I’ve been busy today doing Christmas-related stuff. At least it warmed up a bit…the ponds were freezing over. Another few days below freezing and we could have gone ice-skating outside, like we used to in the 1970s.
So, what are some cool presents for different genders and age groups?
We tend to go to local shops, but I’m sure there are some national trends.
I spent a lot yesterday, not particularly on Christmas gifts but I’m in the process of redoing my wardrobe etc. Lots of outlets had 40-75% off (so they say…) so I suppose I got some good deals. Bought a pair of Allen Edmonds for $90.
As far as gifts for other people…mom told me the sister needed a wallet, so I grabbed her a Coach zip-wallet. 65% off retail and she always wanted a Coach-thing so she should be happy. The parents…I’ll prolly grab them a steak and seafood gift card somewhere.
No “war on white Christmas” yet. But the rightwingers are blasting shots at those that would dare question the whiteness of Santa Clause or the baby Jesus. As a people, we Americans seem to be competing for how to stupid can we get. We’ll know when this game has become stale and nobody is left that wants to play when the reports of blatherings from Sarah Palin cease to exist.
No, it’s not “Americans” it’s a few ppl.
May be a few ppl, but that crap is a dominate feature on left wing blogs and apparently, based on hearsay because I refuse to check it out for myself, prevalent on rightwing blogs as well. And regularly featured in the MSM and then repeated and mocked by Stewart, Colbert, and SNL. So, the number of participants in the game is large.
We must continue the War on Christmas. If we stop now, the merrorists will win.
it’s up to those defending this imaginary war as to whether or not it continues. Almost makes me long for the days when those folks were hunting commies under their beds.
Cool is obvious from the price tags. The bigger the number the cooler the item. That’s one reason why the market knockoffs and fakes is strong.
For Sis’s husband’s sixteen year old granddaughters cool this year is their own first car. The expectation is that it will be a new — not pre-owned — car.
For some of the b2 boy’s Chanukah gifts (already given), I got him t-shirts from some of the current big XBox games that he has. It kills 2 birds with one stone, I get to replace some of his ratty old ones and he gets a cool gift.
We’re giving the 8 yo grandson a Mark Twain book set that I was given at about the same age. Some other old family treasures are being distributed along with some things we bought. Each home gets a smoke alarm battery every Christmas, too.
When my children were 7, 4, and 4, we decided to get a kid’s movie for Halloween. So, we got “Ernest: Scared stupid”. I thought it would be a light-hearted romp through stupid-ville, and would be just perfect for my kids.
WRONGO!!! The movie features a dwarf who just appears out of nowhere in the beds of children. It scared the living shit out of the kids, and they refused to sleep alone for the next 4 months. They all slept in the same bed. It was amazing.
They are now 26, 23, and 23. So I got them each a copy of “Ernest: Scared stupid”. They probably don’t even remember.
Heh, now that’s funny.
My 10 year old just got hooked on the recent new Dr. Who series. She found some Dr. Who related figures that can be printed, cut out and assembled. We’re putting Dalek ornaments all over the tree.
http://cyberdrone.deviantart.com/gallery/9187037
Haven’t had the time to think about presents but we’re pretty low key on that anyway.
Careful about those. Exactly the sort of thing that might activate and exterminate the children.
My kids and grandkids are getting used to get gifts of links to stuff from Internet Archives. A lot of classic or hard-to-find out-of-copyright material is out there in forms downloadable to Kindle (for text) or as PDFs, early audio (jazz, Sousa marches, for example) or some classic early TV.
For kids, there is a series of “When Mama Lets US…” books from a century ago that present ideas for activities.
For the political junkie in your life, there is Henry Adams, History of the Administration of Thomas Jefferson and History of the Administration of James Madison.
For nature lovers, there is Mark Catesby’s natural history of Carolina from the early 1700s.
There is a rather complete bunch of articles from the Journal of the Royal Society of London, including reports of Benjamin Franklin’s experiments with electricity.
You can only get books, but the shipping is free, the pricing is competitive, the selection is pretty massive, and they donate money to literacy campaigns every time you buy.
I went to cost plus yesterday to find some yummy stocking stuffers and the line to check out went to the back of the store. It appears That when the temps head below zero Minnesotans start jonesing for imported candies.
For my older daughter, I am drawing her, her daughter and significant other as a family portrait. Using a picture I took this past summer when I visited them. Have matted and framed it, now to get it to Anchorage AAAAk in one piece.
For my younger daughter, who loves Miyazaki animated films; Howl’s Moving Castle being one of her favourites, I stumbled upon a cutout figure book Miyazaki did when he released the Japanese version. The 50+ page cutouts recreate the castle. I was going to build the castle and give it to her for Christmas, but after helping her with a school project, I have decided to give her the uncut book and give her the gift of building it together also.