I still haven't bought my sister anything for Christmas. I am giving her and her husband a 'date night' basket with a movie rental gift card, popcorn, etc. but I need to get her some other things also. But I have no idea what to get her.
Any thoughts?
She doesn't have, nor does she want, an iPod (Which was my original idea for her). They have a Wii, but she never plays it. I can't think of a single movie she would like (she's very picky).
Last year I got her a designer tote bag. The year before, a designer purse. She carries neither. My mom now uses the tote bag to carry my niece's dance and gymnastics things in.
Re: A semistressful problem
gift card for a mani/pedi? If she won't use it on her own, you both go and make a girls day out of it.
new watch
necklace, earrings?
My sister got me slippers and I am so happy with them, maybe some perfume!
GL
Good suggestions though...any other ideas???
She doesn't wear perfume either (says it makes her sick to her stomach).
She is seriously the hardest woman in the world to buy for. And I refuse to get her a restaurant gift card. She eats out too much as it is....oh...I wonder if I could find some really good cookbooks? Would that be a bad idea?
I don't know about the cook books. I honestly think the best ones are the church type ones that have every kind of receipie in there. I wouldn't want ones with just one style of food, kwim?
Does she drink coffee? Maybe one of those all in one coffee/espresso, lattee makers.
I can already feel the ice cold look for this comment, but what about McD's gift cards? You said she's been eating out a lot... although maybe Subway would be a slightly better option. LOL
Honestly, the cookbooks, IMO, would feel a little like you were "nudging her" still. Although, if she cooks and you got her a cookbook (maybe nothing TOO healthy or obnoxiously trying to get to that end), it would be a good idea. But if she's on a "I'm too busy to cook" kick, the cookbook will go the way of the earrings, mani/pedi, etc.
What about a massage? Does she like ANYTHING at the spa?
I'm just stopping at "date night" for my sisters. Granted, we put a really low limit on gifts this year since one sister is pg and the other is getting married in July (seriously, $40 tops and the pg sister told me she was able to do Christmas for everyone for $40...I need to talk to her and see how she did that, but she's crafty).
I bought movie ticket passes at Costco and a GC to each of their favorite restaurants...not fancy restaurants b/c they asked that we stayed w/in the limit, but fun, local places by the movie theatre. I figured I'd throw in a good bottle of wine (or sparkling cider for my pg sister) and call it good.
Honestly, I'm at the point where if people are so damn picky but impossible to shop for, eff them. They get what I buy and if they don't like it their next option is to not get a gift next year.
.: Diary of a Recovering Runner :.
Val, i like you way of thinking. I'm stressing myself out over my IL's gifts. I'm trying to make sure I spend what I'm thinking they will spend among gifts for DH, David and I.
It's like the whole holiday reason is lost in finding the perfect gift.
This is easier said than done, but I wholeheartedly agree and was just talking with my chiropractor about this. Every.single.holiday.season I get kind of down and out because it's CHAOS and frightens me to go within 5 blocks of the mall (sadly, I work about 3 blocks from said mall, so am required to.) People are rude, mean-spirited, and crazed, or at least the majority of them. It saddens me.
It makes me really "homesick" for the still crazy, but less so holiday "Charles Dickens" type scene it was in the town I lived in with my XH. Yes, people were busy shopping there too, but the atmosphere was COMPLETELY different and the people were nicer.
Serious. And I am LOVING the super low limit my sisters implemented this year. We had a blast trying to find fun couple-gifts w/in the limit. I'm excited to see what my crafty sister came up with...she said she was going to make soap until she found out she was pg and couldn't work with the lye...she was going to knit, but couldn't get good enough in time. She made me the best photo collage of our wedding pics last Christmas.
.: Diary of a Recovering Runner :.
I don't even know where to begin. Let's see. Spas are out - my sister rarely even gets her hair cut and colored and she's never had (nor does she ever want) a massage. I actually asked her last night if she'd like a massage gift certificate and she laughed and said "No way will I let anyone touch me!" Ugh.
I'm beyond finding the perfect gift and just want to find A gift. I may stop with the date night basket for her. This is getting too hard. I had the idea of a quesidilla maker and some mexican cookbooks (because they go to the mexican restaurant three times a week) but mom said she has the quesidilla maker and it's never even came out of it's box.
I may just throw a nice bottle of wine in the date night basket and maybe a gc to Red Lobster since she loves that place.
Usually my dad is the hard one to buy for and this year he was easy. Cigars, a hat and a movie (his birthday gift is the movie).
ETA: Paula you did get the ice cold death look with the mention of McDs...haha.
Val: We never put a spending limit on our gifts. Last year I bought my sister that tote that was (on sale) $350. she complained that "all M got me was a TOTE bag." I felt very appreciated. Especially considering all she got me was a photo album and some lotion (which, honestly, I didn't care until she complained about her incredibly nice tote that I wanted but bought for her).
F*** that - with that attitude, no joke, I'd find some coal and give her THAT. If she can't appreciate the fact that she's GETTING A GIFT AT ALL, she doesn't deserve one and can take HER idea of the "holiday spirit" and shove that into her "tote bag". LOL
Your sister sounds like a pain in the butt! What about something for her car? Didn't she just get a new SUV this year? Or just get her some assorted lotions from B&BW and call it a day with that and the gift basket.
Kristin: she wants a new SUV, but she hasn't got one (yet).
I'm just about ready to give up.
THIS. Fuuuck all of that. The ONLY reason we've put a limit this year was b/c of the baby coming and the wedding next year - and b/c those sisters requested a limit and told me they'd feel weird if I spent more than the $40 and they didn't. Normally I just pick up whatever I feel like throughout the year. If it comes out to $10, great. If it comes out to $1000, great. Neither one of them have EVER complianed...not even the spoiled rotten one.
.: Diary of a Recovering Runner :.