Santa's coming - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**florencia9699** · 12-03-2005, 12:36 PM

Hey guys.. I know I'm probably not the only one.. but I need ur help.. I was thinking about what to get friends and family for Christmas.. I love giving gifts, I know it's not the main idea of Christ's birth, but I really love shopping for others, the problem is: I'm terrible at it... I never know what to get and, though my gifts are always "practical" sometimes it just not the best gift (for my boyfriend's birthday I got him this semi-casual shirt...)

I know I'm helpless, so I was thinking.. has anyone any idea what you'll be getting others, if anything at all? We could use this post for gifts ideas... or name old gifts just for ideas-

I promise that as soon as a good idea pops up I'll share it... PLEASE POST YOUR IDEAS!!! (for my family's sake... jejej)

**Rozza** · 12-03-2005, 12:58 PM

ok, i always usually get two bottles of perfume, (one for my sister, and one for my mum - different of course

) and then its my dad i get stuck on, but somthing about motocycle roadtrips usually does well.

**bluepea** · 12-03-2005, 01:23 PM

I hate Christmas just cuz I hate the stupid gift shopping. Anyhow, movies, books, cds, board games etc are always a good idea. Gift certificates, while impersonal, are a great thing to receive. Otherwise, get hints from them (pay attention if they mention something) or exchange gift lists.

**bellelass** · 12-03-2005, 01:34 PM

I have the same exact problem. I LOVE gifting but its hard when you have to think of things for everyone at one time. I prefer spontaneous ideas. Like giving someone something you saw and made you think of them... In the middle of June.
lets see. My mother really like the NYTimes and savors them whenever she gets one so I was thinking of getting her a subscription or something. Hm. Just looked it up, terribly expensive.

I'll talk to my brothers, see if they want in.
My boyfriend lives in OZ and has never been to the states, let alone texas, so I'm putting together a texas care package type of thing. Locally made salsa (he wont eat it though...), ranch dressing (you poor deprived ozzies dont have it, he's very interested in tasting it.. hehe), Reese's Cups, some UT parephenalia, perhaps the biggest texas flag I can find, some cds of local Austin bands that I like, whatever else occurs to me. And a scrapbook of my friends and family and my jobs and the places I hang out and the library where I spend far too much of my life and so forth. Its so fun to put together. oh and a cowboy hat. hehe.
dad likes my pie, and he doesnt ever need or want anything, so I usually make him half a dozen pies. He eats them all. In just a few days.
My brothers and I do not give each other presents. I'm sending my little sister a package of vegan locally made soaps and lotions. They're so so nice.
Uhm, dont know if that helps much... I have a very close cabal of chicks, we drink together, cook together, study together, everything.. So I'm thinking of knitting everyone scarves and mitts. That would be fun. And cheap. I hate being poor.

Elixir · 12-03-2005, 05:09 PM

my experience is this...buy a silly little item and a big gift card...it helps because you had the care to actually buy a gift and give the people their own desires, as well.

for my girlfriend, im buying her this hat she wants (20 bucks, maybe) and a 50 gift card for a music store, because she knows what she wants better than me and appreciates a little honesty.

**TheJake** · 12-03-2005, 10:42 PM

I am always broke by the time christmas rolls around. Fortunately for me my family understands.

chelseafc05 · 12-03-2005, 11:27 PM

i cant stand it so i get my female friends who love shoppin to do it for me i give them money and send them on there merry way.... then i buy em dinner or lunch or somthin for there services.....

**Somnambulation** · 12-04-2005, 01:07 AM

I plan on giving everyone a charitable donation in thier name to The Human Fund.

**LostFarmboy** · 12-04-2005, 05:59 PM

CDs usually go down well, everybody loves music. Dad's are easy - BEER. Sisters are easy: if they're old enough to drink - Some form of girlie drink, if they're too young to drink - some form of girlie music. Mums are the hardest, but mine has just taken to gardening so i'm gonna get her a few plants, that way she gets something she wants and i have an influence over what the garden looks like. I don't get presents for my friends, but if i did it would be some form of alcohol.

So, in summary, music, alcohol, and plants should get you out of any gift buying dramas....ooohh, what about a plant that grows alcoholic fruit that tastes like southern comfort and coke and plays music when you water it, and comes in a non-alcoholic version for the younger people....now that would be perfect, you could do all your christmas shopping in the one place.

**Joker** · 12-04-2005, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Somnambulation@Dec 4 2005, 02:07 AM
I plan on giving everyone a charitable donation in thier name to The Human Fund.

[snapback]90983[/snapback]

That's my favorite charity.

**zylah** · 12-05-2005, 05:54 AM

well seeing as wyz and i have recently moved to scotland, I decided to go for a scottish theme. Wyz'z parents collect musical instruments from around the world so I'm sending them some mini working bagpipes

and my mum collects pewter stuff and i found this little bagpiper so i'm sending her that.

I just wonder how much its gonna cost to send it all the way to oz.

I also picked up some scottish calanders with nice sceenery, that i will send to various other ppl.

**MeTurk** · 12-06-2005, 04:59 AM

oh God I hate Christmas. I'm trying everything to avoid going to the city it's going to be a nightmare.

I'm thinking of hitchcock boxset for the ol lad, mams in spain so I can just say her's got lost in the post.

**beergal** · 12-06-2005, 05:23 AM

ha ha brilliant meturk!
my mum i bought a uber lush cashemre wrap around ballet style jumper with scrumptious velvet belt (really want it myself!), make-up, perfume (yes my mother is very spolit!)

My brother a pringle jumper and a book on liverpool football club

my stepdad ted baker tshirt; aftershave

My nan support tights (grans love them) and some diabetic jams

my friends juicey tubes (make up)

My god son a cute little outfit from zara

I love giving presents, love christmas and everything about it. Also my cousins birthday on christmas eve so double celebrations