I listen to my wife, and make things appear that she has mentioned in passing. A dress that she liked but didn’t want to spend the money on, a literal shit ton of tape measures (Stanley fat max 16’) as she complained she could never find hers or making dinner of something she mentioned in passing (beef Wellington, once).
You are a very wise man — perhaps even one of *The Wise Men* (the ideal of all Christmas gift-givers)! One of the best gifts I ever received was after my gentleman friend overheard a rant about how I could never find a pair of scissors when I needed one. He bought a 10-pack and some small eye-screws and thin chain and attached a pair to a drawer somewhere in every room of the house!
Thank you for this gift list. I didn’t remember Build-A-Bear because I’m not around children very much, but I have 2 small great nieces who might enjoy bears from them. The idea of making charitable donations in the name of a friend or relative will work too, as my siblings don’t want any more things.
The only person I have ever been good at buying gifts for was my Dad - probably because we are very alike, so I'd get things I'd like. Dad was in parliament during the Fraser years, and knew Howard reasonably well. When his biography came out, I cued up my oldest son to get to a signingin Sydney. He identified himself, so got a personal message from Howard, who also had fond memories of Dad. I'm not sure Dad ever read it, but was tickled to have it!
I too have reached the age where outside a few very specific areas (like specialized tools) I don’t want *more stuff* — I need to start slowly getting rid of the stuff I have now if I don’t want my kids to curse my memory after I’m gone because I left them with a mountain of crap to dispose of. But I *do* like getting “experiences” and have also seen how happy they make other people. I work for a flight school and this time of year we sell a lot of gift certificates for a “discovery flight” which is going up in a small plane with an instructor for an hour. The recipient can fly the plane if he/she wants — we’ll let them do everything but the takeoff and landing and we’ll even throw in some mild 1G aerobatics — or they can just ask to be flown over their house, or a local landmark, and take in the experience. I’ve seen a lot of happy people after these flights and I’ve seen a few life-changing experiences.
I listen to my wife, and make things appear that she has mentioned in passing. A dress that she liked but didn’t want to spend the money on, a literal shit ton of tape measures (Stanley fat max 16’) as she complained she could never find hers or making dinner of something she mentioned in passing (beef Wellington, once).
So far it seems to work.
A wise man! That is an excellent strategy.
I’m like some kinda djinn that makes crap appear (after a bit of a delay)
You are a very wise man — perhaps even one of *The Wise Men* (the ideal of all Christmas gift-givers)! One of the best gifts I ever received was after my gentleman friend overheard a rant about how I could never find a pair of scissors when I needed one. He bought a 10-pack and some small eye-screws and thin chain and attached a pair to a drawer somewhere in every room of the house!
Thank you for this gift list. I didn’t remember Build-A-Bear because I’m not around children very much, but I have 2 small great nieces who might enjoy bears from them. The idea of making charitable donations in the name of a friend or relative will work too, as my siblings don’t want any more things.
People who have you in their lives are very lucky, Holly. I love how much thought and effort you put into gift giving. You're truly a gem.
The only person I have ever been good at buying gifts for was my Dad - probably because we are very alike, so I'd get things I'd like. Dad was in parliament during the Fraser years, and knew Howard reasonably well. When his biography came out, I cued up my oldest son to get to a signingin Sydney. He identified himself, so got a personal message from Howard, who also had fond memories of Dad. I'm not sure Dad ever read it, but was tickled to have it!
I too have reached the age where outside a few very specific areas (like specialized tools) I don’t want *more stuff* — I need to start slowly getting rid of the stuff I have now if I don’t want my kids to curse my memory after I’m gone because I left them with a mountain of crap to dispose of. But I *do* like getting “experiences” and have also seen how happy they make other people. I work for a flight school and this time of year we sell a lot of gift certificates for a “discovery flight” which is going up in a small plane with an instructor for an hour. The recipient can fly the plane if he/she wants — we’ll let them do everything but the takeoff and landing and we’ll even throw in some mild 1G aerobatics — or they can just ask to be flown over their house, or a local landmark, and take in the experience. I’ve seen a lot of happy people after these flights and I’ve seen a few life-changing experiences.
<hee, hee>: duck tape. Probably you mean duct tape
https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Brand-1265013-Inches-Single/dp/B002TOL40A