Please do me a favor and tell me what I should get for my parents and in-laws for Christmas.
Seriously.
If you could see my face, you would know that there is not a hint of jest in my demeanor. A slight frown is forming on my lips and a definite scowl is approaching my brow.
It's the part of Christmas that I stress over more than anything else.
Decorating? Delightful. Shopping for the kids and my hubby? Easy peasy. Baking goodies and candies and munchies of merriment? Memory making. Wrapping, and bustling, and caroling, and peace on earthing? Such a joy.
Finding the right gift for our parents? Back-breaking. Taxing. Grueling. Worrisome. Arduous.
Scrooge inducing.
What do you get for people who have been collecting stuff for 60+ years? People who really don't need anything? People who have a hard time coming up with gift ideas for themselves when you pose the question, "What would excite and enthuse and delight you for Christmas?"
(my furrowed brow deepens as I recall the echo of "socks...socks...socks...socks...socks" from Christmas Q & A's of shopping seasons past)
I don't like giving socks for Christmas. I'll admit that I have given them before. But I didn't like it one bit and I wasn't being true to myself.
I was just desperate.
So, please friends, family, and bashful blog stalkers - help ease my pain this holiday season. We love our parents. We want to give them what is rightfully theirs - a gift with meaning and purpose and significance.
Or at least something they will use.
When giving suggestions, kindly keep in mind the following parameters:
1. It needs to fit within a 1 income budget. I have 6 mouths to feed and as much as I'd like to give them front row tickets and back stage passes to every Neil Diamond concert across the country, my kids cannot survive on Saltines and Tang.
2. It needs to not require me to be too crafty. Long crafty projects involving painting, and shaping, and glittering, and glue-gunning make me want to peel my toenails off. Also remember, I don't sew. If there's minimal craftiness involved, I can handle it. If it takes longer than 2 hours, I'm comin' for ya and you better run...
3. Suggestions need to not include the words: skull and crossbones, bedazzled, Chia Pet, or Blue Boutique. For the heart health of my fathers, it should probably also not include the word Obama.
Come one, come all! Share in the holiday warmth this year. Give me your ideas so I can rest easy through the coming weeks. I know you're brimming with fabulous suggestions.
Pray tell!!!!
Otherwise, Jeff says we'll hit the The Wals-Mart on Christmas Eve and call it good.
11 comments:
Hey! Whatever you come up with, we'll go in halvsies. That is my annual dilemma as well. (And I'd be happy to do any crafting required!)
We got my in-laws, who are in need of absolutely nothing, a digital picture frame that holds up to 6400 images and keeps the slideshow going so it's never the same picture. They will love it. It was only $60 at Costco - pretty good for as a gift for both of them. I find the gift of self (or what represents self) is what means the most in life when you don't have any pressing needs. You could even have the you and the kids write their favorite memory or what they love most, etc... about that grandparent/parent. That doubles as a gift and family history! Just an idea! Last year we did a photo book of pictures - family memories - over the past 5 years. All in one book (an online service on Costco.com - the photobook maker). They LOVE it and keep it right at easy reach in their family room. Good luck!
go to color me mine (or any other paint-your-own-pottery place) and bring all your kids and husband. they sell big platters or big bowls there and have everyone either draw something, do a handprint, or sign their name. then they fire it and presto! a creative gift from the heart that it functional and doesn't break your bank.
We are also doing the digital frame idea. All the siblings are going in on it together and putting all sorts of pictures on it of all the grandkids.
I like to pottery idea. Is there a color me mine close to us?
there is one on foothill boulevard in salt lake and i think there is one in ogden as well
Keep the good ideas comin', folks! I appreciate your input so far. Even if you've already given an idea, if another one sparks, please leave another comment.
We have done photo books and digital frames in the past. Both great gift ideas, though. I like the pottery suggestion as well, Kristen. I'll have to look into it.
Thanks!
Birthday calendars are always a good idea...(the one where you put everyone's brithday in the appropriate month... there's a boutique in Centerville that has cute ones on galvenized steel with vinyl for like $15...super cute and you can add magnets... my mom liked it), or we've given them children's books that they can read to the grandkids when they come to visit... or along the lines of the digital frame, we've put together pictures from the whole year and made a DVD put to music... just a few little suggestions.
Megan, YOU'RE crafty. Maybe I could think of something really dazzling and complex and you could put it together for me. Heck, I'll exchange some goaty cheese for your talents. :)
it's been tradition the last few years that my mom just gets her parents a large gift card for the movie's. it's something that they do together. it's SO great to never have to pay when you wanna go see a flick. We did it one year and the next year we didn't... they were disappointed. Easiest thing ever and the biggest hit. It still says "we love you" believe me.
Last year for my parents, I put together a little book entitled, "We like you because we're like you!" I had each of my million siblings submit little things that they find themselves doing that replicate how we grew up. Some things were funny and some comments were teasing but it ended up to be a reflective tribute to Mom and Dad.
Good luck. Hard stuff for us every year too.
We're having it easy this year for my parents -- we got a BIG Family picture taken earlier this year when we were all together, and the kids all went in on it to get them a large portrait printed & framed for their home.
But, what about the in-laws this year? Auaahhg!
In the past we've done books, Greg Olsen paintings, Picnic Tables (Lifetime makes a nice one), and scrapbooks (but I felt it was too much work for barely any appreciation.)
We've also done a "Retirement Survival Kit" when my dad retired (complete w/ Chuck-A-Rama gift certificates, golf balls, temple accessories, sunscreen, a book about all the places you need to see before you die, etc.) We have also done a Digital Frame & uploaded it with all the family's photos, a seat massager, tickets to Tuacahn + dinners, tickets to the Celine Dion concert, and a "Count Your Blessings" plaque (a lady in Farmington used to make these that had all the grandkids on it.)
I agree, it's so hard! I like to ask what other people are buying and then try that out on a future year! ;)
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