Guest Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Yep, I pick all of them out, buy them, and wrap them. No disappointments but no surprises, either. It's a toss up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 This thread is a great reminder that "gift giving" should be one of the life skills we teach our kids.:iagree:My DH is awful at giving gifts. I joked on another thread about telling DH at least twice lately that I needed something as the one I have is broken. A few days ago he asked, "Is that broke?" Yes. That is why I asked for a new one. It was like he was hearing it for the first time. :glare: And, no. I didn't get it today. My DS, however, seems to be a great little shopper. I don't know that I have 'trained' him or what, but he has a real sense of what others would like or wouldn't like. The only problem - DH often overrides what DS wants to buy, not because of cost but because he doesn't think I would like it. Ex: I like soft shabby chic colors/decorations. DH would buy something lacquered/Japanese style... Major difference. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted December 25, 2011 Author Share Posted December 25, 2011 :iagree:My DH is awful at giving gifts. I joked on another thread about telling DH at least twice lately that I needed something as the one I have is broken. A few days ago he asked, "Is that broke?" Yes. That is why I asked for a new one. It was like he was hearing it for the first time. :glare: And, no. I didn't get it today. My DS, however, seems to be a great little shopper. I don't know that I have 'trained' him or what, but he has a real sense of what others would like or wouldn't like. The only problem - DH often overrides what DS wants to buy, not because of cost but because he doesn't think I would like it. Ex: I like soft shabby chic colors/decorations. DH would buy something lacquered/Japanese style... Major difference. :tongue_smilie: Hah!! You wanted some sort of bird feeder/roosting thing, right? Right? I didn't want to look it up, cuz that would be cheating, but I'm pretty sure I remember that story... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Hah!! You wanted some sort of bird feeder/roosting thing, right? Right? I didn't want to look it up, cuz that would be cheating, but I'm pretty sure I remember that story... :DYup. That was me! My platform bird feeder is broken and won't hang straight anymore. (Thus won't hold seed.) Oh, well. My birthday is coming up so I will try again. DH told me he didn't buy the 20-post goldfinch feeder I wanted because we don't have a tree tall enough for it. Then he *did* buy me a large plastic 'log' to put suet in for the birds. The 'log' must weigh 15 pounds. :lol: I *know* I don't have a tree branch strong enough to hold that!!! Crazy man. (And he could have bought me two 10-perch goldfinch feeders...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 I am sorry for your disappointments. I have to be careful- my dh likes to give tools and I used to be a little disappointed. However, I have found how much I like them. In the past, he got me a great grater, this year he got me interesting measuring device that has on it lots of scales for measuring out different things like 500 g of coconut flakes. But he also got me things I really, really like that were from my Amazon list or just things that he knows I would really like such as items for my gardening hobby or things I didn't even know I needed like accessories that are very helpful for the item I selected on Amazon. And then, of course, I love the jewelry- a sapphire and diamond pendant, an emerald ring, and a jade necklace. Yes, he gets laboratory made diamonds, emeralds and sapphires because neither one of us cares about the monetary worth- we care about the beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Oh, and I should have said, my children knew exactly the types of things to get me- my son got me an action movie I like, my older got me a purse and a wallet that are nice, and my youngest made a nice pillow and got me two sets of pot holder and dish towels of the type she knows I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Everyone in our family makes Christmas lists, then we make photocopies and pass them out to each other so that everyone has a copy of everyone else's list. We'll usually include some OUTRAGEOUS wishes on our lists; for example, dh & I might wish for a new car. We also include stocking stuffer ideas--candy, socks, slippers, etc. And we include several medium-priced ($20-$25) items so that the others can pick and choose from our list--but no one expects to get everything on his list. One day early in December each year, dh takes a day off from work and we ALL go Christmas shopping together. We drive to a larger city about an hour's drive from home to shop. We start off at one particular large shopping center; we divide up as necessary (usually pairing up) so that we can keep each other's gifts secret, hiding the gifts in huge shopping bags or even trash bags in the back of the car. Then we take a lunch break (our tradition is to have lunch at Olive Garden). After lunch, we go to another shopping center and continue our shopping. Around 4:00 or 4:30, we go for coffee at our favorite coffee shop, then we resume our shopping again. Finally, we choose a nice restaurant for dinner, and then we head home. We look forward to this all year; it's part of our family Christmas gift to one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 I'm pretty hard to shop for too. MIL always has a hard time buying for me because what I want is either expensive or online! DH and I don't really exchange presents anymore, but he surprised me for the first time this year with a really nice purse. And then I bought myself some perfume and Top Chef DVDs. :D I gave him some Looney Tunes DVDs as a surprise. He doesn't have the girls pick out anything for me though, but I guess it doesn't bother me too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 (edited) There was a time when I really felt sorry for myself for not getting much/anything/anything I loved at Christmas. However, I think I have either grown or hardened since then. Dh and I do not exchange gifts at all. We love each other...and we spend money on ourselves and on each other through the year or whenever we want something. We don't just save it all for one day. I also don't expect my friends to buy me things I need or love. They didn't have to get me anything at all, and the fact that they did really touches my heart. I also get a lot of joy from watching people enjoy the things I get for them. For me, christmas is more about giving than getting. I am sorry that you are so down. Maybe it is time for a change in the game at your place. Either make them a list and tell hubby that you now want the kids to start shopping for you OR divide up the money with dh that you were going to spend on each other and go spend it on yourselves (let him do the same with his own gifts). If you aren't happy with the way things are...change them! :) This is exactly DH's and my sentiment about Christmas. We have the money in the household. We buy things we want/need throughout the year for ourselves. Christmas is for the kids. This year I got myself an iPhone for Christmas (and the more expensive plan that comes along with it.) DH got himself a membership to a golf club when it was on a 75% off special in October. My parents gave me $100 in cash this year. I ended up getting two Pfalzgraff dish sets (see my other thread on how I got them for 85% off!) and some earrings. I am happy as can be. I don't understand the "you should just know me and surprise me" idea......because that just leads to disappointment. Please know NOW, as it will curb many many years of heartache later, men are quite daft. They need blatant words, no hints! As for friends who find a little something nice for me, I am just thankful they think of me. It is a nice gesture. Dawn Originally Posted by Audrey Try not to get hung up on the gifts you get ... or don't get. If there's something you wanted, pick it up for yourself and enjoy it. I kind of think Christmas and all the gifts are for kids. Not that I don't appreciate one when I get one, but really, I think it more for the kids to get a few things. I think I enjoy Christmas-time a lot more that way. No expectations for myself. Just watching a kid's eyes light up. :iagree: Well said on both accounts. Edited December 26, 2011 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 You'll have to do what I started doing. I make a list from each store. I write the store name at the top, the name of the item, and as explicit instructions to the item as I can. Sadly my dh can't "see" anything. I'm not bashing just stating fact. He can't see anything on the floor. He can't see dishes that need washing. He can't see stuff in a store. Oh, another thing I've done is shop Amazon. I'll put a bunch of stuff in the cart and have him sort through the cart for things he wants to give me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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