Christmas swap 2020

[patsylabrador 331]

Presents don't feature heavily in our Christmas but I did get some treats. The kids renewed our National Trust subscription for us and my MIL treated us to theatre voucher. OH and I don't exchange gifts but we've treated ourselves to the DT puzzle subscription for the year. Gifts that keep giving.

I did love this present from MS which indulges my loves of history, London and maps, all in one very heavy book!

 

 

What did you get? Lots of treaty fun I hope.

[chuckmum6 1]

Kindle voyage and lots of lovely other things, quite a bit from Joules. It was a really super Christmas day just the four of us, happy kids and happy mum and dad! ES was pleased with his map of the British empire.

[Cat tails 654]

I got a really nice jigsaw puzzle from my mom and we spend Christmas day trying to finish it! It's a jigsaw with two puzzles. One is the picture on the box and the other is what the people on the box see. So you don't know what you are trying to put together. A lot of fun and very challenging!

[gavclojak 1]

I got lots of bits.....and a number plate for my new car....happy days indeed

[Cinnamon 5]

My biggest surprises were both from my Husband.

When we went to Turkey in September, I loved a little metal Pomegranate shaped pot that I saw there, & he bought it back for me. I can't believe he managed to get it home & hide it all this time without me noticing!

Also we went to Whitstable a month or so ago & I liked a silver Cowrie shell necklace, which he tracked down & bought on his return

The eldest daughter took me to Lady Dinahs Cat Emporium a couple of weeks ago, as my Christmas gift, which was brilliant.

The youngest made most of her gifts, so I got homemade candy cane body scrub, spiced Arancello & fudge from her - all gorgeous.

[Ain't Nobody Here 4]

ES gave me a really nice aluminium jewellery tree, OH gave me the Game of Thrones box set (along with some clothes I'd bought myself ) and YS gave me some really good quality running socks. I'm a happy bunny .

[Grandmashazzie 67]

My OH and I got a Michael Deane restaurant bus tour from DS.He is quite famous here,he had a Michelin star at one time.We start out on a double decker bus and go to each of his restaurants in turn,for cocktails,starters etc.I think we will be pretty tipsy at the end,taxi home I think.OH is getting me a black lab,we are waiting until spring time.All in all everyone seemed pleased,it is so much harder when they are adults to get surprises they will like.

[mollyripkim 0]

I am very lucky as my family know me so well, I have been given a wolf encounter, get to go in with them and feed them. I also got an experience where I go and learn how to fly a hawk and meet the owls. I am really excited about both of them.

[Grandmashazzie 67]

Wow sounds amazing am well jealous

[soapdragon 479]

The birds experience sounds wonderful. We did a day of that a few years ago and flew various birds in the morning and then took a small hawk (gosshawk from memory) out hunting in the afternoon. It was amazing and there are quite a lot of good centres up and down the country that offer this so poss one for the birthday list

 

For Christmas I got the latest Phil Rickman hardback (really brilliant; his books are slightly spooky but a thumping good read and well written set in the Shropshire/Welsh borders) a puffin tea towel (I love puffins ) a pedometer and a marigold planter. Also an M&S voucher which will be put to good use. Step mother in law managed to give me some soap that I had given her as a thank you when they had ES to stay in the summer hols

 

Oh and a tagine so cous cous is on the next shopping list

[Minnie&Moose 28]

I got a fantastic pair of neoprene wellies, supposedly designed for walking in! They've already had multiple trips out and are now covered in mud and chicken poo, so feel like old friends. My feet have been toasty and even after a 4 hour walk the other day I was still comfy, warm and happy! I also got homemade florentines from my son - made with extra dark, bitter chocolate and apricots and candied peel instead of cherries, so not too sweet, and a lovely pair of earings I'd spotted on holiday in the Black Isle this summer and never noticed my partner slinking off to buy so they were a delightful suprise. So an excellent bunch of pressies this year!

[Willow 12]

Book looks lovely, I saw that before Christmas and hoped someone would buy it for me.

 

My presents were a bit of a disappointment really

OH bought me the latest of a type of expensive Christmas ornament so that was good. I'd asked him to do this every years a few years ago as I was fed up of the misery he managed to generate as he got increasingly stressed at the thought of Christmas shopping

 

Everyone else got me chocolates now don't get me wrong, I like chocolate but am disappointed at the lack of effort/thought from my boys

[gavclojak 1]

Book looks lovely, I saw that before Christmas and hoped someone would buy it for me.

Everyone else got me chocolates now don't get me wrong, I like chocolate but am disappointed at the lack of effort/thought from my boys

 

I hope you told them how disappointed you were by their lack of imagination, ask them how they would have felt if the situation was reversed. I am assuming they are big boys and not babies.....I know you should be grateful for what your given blah blah blah but I have told my kids....no old rubbish from the petrol station, no old rubbish from the bargain buckets as they are all working...put some thought in to it guys!!!

 

so from daughter I got a annie haak bracelet, ES clarkes boots and a zara wrap, YS Jo Malone perfume....a happy mummy indeed

[counturchickens 0]

Received some very nice & useful gifts, as usual my DH managed to buy something a bit on the naff side, this year a large plastic goose. I do laugh, as he's never sure whether I am going to love or hate his offerings. He did buy me some nice things too!

[mullethunter 453]

Lovely owl earrings from OH (we had a low cost present pact due to house buying). Spade, fork and gardening tools for new veggie patch from my mum; sugar thermometer from my sister. Very generous and unexpected financial support from my dad to OH and I to buy furniture for our new place - nearly made me cry! And lots of lovely little bits and pieces including of course pants, socks and a chocolate orange! For us present exchange is a big part of the day but all presents to each other are always either thoughtful / useful or ridiculous and funny. Or chickens!!

 

Willow I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I definitely think someone needs to have a word. I'd rather have no presents than things bought just for the sake of it with no personal input.

[patsylabrador 331]

I received a late present today which MS had ordered that shipped from USA and took a while. A chain necklace holding a little Key of Erebor. I'm very pleased and it sits very well with the greenstone that YS bought me from NZ. It is perfect.

[craftyhunnypie 0]

I had some wonderful presents! A decent hairdryer with ladybirds on, as my ever faithful travel one doesn't quite give my long hair the umph anymore. A book of Abba Gold sheet music for my flute, Some nice soap from The white stuff, a large triple moon cauldron, chocolates, a pentagram necklace, ski jacket, Laura Ashley light up hen & chicks, cardi with foxes on, smellies, Ted baker smellies, lots of nail polish, hot chocolate in a bauble, Cath Kidston clocks tray, ditsy apron, duffle coat & some Mozart ball chocolates. Ooo err!

Emma.x

[Willow 12]

I've had a gentle word with YS about the lack of effort, still need an opportunity to talk to ES. Twelve month wait to see if I got through Although I'm going to have a no chocolate rule for my birthday.

[Ain't Nobody Here 4]

I had a similar experience once on my birthday. We were abroad on holiday but I didn't get a single present or even a card (we had our car with us so it wouldn't have been too hard ). I had a mega tearful meltdown and things have certainly been better since. YS shares my birthday and I'd managed to take presents with us for him .

[docsquid 0]

We didn't do presents this year - we bought a new SatNav instead between the two of us. Sadly it was dreadful and we have had to return it. So we actually got no presents, but to be honest, that didn't matter. We got to spend the time together, and that was actually the best thing - just a few days off together.

[Bramble 0]

This is a really interesting thread!

 

I get ridiculously stressed about present buying (I blame it on a few unfortunate choices of present for my mum when I was much younger, about which she was rather "damming" even though I'd put a lot of thought into it).

 

I REALLY struggle with present buying - I'm already stressing about this year's birthdays and even next Christmas, wondering what to get for people - I agonize about it all and then still end up buying the same old same old - not due to lack of thought, just because I'm not "brave enough" to buy something I think the person might (or might not) like - you have no idea the stress it causes

[Blackrocksrock 27]

Oh dear Bramble - why not put a limit on the amount of money to spend to all the recipients as well as yourselves and then have fun buying things to that value or make things - i made a patchwork table runner for xmas for a friend and she loved it - it was xmas fabrics and will be used over and over. People like home made stuff. No need to stress.

[Olly 9]

I agree - present giving should be fun, and not about 'how much'.

 

We always do wishlists in my famly - I know some people think that is a bit mercenary or that it takes the fun out of it, but you don't know exactly what you are getting, and I'd rather buy something that someone really wants. The family got too large to buy for everyone so now we just buy for the people we are going to see at Christmas and we have an agreed financial limit. We also do random and 'silly' gifts, my sisters and I do stockings for each other and this year mine included a little hand-knitted cat, a couple of books which I know were from a charity shop, and the obligatory sugar mouse. If I had to choose I'd pick the stocking over a 'proper' present any day.

 

I love to get handmade things because it shows someone really took time and trouble over it.

[Bramble 0]

Ooooh home made I do LOVE making crafty things, but there's no way I could ever make anything worth giving to anyone!!!

It's not at all about the money side of things, it's very much a case of would that person like whatever it is - I don't know and end up getting very stressed!

I love the idea of wish lists, if only everyone did that!

[The Dogmother 578]

We don't really do expensive/big presents; the children get something, my parents give my sister and I something, but I give all the grown-ups goodie bags of handmadethings.