Do you give generic gifts or put some thought into it?

[Nataly 38]

Just wondering.. Every year, especially around xmas, I seem to get a mixture.. Some people seem to just buy random things for the sake of buying *something*; some people don't buy anything; some people put a lot of thought/care into picking something really special.

I'm the last one. I only buy for the people I really care about and I do my very best to get them something they will really love. It's not even about money - some of the best stuff *I've* ever gotten didn't cost a penny.. For me, the whole point is making someone you love happy - otherwise I kinda think it's a waste of time/money.

What does everyone else do?

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[wolfriverjoe 1,353]

My gift list is fairly limited.

I don't do the generic "give them something" gifts.

If I give someone something, it means something.
Cost isn't really an issue. My better gifts this year were homemade, and my 3 year old nephew absolutely loved the Matchbox/Hot Wheels I gave him - The ones I played with when I was a kid.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[futuredivot 0]

If I like you-you get cash or I'll take you to dinner. If I don't like you, you don't get crap.

If you're on an odd rung on my social ladder, I get Spence's wife to pick something out.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[davjohns 1]

I voted for well-thought-out, but that is sometimes very difficult. If I think of something or run across something that I knoew someone will really like, I do it then. I don't wait for Christmas. That makes Christmas really difficult.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[turtlespeed 212]

Quote

If I like you-you get cash or I'll take you to dinner. If I don't like you, you don't get crap.

If you're on an odd rung on my social ladder, I get Spence's wife to pick something out.

I was wondering why you sent me thongs this year.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[shropshire 0]

Quote

What does everyone else do?

Leave it to my wife to get stuff... she's really good at it too.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[skyrider 0]

Persoanlly, I feel if yer not going to give it some thought,, may as well just give a card...

My Inlaws are still gushing about the quilt I had made for them last year, made out of flour sacks thier grand mother and mother had saved, made to match a quilt my MIL had as a child...

BTW, Flour sacks may sound funny, but they used to be made out of very colorful, good quility material! All these butrerflies are mde from flour sacks!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/onekick/quilt/quilt009.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/onekick/quilt/Southridgewind029.jpg

[turtlespeed 212]

So that's you in the gray slack and red shirt?

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Nataly 38]

You made that quilt??! Wow

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[boinky 0]

I try to know what each of my friends/family like. Then during the year, I keep an eye out for stuff that would make great Christmas gifts.

When I bought a glass bass fish in May for my son to give his father for Christmas, he said, "Isn't it a little early to be shopping for Christmas?"

I'd rather have a well thought out cheap present, or even a handmade/handwritten than one big expensive present that was just bought because they thought they "had to."

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[Nataly 38]

Quote

I'd rather have a well thought out cheap present, or even a handmade/handwritten than one big expensive present that was just bought because they thought they "had to."

Aww.. Couldn't agree with you more.

My high-school sweetheart used to give me all kinds of kooky gifts.. He once brought me olives because he knew I liked them!! Obviously it didn't cost him much, but I thought it was just so darned cute!!

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[skydude2000 3]

Our family just started doing this stupid thing last year; We used to pick names, set an amount we would spend, roughly, and buy that person a gift.

Now everyone buys a generic gift worth $25 and picks a number. If you pick a present you don't like, you can steal one from someone who picked before youthen they are stuck with yours or they pick a new one.

Everyone just ends up stuck with crap they don't want, or will never use. Argh. Much easier to buy a meaningful present when you know who you're buying for.

PULL!! or DIE!!

[Nataly 38]

Oh that sounds terrible.. I like the secret Santa idea, because at least that way you can put some thought into just one present & everyone gets something.. But the swapsies thing.. Well.. Sounds like everyone walks away unhappy.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[Misternatural 0]

Well as you know I have a fairly aloof demeanor so I don't have many people around here who I care about enough to give a gift to. But those that stick by me and show that they can be trusted get something i make in my woodworking shop; For girlfriends I usually make some sort of a wooden jewelry box usually out of black walnut,maple, and cherry. Others may get one of my custom built conga drums with hand forged hardware- or a set of wind chimes.

yeah I know.....such a hippie.

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[freethefly 6]

Hippies.They're everywhere. They wanna save the earth, but all they do is smoke pot and smell bad (Cartman)... and some make really cool conga drums! Nice drum. I'm impressed.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Misternatural 0]

Thanks...Yeah I'm a reformed hippie which basically means that I stopped smoking pot a long time ago- but am still as paranoid as ever and I have firearms

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[Nataly 38]

Wow - you seriously made that?? Cool!

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[Misternatural 0]

what are you still doing up it must be morning over there

yeah but the sawdust was getting to me...I use to sell them on E bay. Thinking of firing up the business again tho-post recession.

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[Nataly 38]

I have to leave in half an hour to get to the airport on time for my flight.. So I stayed up because I didn't want to risk not waking up at 03:15..

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[ifall 0]

Quote

Our family just started doing this stupid thing last year; We used to pick names, set an amount we would spend, roughly, and buy that person a gift.

Now everyone buys a generic gift worth $25 and picks a number. If you pick a present you don't like, you can steal one from someone who picked before youthen they are stuck with yours or they pick a new one.

Everyone just ends up stuck with crap they don't want, or will never use. Argh. Much easier to buy a meaningful present when you know who you're buying for.

Ahhh, the White Elephant gift exchange. We do that between a couple departments at work and I opted not to do that this year. Some people (like me) put some thought into it and spend at or very close to the top limit put on what you can spend and end up getting a fart noise maker (the kind that produces a different fart noise each time you press a button) and a shirt that says "Whose your Santa" Both most likely regifted and no thought or $$ of the persons own was put into it.

I put thought into gifts I give FTR.