Christmas!

[teck]

ive gotten to the point that no one can afford anything on my wish list. not even if all my relatives and family get together and pool their money. also how would it go:

Sales Associate: Hello, thank you for calling Rick Owens HQ, my name is Willowfire, may the spirit of Athleticism be with you. Do you want to hear today's work out options?
My Mom: Uh, no. Do you sell clothes?
Sales Associate: Technically, yes.
My Mom: My son would like to buy something he calls "The Raymonds"? Is that a DVD or something?
SA: It's a pair of shoes, but they come in a box big enough to hold the entire VHS boxed set of 'Sous le Soleil"
My Mom: How much are they?
SA: 890 Euros
Mom: No i mean for the shoes, not the DVDs
SA: 890 Euros, still.
Mom: That's ridiculous! What can I buy for about $200 US dollars?
SA: Hm, there's a leather envelope that we typically use to hold scraps of hair and receipts. That's 200 Euros.
Mom: Fine. Do you take Visa?
SA: We do, but we prefer to be paid in stones.
Mom: (Hangs up)

[UnwashedMolasses]

I've actually had the same issue for years. Before I was into clothing it was instruments or other music equipment, and it was always >$150 for anything on my list. My philosophy was always that "if I want something cheap I'll just buy it myself, why make other people buy it for me?" Eventually I realized that runs completely contradictory to the entire spirit of Christmas, so I've tried to work a lot more at appreciating the thought that a little gift can hold.

[RycePooding]

My family has begun to just give me money for this very reason. It's kind of lame, but in the end it's just the best way to make sure I get what I actualy want. Also, hannukah starts next week. Where my jew bros at...

[maj]

always found the best best gifts are stuff you wouldn't buy, like socks, a cd, a game ect rather than stuff i'd go out of my way to buy. this year i'd like some new socks and that topgear dvd and that's about it.

what i really look forward to is the food, steam sales, general spirit, and walking around town on boxing day/January when the store sales start. been trying to convince my family for the last year or so to hold Christmas till mid January then it would be cheaper for all involved but they're not biting. i love a good bargain.

[hirokinakamura]

You guys look forward to the food because you don't have to cook it

I will spend all day Christmas Eve cooking traditional Italian seafood feast for about 25 people. Not that I don't enjoy it, but goddamn if it isn't exhausting. No idea how my grandfather used to manage it.

[starfox64]

I am asking for a new computer. Dunno if my parents are willing to pony up the money for that. Otherwise I just want some socks and a new belt and a few books.

When I was young we used to do big holiday get-togethers, with family flying in from all over the country, but for the past like 8 years or so it has just been my parents, my brother, and I during Christmas. It's really nice. We open presents in the morning, and then watch five straight NBA games, with an interruption for dinner.

Also my mom is a pretty good cook so it's awesome to come home because there are cookies everywhere. Gingerbread is the best.

[RycePooding]

You gonna be in chicago area?

[starfox64]

yeah, that's where my parents live.

[hirokinakamura]

How long are you gonna be in Chicago starfox

Planning my trip, hopefully, for second week of January

[RycePooding]

I'm free dec22-jan21, Imma be banging around in the area

[starfox64]

I'll be in the USA from December 14-29. New York from December 18-21, rest of the time in Chicago.

[hirokinakamura]

Ah word, we'll chill when you're in nyc I guess

We can get burgers

[starfox64]

tryna lose my shake shack virginity

[odradek]

ctnyc meetup

[charybdis]

If anyone's going to be in portland, let's go get inappropriately shaped doughnuts from Voodoo together.

[odradek]

[can-]

this requires an explanation

[odradek]

Let's talk about presents.

buying presents is hard. it is emotionally taxing. i cogitate for weeks (or more) when i want to buy something for myself and i usually know what i'm thinking. when i buy something for the person who has everything they want (which is probably just about anyone over the age of 23 or so) then it gets really tough.

there's the outsource method: http://www.birchbox.com/ is the gift that continues throughout the year but good god is it lazy. luckily, people tend to not care.

there's the consumable method: liquor for those who drink, fancy chocolates or whatever for those who don't. i get my dad a box of every year for a family specific nostalgia reason but that's not a full-sized gift, imo. i get like, handcream or whatever for my mom because otherwise i'm really clueless. i don't know if my parents share my affinity for nice soap. i'd consider getting my brother a set of hot sauces but something that's not personally put together feels lazy.

there's the useful method: sorry asians, but i like buying my parents knifes. they have shitty ones and it's a great way for them to update the kitchen. i recently got a and i'd be fucking delighted to get another one or accoutrement for it.

then there's the batshit insane stuff - this is the present method my dad subscribes to. posters from the 70s that he found in the attic, chinese gewgaws from the early 80s, shit he's found and wants to breathe new life into. i'm fond of these but unless you have a back collection, it can be tough. also, let's be real, except for the personal aspect they're usually shitty things that have been forgotten in the depths of the cellar for a reason.

you can give experiences: cooking classes, dance classes, tickets to a show or something. i don't like doing this just because it's tough to build around schedules. coupons for doing the dishes stopped being a good idea when i was 13.

so let's talk about what unexpected or really fantastic things you've given or have been given in the past, where to find 'them and why you liked 'them. no socks, i know we all want socks anyway. i'm not buying anyone socks.

[odradek]

etsy is a goldmine:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/126972431/r ... ome-garden

http://www.etsy.com/listing/111665551/b ... ome-garden

would love to receive this
http://www.etsy.com/listing/161328950/g ... ome-garden

[schiaparelli]

i'm reviving this thread because #care-tags demands it. this is a mega-post and i apologize in advance. i wish to ask for advice on my current present situation and of course if you want to say yes/no or give advice on particular things, i would super appreciate it!

xxx

i have a little sister, aged 16, and i'm in the double-decker gifting scenario of a birthday and christmas following soon after. will give both my gifts to her at once as i won't be home until after her birthday. right now i'm thinking i'd like to get her a cool sweater or a tote bag. re: sweater, madewell is convenient because i have a significant bit of store credit so the actual out-of-pocket expense could be like $20 or something.


(^ in navy/persimmon/grey)


(^ ; only colourway)

re: the tote, i was thinking some of the following—


(^ on etsy)


(^ on etsy)


(^ on etsy)

xxx

recently-acquired boyfriend, aged 24, and i'm trying to figure out the right kind of present which is simultaneously sweet but not too OTT and doesn't place undue pressures on him or both of us and future presents. he likes octopodes and socks and needs a mug. um~


(^ via j. crew)


(^ by madeleine thoma)

there are quite a few other anonymous ism socks i really like.

xxx

mother & father, of dubious age (they've had us lie about it for so long to outsiders that i've forgotten their actual age). it is really tough to figure this out since whenever i ask, they tell me they just want me to receive a good education, be able to support myself, build a family, and be happy and successful. and also build them a swimming pool. many of these things are not immediately available/possible. had some ideas of finding a cute couples pair of mugs or something but i don't think they really need me to buy things for them just for the sake of having a physical present. i may write a little poem/story/essayish thing for them. i think love letters are seriously underrated in this day and age

[Prince of Scandinavia]

I'm looking for gift ideas for my family and myself but so far this is what I got to get them:

Brother
My little brother wants a few vinyl lp's something like Stillwater's "I reserve the right!" and The Smashing Punkins' "Mellon Collie and the infinite Sadness" along with this self portrait shirt

I might buy him and myself these scissors from COS.

Sister
My little sister wants some Comme des fuck down beanie, but I won't be giving her that. So gotta find something else to give her.

My Parents
My parents just want me home for christmas at the moment, but I'll probably get some wish out of them sooner or later. I bought some Burberry Prorsum cropped pants a week ago, and might give these to my father since they are too big for me. But they are too long too, and I'm a bit taller than him, perhaps he can get them shortened.

Gift Ideas:
- The traditional chinese scissors from COS seems like a great niché item. But not like those usual useless gifts you always get for christmas.
- http://www.cosstores.com/gb/Shop/Gifts/Men COS made some great gift ideas (atleast for men, I haven't checked out the womens gift ideas though)
- Will update the list when I find more suggestions! :')

[pips]

Mostly I just ask for GCs from stores I like... easier that way for everyone involved. This year maybe I'll just ask for GCs from Muji or my favorite grocery.

I like giving food as gifts, especially those that come in cute packaging. I'm trying to look for a better alternative to cupcakes, cookies or cronuts for gifts because everyone else will have that in mind. Maybe something like a cake in a weird flavor. I'm eyeing these brownie-like things and they come in flavors like cream cheese x bourbon x bacon.



For my mom my siblings and I are going to pitch in to buy her/us a proper washing machine. Oddly enough I generally do not give Christmas gifts to my siblings. As for myself I'm buying these Tokyo Bopper shoes I've been swooning over for the past few years before the year ends.

[rjbman]

odradek: My best/favorite gift was when I was a little kid (8 or 9 I think). We would always open gifts with the family on Christmas Eve then open Santa's gifts on Christmas Day. Well my uncle got me a PS2 game, something about Lilo and Stitch, but at the time I didn't have a PS2 :(. Well come Christmas morning, guess what I got?! A PS2. Little me was so happy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's what I've currently got planned:

17 yr old sister: She just got a vinyl player on Black Friday, of course she doesn't own any vinyl. So I'm planning on getting her 1 (2? Dunno how much they are) album; I'm sure the campus Urban Outfitters carries them.

14 yr old sister: No fucking clue. She tweets and instagrams all day and mooches off my Netflix to watch 90210. Really need some help here.

Parents: Debating getting separate things or one bigger gift. Dad's a golfer and big on football/basketball, but has a shitload of apparel already. Maybe chocolate for Mom but I feel like that's a cop out and not all that special. They do a lot of stuff anyways: concerts, dinners out with their friends, etc; so I'm a bit lost on what to do for them.

[Vaeltaja]

I got a prepaid visa card for my birthday which I used to pay for Luxire pants. I'll probably get that for Christmas too. Of course I doubt anyone would accept a giftcard for payment; it's sort of ridiculous that even if I'm getting $200 I can't get a whole lot out of it clothing-wise. I'll probably buy snacks with it and use the money I would have used for food on clothes.

Does Rakuten accept giftcards?

[rjbman]

I'm pretty sure the prepaid Visas work just like credit cards assuming you're under the balance.

[can-]

cos makes scissors?

[Vaeltaja]

[bels]

[oieoou]

I would love those scissors as a c.gift. Too bad cos doesnt ship to u.s.

[sknss]

it starts TODAY