Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    (After reentering the conference, I reread my basenote here, and then
    skipped to the replies of the previous note, without realizing it was a
    new subject...I saw someone suggesting and engraved belt-buckle and
    someone else suggesting a scrimshaw keychain and I was very confused,
    because those seemed like the exact opposite of the sorts of things I
    was looking for!  :-)  Chuckle.)
    
    D!

    
    magazine subscriptions?
    
    tickets to events (sports, concerts)?
    
    photographs of yourself?
    

    D!
    How about taping some music mixed with some talking and sending it to
    people far way, ie those who don't get to talk with you very often.
    I don't know how good/bad you are with your keyboard (piano?) and
    talking to a cassete recorder can be very difficult. But I've always
    enjoyed getting "talk-cassettes" from my friends.
    manisha

    
    Well, D!, can you give us a few more details?  Thinking up gifts is 
    one of my favorite pastimes, and one I'm very good at.  (References 
    on request. :-)
    
    After I read your note, I thought I'd tell you that I'm giving one of
    my brothers-in-law two old, weathered oars.  I expect that he will be
    ooh'ing and aah'ing with delight when he unwraps them but, obviously,
    this is not a choice for everyone.  (He's getting old oars because he
    carves ducks (and sometimes other birds) and he will be able to use 
    them as part of his display, in competitions. I paid $5 for both oars.)
    
    CQ

    An evening of babysitting to a stressed out single parent or couple.
    
    Nanci-a-stressed-out-single-parent
    
    

    I'm doing ornamental wreaths for my daughters--you know--the decorator
    kind that cost a fortune in the stores.  I'll also do homemade fudge
    in decorator canisters and cookies.  I'll let the kids help make
    gingerbread houses for family gifts.  
    
    In the "bought gift" department, gift certificates to movies or dinner
    at a favorite restaurant are a big hit.  I've also purchased gift
    certificates for groceries, turkey or ham--great for struggling young 
    families. This year, I've also ordered things from the Swiss Colony
    for Christmas delivery. I selected lower cost items that had bonus
    goodies added for early orders.  Flowers or fruit baskets are also
    great to give.  Another gift that is welcome is money!  It's always
    welcome in any denomination.  For children, it's a great, less
    expensive way to give gifts that will permit the child to pick out
    what s/he wants. 
                                                                             
    For younger children, I've put together lots of smaller items like       
    travel games, books, simple puzzles, crayons, cars, etc. and put         
    them in a special "travel bag."  These can be given for use in the       
    car only so they're always entertained when traveling.  Children's       
    magazine subscriptions are another good gift and will entertain   
    throughout the year.  Every child enjoys getting mail with their  
    name on it.  Hope this helps!
                                                                      
    Happy Holidays!
    Barb

    A gift certificate for a massage. 
    
    (Odd, me thinking of that paricular one, eh?) ;-}
    
    --DE
    

    Geez.. 98% of my Christmas Gifts are all purchased AND wrapped!...
    
    The only three I have left to buy is an collectors item for my mom that
    she collects (the store is in San Antonio, so I can't get it until I go
    down there), a gift for my Best friend in New England, and a gift for
    my SO (although I know what I'm giving him, I just need to figure out
    WHERE to go purchase it)...
    
    How about:
    
    - Theatre tickets? (Can by local, doesn't need to be Boston proper)
    
    - Hot air ballon ride (this is what I'm getting for my So), they usually
      have a Champange early morning flight
    
    - Helicopter Ride - Boston has one for $70.00
    
    - One hour of student pilot lessons [:-) - okay, I HAD to get this one in)
    
    - Already been said, but babysitting certificates, also lawn mowing,
      weeding, or even housecleaning for an elderly person, window washing,
      etc...
    
    - One of my favorites is making candy/banana bread/fudge etc for the
      people I work with
    
    - For a younger child, a gift certificate to the movies, complete with
      popcorn money with a note saying you will take him/her
    
    - Facial/haircutting/massage certificates from New Horizon's in Marlboro
      is also a nice gift 
    
    - Making SunCatchers is nice - kits are usually at a local craft shop and
      they are SO easy to make (just make sure you have a LOT (read loads) of
      ventilation when you bake them!
    
    - A certificate book that you make with things like:
    
    	1 argument given in, no matter who is right/wrong
        1 I will let you have the hot water first
    	1 I will take out the garbage
        1 I will get up in the middle of the night to open/close the window
           etc
    
    
    anyway, these are just a few that came to mind...
         

    
    Do they feed birds in the winter?    
    
    A winter's worth of black-oil sunflower seed, or, you could make a suet
    feeder.  I haven't done this yet, but the logs are in the back of my car. 
    Get a cross-section of branch, about 4 inches in diameter, and whatever 
    the standard log length is.  My guess is that mine are 24" long.  (I got 
    6 logs for $2.50 at a roadside stand.)  Screw a large screw-eye in one 
    end.  Then, drill holes all over the log and fill with suet.  You may have 
    to melt the suet and then drip in with a turkey-baster; this is what I 
    think I'll have to do.  Buy a good amount of chain to hang it with.  I'm 
    going to use a 5/16 inch drill bit and drill the holes about an inch deep.
    
    CQ

    * baked goods (as mentioned)
    * food baskets (buy a plain basket and make your own.)
    * American Express gift coupons
    * Season Megabucks tickets
    * Stationary with stamps included (great for the elderly)
    * A commemorative coin
    * a commemorative Christmas ornament.
    
    
    Kate

    I realize this isn't exactly what you were looking for, but 
    mail-ordering gifts is as easy as getting gift certificates, gives
    your giftees something substantive to unwrap, and keeps you out of
    the malls (my personal favorite...)  Plus, it makes the gifts easy 
    to exchange or return.  You can mail-order just about anything from
    Florida Oranges to lingerie, and you can get all that nasty shopping
    out of the way in one night without making a single impulse purchase.

    "Special, out of the ordinary, and personal" says pictures to me --
    but if you want to get a portrait of yourself done, make the 
    appointment *now* -- if you get it done this week the pictures
    should be ready to pick up right before Christmas.  Alternately, you
    could get one of those frames with small openings, get a bunch of your
    better snapshots copied, and cut them to fit.

    I spent some time in a couple malls this weekend, bought 1 gift, and
    managed to convince myself that the above approaches were the "only way
    to go".  Especially if I goof up the baklava again...

	Sharon

    How about a donation to their favorite charity?  This is my
    grandfather's idea.  He has no room for more things, no desire
    for more clothes, is on a restricted diet, and has all the money
    he needs to travel with.  He doesn't want anything at all.  But
    he does have this pet cause that he's thrilled if we donate to.
    
    Beth

Last year, I made jam and jelly all summer, so I gave everyone jam baskets.
I put in a couple of jams plus a homemade bread, and then some little things 
that were geared towards the receiver.  For instance, I gave my cousin a coffee
cup plus some gourmet coffee because she's a real coffee nut.  And I gave one of
my friends placemats and napkins.  

They went over very well, so I'm doing it again this year.  It's a lot of fun 
because you have to think small to fit everything in the basket, and I like
working with a theme in mind.  This year, I will be doing the same jam and
basket routine.  And I've already got a few ideas in mind.  For one of my 
who loves to cook and entertain and always wears this ratty old apron, I'm
going to make a new apron with matching pot holders and coasters, and a 
smaller version for her daughter, plus a barbeque version for her husband.  If
you use a little creativity and imagination, you can have all sorts of fun with
something like this.

    I had the same feeling as .0 two years ago, and did
    all my shopping without visiting a mall.  I also had no
    time to create clever presents.
    
    I visited several church fairs.  For my mother I found a
    pair of lace and ribbon trimmed work gloves labelled
    "Real Women Pump Gas".  There were some interesting
    hand-made toys, and one-of-a-kind craft items.  There were 
    also great refreshments sold by church members during the 
    shopping and everyone was friendly.  Look in your local
    paper, the fairs are starting now.
    
    If you live in New England, there is a huge annual craft
    fair in Woburn, though it's so big it may seem like a 
    mall to you.  Holiday decorations are a good idea for 
    individuals or couples who are just starting out - as
    long as your taste agrees with theirs.
    
    I spent four hours in New Words, the woman's book store
    in Cambridge, MA.  Found unusual books and calendars for
    many relatives, including my macho, football star nephew.
    Sent magazine subscriptions to other relatives.
    
    I have even less time this year - I hope the same 
    strategy works again.
    
    Pat

About 15 years ago, Dick and I spent Christmas with a family
that included three children.  We gave each of the kids
a small "nail and screw" file ... the small metal cabinets
with 12 drawers that are made to store screws, nails, and
small bits of hardware. The kids loved them, and their parents 
still mention them.

Also, you can never be too rich or have too many needle-
nose pliers.

For new car owners?  A box holding window washer, paper towels,
emergency flares, and a map book.

Small gifts I give to me friends at work: pretty cocktail napkins
and 1-ounce liquors. (This year I've been looking for small
desk-size salt and pepper shakers to keep in the drawer.)

Hmmm ... these all come from the store, but they escape the
soap-on-a-rope category.

    I have friends that bought everything they gave as christmas presents
    one year from flea markets and garage sales. I dont think that
    "special" presents have to be new to be special. Some of the neatest
    presents I have recieved have been  'previously used'. Shopping at flea
    markets and garage sales requires more time even though it could save 
    you some money.
    
    My mother-in-law still shakes her head when I mention the Bright
    Red Kirby vacuum cleaner I got for Valentines Day three years ago.
    I thanked my husband twice a day every day for three weeks.
    At the time I had been so frustrated with borrowing a vacuum cleaner
    every time I wanted to clean the floors. I am grateful for it everytime
    my two year old manages to find the open rice crispies box on saterday
    mornings. It cleans crushed rice crispies from the living room floor 
    in seconds.
     janet

    Anyone know of a massuer/massuese (what's the difference?) in the
    Boston area (ideally in the Lowell area) who sells gift-certificates?
    Anyone have any idea how much it would cost?
    
    Thanks,
    D!

    I decided to put together an "R&R" basket for my husband...a good book,
    some kind of goodie, coffee and maybe even a cozy pair of slippers
    (Lands End has the nicest colors!).
    
    This is going to be fun!
    
    
    Judi
    

    
    re: .17
    
    I'm nuts about Liz Anderson in Andover.  I was a regular client of hers
    for two years, until I moved further south than I wanted to drive.  She 
    charges $40 an hour.  Send mail if you want her number.
    
    Christine

    
    I got a bunch of AT&T long-distance gift certificates for my Mom.
    She *loves* this kind of thing.
    
    You can order them over the phone from the AT&T store in the
    Framingham Mall.  That's what I did and they arrived the next day.
    Number: 508-879-8630.  Ask for Martha (my cousin) :-)
    

    
>    I got a bunch of AT&T long-distance gift certificates for my Mom.
>    She *loves* this kind of thing.

	How do these work, anyway?  Does the receiver redeem them
	by sending them in with their phone bill and having them
	applied to that, or can they also be used by someone who
	doesn't actually have a phone registered in their name?

	    Sharon

    
    re .21:
    
    The certificates don't have anyone's name printed on them, so in
    the case that someone is, say, a roommate in a house where the phone
    is in a different person's name, that person can use the certificates
    to pay their portion of the phone bill by including them in the bill.
    They come in convenient $5 denominations.
    
    They can pay for AT&T long-distance *or* for a portion of the local
    bill or both.
    
    I'm not sure if this answers your question.