to give to that same group of people (the same ornaments I made for DS at that age - Christmas trees for first Christmas, Stars 2nd Christmas, and hand print for 3rd Christmas). My side of the family, adults don't give presents. We'll do a grab bag and I think my present for the Grab bag will be the unicorn meat that someone posted on here a while ago. I still haven't figured out what I am going to get my nieces and nephew. The sad thing is that I need to get them all birthday presents too!!! UGH! Maybe we will start next Saturday since DS's preschool is having a Pancake breakfast that day and we'll be in town anyway. I also don't have clue what to get my kids. I might get a Tee ball set for DS.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Nov 7, 2013 15:20:53 GMT -5
Muttley- we found at Walgreens they have a snowglobe that you can put your own little wallet sized picture in. We got that for the grandparents one year from DS and put his school picture in there. They got a kick out of it If you are looking for something else for the family from the kids.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Nov 7, 2013 15:22:06 GMT -5
I hope he likes the work (and finds a job soon if he hasn't?)
He has a job but I don't know if he likes it. You have to get a job w/in 3 months or they make you do the program over again. He's driving a cement truck. Man I hope this works out and if it doesn't you'll probably hear the fall out all the way in Colorado.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Nov 7, 2013 15:25:16 GMT -5
Wow, some of you are crafty! My gifts to siblings are mostly because they'll get me something and I feel bad getting them absolutely nothing. Otherwise, I'm an adults get cards kind of girl. ETA: woah.......I just changed my profile pic to the avatar and didn't recognize myself!
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Nov 7, 2013 15:27:22 GMT -5
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Nov 7, 2013 15:28:21 GMT -5
One year we got relatively cheap digital frames and filled a flash drive with pictures for everyone
I did that for my grandparents a couple years ago. I loaded it with pictures going all the way back to my grandpa's army days. Mom scanned them into the computer and I uploaded them into the frame.
Thanks for reminding me. I need to make sure we bring the camera with is on Christmas Eve so I can upload some new photos of Gwen.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Nov 7, 2013 15:28:57 GMT -5
Wedding pictures. We didn't spend $2000 on a photographer for nothing!
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Nov 7, 2013 15:42:19 GMT -5
We buy wall calendars for adult kids and adult g-kids. Hallmark ornaments and White House Historical Society ornaments. The WH ornament for 2013 is for the Woodrow Wilson years. A different one comes out each year and they are beautiful.
We have fun baking cookies to send ..... and Costco has the Christmas Crackers we have fun with. Nothing overly expensive and for the most part consumables.
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kilroy
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Post by kilroy on Nov 7, 2013 15:43:40 GMT -5
When DH & I first got together I hated the fact that he "didn't believe" in Christmas/birthday presents, but I have to admit that now it makes life soooo much easier. His daughters & I exchanged gifts for a few years and I drove myself nuts trying to find the perfect gifts; now we just have everyone over for dinner and I let them know how happy I am to have them there.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Nov 7, 2013 16:30:05 GMT -5
I hope he likes the work (and finds a job soon if he hasn't?)
He has a job but I don't know if he likes it. You have to get a job w/in 3 months or they make you do the program over again. He's driving a cement truck. Man I hope this works out and if it doesn't you'll probably hear the fall out all the way in Colorado. I hate to be picky- I'm really curious. Which is he driving? A cement hauling tanker or a ready mix truck? Sorry- my dad owned a handful of ready mix plants for many years so I'm always curious when I hear people drive Ready Mix Trucks. If he's in Colorado there's a good chance he works for a company that my sister is an assistant comptroller for that's why I ask. Being nosey
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Nov 7, 2013 16:33:45 GMT -5
Rae lives in Colorado. I was just saying if he f-ups this opportunity the fall out will be heard across land.
I have no clue what he's driving. We still don't really talk all that much so I get most information second hand from my mom. I'll see him at Thanksgiving long enough to information out of him.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Nov 7, 2013 16:51:10 GMT -5
Oy, looking at everyone else’s lists just reinforces that my gift-giving list is too long. Oh well, I doubt I can drop anyone this year.
DH – who knows; last year we didn’t do anything, and we may opt for that again this year
DS (18months) – Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set, though he’ll probably get it before Christmas; not sure I’ll do much else as he doesn’t need anything, and will get plenty from everyone else
Mom – my sister talked about going in together on a gift of a quilt made up of my dad’s clothes, but realistically, I’m not sure I see that happening before Christmas; I’ll probably get her a couple of gift certificates to get her hair cut, plus the fancy salon shampoo she likes; maybe a couple of restaurant gift certificates as well, and maybe renew her newspaper subscription
Sister – I want to get her a teething/nursing necklace (I have a couple I love, and think she’d like them as they’re stylish, and her daughter can’t break them if she plays with them while nursing/being held by mom, plus they’re safe for babies to chew on)
BIL – a collegiate banner flag he wanted
Niece (4yo) – clothes, books, maybe a learning game
Niece (8 month old) – clothes and maybe diapers (my sister says she doesn’t need anything as my niece has big sister’s baby clothes to wear, and her baby toys)
Aunt & Uncle – they need nothing, so I’ll probably get them a restaurant gift card like I did last year to a local Italian restaurant in my hometown they really like
Cousin #1 & her DH – ?? I like the wine and beer thoughts, so I may do this
Cousin #1’s daughter (16yo) – clothes; maybe gas gift card
Cousin #1’s daughter (11yo) – clothes or Lego Friends
Cousin #1's son/our godson (23 months) – clothes and books
Cousin #2 & his DW – they always get us BBW hand soap; last year I got them scents for candle warmers (like Scentsy) from a local Home & Garden shop that makes their own stuff, and will probably do that again as they seemed to like them and they use that stuff
Cousin #2’s sons (9yo/6yo/4yo) – clothes or Minecraft or something Duck Dynasty
Cousin #3 – nothing, as we don’t usually exchange gifts
Cousin #3’s daughter (8yo) – clothes or Lego Friends
Aunt & Uncle – again, they also need nothing, so probably restaurant gift cards; I’m not local to them, and won’t be anywhere near them for the holidays, so they’ll probably get a GC to a chain restaurant
Cousin & her DH – she’s preggo with their first and due in early February, and money is tight, so mom, sis and I all went in on one of the bigger gear items for them
That’s it for my family…sheesh. Now for DH’s family.
MIL – who knows; last year we made a photo book of DS’s first few months for her and FIL (and also one for my mom), so maybe we’ll do that again this year
FIL – who knows; he’s really into genealogy research, so maybe a renewal to ancestry.com (if I can do that); otherwise, he and MIL are going on a cruise in February, so maybe if I call their travel agent we can pay for an excursion
For DH’s siblings, we each draw a name. As there are 3 boys, but only 2 are married, SIL and I just always get each other, and the boys rotate. DH has to shop for whichever brother he has, so I don’t worry about that one.
SIL – she likes to scrapbook, so maybe more scrapbook stuff
Niece (16yo) – nail polish, clothes
Niece (8yo) – something from her Target WishList
Nephew (8yo) – something from his Target WishList
Niece (7yo) – clothes, crafts, or books
Niece (4yo) – clothes, learning games or books
Nephew (2yo – almost 3) – clothes or cars stuff
Ugh, looking at this list, there are like 30 people on it, and that doesn’t count the Angel Tree kiddos I’ll buy for. I love the holidays, but I may be reaching the ridiculous level. Or maybe not – we’ll see how this goes this year.
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Nov 7, 2013 16:58:05 GMT -5
We've got a lot of readers & movie fans in DH's & my family, which makes shopping a lot easier! The nieces & nephews are younger, & like stuff like craft kits or games (Dark, we need that new website!).
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aprilleigh
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Post by aprilleigh on Nov 7, 2013 17:00:21 GMT -5
On my dad's side of the family, we exchange with pretty much everybody, and it gets to be a bit much. I'll get cool gifts for the kiddos, but for the adults I'm doing Soup Mix in a Jar and Beer Bread Mix in a Jar. fitnesscheerleader.com/nutrition/beefy-bean-soup-mix-in-a-jar/www.justapinch.com/recipes/bread/savory-bread/beer-bread-with-variations.htmlI'll print the variations for the beer bread with the instructions! They look like so much fun! My husband and I will probably just do stocking stuffers for each other this year. We started last year and had a blast! Our gifts ended up kinda mirroring each others; it was pretty funny. Like I got him a camera lens mug (he's a photographer) and he got me a glass tea carafe. I got him underwear, he got me knee socks. I got him dark chocolate peanut butter cups (I hate dark chocolate, our son hates peanut butter) and he got me chocolate-covered cashews (he's allergic to cashews, our son hates nuts). I got him "new car smell" air freshener for his '50s car, he got me hand lotion. All in all, it was a ton of fun and not very expensive.
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amishgal
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Post by amishgal on Nov 7, 2013 17:00:44 GMT -5
BFF's Kids: 2 year old boy- two HABA board games (nice solid wood games for toddlers) and a couple of Thomas the Train various engines. 7 year old Girl- Karaoke machine (it's what she wants) and a board game (loves them)
Still need to shop for my nieces/nephews on this side of the family. But I did make scarves last weekend for the girls as one of their gifts.
My best friend and her husband are getting the "Snow Man Kit" from LL Bean and gift certificates so they can have a date night while we babysit.
Our other close friends will all get booze and board games and I am making Super Hero Capes for their kids.
DS- is getting cash mostly because he wants to pick out a new gaming laptop. Plus we'll get him a couple of t-shirts from Think Geek.
DH- is getting a travel case for his miniatures gaming army
My folks- are extremely difficult to shop for- seriously- what do you buy for millionaires that buy whatever they want, whenever they want. For my mom I usually make her something crafty and my dad is a hunt to find things from his childhood that he remembers or autographed books by authors he likes. Their "Big" present that they really like is that my sister and I always adopt a family from a local charity and get presents and Christmas food for the entire family. Last year the family we adopted was the mom and dad and three kids (9, 6 and 7 months).
My immediate family and most of our friends are total geeks and love gaming so things tend to have a serious gaming/geek slant to them. They are far from millionaires, but I've made some photo/cookbooks through Shutterfly for family. Does your mom have a lot of family recipes that you could gather and put into a photo book with photos from family gatherings over the years? I worked on mine for almost 2 years because I made every recipe and took pictures of the dish to use in the book. Bonus, Shutterfly always has coupon codes out there too.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Nov 7, 2013 17:10:16 GMT -5
amishgal- I made my mom a family tree last year (Pinterest idea). I used a shadow box and a branch from a tree. I collected all of the graduation pictures and wedding pictures from everyone, plus the current school picture for the grandkids. Scanned them all in, changed them to sepia toned and printed them out to be wallet sized and hung them on the tree. Turned out freaking awesome.
My grandma is an excellent cook- my mom not so much- years ago Grandma wrote a cookbook and everyone already has a copy of it. But I do like that idea. My sister makes my mom a shutterfly calendar of the grandkids every year.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Nov 7, 2013 17:18:47 GMT -5
tcu - I just didn't list everyone that we give gifts too ... even if it is just my and DH's Aunts and Uncles with no Grandkids that we give presents from the kids.
I remember what DH wanted! A toaster that holds 4 slices of bread! WOOT.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Nov 7, 2013 17:20:03 GMT -5
The cookbook is awesome! I'm impressed you got it done in 2 years with all the work involved, but I am loving that idea.
I think I'll see if my mom would want to tackle that together with my grandmothers recipes for us to give to all the cousins next year.
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Nov 7, 2013 17:45:29 GMT -5
The cookbook is awesome! I'm impressed you got it done in 2 years with all the work involved, but I am loving that idea. I think I'll see if my mom would want to tackle that together with my grandmothers recipes for us to give to all the cousins next year. We've been talking about doing this too with all of the family recipes, but haven't done it yet. I do less and less every year. I used to spend WAY too much. I will buy a couple small things and usually some sort of restaurant gift card for mom and her DBF. Gifts are usually consumable, good chocolate, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. I have 3 nieces, 17, 9, and 6 mo. Oldest usually gets a gift card, a couple small gifts to open. 9 year old usually gets a couple outfits and a couple toys. The baby will probably get a couple outfits and a couple toys too. I bought a Keurig (on a great sale at kohls a couple weeks ago). I am planning on it being a joint gift for sis and her BF, but I don't know if they'd really want it (or appreciate it- but they don't appreciate anything so...). Dad never wants anything. Sometimes I can find something little for him, sometimes not. I usually bake him a couple fancy breads, maybe make a coffee gift basket, etc. I only have one, sometimes two friends that I exchange gifts with. One I buy for her DD too and usually get them quite a bit, but, maybe I'm being a Scrooge, but I didn't get anything from her last year, after she kept saying she had something for me. I'm certainly not going to remind someone to give me a gift, but I feel a little unappreciated now, so, I will do a small token gift for them this year, but nothing like I usually do. Other BFF is usually like a Yankee candle or something. That's about it for my list. I send home made cookies to my uncle in another state. I am not doing anything for my brother and crazy b wife since they have nothing to do with any of us anymore. They'll get a card.
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kilroy
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Post by kilroy on Nov 7, 2013 17:48:23 GMT -5
Oh, and sorry to go OT, but OMG Chocolate Lover, your avatar is killing me!
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