Christmas Present Advice Thread

[Xeno]

Is buying a harmonica for a 3 year old a bad idea? Said 3 year old lives with my niece.

How much do you hate your niece?

I love her to pieces which is why I made sure one of the gifts has no batteries to save her money.

[Peter Crisp]

Uncancel Christmas.

The Ashens Advent 2023 has begun.

[Xeno]

So the harmonica and other gifts are bought.

Slime, yey or nay?

[Moggy]

So the harmonica and other gifts are bought.

Slime, yey or nay?

How much do you hate your niece?

[Rex Kramer]

So the harmonica and other gifts are bought.

Slime, yey or nay?

Just go the whole hog and get moon sand.

[Xeno]

So the harmonica and other gifts are bought.

Slime, yey or nay?

How much do you hate your niece?

The little strawberry floater is getting Lego.

moon sand

I fear she would never talk to me again.

[Xeno]

Magic sand and slime bought.

[Rex Kramer]

I'd also suggest a plane ticket for Christmas Eve so you are a very long way away when they open it.

[Moggy]

Magic sand and slime bought.

I also recommend glitter. Lots and lots of glitter.

But not Gary.

[Xeno]

Magic sand and slime bought.

I also recommend glitter. Lots and lots of glitter.

But not Gary.

As much as I would like to, I can see everything would be covered and their dogs would have sparkly gooseberry fool.

[Moggy]

Magic sand and slime bought.

I also recommend glitter. Lots and lots of glitter.

But not Gary.

As much as I would like to, I can see everything would be covered and their dogs would have sparkly gooseberry fool.

Exactly.

[Xeno]

20 years time some old farts sitting around asking where all the white dog gooseberry fool went, and my nephew asks about sparkly gooseberry fool.

[ProdigySaren]

I'm getting everyone's Christmas gifts ready. They still have time to let me know if they want chicken, beef or shrimp.... noodles. Lol

[Tsunade]

Does anyone know any good gifts for a pet? My friend has an 8 month old kitten and as daft as it is, I'd like to get her something for when I go over.

[Vermilion]

Does anyone know any good gifts for a pet? My friend has an 8 month old kitten and as daft as it is, I'd like to get her something for when I go over.

Catnip toys work best, it's basically feline crack and whips them up into an absolute frenzy.

[Tsunade]

Does anyone know any good gifts for a pet? My friend has an 8 month old kitten and as daft as it is, I'd like to get her something for when I go over.

Catnip toys work best, it's basically feline crack and whips them up into an absolute frenzy.

I'll have to see if the pet shop by me has any! Thanks

[Lime]

It sounds very Scrooge, but my family is pretty much all the same, no one has any idea what to get anyone else, I've even suggested that we at least try (as they still insist on giving gifts rather than stopping) gifting money before the day, we can then all buy something(s) guilt free with the money given, come Christmas Day when presents are opened, its not a surprise for one person, but at least its a surprise for the others who've gifted the money to see what its been spent on and there is still presents under the tree and most importantly, something the receiver actually likes rather than just tat I admit this probably sounds ridiculous, but when my family feels like its stuck in a rut over gifts I thought something like this was worth trying but of course none of them want to try something different, even put the idea of a small secret Santa forward and still got shot down

(Edit: I see you mentioned secret Santa, but if it helps, this is how it works for us)

We came up with a great solution to this a few years back (well it works well for us, anyway).

We basically have a family Secret Santa. There's an online app that you can put the names into, and you can add some rules (like you don't get your partner, or the same person 2 years running).

We have a set budget.

Each person draws a name, this is who you are buying for.

Everyone makes a list of things they would like (could be exactly to budget, or more and then the person buying can choose from the list), and uploads it to a whatsapp group. Nobody knows who is buying for who, you always get something you want, and you only need to buy for one person.

It doesn't have to be 'things' - sometimes someone asks for a voucher for something, or an experience.

We're about 7 years into it, and it's transformed present buying for us into a far less stressful experience, and puts a cap on the spending so we can all afford it.

[Moggy]

It sounds very Scrooge, but my family is pretty much all the same, no one has any idea what to get anyone else, I've even suggested that we at least try (as they still insist on giving gifts rather than stopping) gifting money before the day, we can then all buy something(s) guilt free with the money given, come Christmas Day when presents are opened, its not a surprise for one person, but at least its a surprise for the others who've gifted the money to see what its been spent on and there is still presents under the tree and most importantly, something the receiver actually likes rather than just tat I admit this probably sounds ridiculous, but when my family feels like its stuck in a rut over gifts I thought something like this was worth trying but of course none of them want to try something different, even put the idea of a small secret Santa forward and still got shot down

(Edit: I see you mentioned secret Santa, but if it helps, this is how it works for us)

We came up with a great solution to this a few years back (well it works well for us, anyway).

We basically have a family Secret Santa. There's an online app that you can put the names into, and you can add some rules (like you don't get your partner, or the same person 2 years running).

We have a set budget.

Each person draws a name, this is who you are buying for.

Everyone makes a list of things they would like (could be exactly to budget, or more and then the person buying can choose from the list), and uploads it to a whatsapp group. Nobody knows who is buying for who, you always get something you want, and you only need to buy for one person.

It doesn't have to be 'things' - sometimes someone asks for a voucher for something, or an experience.

We're about 7 years into it, and it's transformed present buying for us into a far less stressful experience, and puts a cap on the spending so we can all afford it.

I don't think my family would go for it, but it's a great idea. Far better to get one £100 gift you really want, rather than five £20 gifts that you think are just ok.

[Robbo-92]

It sounds very Scrooge, but my family is pretty much all the same, no one has any idea what to get anyone else, I've even suggested that we at least try (as they still insist on giving gifts rather than stopping) gifting money before the day, we can then all buy something(s) guilt free with the money given, come Christmas Day when presents are opened, its not a surprise for one person, but at least its a surprise for the others who've gifted the money to see what its been spent on and there is still presents under the tree and most importantly, something the receiver actually likes rather than just tat I admit this probably sounds ridiculous, but when my family feels like its stuck in a rut over gifts I thought something like this was worth trying but of course none of them want to try something different, even put the idea of a small secret Santa forward and still got shot down

(Edit: I see you mentioned secret Santa, but if it helps, this is how it works for us)

We came up with a great solution to this a few years back (well it works well for us, anyway).

We basically have a family Secret Santa. There's an online app that you can put the names into, and you can add some rules (like you don't get your partner, or the same person 2 years running).

We have a set budget.

Each person draws a name, this is who you are buying for.

Everyone makes a list of things they would like (could be exactly to budget, or more and then the person buying can choose from the list), and uploads it to a whatsapp group. Nobody knows who is buying for who, you always get something you want, and you only need to buy for one person.

It doesn't have to be 'things' - sometimes someone asks for a voucher for something, or an experience.

We're about 7 years into it, and it's transformed present buying for us into a far less stressful experience, and puts a cap on the spending so we can all afford it.

I don't think my family would go for it, but it's a great idea. Far better to get one £100 gift you really want, rather than five £20 gifts that you think are just ok.

Thats a good sounding compromise to Secret Santa, doubt my family will go for it as one person just loves surprises I've no problem with surprises but when said person is incredibly tricky to buy for, it makes the whole surprise thing loads harder. Of course it's this same person who won't deviate from the typical present buying system.

[Dowbocop]

If anyone's after a funny book to buy a loved one, I'd recommend OS maps of the Brecon Beacons and the Peak District because they're hill areas.