Best Xmas Gift!

[susiestar]

I just found the BEST Xmas gift to my mom and I. Yes, I am giving myself a gift too!

I don't normally check Groupon because we have to drive to get any of the deals for the most part. I was trying to think of something for husband's nephew who we don't really know all that well. I thought I might find a restaurant gift cert on Groupon so he would get more for our $$.

Then I saw IT.

IT is a 2 hr class in making truffles and chocolates at a place called the CocoFlow Cafe!!!!

It will be a 90 min drive one way, but for this? Not a problem. It has an option for one or two people, and is good for at least a year so we can find a date that works for us. I did call my mom first, and she sounds excited about it also.

This just sounds like too much fun, Know what I mean???

Groupon also had some great deals on things that would be good 'experience' gifts, like massages and roller skating or ice skating or zip lines or parasailing or hot air balloons. Things like zip lines and the like would be great for husband but not this year. Maybe for next, we will see.

As it is? I think this is great.

Be sure to also check area museums and art centers because experience gifts can be a wonderful thing - truly a memory that lasts a lifetime. Often this is better and more memorable than a toy or outfit or candle or whatever, in my opinion.

What is the best gift that YOU have found this year, the one you are most excited for?

 

[Hound dog]

Truffles as in what the pigs dig up??

Does sound like a really cool experience though.

 

[ThreeShadows]

Lol, Hound! Chocolate truffles! http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_truffles/

 

[Calamity Jane]

The chocolate class sounds great, Susie. There's a well known cooking school in upstate NY that offers weekend cooking classes with all sorts of themes, and I was seriously thinking of doing that with easy child in the spring. It's a gorgeous part of the state in the fall and in the spring, so we'll probably do that in April.
I'm giving two really weird gifts this year, but they're perfect for the recipients. easy child loves symphony orchestras, and she was in her school orchestra throughout HS and college. The other morning, she was showing me a clip on youtube with a conductor of the Los Angeles symphony, whose last name is Dudamel. He's very animated, he's young, passionate, and easy child is crazy about him. Well, I got her tickets to Lincoln Center in March, when Dudamel is conducting the orchestra here in NY, a few days before Easter. She's going to lose her mind. I can't wait to see that.
difficult child loves music and plays many instruments. We got him a ukelele and the accessories, along with "Beatles songs for the ukelele", "Rock songs for the ukelele" books. He has no idea. So I think he's also going to go insane, too.

 

[Hound dog]

I'd flunk out. I wouldn't be able to keep my fingers out of the chocolate.

I'm glad you checked with your mom first though. That was a good idea. Nichole's in laws were sweet and bought them a membership to the zoo. Sounds like a grand idea. Except they're in dayton, zoo is in cincy.......and well, schedules worked out that they never made it to the zoo. Nichole is hoping her mother in law doesn't do that again, she feels like their money was wasted.

 

[TerryJ2]

OMG, that's a FANTASTIC idea!

lol, Hound Dog! You can be on the next I Love Lucy episode.

 

[DammitJanet]

Well I am the toy giver in the family. No big surprise there. I did get Billy a present I hope he likes because he is somewhat hard to buy for especially after last year when I got him a Kindle which he loved. This year I was looking for a bed in a bundle type thing because he is extremely hard on things like that. I bought him a set a few years ago and he only has the comforter left and it is practically in rags. I didnt find one I particularly liked but as I was browsing Ebay I ran across this place that sold these fuzzy blankets and one of them was a picture of KISS. That has been one of his top two favorite bands of all times. It wasnt particularly cheap and it is a queen sized blanket but I ordered that for him.

I got two pairs of pants for Tony for work. He needed some really sturdy pants. I looked at the Duluth firehose pants but they are so expensive that I found some Carhart logger pants that are pretty much the same but about half the price. They have rivets at all the points that might tear loose, double walled knees, plenty of pockets and even places to put knee pads. The denim is extremely thick. I read review and people really like them.

I still have to get something for Cory, Jamie and Billie. I am iffy on Mandy but will probably get her something small just because I cant do nothing. I am not thrilled with her right now but that is another post which I will do in PE.

 

[susiestar]

You all have such wonderful ideas!

Last year I did a bunch of very small blackwork designs. Most were under 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I gave my mom a wrapping organizer made out of one of those travel toiletry kids that hangs on the hook. I put bows in pockets and ribbon through the mesh part of one pocket and other stuff. I glued the small designs onto cardstock for gift tags. My mom just LOVED it. she had a very hard time giving those tags away and used some as tree decorations.

She loved them so much I made more this year. We just had dinner with the inlaws for thank you's birthday, and I made some for stepmil also. They look really cute and were FAST to make.

I love giving things like that.

I did find some other cool things online. If you know anyone into stars, astronomy, etc..., Groupon has a deal where you can buy a star. Prices start at $15, and I know several people who would totally LOVE this.

 

[AnnieO]

My gift to husband has been planned for over 2 years. Just a sterling dogtag with 4 names and the corresponding years... one for each child.

 

[trinityroyal]

My favourite gift this year is the one difficult child is giving to easy child. difficult child's job doesn't pay terribly well and the boy is skint. Still, they are very close, share a lot of interests, and he wanted to get something fabulous for his little brother. So, he decided to give easy child his bike. easy child is now tall enough to ride it, and difficult child really is MUCH too tall for it. Which means that difficult child will be bike-less. husband and I have agreed to throw in a tune-up at the cycle shop in the spring, but I just loved the creativity and love that went into the gift.

 

[InsaneCdn]

And you're getting difficult child another bike? (like even a good used one?)

 

[trinityroyal]

difficult child doesn't know it, but he's getting husband's old bike, which is (almost) tall enough for him. Later, we will look into getting difficult child a new bike, but for now this works.
Didn't want to spoil the selflessness of difficult child's gesture by telling him ahead of time.

 

[susiestar]

That is a wonderful thing, Trinity! A very selfless and loving gift!

I am going to my mom's tomorrow and we are going to work on Wiz' birthday gift. He wants wild socks. Do you know how much those cost for men? You can get all kinds for women, but for men? Very little is available under ten bucks a pair! I got a pack of socks at Sams today and then used a coupon at Michaels for a tie dye kit. We will get a lot more for him that way, and have fun as we do them! Mom was going to use fabric paint, but it doesn't work so well for socks. I am also going to use some of the paste food color that I have for more color range. I figure if food color stains permanently then it can be used as dye too.