The Christmas Countdown Thread!

[trekkiedane]

I restrict who I buy presents for, and those I do buy for tend to get the same thing. Well not exactly, but some variation on the theme of a bottle of nice wine or a box of good chocs.

Not many kids or teenagers I know would say thank you like they meant it if they got either of those things.

I don't know any kids or teenagers, and by god, I don't intend to, let alone start buying presents for any of them...!

I've got a teenage nephew and a kid niece and the kid of my best friend (who's a single mum fighting hard to make ends meet) just turned 13 - so I have three of those on my gift-list.
(I'm contemplating giving my nephew a bottle of that 'green herbal wine' his age group seems to like very much these days (he turned 18 earlier this year)). Still have no idea what to give the young teen and the kid this year though.

In any event, I wasn't aware that happiness of the recipient is a key determinant of whether the social ritual of present-giving has been successfully completed.

I'm sure you have a book about it somewhere...

Oh, right...

Actually, on a somewhat more serious note, most people will be as happy with wine/chocs as with anything else I could give them.

Right! -homemade x-mas goodies is the fall-back option (much more personal than any store-bought variations of the same stuff (even if it mostly is (a lot) more expensive).

And on that very same note: I have been making walnut-bitters for a number of years (see my TBBS photo album) and gifted it for x-mas (it actually is quite better than whiskey or brandy -meaning that you can make it at a price-tag of about 10 £/l. and it'll taste A LOT better than most brandies or whiskeys at up to (and probably exceeding) 70 £/l. But you will have to wait a handful of years before it's that good (some people won't drink it if it's younger than 12 years (which, again, is comparable to brandy and whiskey ))

"What Did You say?"

I like ^that one MUCH better

 

[Holdfast]

(I'm contemplating giving my nephew a bottle of that 'green herbal wine' his age group seems to like very much these days (he turned 18 earlier this year)). Still have no idea what to give the young teen and the kid this year though.

You answer your own question:

And on that very same note: I have been making walnut-bitters for a number of years...

But you will have to wait a handful of years before it's that good (some people won't drink it if it's younger than 12 years )

Perfect. You can give them the booze now, even though they're underage, and just tell them they can't drink it for 12 years.

I'm all about the problem-solving...

 

[trekkiedane]

Perfect. You can give them the booze now, even though they're underage, and just tell them they can't drink it for 12 years.

I'm all about the problem-solving...

What a brilliant idea! I'll be the 'uncle' that's just as cool as the aunt that knits the x-mas gifts herself


(Dang! -another one of them new emoticons I thought I'd never have a use for!)

 

[Kira's Mom]

My choir started learning our Christmas music in September. I don't mind, because it's tough music and we need all the time we can get!

The craft stores in my area (like Michaels and Hobby Lobby) are half full of Christmas stuff- but if you do crafts, now is the time to start.

 

[ladyheather69]

I love Christmas! We usually put the tree up the week of Thanksgiving, especially if we have a house full of guests. It puts a warm cozy feeling in the house, at least to us. Since Thanksgiving is later in the month this year, we may go ahead and put it up the weekend before. I have fond memories of decorating the tree and just sitting and staring at the twinkling lights.
We will probably have a challenge this year though... we have a new dog who will be about 6 1/2 months old at Christmas. I am not one to put up a fence or gate around the tree so he can't get at it...so we shall see what happens.

 

[auntiehill]

Get a smaller tree and put it up on a table. Works with toddlers, too.

 

[F. King Daniel]

-56

 

[F. King Daniel]

-55 and happy halloween!

For the past few years, my family's gotten into homemade Xmas and birthday cards (and I've been forced into it to keep up). Not only do I have to come up with ideas for Xmas cards, but my sister's birthday is at the start of January. On the plus side, I've come up with some cool photoshopped cards over the years. On the minus side, ideas are stating to run out.

 

[Mary Ann]

^How about adding some decoupage to the cards, which is simply a fancy way of saying "glue some crap on it". Or buy some stickers and dress up whatever card you make with them. Heck, I'll teach you to cross-stitch if you come down here and bring a bottle of wine.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Well i'm already filling up on "Christmas cheer."

 

[F. King Daniel]

^How about adding some decoupage to the cards, which is simply a fancy way of saying "glue some crap on it". Or buy some stickers and dress up whatever card you make with them. Heck, I'll teach you to cross-stitch if you come down here and bring a bottle of wine.

Decoupage has been done to death. The create and craft channel was background noise in our house for years. I tried to ignore it, but you subliminally pick things up. I still tease my mother and sister that the correct term isn't "peel off" but "sticker" - it's like telling a graphic novel nut that the correct term is "comic book"

My sister would hate me if I started doing cross-stitch in cards - that's her thing.



-54

 

[Amaris]

I can't really afford Christmas gifts this year, at least not in the traditional sense, so everyone gets muffin baskets that I have baked myself. Blueberry, Pumpkin and Chocolate chip.

 

[DBR]

I'll be getting my youngest dog a hockey jersey and my girlfriend and I are going to the UAE in the spring, which will be our gift. My family will be doing our traditional Xmas eve dinner and board game, Xmas day movie (which will probably be Tron,) and my Mom's boxing day open house on the 26th. And I want to try making sugar plums this year.

*Phew*

Done my Christmas planning. Bring on the next holiday.

 

[SPCTRE]

It's never too early to get in the mood for Christmas (and get on the nerves of all those grumpy Christmas-haters ).

Great thread, KingDaniel!

 

[SmoothieX]

I've already spent over $1200 so I can visit my in-laws over Xmas. 2 cross country plane tickets plus boarding 2 dogs for a week isn't cheap. I'd fill their stockings with coal if I could afford it...

 

[Mary Ann]

I can't really afford Christmas gifts this year, at least not in the traditional sense, so everyone gets muffin baskets that I have baked myself. Blueberry, Pumpkin and Chocolate chip.

I think this is a lovely idea. I'm also going to do some baking (I always do), and I'm thinking of diving into my yarn stash and knitting some hats, gloves and scarves, provided I can find the time. I already have the yarn and the patterns so they will be cheap and cheerful gifts in that sense.

Daniel, I'm sorry I couldn't come up with any better ideas. With such a crafty mother and sister no wonder you feel the pressure!

 

[F. King Daniel]

-51

I didn't forget about this thread, honest

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Bought a tree a couple days ago. Artificial trees are so much nicer than they were last time I bought one (1992). Pre-lit and more realistic. Of course, also more expensive. But this one was left over from last year and therefore on sale. And since it uses standard mini tree bulbs (some don't), I'll be able to plug in my Enterprise D.

 

[Tribbles]

I love real Christmas trees and have only had one once in my life. It smelled so wonderful. Now that I have a cat, I'm worried about the tree being toxic to her, so I think I'll have to get a nice artificial tree that will last us awhile.

I bought some 90's Hallmark Kirk and Spock ornaments on ebay over the summer. I got Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia ornaments, too. I can't wait to put them all on the tree next to Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I love real Christmas trees and have only had one once in my life. It smelled so wonderful..

They do smell wonderful. Unfortunately, I'm allergic.