Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
I’m still working on answering your AMA questions one by one (yesterday’s post was sort of an answer to afrome’s question:
how is the clothes inventory going since you created it last year? do you still reference it and has it provided you with any big takeaways? do you have an ideal number or range that works for your lifestyle?
But because it’s the season for giving, I wanted to ask you:
- Do you celebrate a gift-giving holiday? If so, do you generally exchange gifts with family/friends?
- What gifts are you giving this year?
- In your opinion, what is the best gift you have EVER given? To whom?
- What is the best gift you have ever received?
- What are you hoping to RECEIVE this year? 😉
My answers:
- It’s complicated. I converted to Judaism before I married my ex husband in 2000 but before that, my family and I celebrated Christmas. I felt more connected to Judaism than I ever did Christianity, but I have always had trouble with religion, and now consider myself mostly an atheist, so I don’t really celebrate any religious holidays. I do exchange gifts with family and friends who celebrate Christmas though, because it makes them happy, and I enjoy it too. When I converted to Judaism I married an Israeli man for whom Hanukkah was completely different than it’s celebrated in the US; it is not typically a gift-giving holiday, nor is it a very important holiday for Jews, it just became that way since it sometimes falls very close to Christmas. Anyway, all this is to say that growing up, Christmas was cool (Thanksgiving was always my favorite “holiday”) and I enjoy giving and receiving gifts, but the gift-giving is significantly less important now than it was then. Leo and I don’t really exchange “gifts” at all, and that’s okay with me.
- I can’t say 🙂
- Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t think I’m particularly good at gift-giving…growing up, my parents always asked us what we wanted and that’s what we got. And that’s still the way I view gifting; in a very practical way LOL. I do like to pick up little things for people here and there that I think they’ll appreciate. And I always enjoy baking cookies, etc. and giving them to people.
- Oh man…probably the trip Leo and I took to Rome for my 39th birthday 🙂
- I don’t want to receive anything really, or expect anything, but my parents always want to give me something. So my mom bought me the Clyde culottes by Elizabeth Suzann. I’m very excited about them, but I’m afraid they won’t fit now…I can tell already that I’m losing weight after a week on a liquid diet and can only imagine how my body will change after a month. I do always love Amazon gift cards…
1. I’m no longer Christian but was growing up and I love to decorate, so…..We no longer give or receive gifts. If our parents happen to be around, we do homemade gifts ONLY. (but we had parents for Thanksgiving this year, no one this week…)
2. Education fund for nieces & nephews. A couple boxes of cookies.
3. No clue. It’s been so long since I’ve given a real surprise gift. Husband and I gave that up ages ago 😉
4. Ditto here – we decide to do trips or sometimes I get jewelry but…..Pretty much almost never wrapped 😉
5. We’re going to Canada in January and I want not kill myself when we go skiing 😉
Really boring, eh? But we’re happy this way. We’d rather buy what we want when we want it and spend “together” money on travel…
Do you celebrate a gift-giving holiday? If so, do you generally exchange gifts with family/friends? My husband and I are both atheists but we celebrate Christmas with both sides of our family.
What gifts are you giving this year?
10 year-old son is getting a new-to-him iPod touch. We bought ourselves a new TV.
In your opinion, what is the best gift you have EVER given? To whom?
Bought my husband a Patriots jersey the first Valentine’s Day we were dating. He was so surprised and thrilled.
What is the best gift you have ever received?
My engagement ring. I was surprised and thrilled!
What are you hoping to RECEIVE this year?
Nothing. But that won’t happen. I’m a closet minimalist/zero-waster wannabe and would love to cut back on gifts given and received but my husband’s family are really into over-gifting.
1. We celebrate Christmas, over 3-4 times each year with family. My boyfriend and I have begun taking a trip in December (just returned from Providence!) instead of giving gifts, but my family is 100% into the big-gift-exchange.
2. Michael and I will only be exchanging stockings (usually filled with consumables the other one needs – toothbrushes, shampoo, socks, and of course, mini alcohol bottles). For my family I purchased mostly books, clothing, and food-gifts, and I always have a big marathon baking day to make Christmas cookies.
3. For my boyfriend’s 30th birthday, I took him to Boston for a few days (I checked out airfare over the July 4th holiday weekend, and gave him cities to choose from).
4. A lot of times when I’m online shopping, my boyfriend will throw down his card and say “let me get it.” Honestly, I think I like those little things sprinkled throughout the year than one big forced gifting session on a designated day.
5. Last year we received an Airbnb gift card and put it toward a stay in Montreal. I’d be happy for one of those again this year. Otherwise, I usually like to receive the things I would have to buy for myself anyway. My yoga mat is basically in shreds, and I’ve put way too many miles on my sneakers. Replacing those things would be wonderful!
1. Yes, I celebrate Christmas and we do exchange gifts. I buy gifts for my brothers, SIL, niece, nephew and my cousin’s kids too. And also my close friend and her kids and her dog of course! Oh, and my boyfriend and I exchange gifts as well. Christmas has always been a big deal growing up. I’m Christian, grew up in a Christian household and we usually go to Christmas Eve services. It’s my favorite holiday!
2. This year I’m giving Amazon gift cards to the men mostly, Sephora makeup gift sets, JCrew PJ’s and an ATM hoodie for my gf, a couple purses (from JCrew), and for the boyfriend–Randy Newman album set (he loves his turntable), REM CD’s, and some PJ’s. I also bake a lot so will be gifting cookies.
3. The best gift I’ve ever given and to whom? Probably a trip to Bali w/my ex boyfriend some 10yrs ago.
4. I still remember my first makeup kit at age 10. I was obsessed with it! I don’t know if it was the best gift I’ve ever received but I remember it vividly and that’s when I fell in love with mascara 🙂
5. I really want some Bodum insulated espresso glasses b/c I just got a Nespresso machine and love it! And maybe a new comforter b/c my dogs have pretty much chewed through the one I currently have 🙁
1.We celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts. I love giving gifts but in the last few years I’ve found myself wanting to just spend quality time with people over gifts, and examining my own “how” and “why” around celebrating Christmas. I’m spiritual but don’t currently subscribe to any religion so I guess in the end — I go along with celebrating Christmas for now, but I’m feeling the need to change my traditional celebration of it in favor of doing something that feels more true to me.
2.What gifts are you giving this year? Rainboots for my mom, a lined L.L. Bean shirt for my dad, Blundstones and a Jungmaven sweater for my husband, and assorted candles and cooking/baking utensils.
3. My favorite gift I recently gave was to my husband, which was a silly pair of whale socks I bought for him on a whim. He specifically wears them to work on days when he has a big presentation or something he’s nervous for to remind him of me, which I think is so sweet <3
4.What is the best gift you have ever received? I think the best gift I've received was YEARS ago, when my then-boyfriend-now-husband bought me a wool peacoat from J. Crew. I wore that thing for YEARS and still have it, although the cut is not as current as I'd like.
5.What are you hoping to RECEIVE this year? We just bought a house in the Pacific Northwest, so I'm desperately hoping for a pair of Blundstone boots for myself — basically anything to help me prepare for the significantly colder temps we just signed ourselves up to live in! Another thing I didn't specifically ask for but would love is a waxed canvas weekender bag for my frequent flights from the bay area to the PNW (since I'm still working in the bay for the next few months before moving up there full-time).
1. We celebrate Christmas although neither one of us is Christian. Im very spiritual, (my husband calls me a “witchy little Hindu”) and he is an agnostic. I do decorate and put out a nativity because 1. My uncle made it for me and 2. Nostalgia. My husband and I exchange gifts with each other ( he loves buying and getting gifts, -and he’s really good at it) and with my family. We buy my parents gifts and all our nieces and nephews and then draw names with my brothers, sister, and their spouses. Before my husband mother passed away a couple years ago we would “do Christmas ” and exchange gifts with her also.
2. My dad and I have very similar taste in books, so we always get each other books. I order his books to give me enough time to read them myself before wrapping them up to give to him. He does the same thing. My husband thinks we are total weirdos.
3.I have no idea on the best gift I’ve ever given. Completely drawing a blank.
4.The best gift I ever received was a Barbie dream house when I was little. I had been asking for years and knew it wasn’t the kind of thing my parents could afford but one Christmas it appeared under the tree and it was magic. I had it in my room until I went off to college. Now it’s at my parents house and I “play” with it with my nieces and nephews. It’s almost 40 years old and still bringing joy and being used daily.
5. Inner peace but I will be happy with some Elizabeth suzann
no! not boring at all, i think it’s great 🙂 thanks for sharing.
i’ve come to accept that physical gift giving is actually pretty important to some people, but i did tell my dad that whenever he wants to get me anything at all, i’d prefer southwest (airlines) gift cards 🙂
I need to start asking my mom for Airbnb gift cards! She’s always asking what to get us and that would be perfect.
i love all your answers! especially the book gifts, i love that you both read them first 🙂
here’s hoping for inner peace AND elizabeth suzann…
awww…i love the sock story. i gave my dad a monthly sock subscription for his birthday last year and he loved it. the socks were bright and silly, just what he likes 🙂
we have lots of bodum insulated glasses and i LOVE The espresso ones most of all. i don’t drink espresso much at home, but i love them for when i do. and when our friend’s daughter is here, she likes to drink out of them LOL
oh! agree on your number 5 – i like to give things to people they need, but are hesitating buying for whatever reason. it’s not very fun to buy a new yoga mat LOL, but it’s the kind of thing that’s nice to receive. it’s thoughtful.
and I LOVE the idea of airbnb gift cards!! we’ve never actually used airbnb, leo prefers hotels, but i think it would be a great experience.
Where did you get the sock subscription? That’s just my husband’s style 🙂
foot cardigan! – they’re a local company and really easy to work with.
You have the best readers & commenters because I am LOVING the responses today!!!
1. Do you celebrate a gift-giving holiday? If so, do you generally exchange gifts with family/friends?
Yeah, we celebrate Christmas. My family is agnostic but we use Christmas as a reason to get the whole family together from around the country and share a meal.
I’ve impressed upon my family that a gift exchange is unnecessary but I can guarantee that my mum will give me something cos she just can’t help herself.
2. What gifts are you giving this year?
I only buy for my nephews (who are 6.5 and 3.5 years old). I try to buy something they want, something they need and something fun.
So I’ve got them some DVD’s (Lego and PawPatrol!), some nice t-shirts and a SuperSoaker watergun each.
3. In your opinion, what is the best gift you have EVER given? To whom?
4. What is the best gift you have ever received?
I have absolutely no idea to either of these. I guess that goes to show how little value I place on Xmas/birthday gifts? I’m not being ungrateful, but my mindset is toward being with friends/family rather than on the stuff received. I can tell you exactly how and with whom I spent my last 5 birthdays and Xmas’s.
5. What are you hoping to RECEIVE this year? ?
I would really like to receive nothing. But I know that’s not going to happen so I’ve requested riding lessons from both my mum and from the MiL (i’m getting back on the horse after 10 years away)
Oh girl, this is MY set of questions!! I absolutely love gift-giving and Christmas 🙂
1. I do! I’m Catholic and Mexican and we a HUGE Christmas celebration every year. My extended family goes to Christmas Eve mass together, then we go to my grandparent’s house, say the rosary, place the baby Jesus in the manger, then eat a ton of tamales and open presents. My family has been doing this since my grandfather was a kid, so it’s a very special tradition. We draw names in our family, so we don’t have to buy gifts for all 50+ people there. Then on Christmas day, we do brunch and presents with my mom and my sisters at my house. We open presents, eat food, and usually watch a movie together. It’s amazing!!
2. So many things!! I have managed to stay under budget this year, but I’m giving lots of fun stuff. I don’t want to spill my secrets here just in case someone finds it 🙂
3. For my sister’s birthday a few years ago (she’s a HUGE Harry Potter fan), I found this beautiful print of Hermione and had it framed and hand lettered to say “The Brightest Witch of Her Age.” My sister loved it so much and it hangs in her room. I was pretty proud of putting that together for her.
4. Hmmmm that’s hard to say. I’ve gotten so many beautiful and thoughtful gifts. But the best is probably an ongoing gift from my husband. When I was young, I loved this leatherbound collection of Agatha Christie books that my step-grandmother had. It was a one-time printing, and when she died, there were only 3 or 4 left. My husband scours the internet every year on my birthday to add more books to my collection! So far I have about 30. It is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.
5. I’m hoping to get the pink sparkly sippy cup from Starbucks, a rowing machine, and a couple of shelves for my office!
i agree 🙂
Number 4! So cute! So appreciated. And weirdly, so thoughtful, haha.
1. I’m not religious, but grew up “celebrating” Christmas. Mostly it was my mom who went all out decorating, and we did gifts and meal and everything. But since she passed four years ago, I’m at a point where the holiday is meaningless to me. I’ve got my immediate family on board with no gifts, but I wish we could get my husband’s family on board too. It is such a burden and brings me no joy.
2. My sisters and I do a calendar exchange because that’s a thing my mom used to give us every year. We switch off sisters each year and can pick something we knew they’d like, so it’s thoughtful but still practical.
3. My best friend told me how much she liked a dress I wore earlier this summer. I was SO excited to buy her the same dress in a different pattern. It was burning a hole in the back of my closet for like a month before I could give it to her for her birthday. She loved it so much and was completely surprised. I loved giving this gift maybe more than she loved receiving it. She told me how much it meant that I had remembered her saying she’d liked it over a month before her birthday.
4. My dad and my sister gave me a really nice bike for my birthday a few years ago. They had done research and everything. I hadn’t asked for it and didn’t expect it at all. Useful and delightful.
5. I hope to NOT receive anything because I find it so fraught. I have such particular taste and feel so guilty when people give me things I don’t want. I hope my husband writes me a nice love note—that is so much more special to me.
1.I celebrate Christmas, though it’s very low key compared to childhood. I love gift giving so I give little things, like lip balm or a piece of jewelry, to all my close girlfriends and family members. I don’t expect things back, but it’s nice to give.
2. Oh, lots of little locally made jewelry items. But I’m also giving two unusual gifts: I’m writing poems for my parents and giving a pair of scrubs to my dad, who got a medical degree in undergrad and wore his college scrubs as pajamas for years until they fell to pieces.
3. That’s a tough one. One year I gave Daniel a book of poetry I had written about our relationship when we were dating. I think that’s one of the better ones.
4. My husband gave me a banjo one year and that was a surprising and wonderful gift, though I still suck at playing it.
5. I don’t want anything. I don’t really care about receiving gifts, but simple things, like artsy soap or candles are always appreciated.
1. Yes I celebrate but I’m not religious. It is more about spending the time off with family. I exchange gifts with family only, no friends. However, I also buy gifts for my team at work as well as my fellow senior managers. I would be ok if my family decided not to exchange gifts in the future and instead just spent time together but that’ll never happen.
2. For most of my team that are women I bought various small accessories or jewelry at the Kate Spade black Friday sale and for the men a desk accessory. I will supplement with gift cards from the museum we work at. A Ted Baker kitty wallet for my sister, a handmade kimono fabric scarf/ribbon necklace for my auntie from the museum shop and a wallet for my BF. Everyone else is getting gift cards however my mom’s card is supplemented by a handknit gnome from the museum shop.
3. Hard to choose. We got our parents the new Apple TV a few years ago. Last year I got my sister a Longchamp tote and my ex husband a koa valet box (many years ago when we were still married). I suspect my sister returned the bag however as I never saw her use it (she often returns what I give her even though I think I get her great gifts lol). She saw my bag and was very interested in it so I got her one for herself.
4. Also hard to say, I always like what loved ones choose for me. Getting my own macbook one year though led to me writing again after years of inactivity and blogging so let’s choose that even though I pretty much demanded it from my ex husband since he always hogged our shared desktop.
5. Nothing in particular although I am considering asking the BF for an LV key case (the one that is a little pouch with a key ring that you can zip up the key or use for cards).
1. Do you celebrate a gift-giving holiday? If so, do you generally exchange gifts with family/friends?
Yes. Christmas. We used to exchange with my parents and brothers and their families, but that got to be too hard to find the right thing (one brother has horrendous taste!) and money issues made price limits an issue. So now it’s my husband, our 3 daughters, my SIL, and 3 grandkids (they’re the fun ones to buy for!), and my parents. My BFF and I used to, but she died in February.
2. What gifts are you giving this year?
Helping our Peace Corps volunteer daughter with her plane ticket so we could have her home with us for the 1st time in a year and a half 🙂 , books and clothes for the college sophomore (and a Kyle Ren electric toothbrush that plays a Star Wars tune), clothes for my hubby that NEVER buys anything for himself, and a book trilogy that he really likes. My parents have everything they need/want so I get the gift certificates to the movies and a restaurant. The Pete Souza Obama book for my eldest daughter, workout clothes for SIL, and toys and outfits for the kiddos.
3. In your opinion, what is the best gift you have EVER given? To whom?
We surprised our youngest daughter with tickets to Lincoln Center for a showing of “Lord of the Rings” accompanied by a full chorus and orchestra performing the music synchronized to the movie. And Oscar winning composer Howard Shore made a surprise appearance (Ah, the tears!!!)
4. What is the best gift you have ever received?
One year, when my husband was in seminary and we were totally BROKE, my husband wrote a story for me and even “aged” the paper. It was beautiful and it made me cry. Precious gifts aren’t about money.
5. What are you hoping to RECEIVE this year? ?
I have my eye on a pair of Mejuri hoop earrings, a black v-neck sweater from Nordstrom, and a beautiful candle (made in Ireland) from a local nursery.
I’m your gift-giving opposite! My rule for presents is they cannot be something practical or something you “need,” as in an item you would buy for yourself. (So no irons or vacuum cleaners!)
Henny, your #1 – I love everything about Advent and the whole month leading up to Christmas. We’re Christian, too, and I love our candle lit Christmas Eve service, gift-giving, food(!), breakfast casserole on Christmas morning after opening gifts. It’s my favorite time of year and I’m like a little kid.
I love it, Cathy!!! I’m excited about your Christmas and I’m not even going to be there!!! 😉
Thank you so much! We definitely go all out 🙂