People and Presents!

bluestarrz

trixietoes - I'm not great at the knitting/sewing business but have bought a kit and started a little so am willing to try. Definitely will give the sock monkeys a go for both DS and DD, possibly sister. I love the idea of mulled wine sets and can add this to ExOH dad's hamper. Will maybe try the cocktail idea for my Mum bloody mary sounds good must try and find miniatures for both her and brother.. was hoping to do some baking to add to my sister's hamper so might try cranberry and white chocolate cookies and possibly the fudge but as am getting her a sweet tin/jar/box don't want to go over the top! Lol!
Nightsky - Maybe you could do a homemade hamper for your adults gifts? Mince pies/mulled wine set type of idea?

moneysavingmumofone

For the people who like alcohol how about making them flavoured vodka?

ladymarmalade

My gosh...I wish I was organized!

Well I have some ideas, but as I only have £10 to last me until my student loans come through at the end of the month...buying now is not an option lol. Money was fine and then I got 2 kittens last week hee hee.

I am usually good with most peoples presents but find my other half very hard to buy for. We will have been together for other 4 years this christmas, he is 29 and I am nearly 22. The problem is he has everything! Last year I got him a home gym set ect and some other bits and bobs. His passion is technology, but again he has everything he needs.....we have 2 huge tvs, a home media system......blue ray player, state of the art surround sound etc! Argh! Any ideas?

bluestarrz

For guys who have everything it can be quite good to go down the sentimental route I think i.e. things that he can't buy or would never buy himself. I always think that there are certain things only a girlfriend/ wife can do.
For example I over the years bought my ex a canvas photoboard of him and me, I made a collage of us and daft things we liked - our lucky number-names of places we wanted to go together etc
Doing a journal jar would be nice for him as he can't buy it, probably doesn't know what it is and only you know those really personal things about him to make it special
How about a diary - decorate it really nicely - maybe silver, black and white to match his computer? add some photos in random pages, fill in important dates like anniversary, date nights etc
Make a movie hamper for you both and add I.O.U. tickets for things like back rubs etc - definitely things no-one else will get him and he can't buy
I always like to go for daft quirky gadgets for my son like this year I'm getting him a remote control mini helicopter that flies indoors

hope that helps

ps: I know what you mean about the kittens- I got two as a student too and that year my loan went on toys, accessories and treats for them including their own stockings! Lol! got another two now and all four still have a stocking on Christmas eve - reminds me I need to get a tube of catnip to make toys this year if anyone knows where I can buy this

greenpixey

bluestarrz wrote: »

Brother -(student, moody and unappreciative) budget £10-£15 hoping to do mini whiskey hamper, some miniatures and whisky liquers and whisky flavoured cookies or similar- if they exist? still need a recipe for that one..

I saw a tin of Jack Daniels fudge or something similar in Morrisons yesterday, think it was £5.99 or thereabouts if that is any good?
Have you signed up with Jack Daniels http://www.jackdaniels.com/register.aspx They give a couple of freebies throughout the year. and usually send out calendars that arrive before Christmas so perhaps something to try for

Like the ideas you got for your family, loads of thought has gone into them

moneysavingmumofone

greenpixey wrote: »

I saw a tin of Jack Daniels fudge or something similar in Morrisons yesterday, think it was £5.99 or thereabouts if that is any good?
Have you signed up with Jack Daniels http://www.jackdaniels.com/register.aspx They give a couple of freebies throughout the year. and usually send out calendars that arrive before Christmas so perhaps something to try for

Like the ideas you got for your family, loads of thought has gone into them

Im sure you could make jack daniels fudge a lot cheaper than that using a miniature if thats out of your budget.

claireizadiamond

ladymarmalade wrote: »

My gosh...I wish I was organized!

Well I have some ideas, but as I only have £10 to last me until my student loans come through at the end of the month...buying now is not an option lol. Money was fine and then I got 2 kittens last week hee hee.

I am usually good with most peoples presents but find my other half very hard to buy for. We will have been together for other 4 years this christmas, he is 29 and I am nearly 22. The problem is he has everything! Last year I got him a home gym set ect and some other bits and bobs. His passion is technology, but again he has everything he needs.....we have 2 huge tvs, a home media system......blue ray player, state of the art surround sound etc! Argh! Any ideas?

You sound just like me, I too had £10.00 to last me but that got spent today grrrrrr. My OH is 27 and I am 20 he loves technology and has everything so I am thinking about getting him one of these, http://www.littlewoods.com/rf/p.do/black-gaming-station?Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&SNtt=gaming+station&groupId=578080626&Nu=this_product&SNtk=generic_search&Np=1&SN=103+85&Ntt=578080626&D=578080626&Ntk=group_search&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&thisprod=578080626&N=103+85&Nty=1&Mis_item_id=15&Mis_item_loc_id=1&product=578080626

Hope that helps you maybe

SugarSpun

bluestarrz wrote: »

Mum (budget £20-£30)- If she's a closet rock chick then how about some CD vouchers?

Dad- also difficult but got a bit of leway here! He is a large man and doesn't shop for clothes very often so have managed to get a New Zealand rugby top for £5 in JJB sale and soft wool knitted jumper in BHS sale also a fiver in XXL so happy with that

was thinking about doing a little joint hamper for them maybe a home-made flavoured vodka hamper? You could get one of those display racks of a few smallish bottles?

Also- can I just ask- do you spend full budget on people even if you got it for cheaper? No. If I find a bargain I'm utterly smug about it, tell no one except my bargain-hunting friends and bask in my MSE-ness.

Brother -(student, moody and unappreciative) budget £10-£15 hoping to do mini whiskey hamper, some miniatures and whisky liquers and whisky flavoured cookies or similar- if they exist? still need a recipe for that one..
Whisky fudge is relatively easy and inexpensive to make.

Sister -(sweetheart) budget £20-£30 - already got storage box as hamper £1.49, Kylie perfume £10, strictly come dancing workout DVD £1 - poundland and hoping to make her a sweet box with haribo etc and pot of pink - my take on pot of gold- got a pink bowl at poundland and plan to add raspberry ruffles, flumps, turkish delight and any other pink thing I come across!, will buy candles and mug and make snowman soup, making post it holder and may add wine -(yes we are a family of drinkers! Lol!:D) ideas appreciated
Rose wine! Or pink champagne?

Sister's OH-(quiet, submissive sort) Chocolate hamper with little pot o gold and maybe a homemade chocolate slab

Ex OH Mum (still takes my DD to nursery etc and on the whole very nice) Hoping to do her an "after dinner hamper" including wine, after 8's, flannel yule log, a decorated wine glass and maybe a candle - have no other ideas as yet
Nice pajamas or a comfortable robe? A DVD? A blanket to snuggle under?

Ex OH Dad (again still helps out)
Hoping to do Fruit and Nut hamper for him including Homemade chocolate slabs with selected fruit and nuts or shop bought Fruit and Nut chocolate bars, Flavoured little bags of nuts - spicy, honey roasted etc, chocolate covered raisins etc, homemade Christmas cake and wine- Ideas and shops to buy stuff in appreciated, also any quirky little fruit and items? Novelty nutcracker etc? Homemade recipes?
Marzipan fruits?

Missed out your kids cause there's lots there already

little_miss_moneysaver wrote: »

Now, I'm kind of sorted with present but my FIL is always a pain to buy for. He has everything really. Have made him a flannel reindeer but that's it. Am planning to make dark choc with ginger in. OH is no help.
He is 70, but thinks he's 21 and he likes:
Wine (lots and has loads in the house),
Cars - classic,
classical music (was musician with BBC and has lots of music/CDs etc),
Pretty women,
Entertaining friends/dinner parties,
Gadgets - has loads of things.

So any help would be much appreciated

What about a nice corkscrew or a vacuum sealer/aerator for bottles?

ladymarmalade wrote: »

My gosh...I wish I was organized!

Well I have some ideas, but as I only have £10 to last me until my student loans come through at the end of the month...buying now is not an option lol. Money was fine and then I got 2 kittens last week hee hee.

I am usually good with most peoples presents but find my other half very hard to buy for. We will have been together for other 4 years this christmas, he is 29 and I am nearly 22. The problem is he has everything! Last year I got him a home gym set ect and some other bits and bobs. His passion is technology, but again he has everything he needs.....we have 2 huge tvs, a home media system......blue ray player, state of the art surround sound etc! Argh! Any ideas?

Try www.dealextreme.com and buy him a selection of geeky tat? Or this is the ultimate geek gift: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apollo-11-Manual-Insight-Hardware/dp/1844256839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252602931&sr=8-1.

MummyYummy

claireizadiamond wrote: »

You sound just like me, I too had £10.00 to last me but that got spent today grrrrrr. My OH is 27 and I am 20 he loves technology and has everything so I am thinking about getting him one of these, http://www.littlewoods.com/rf/p.do/black-gaming-station?Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&SNtt=gaming+station&groupId=578080626&Nu=this_product&SNtk=generic_search&Np=1&SN=103+85&Ntt=578080626&D=578080626&Ntk=group_search&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&thisprod=578080626&N=103+85&Nty=1&Mis_item_id=15&Mis_item_loc_id=1&product=578080626

Hope that helps you maybe

I think my OH would like one of these - thanks for the link! We've converted our loft into a games room (OH thinks its his room lol!) and he already has a gamer chair and a LCD tv up there for his ps3 and xbox!

Edited to add: This exact model is £10 cheaper in Additions by the way. Also if anyone has a wii this is great value: http://www.additionsdirect.co.uk/rf/add/p.do/tower-gaming-station?Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&SNtt=haming+station&groupId=535768092&Nu=this_product&SNtk=generic_search&Np=1&SN=104+85&Ntt=535768092&D=535768092&Ntk=group_search&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&thisprod=535768092&N=104+85&Nty=1&Mis_item_id=15&Mis_item_loc_id=1&product=535768092 We have a wii but we keep it in the lounge and unfortunately it would look a bit out of place there but great for kids bedrooms or big kids rooms (like my OH!)

claireizadiamond

MummyYummy wrote: »

I think my OH would like one of these - thanks for the link! We've converted our loft into a games room (OH thinks its his room lol!) and he already has a gamer chair and a LCD tv up there for his ps3 and xbox!

Hahaha Im not so lucky, I have to put up with it in the living room so I figured its exciting for him yet he will keep it all tidy in the tower thing so it suits both of us