so close i can almost taste it. well, i don’t think i’ll taste it. just put it in a sock.
Almost done my shopping. Aiyyeee! All I have left to buy are a couple stocking stuffers for our houseguest who flies in today for a couple of days.
That’s a great feeling, actually, because I LIKE EVERYTHING I GOT EVERYONE.
I think.
I just hope they do.
Sigh.
I’m one of those people who has two warring sides to their personality:
-
1. I think Christmas is most definitely NOT about gifts, that children shouldn’t get every damn thing they ask for, and that there shouldn’t be pressure on anyone to perform magical feats just to make a wishlist dream come true. No way. I was not raised to believe having everything was a guarantee of anything. At all. Your family and friends are the point.
2. If I AM going to buy a gift, man… I want it to be a good one. Not in terms of cost — that’s a terrible standard to hang your hat on — but in terms of value and enjoyment for the recipient. This makes me a little bananas every year, wanting to get just the right thing.
Hello, irony.
But there it is, and so I always spend the last couple of days before Christmas going eeek! eeek! Did I do the right thing? Is there something they might have liked better? Is that the right colour? Is that the right size?
I know it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I didn’t get the best thing, but I really like making people happy.
And what can you stuff in a sock for someone from California (perhaps some hydroelectricity?)
How has your experience with holiday shopping (any holiday will do) been this year?
Tell us about it:
1. Do you love or loathe buying gifts?
2. How many people do you buy for?
3. Have you ever chosen to give to charities or opt out completely instead? Was that a good experience?
4. Are you done all the shopping you’re going to do?
5. Who is the pickiest person on your list?
6. Who is the most fun to shop for?
7. If you’re part of a couple/relationship that shops together, who does the burden fall to in your relationship to get everything done?
8. Do you tend to go nuts, or hold back?
9. Do you give out of expectation or desire?
December 20th, 2007 at 8:59 am
1. Loathe
2. This year? 10
3. NOpe.
4. All except one last small thing.
5. No one really.
6. My Meg and my mom.
7. Not applicable :)
8. Hold back.
9. Desire.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:28 am
1. Do you love or loathe buying gifts?
Mostly, loathe, unless I find something perfect when I’m not under pressure to buy.
2. How many people do you buy for?
This year only 8
3. Have you ever chosen to give to charities or opt out completely instead? Was that a good experience?
Never done it but I would love to, if my friends & family were agreeable.
4. Are you done all the shopping you’re going to do?
No.
5. Who is the pickiest person on your list?
My dad.
6. Who is the most fun to shop for?
My sister.
7. If you’re part of a couple/relationship that shops together, who does the burden fall to in your relationship to get everything done?
We don’t really shop together. We split up the gift recipients, decide what to get them and then each of us are responsible for buying the gifts for the people we’re “assigned”
8. Do you tend to go nuts, or hold back?
I have gone nuts in past but I am done with that. I don’t like spending the first three months of the new year paying off my December Visa bill.
9. Do you give out of expectation or desire?
Mostly expectation.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:31 am
One year I gave everyone in my family (and a number of my friends) shares of an animal from Heifer International. It mostly went very well. One of my sisters called me up to thank me enthusiastically, and asked me all sorts of questions about Heifer, as she’d never heard of the organization before but quite liked the idea.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:11 am
1. I’m ambivalent. Some people are easy to buy for, and it’s fun because you know they’ll like it. other people (my mother) are so difficult that it makes it painful.
2. 5-6
3. I have, but they didn’t take it well.
4. No
5. Mom
6. Dad
7. Me. I’m a perfectionist
8. Hold back. II spend about $200 for gifts for everyone (iuncluding cards and mailing presents)
9. Desire.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Do you love or loathe buying gifts? It depends
2. How many people do you buy for? 10 people
3. Have you ever chosen to give to charities or opt out completely instead? I always donate to American Cancer is remembrance of My grandmothers and Aunt. Was that a good experience? It always is
4. Are you done all the shopping you’re going to do? Finished a week ago
5. Who is the pickiest person on your list? Fiancé
6. Who is the most fun to shop for? My niece
7. If you’re part of a couple/relationship that shops together, who does the burden fall to in your relationship to get everything done? Me.
8. Do you tend to go nuts, or hold back? Sometimes I go nuts.
9. Do you give out of expectation or desire? Depends
December 20th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
1. Love buying gifts
2. This is my 3rd year of not participating in the usual Christmas shenanigans although I usually make 1 or 2 exceptions
3. Yup, last year. We gave goats and it was great.
4. Hell ya! That’s the best part of not doing Xmas!
5. Probably me.
6. My friends’ kids, of course (unless they’re devil children with no manners)
7. N/A
8. Always used to go nuts.
9. Definitely both!
December 20th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
1. Do you love or loathe buying gifts? - A bit of both.
2. How many people do you buy for? - 3 major, 14 minor
3. Have you ever chosen to give to charities or opt out completely instead? Was that a good experience? - Yes - this year I bought people CHICKENS (not everybody, but a select few)! From OxFam Unwrapped. What do you buy for the person who is hard to buy for? A chicken, or a donkey, or a goat of course! And they actually loved them!
4. Are you done all the shopping you’re going to do? - Not quite - a few last minute things to pick up.
5. Who is the pickiest person on your list? - I won’t name names, but they’re one of the ones that got a chicken LOL
6. Who is the most fun to shop for? - My new niece Isobel. This is her first Canadian Christmas (she was adopted from China)!
7. If you’re part of a couple/relationship that shops together, who does the burden fall to in your relationship to get everything done? - Sadly, this is N/A for me *sigh*
8. Do you tend to go nuts, or hold back? - NUTS!
9. Do you give out of expectation or desire? Both!
December 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
1. Do you love buying gifts
2. Upwards of 25 or more
3. Have you ever chosen to give to charities - yes. It was ok. But they keep coming back year after year. I like to mix it up a bit.
4. Are you done all the shopping you’re going to do?
Pretty much.
5. Who is the pickiest person on your list?
Spouse.
6. Who is the most fun to shop for?
My friend Nancy. (We yard sale for one another all year round.)
7. If you’re part of a couple/relationship that shops together, who does the burden fall to in your relationship to get everything done?
Oh hell. Me.
8. Do you tend to go nuts, or hold back?
I shop the sales most of the year, so I guess I go a bit nuts …
9. Do you give out of expectation or desire?
Desire to give.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:45 am
1. Love buying gifts for other people
2. about 10 humans and 5 kitties
3. yes, and yes.
4. i was done on december 1st! yay for the internet!
5. my cousin
6. my BFF’s son
7. not applicable
8. depends on my financial situation
9. i give out of a desire to see my loved ones faces when the open their gift
December 21st, 2007 at 11:48 am
1. Loathe.
2. A couple dozen.
3. Yes. Loved it. Wish we could do it again.
4. Yes.
5. Spousal unit.
6. Toddlers!
7. Me.
8. In between.
9. Desire to give, just like Richgold.
December 21st, 2007 at 4:16 pm
1. Love!!
2. 4: my parents, my best friend, and another family member in our annual draw.
3. Yes - we’ve done it several times, and every time it was so much better than gifts. We did it in 2001 and 2005, after major disasters. We were just so thankful to be with our family that it felt right to give that money to charities that could really use it.
4. No, I still have to buy a gift for my aunt. Since I’m on vacation right now, I have plenty of time to keep my eye open for the perfect gift for her. We do our gift exchange over New Years. I gave my best friend her gift at the beginning of the month, and my gift to my parents is dinner at their favourite restaurant here in Honolulu.
5. Nobody is picky.
6. My best friend. I always love giving her gifts. We used to be called “the twins,” we’re so similar. If I find something I love, I know she’ll love it too.
7. N/A
8. It depends on my financial situation, but I won’t hold back if I’ve found something perfect that is a little more than I can afford. That’s what my credit card is for! :)
9. Desire. I love giving gifts. Even if it’s not a holiday, and I find something, I’ll buy it for that person. I love to give my friends and family things, and I love their expressions when they open the gifts.