Noel and wrapping paper, jellybeans,
First off, this is another one of those posts that are sponsored by Nuffnang. But do read on, Aussie people, it could win you a Westfield shopping voucher….
It recently occurred to me that it is November. HolymotherofClaus, November. You know what that means…? That’s right. Only about six more weeks before you have to give out a sleigh load of presents to people you only see once or twice a year. Huzzah!!
And to make that even better-er, if that’s possible, there is only approximately three weeks before your local shopping centre is consumed into absolute bedlam and it becomes every women, man and nanna for themselves. Out of my way, Grandma, I will deck you for that last singing Santa penguin. Double huzzah!! Or something.
Hecticness. This is the part where I confess that I am a total Christmas tight arse. I hate spending a fortune on Christmas gifts. The kidlets presents are already sorted. I’ve been buying their gifts throughout the year, as I see them on special. The Man, I’ll think of something for. Myself, well, I normally get more presents off me than anyone else, so that’s fine. OK? OK.
Which leaves the dreaded In Laws, Distant Family and Random People gifts. Dunn dunn dunn.
You know what I’m talking about, I’m sure the do. These are the people I was referring to earlier- the ones you only see once or twice a year, but have to buy stuff for anyway. Because they buy stuff for you. Mostly gift baskets with soap and shower gel, but, hey it’s the thought that counts.
And a shower gel gift basket is definitely better than no present at all. Confession time, people- how many times have you been caught out, without a gift for someone…?
Me? Erm… lots? Last year was the worst for it. The older my children get, the more random people we know, the more likely I am to forget to buy them a gift. The pinnacle of my failure was last year, when some of the Man’s friends dropped in with beautifully wrapped presents for both our kids. And I had nothing for their kid. It ended with me, scrummaging for something suitable in the mammoth pile of kid’s presents at the top of my wardrobe, and coming down with a stuffed Elmo. Elegantly wrapped in a black plastic garbage bag.
They were stoked.
Whatever. I am determined that this year, that will not happen.
And that’s where Westfield comes in. I luuuurve Westfield. Huge, but not so huge that you get lost. Minimal Christmas madness. Plenty of parking- there’s even valet parking at Parramatta and Bondi Junction, ooooh la la!
One of Westfield style experts, Trish Murray, says “Perfect gift givers are always (over)prepared”. Oh so muchly true. This will be my mantra this year. Not just prepared, but exploding with tinselly over-preparedness.
And, just to make me happy and make my life easier (because that is why all good things happen the world), Westfield have just released a new online gift finder.
I think I’m in love.
So simple even I can use it. You select the age group you’re shopping for, whether they are M or F, and then set how much you want to spend. And the gift finder tells you the best stuff to buy. Awesomeness.
It’s just almost like window shopping at Westfields, without having to leave the house. You can check if the presents you find available in store.
So…. to solve my In Laws, Distant Family and Random People gift problem, I decided to do some research. And here’s the options I’ve found….
Oh so gorgeously cute and cuddly. And perfect hideaway gifts for kids I’ve forgotten to buy for.
Because who doesn’t love a calendar? The perfect present to wrap and stash in the back of your car for when gifts are sprung on you at mum’s group or you realise you’ve neglected to buy a gift for Great Aunt May (who may not be able to see the calendar, but will appreciate it anyway. And hey, she bought you a shower gel gift basket, so what do you care…?).
Nom nom nomish. Another one of those perfect presents to wrap and keep under the tree for people who you have totally forgotten about. Give this one out last though- if you’ve been really good, and haven’t forgotten too many people, you can unwrap it yourself. And call it a reward.
Now, that painful subject aside, while I was playing with with the gift finder, I had a quick look at gifts for the Man. And, well, me. For the Man (M, 30 +, $50, told you I’m a tightarse), we get this…
Which is just the funkiest thing ever. And I am buying it for him. He doesn’t own an iPod, and neither do I. I do not care. I’m buying it anyway.
And for me (F, 25-30 (no, I’m not 30 yet), $50), we get a pair of squishy, sparkly Peter Alexander slippers.
Westfield, you know me all too well.
OK. Enough of my waffle. Here’s your chance to win a $100 gift voucher to spend in the Westfield nearest you. What I want to know is- who do you always forget to buy for? Do you have a stash of presents for In Laws, Distant Family and Random People? What’s in it?
You have until 5pm on the 15th November to leave a comment on this post with your answer, and the bestest answer wins. But don’t bother trying to bribe me with shoes or chocolate, I’m not judging. Australian peeps only. (Sorry again to my OS readers- I will run a giveaway for you funny-talking people soon, promise.) Fine print time- T & C’s are here.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I decided to write you a little poem, enjoy.
A Barbie for Ella, an iPod for Penny,
Rollerblades for Ethan and perfume for Jenny,
A bike for Max and a trampoline for Donna,
Lucy wants a teddy plus a scooter for Conner,
Nic wants a console, maybe a Wii?
I think that's it, but what about me?
A hair curler or sandals, maybe some wine?
Even chocolates would do me just fine.
The cost is enormous, it'll make me yelp,
But a voucher from Westfield sure would help!
Glowless x
I will be honest, I would kill for a $100 voucher for Xmas shopping this year, because my SAHM role this year has brought me in $0 dollars, aside from some free bread and chocolate via the blog (at least we didn't starve those weeks).
Continuing on with my honesty, the one person I forget to buy for at Xmas is ME. I run around like a headless chicken buying things for the kids, hubby, parents, the kids' cousins, goddaughter, neighbours' kids, friends kids, my friends…and I'm lucky to get one pressie from hubby under the tree!
I used to have a stash last year, but it ran out…my stash of gifts ended up being used for birthday presents as well as for Xmas. I'm all out this year, which is a bit of a worry!
For some reason I always forget my nephew. For years I would get proud of myself for getting it all finished early, only to realise I hadn't gotten something for him (teenage boy) – cue quick call to sis to find out what sort of thing a cool/smart teenage boy would like and last minute run to the shops. Inevitably, it seems he always was the winner out of that deal since my last minute buying meant he got something a bit dearer than most others.
p.s. Totally meant to say, that gift finder is awesome and I'll be using that! Thanks for the link
Ok, once upon a time, we had a member of the family (who shall remain nameless for my own protection) who used to give us awful gifts. Not being one to look an awful gift horse in the mouth (and now that I've called them a horse I may have given away who the family member is), I'd graciously accept the gift, grumbling in the meantime about the awesome gift we had given them. And I'd take those awful gifts and stash them in a cupboard and regift them.
Suffice to say, there are only so many awful gifts I can regift without looking like an awful gift giver myself. So the last of them was listed on Ebay not too long ago (there is always someone more evil than me out there, so it seems).
That was my stash of miscellaneous presents for miscellaneous people. We are no longer in the habit of giving gifts to peripheral people and have narrowed it to just the kids of the family, instead lavishing visitors to our home with gorgeous yummy food and hospitality.
The End.
I always forget my sister's boyfriend. IS that bad? I am yet to even do that "here is a gift for both of you" thing :
This year i feel really guilty, but damn that guy has expensive taste (like wears $80 shirts. Seriously, are there actually t-shirts out there that cost that much?? Apparently so!).
I know I am a crazy person, but I love all the planning of the holidays. I try not to let it suck me in too much and go nuts, but I do enjoy it.
My husband drives me nuts every year. He is all for surprises, and I like to write lists and get excited about receiving the things on that list! Makes life very difficult. If I don't tell him what I want, he won't know what to get… yet if I give him suggestions, he "can't" get those things because then they won't be a surprise!
Worst Christmas present ever – an ironing board. It was our first Christmas together, and he is lucky it wasn't our last!
Best Christmas present ever – the giggles and excitement that comes from my 3 little ones when they wake up on Christmas morning and discover their presents. I've been spoilt rotten over the years by some of the loveliest material things (jewellery, clothing, spa vouchers, holidays), but those little faces are more precious than anything else!
reesgirl (at) hotmail (dot) com
I've never bought for distant family and certainly not for random people. My immediate family get gifts when they're young, and gift vouchers or cards when they're older. Teenagers get mobile phone or i-tunes credit. Relatives living away get christmas cards only. They all know I'm limited with funds, most of them are too, so nobody minds. I love the idea of Westfields online gift finder though, I may make use of that next year, for ideas at least.
You're so welcome Lori! Hope you had a blast on your b-day and thrown some candies in between:) Come on.. candies are always fun, right?:) Oh and i love the last minute gifts ideas… i gotta do that this year. I never have those last minute gifts under the tree and when people come over, i just give them cookies and such.. which btw.. i guess that's the reason people try avoiding coming over unless they know for sure there's a present for them under our tree.. hi hi:) Now problem solved! thanks;)
Oh and feel free to check our new campaign that helps promote fellow blogers! Happy Monday
Now that I have children I've found they have a better social life than me. If there are bargins in the catalogues that my kids would love, grab it, they'd make a great gift. On a side note I keep a little word document as a 'stocktake' where I list things as I buy them, that way I don't have to pull everything out of the top of the cupboard when I need something, I consult the list and go from there!
My mother taught me to have a 'present box'. No, it's not rude, it's a box containing cool stuff you buy on special throughout the year so that it's there when it comes to birthdays and Christmas. Except … at one stage the present box grew and grew until it became a closet. I'm still working my way through it, and can say there are only one or two gifts left. As for kids, I always find putting some cash in a card is always a winner for those 'pretending-I've-not-forgotten' occasions. And a bottle of something and a card for the adults.
I always have a bunch of boxes of Roses chocolates or similar ready to go for those unexpected guests. Sucks because I can't ear chocolate
I have an Aunt, who we usually do see on Christmas (or Boxing) day, who's one of those 'on again, off again' gifters. One year it's "No we won't do gifts this year", and the next year she arrives with a basket of presents. Drives me nuts.
thankfully I got rid of the whole gift giving thing for adults a few years back and we only buy for children in our family. scrooge? yeah probably. do I care? nah. I love Christmas but if I had to buy a present for everyone in my hugemongous overseas family plus randoms and hangers on and neighbours and the postman I would be broke. seriously. It costs enough to send out the xmas cards!
I ALWAYS forget to buy a present for my Uncle Gerry. I can't stand him anyway but then I feel like the Worst Human Ever when he stands there pitiful and forlorn on Christmas day. Maybe this year I can buy him some stamps thanks to Westfield? $100 should be enough to wrap him up and post him off somewhere else shouldn't it?
I always forget to buy for (and lets be honest, HATE buying for), random boyfriends and girlfriends of my cousins and various other family members. I had an incident once where I did buy a gift and they split up a few days before Christmas- which is yeah, awful for them, but also awful for me who'd spent a good hour picking out an appropriate gift!!! Not anymore! Now, they get gift vouchers until they qualify as 'stable'
I never have a stash for older people anymore, I try and have a stash of books for little people though,
I know lots of people bake and make goodies, but I am afraid that my skills are pretty poor in this area so best I stay with the basic soaps candles etc.
Ok so this list is not going to fit in the comments box which makes it obvious…I forget a lot of people…all year I think "oh I must get a xmas pressie" but by the time I get round to Xmas shopping the thought is gone , along with any hope of making up for last year ….dammit. This year is going to be the worst..we are Driving to Adelaide (from QLD) with a 6 month old who hasnt met half of my side of the family dammit! (bring on new years)
I am a gift giver i love to give, love to buy, love to wrap, love to do wonders with curling ribbon of all colours. One Christmas I showed up at mums place with a stack of envelopes that contained gift vouchers for my sister, brother in law, brother and his wife. I had wrapped gifts for mum dad and my niece. those went under the miniature tree on the table.
So lunch over and its time to 'Get down to business', my sister and sister in law who i get along with alternately and whenever they are in the mood, plonked themselves down in font of the tree tableau and started to say things like "oooh I wonder what we got?!" I love getting presents! how fun!" But I didn't bother buying presents for anyone this year!" ha ha ha Neither did I!" Oh well at least we might get something hey?! he he he"
You Fu*king WHAT??!!! horrified at their lack of gift giving spirit i reached over and grabbed their $400 dollars worth of vouchers and stashed them back into my handbag. Their Jaws dropped but nothing was said. Christmas day ended with a few people leaving in a huff but whatever, get me something don't get me something but don't sit there mocking me!
so I gave the vouchers to my husband who seems to always miss out or get uber crappy presents from my side of the family..
I always forget a present for my sis-inlaws mother. She is ALWAYS there on Christmas day and I have like a mental block about her. Usually I furiously regift something I find in the boot when I see her car as we rock up.
I'll just add, I wasn't entering the comp up there ^^ (I didn't answer the question!) I don't have a Westfield anywhere near me
HA my list would be as long as my leg. I always forget someone.
OMG that Darrel Lea box looks delicious. We're very lucky that we have a Darrel Lea, though it's very small. I'll be lookin in the window for this one!