What is on your Christmas list?

AprilZ81 · November 2015

At the request of my MIL I've been working on my Christmas list. I don't "need" much of anything so I've included some pretty practical items for the most part. I've included some items for our bathroom remodel (light fixtures, faucets, towel holders), fixtures for the house to continue removing all traces of brass (ick!) and putting in oil rubbed bronze and some kitchen stuff (airtight containers for flour & sugar, a deep fryer and a dutch oven).

The more frivolous items are Hunter rain boots, a sewing machine table, piano technique books, a world map with a scratch off surface so I can scratch off the places I've been (from Etsy), perfume and more pieces for my Willow Tree Nativity.

Of course I don't expect to get everything (or close to it) but they asked for ideas so I'm giving them options.

Last year I ask for (and received) a bunch of felt and padded hangers so I could have matching hangers in our closet. I was ridiculously excited to get them and MIL & FIL thought I was a bit crazy for putting that on my wish list. I told them that I had wanted them for awhile but couldn't justify buying new hangers when I had plenty that still worked. LOL

PurpleBookmark · November 2015

This year we've told our parents they should forego gifts for us since we now have 3 kiddos for them to buy for and we don't want to overwhelm anyone. That said I know my parents are still buying us things for our home. They are getting replacement cushions for our glider; it was an awesome hand me down but it's 13 years old now and the cushions are stained and faded. It's amazing quality, it was custom made for DH's uncle when he had his son since he is a big football player type guy. There are so many color choices, I'm torn between orange(our favorite decor color) or blue (more neutral). They also bought us a sofa cover for our couch.

I was kind of hoping DH would get me a certain necklace but I looked at some more pictures of it and I don't like it as much as I thought. I would love some leather bookmarks, I have one gorgeous one that I love.

Xstatic3333 · November 2015

If my mom asks, and she usually does, some things on my list are a set of class food storage containers that are the right size for packing lunches to work, one of those silly dog DNA tests, and curtains for a couple of our rooms (I'm talking Target curtains here, nothing crazy pricy). Sometimes my parents prefer to get one larger gift for H and I, and in that case there is an area rug that's reasonably priced that I have my eye on. I could also use a new pair of work shoes. My job can take me from tromping around somebody's farm in the AM to a meeting I want to look respectable for in the PM, and short leather shoes from the brand Keane's are pretty much the only thing I've found that works.

abrewer5 · November 2015

I don't really have much on there. H and I are trying to go on a trip in Feb so we decided if we go we won't do gifts, but if we end up not going I'll probably spring and get him a Wii U. He's been really wanting one, and I'd love to get it for him.

I'd like new work out clothes, work clothes and a garmin GPS watch for my runs. I doubt I'll get any of that because I'm just too hard to shop for so I'm ok with that.

That's a great idea to ask for home stuff for Christmas. Maybe I'll tell people home depot gift cards so we can put them towards our bathroom remodel and possible bathroom build in the basement.

Xstatic3333 · November 2015

abrewer5 said:

I don't really have much on there. H and I are trying to go on a trip in Feb so we decided if we go we won't do gifts, but if we end up not going I'll probably spring and get him a Wii U. He's been really wanting one, and I'd love to get it for him.

I'd like new work out clothes, work clothes and a garmin GPS watch for my runs. I doubt I'll get any of that because I'm just too hard to shop for so I'm ok with that.

That's a great idea to ask for home stuff for Christmas. Maybe I'll tell people home depot gift cards so we can put them towards our bathroom remodel and possible bathroom build in the basement.

I'm not a video game person at all, but this is what H has and I'll admit it's pretty cool. He has some "party games" like Mario Cart that are fun to play when we have friends over. New work out clothes is a good idea too. All of my running tights are starting to physically break down at this point.

dragonstarjk · November 2015

I (and my H, and most of my immediate family) maintain an Amazon wishlist so we can always see the things that each other would like to get. This year, I would love to get some new towels, an extra set of flannel sheets, a new pair of dressy shoes for work, or some décor items for our front porch to use in the summer.

csuave · November 2015

I'm horrible at making lists because I usually don't want anything or if I do want something I just buy it myself. Luckily I don't exchange with my family or H, I just need to make a list for his family.

I've been working on this list for about a year now so I actually have more things than usual: tea, hot chocolate, green tea flavored kit kats, a chess set, raw almonds for snacking at work, a copy of "The Last Lecture" to keep in the guest room, gift card to the local small business tea shop, gift card to the local bakery by my work and maybe a gift card to a restaurant chain by work so I can go out to lunch.

maple2 · November 2015

Hopefully I'll get some ideas from this post! Instead of buying housewares when I want them, I usually wait and throw that kind of stuff on a Christmas list. It's not particularly fun for the gift giver, but it is stuff I really want and know that I'll use. So far may list includes a new toaster, a toilet paper holder for the bathroom, and new wooden spoons. I'm also hoping to get more into biking this year, so I'm asking for things like bike lights and a rear view mirror. Totally boring, I know.

jessica490 · November 2015

We stopped doing Christmas gifts with the family a while ago...so we usually buy ourselves something special that we want to splurge on.

AprilZ81 · November 2015

jessica490 said:

We stopped doing Christmas gifts with the family a while ago...so we usually buy ourselves something special that we want to splurge on.

With my side of the family we go back and forth. Some years we only buy for the kids and some years we exchange names and sometimes we buy for everyone. When we buy for everyone we just buy one gift and don't go crazy. As we get older and harder to buy for I always push to just buy for the kids but I'm not always successful with that. With DH's family we only exchange with his parents (he is an only child) and I do baked goods baskets for the other adults in his family when we meet up with them for lunch. His parents are crazy generous with both of us and we try to do the same with them. We have the money and don't mind it but it is silly to spend so much on Christmas without kids in the room. DH inherited the generous gene. Last year was his first Christmas on a budget and he struggled. lol I'm hoping that this year won't be so bad

simplyelise · November 2015

We only receive gifts from each other, my parents, and in an exchange with my siblings. Our gift budget for each other this year is $25 and for the exchange with my siblings it's only $20. My parents tend to get us one joint gift. DH's M/SD and D/SM will sometimes give us a gift card or cash, it's never a set thing.

Mostly, my amazon wishlist right now is showing a lot of kitchen tools: silicone whisk, silicone spoon rest, ramekin set, new wooden spoons, and silicone baking mats. Each one of those would fit under the gift limits, so that's nice!

blondie42107 · November 2015

I'm pretty sure H is getting me a Kitchen Aid mixer. A few weeks ago he randomly asked me about all the color options. I would love one but would never ask for one. I'm definitely a giver.

I'm eying up a new watch. Fitbit bracelets - I've thought about splurging for a Tory Burch one which would be way more dressy for work but not sure if I could justify the price. Maybe a new point and shoot camera - current one is getting old.

hoffse · November 2015

The "gift" H and I are giving each other is our trip to Germany and Belgium. We aren't exchanging other gifts this year.

We are going to be on the hunt for hand carved nativity scenes to bring back for the families we buy for. They are all fairly religious and would love them.

For my parents, we are thinking of getting them some travel-related items. I have almost convinced my mom to leave the country. She's a nervous traveler and has never been overseas. She has tentatively agreed to go if we went with her and my dad for the first trip, so we're probably scrapping the Asia idea for next summer and going some place in Europe she wants to visit. It's looking like Scotland is a high contender and maybe Italy. If we have a firm commitment by Christmas, I'm going to do a gift basket with guidebooks, maps, plug converters, a pacsafe bag, etc.

For us, my parents offered a large gift card to the Robert Trent Jones golf trail in our area. There are 4 or 5 courses pretty close to where we live. We will happily take that! Golf is a pretty expensive hobby.

FirstMate06 · November 2015

@Blondie42107 All of my siblings and I pitched in last Christmas to buy my mom the Tory Burch FitBit bracelet from Nordstrom. She absolutely loves it and it looks so elegant and classy. Now I want one as well.

I keep a running Amazon wish list going as well. Some of the things on there are small, stocking stuffer type gifts like books and an iphone case and a couple of them are larger items like clothing and giftcards. My family tends to go overboard on Christmas so I like keeping the list going even though it takes out some of the surprise, at least I know that I'll get things that I need/want, its also a great way to make sure everyone knows your clothing and shoe sizes for gift purposes. H and I usually exchange one big gift (a "want" that's around ~$100) and a stocking with smaller gifts (favorite candy, a CD).

Hoping to get some new cookbooks this year and new workout clothes!

julieanne912 · November 2015

We don't do gifts at all with my family, and with H's family, we just buy for his nephews, but we never spend more than $50 combined for them. They usually make us something (like last year went to one of those paint a pottery places and painted us a plate, it was cute).

Both sets of H's parents usually end up buying us stuff, although I wish they wouldn't, especially since we just got married and his dad and his GF bought us a riding lawnmower, and his mom bought us a really nice artificial Christmas tree for that. But they probably will anyway. They don't buy off lists though, so I don't bother making one.

kmurphy2131 · November 2015

Xstatic3333 said:

If my mom asks, and she usually does, some things on my list are a set of class food storage containers that are the right size for packing lunches to work, one of those silly dog DNA tests, and curtains for a couple of our rooms (I'm talking Target curtains here, nothing crazy pricy). Sometimes my parents prefer to get one larger gift for H and I, and in that case there is an area rug that's reasonably priced that I have my eye on. I could also use a new pair of work shoes. My job can take me from tromping around somebody's farm in the AM to a meeting I want to look respectable for in the PM, and short leather shoes from the brand Keane's are pretty much the only thing I've found that works.

If someone got me that for xmas I would be so happy. I really want to do it, but it seems so incredibly frivilous.

als1982 · November 2015

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze.

H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

kmurphy2131 · November 2015

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze. H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

I completely understand. Its a little less extreme in my husbands family but it drives me nuts - it feels like an exchange of 20-50 dollars between everyone. My family hasn't done that since the late 80's. My parents, brother, and I do gifts but it doesn't extend beyond that.

I have tried to get my husband to push for a yankee swap, but he won't do it for some reason. Last year I made caramels and homemade Baileys and I will do the same this year. It still costs money to get supplies, but it covers family & coworkers and I don't feel like I'm participating in a money exchange.

blondie42107 · November 2015

kmurphy2131 said:

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze.

H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

I completely understand. Its a little less extreme in my husbands family but it drives me nuts - it feels like an exchange of 20-50 dollars between everyone. My family hasn't done that since the late 80's. My parents, brother, and I do gifts but it doesn't extend beyond that.

I have tried to get my husband to push for a yankee swap, but he won't do it for some reason. Last year I made caramels and homemade Baileys and I will do the same this year. It still costs money to get supplies, but it covers family & coworkers and I don't feel like I'm participating in a money exchange.

Extended family on my mom's side stopped exchanging shortly after gift certificates/gift cards came out in the early to mid 90s. Everyone wrote down "gift certificate/card to (insert) store," on their list. It was a paper/plastic exchange.

dragonstarjk · November 2015

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze. H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

This is how it is with my immediate family. I don't mean to sound ungrateful either, but my family really, really, really can't afford to get gifts for everybody but yet they still insist on doing so, so it's usually a bunch of little stuff we don't want/need and I desperately wish they would just keep the money because they need it badly. Two years ago, I suggested we draw names, which we did, but my family hated it and felt 'guilty' that they didn't get things for each person. So that's out the window. Now I just try to tell them, we're just doing small things this year because we can't afford much--that's my way of trying to keep their spending down without saying, you guys can't afford to buy us stuff. My mom would be so offended if I ever acted like I was better off than them--not that I would!

als1982 · November 2015

kmurphy2131 said:

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze.

H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

I completely understand. Its a little less extreme in my husbands family but it drives me nuts - it feels like an exchange of 20-50 dollars between everyone. My family hasn't done that since the late 80's. My parents, brother, and I do gifts but it doesn't extend beyond that.

I have tried to get my husband to push for a yankee swap, but he won't do it for some reason. Last year I made caramels and homemade Baileys and I will do the same this year. It still costs money to get supplies, but it covers family & coworkers and I don't feel like I'm participating in a money exchange.

I would freaking LOVE homemade carmels and Bailey's!

smetter04 · November 2015

dragonstarjk said:

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze. H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

This is how it is with my immediate family. I don't mean to sound ungrateful either, but my family really, really, really can't afford to get gifts for everybody but yet they still insist on doing so, so it's usually a bunch of little stuff we don't want/need and I desperately wish they would just keep the money because they need it badly. Two years ago, I suggested we draw names, which we did, but my family hated it and felt 'guilty' that they didn't get things for each person. So that's out the window. Now I just try to tell them, we're just doing small things this year because we can't afford much--that's my way of trying to keep their spending down without saying, you guys can't afford to buy us stuff. My mom would be so offended if I ever acted like I was better off than them--not that I would!

I'm in the same boat with my MIL - she can't afford to buy gifts, but every year she goes overboard and buys us and my SIL a ton of gifts. I don't want to sound ungrateful either, but in the end I don't feel right accepting gifts that I know she went into further credit card debt for. In my book, the best gift would be to not buy us gifts and work toward debt-payoff. But the question is, how do we convince her to not buy us gifts?

cbee817 · November 2015

DH and I were just talking about this over the weekend at breakfast (DH's parents watched the girls and we were able to check out a new breakfast place- amazing crepes!). We couldn't really think of anything we wanted so we might end up getting something for the house. Luckily we have a little bit of time. DH's parents love to give gifts- it's hard to come up with stuff so we usually end up with gift cards to places we go to a lot which is nice. They think it's silly but not having to pay for groceries one week out the year and use a gift card is awesome!

The girls are pretty much all set- legos (they love the princess sets), an IKEA duktig kitchen that DH and I hacking, quilts made by me for their beds (they're off to the long arm quilter tomorrow!), aprons for their kitchen (made by me), books, a set of matryoshka dolls for each of them (they fight over the set my grandma got me in Germany so having their own will hopefully spare mine from being destroyed), and socks for their stocking (tradition from when I was growing up). We don't go overboard and the kitchen is a present for the both of them- I think they'll love it. They have a really tiny one now that they're outgrowing and the duktig one will be a nice upgrade. My parents usually give them $ and a book, we are trying to control DH's parents and have them down to a few small things, zoo membership for the year, and $.

csuave · November 2015

AprilZ81 said:

At the request of my MIL I've been working on my Christmas list. I don't "need" much of anything so I've included some pretty practical items for the most part. I've included some items for our bathroom remodel (light fixtures, faucets, towel holders), fixtures for the house to continue removing all traces of brass (ick!) and putting in oil rubbed bronze and some kitchen stuff (airtight containers for flour & sugar, a deep fryer and a dutch oven).

The more frivolous items are Hunter rain boots, a sewing machine table, piano technique books, a world map with a scratch off surface so I can scratch off the places I've been (from Etsy), perfume and more pieces for my Willow Tree Nativity.

Of course I don't expect to get everything (or close to it) but they asked for ideas so I'm giving them options.

Last year I ask for (and received) a bunch of felt and padded hangers so I could have matching hangers in our closet. I was ridiculously excited to get them and MIL & FIL thought I was a bit crazy for putting that on my wish list. I told them that I had wanted them for awhile but couldn't justify buying new hangers when I had plenty that still worked. LOL

@AprilZ81 if you like shopping at Target you may want to check out their bathroom fixtures. I got a towel ring there at a great price that looks just fine next to the expensive bar that came with the house.

formerlyGDaisy09 · November 2015

We've stopped doing gifts with most family. On H's side we get his nieces and nephews gifts, and don't worry about his sisters and their husbands, in turn they don't worry about us. Parents this year will be getting newborn or family photos.

For H and I we generally decide on something we've been wanting for a while, set a budget and buy it. This year since we've finished the basement and have a new entertainment space down there we're looking into sound-bars to improve the sound quality on the entertainment set-up down there (budget is <$300).

Since it'll be baby's first Christmas, I expect that my mom and MIL might go a little crazy, I'm really looking to avoid having tons and tons of toys that serve similar purposes around the house, so I'm planning to direct them towards anything that's remaining on our registries and/or clothes in larger sizes.

hoffse · November 2015

My family tends to go overboard, but they were a LOT better about birthdays this year. They got H a set of tools he needed for some DIY and me a vacuum sealer because that's what I asked for. Other than that, just some new dish towels and oven mitts because my mom noticed ours were gross. They were able to refrain from giving us anything else, which is good.

I'm hoping the golf gift card will be all they do for Christmas this year, though my mom traditionally does an ornament for our tree also (which we like). We have been slowly but surely bringing them around to "experience" gifts in the hopes that once we have kids they won't revert to huge quantities of toys. I love the idea of zoo memberships or something like that.

A few years ago my MIL got a pandora bracelet for me and my SIL for Christmas. She now gives us a bead for our birthdays and Christmas every year. It's genius because she doesn't have to think about what to get us, and it's a very nice but physically small gift that doesn't take up very much space. We both wear the bracelets a lot.

vlagrl29 · November 2015

pretty much the same every year - cash, spa gift cards, yoga pants

I need to make a list for us soon for family but I honestly have no idea what we want.

csuave · November 2015

blondie42107 said:

als1982 said:

I can never think of things I want but my mom is really, really good at just picking things that she knows I will like. She's getting good at individual gifts for H too. Plus she usually gives us a couple's gift, last year it was a deep freeze. H's family goes overboard with gifts and we're expected to buy everyone something, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's pretty obnoxious IMO. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather everyone just keep their $20 than end up with a car load of stuff that I don't need given by people who don't really know me that well.

I completely understand. Its a little less extreme in my husbands family but it drives me nuts - it feels like an exchange of 20-50 dollars between everyone. My family hasn't done that since the late 80's. My parents, brother, and I do gifts but it doesn't extend beyond that.

I have tried to get my husband to push for a yankee swap, but he won't do it for some reason. Last year I made caramels and homemade Baileys and I will do the same this year. It still costs money to get supplies, but it covers family & coworkers and I don't feel like I'm participating in a money exchange.
Extended family on my mom's side stopped exchanging shortly after gift certificates/gift cards came out in the early to mid 90s. Everyone wrote down "gift certificate/card to (insert) store," on their list. It was a paper/plastic exchange.

I agree with frustration here. I can't get out of the exchange with Hs family because it is his family and they all like it but we never even saw them last December. They shipped presents to us...but even then we had to be like don't ship them between these dates because we won't be home.

With my family getting out wasn't as hard as a I thought it would be. Several years ago I suggested a name exchange instead of buying for everyone and my mom hated the idea. I then told her that was fine, I would just drop out of exchanging. That year when my brother asked me what I wanted and when I was talking with my aunt I told them I was out. They all still exchange but I don't. I still buy for the kids though and that is the main focus of the gift portion of the day anyway. Now that I am married it is actually working out well because we only see my family every other year so the off years they don't have to worry about shipping gifts or anything like that. My mom still gives us a check every year though.

PurpleBookmark · November 2015

csuave said:

I'm horrible at making lists because I usually don't want anything or if I do want something I just buy it myself. Luckily I don't exchange with my family or H, I just need to make a list for his family.

I've been working on this list for about a year now so I actually have more things than usual: tea, hot chocolate, green tea flavored kit kats, a chess set, raw almonds for snacking at work, a copy of "The Last Lecture" to keep in the guest room, gift card to the local small business tea shop, gift card to the local bakery by my work and maybe a gift card to a restaurant chain by work so I can go out to lunch.

I am now adding green tea kit kats to my Christmas list!

short+sassy · November 2015

PurpleBookmark said:

csuave said:

I'm horrible at making lists because I usually don't want anything or if I do want something I just buy it myself. Luckily I don't exchange with my family or H, I just need to make a list for his family.

I've been working on this list for about a year now so I actually have more things than usual: tea, hot chocolate, green tea flavored kit kats, a chess set, raw almonds for snacking at work, a copy of "The Last Lecture" to keep in the guest room, gift card to the local small business tea shop, gift card to the local bakery by my work and maybe a gift card to a restaurant chain by work so I can go out to lunch.

I am now adding green tea kit kats to my Christmas list!

I don't even know what that is, but now I want to try one, lol.

brij2006 · November 2015

So far my list has a jewelry armoire on it.

What is on your Christmas list?

Re: What is on your Christmas list?

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