Christmas gifts you give and or request?

[pick me]

When people ask what I want for Christmas I give a lame generic answer like socks, underwear, slacks, this year its belts and sacks. I learned a long time ago people just don't understand how to buy for me, an example is I do a lot of cooking/bbqing outdoors hence the reason almost every year some one gets me some kind of grilling accessory, mostly very cheap and of little use to me. One year I ask for some hand tools, wound up with three exact same sets of screwdrivers and pliers of which I had scads of already, guess I was not specific enough.

So I never encourage people to get anything for me that I am interested in because they really don't understand what I need or want and hate to see them waste their money like that. Instead I buy what I want, sometimes even wrap it up to go under the tree from Santa to me. I ether do that or wait until the holidays are done then go get what I want. I don't know of anything they could get me in the way of my hobbies, especially my guitar they could even comperhend what I would like.

Sure I could just show them what I want hoping they would get it but I have never liked getting people things they need or think they want. For instance, I bought a cajon box, drum set, and a didgeridoo for some people that would never guess in a million years they are getting them. They may wind up not liking them but would never experienced them because it is something they would never have considered to buy themselfs.

Anyway they say when you buy something for others in reality it is something you personality would like.

[architype]

I'm like you. I would prefer to get a gift certificate to a store I like rather than have someone second guess what I want.

I also give gift certificates for this same reason. Not very interesting, but at least I know they will get what they want.

[fumei]

Originally Posted by pick me

When people ask what I want for Christmas I give a lame generic answer


guess I was not specific enough.


So I never encourage people to get anything for me that I am interested in because they really don't understand what I need or want



Sure I could just show them what I want hoping they would get it but I have never liked getting people things they need or think they want.

I think you answer your own situation here.

If you give a lame generic answer, what do you expect to happen?

If you are not specific enough, what do you expect to happen?

If you never encourage, what do you expect to happen?

If you never show them, what do you expect to happen?


Myself? I do not have many people in my life so have not received any gift at all in more than 20 years. I unfortunately also have my birthday just days before Christmas which does not help. Heck as a kid even my parents forgot my birthday. So the whole gift receiving has been minimized most of my life. I still GIVE, but I do not seem to get anything. Mind you, when I give I try very hard to make it anonymous.

However, I usually buy myself something nice for my birthday. Last year was my Kronbauer. Can't complain...

[PorkPieGuy]

People talk about how impersonal cash and/or gift cards are, but I absolutely love them. Nobody knows what I want except for me (and my wife). I'd rather just have the money because there's a really, really good chance that whatever a random person gets me will probably be going back to the store. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I don't like to have things for the sake of having them. Plus, my life is so weird right now, I really don't have the time to sit and enjoy things like normal people. I love things that are practical more than your average person.

Give me money, gift cards, or food, and I'll be the happiest guy around.

[fazool]

For birthdays, I tell my kids not to buy gifts but that I want to spend the day with them and we have a big nice family dinner at a restaurant - that's our birthday tradition. The birthday person picks wherever they want to go for family dinner.

For Christmas, our daughter turned us on to a plug-in service called Wanelo where you make a registry list and family can browse your list throughout the year.

As a parent, I told my daughter I want one of her artworks for my guitar room.

For me it's about the togetherness.

[ewalling]

I've always enjoyed Christmas time, but, as an a late teenager and adult, the gift-giving part has always been something I'd gladly do without. Running round town at a busy time of year in stores specially heated for employees dressed for summer, while you're sweating it out in your winter garb, and all just to comply with doing what's expected of us. Then there's 'the exchange,' when everyone acts like a tube of bodywash or a can of jiffy-lube was the very thing we've always yearned for yet never quite found the means or circumstances in which to procure! And as for families who indulge in really big, costly presents - that must be awful, with people competing with each other over who gives the best present and individuals feeling they have to spend a certain amount before their present really counts. My wife and I exchange a small gift, but my brother and I gave up doing it after our parents died.

[pick me]

Originally Posted by fumei

I think you answer your own situation here.

If you give a lame generic answer, what do you expect to happen?

If you are not specific enough, what do you expect to happen?

If you never encourage, what do you expect to happen?

If you never show them, what do you expect to happen?


Myself? I do not have many people in my life so have not received any gift at all in more than 20 years. I unfortunately also have my birthday just days before Christmas which does not help. Heck as a kid even my parents forgot my birthday. So the whole gift receiving has been minimized most of my life. I still GIVE, but I do not seem to get anything. Mind you, when I give I try very hard to make it anonymous.

However, I usually buy myself something nice for my birthday. Last year was my Kronbauer. Can't complain...

In a since you are correct but it has taken me a life time to know I am just to picky to expect others to know what I want. So my generic gift ideas are really designed for them to feel they have given me what I want. Besides usually the things I want are a bit pricey and can't expect them to understand why I need something that expensive, so I just get it down the road.

This year we will give out more gift card for cash because a few are not close enough to know their like and dislikes. I like giving something unexpected and finding they really are surprised and like what I have done for them. Don't really care what I get if anything, just hate to see them spend money they should have spent on their own family. That goes for any kind of cards, they are expensive and the money could be better use on something else.

[harmonics101]

What are you going to remember longer? A gift card? Or an actual gift. 35 years from now, when you look up at the moose gift on your wall, you can say, ' Remember when Uncle Joe got me that for Christmas ? ' With a gift card or cash, it's here and then it's gone.

If Christmas is about material things, then money or a gift card is okay. If Christmas is about memories,

// getting off my soapbox //

H

[harmonics101]

..................................

dupe

[pick me]

Originally Posted by harmonics101

What are you going to remember longer? A gift card? Or an actual gift. 35 years from now, when you look up at the moose gift on your wall, you can say, ' Remember when Uncle Joe got me that for Christmas ? ' With a gift card or cash, it's here and then it's gone.

If Christmas is about material things, then money or a gift card is okay. If Christmas is about memories,

// getting off my soapbox //

H

Or are you going to think about all those gifts you never use in your closets, garage and basement?

[harmonics101]

Originally Posted by pick me

Or are you going to think about all those gifts you never use in your closets, garage and basement?

Those types I re-gift

H

[Twelvefret]

I don't need anything. Let's eat.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by pick me

When people ask what I want for Christmas I give a lame generic answer like socks, underwear, slacks, this year its belts and sacks. I learned a long time ago people just don't understand how to buy for me, an example is I do a lot of cooking/bbqing outdoors hence the reason almost every year some one gets me some kind of grilling accessory, mostly very cheap and of little use to me. One year I ask for some hand tools, wound up with three exact same sets of screwdrivers and pliers of which I had scads of already, guess I was not specific enough.

So I never encourage people to get anything for me that I am interested in because they really don't understand what I need or want and hate to see them waste their money like that. Instead I buy what I want, sometimes even wrap it up to go under the tree from Santa to me. I ether do that or wait until the holidays are done then go get what I want. I don't know of anything they could get me in the way of my hobbies, especially my guitar they could even comperhend what I would like.

Sure I could just show them what I want hoping they would get it but I have never liked getting people things they need or think they want. For instance, I bought a cajon box, drum set, and a didgeridoo for some people that would never guess in a million years they are getting them. They may wind up not liking them but would never experienced them because it is something they would never have considered to buy themselfs.

Anyway they say when you buy something for others in reality it is something you personality would like.

Nothing. I no longer have to announce to the usual suspects that I will not be accepting any gifts. My gift to them is to relieve them of the obligation to buy for me. The first year I announced that nobody believed me. Then, I returned their gifts to them and that caused a period of disbelief, hurt feelings and the usual selfishness gift-givers feel for being snubbed. Certain vocalizations were experienced attempting to name me for being disrespectful. I pointed out that I had made the announcement well in advance and frequently. They chose to disrespect my wishes, because they were selfish, and decided their own desires to be gift givers were more important than respecting my wishes. They all had to get over themselves but you'll have that with gift-givers. It did serve to openly distance them from me permanently but that was already living well in latency. Family can sometimes be a burden. I truly believe the act of giving is more to fetch the feel good feeling for the giver than to give it to the recipient.

[flaggerphil]

The last thing I need is more "Stuff". My kids now know that a Kindle gift card is the worlds most perfect gift, though usually I tell them to get me nothing because I don't want them spending money on me. They rarely listen.

My wife and I always give each other a Disney Annual Pass...no "stuff" involved and we really like going to Disney on a whim.

There are no more young kids in my immediate family. My oldest granddaughter is a Navy 3rd class petty officer and my youngest is 18 and just starting her adult life. We give them a couple of small things they can use and a gift card...which is what they want. Same goes for my kids (41 and 37).

To us the importance of Christmas is family together anyway.

[dagobert]

I ask for nothing. When asked I don't really say anything. I'm not big/comfortable receiving gifts.
I love giving and seeing the joy it brings.

Gift cards.....never give them, to me there to cold and impersonal.