« Feeding the muse (and not into the wood chipper) | Main | Remembering Dot »

December 03, 2011

Comments

KrisL

I love books, but the tough part is that I'm picky about what I like, and I usually quickly buy the books I really want. It makes it hard for someone to buy me a book.

If someone bought me a vacuum or anything similar to that as a gift, I'd think they were trying to give me a hint (and they'd have a point).

Kelly Saderholm

I love to cook, so any kind of kitchen appliance is terrific. I have received blenders and such for Christmas and loved them.

A steam-mop? not so much. Unless it had a cleaning lady that came with it.

Elaine Viets

Gift cards, Kris and Kelly. Local bookstores have wonderful gift cards and you can buy the book you've been longing for.
Kelly, my kitchen junkie friends like Williams-Sonoma gift cards. Am I right about that?

Kelly Saderholm

I love Gift Cards. I admit to being ambivalent about them at first. I try to do most of my shopping at local stores- mostly bookstores. But not everybody can.

My mom is, well, older and has health problems,especially a bad hip that makes shopping difficult. She can go to her neighborhood Kroger Grocery and buy all kinds of gift cards- usually she gets Barnes and Noble and/or Amazon. Her teen/college age grand children love them and she doesn't have to spend hours trying to shop for them. She also can just mail them easily- usually in a Christmas Card,doesn't have to stand in line at the PO and worry about shipping, etc.

A Williams- Sonoma Gift card is a great gift for kitchen-junkies!

Elaine Viets

Gift cards used to make me a little queasy, too, Kelly. But they are a real help for those who aren't "gifted" with the art of buying presents. Teachers tell me they love bookstore gift cards, even for small amounts like $5. They put themn toward books they want to buy.

Jody

ONLY if I had requested it would I want any household tool for a Christmas present! When we've have name drawings, I've included sheets and towels as some of the suggested gifts. I frequently name particular books & or ask for bookstore gift cards.

Elaine Viets

Jody, if only more shoppers were as straightforward as you.

Linda Rodriguez

I've not been a fan of gift cards in the past, feeling they were about the same as giving cash and sort of perfunctory. However, in recent years, I've come to see the sense of them. It's hard to know if someone has a particular book or whatsit, even if you know it's one of their interests. A gift card to a place that will have the kind of thing they like shows you know what they like, but leaves the choice of item to the recipient.

Elaine Viets

A gift card at least shows you went to the trouble to buy one, Linda. I like giving someone a shopping spree -- even if it's a small spree. More like a spurt.

Chickdicks

I usually like frivolous, and my 2 daughters coach my hubby about what to buy, but lately I've been lamenting the state of my floors (dogs & grandkids are wreaking havoc), so a steam vac would actually be welcome.

And maybe I'm getting old.

Dana

You are spot on about the pink tools, Elaine--ye gods and little fishes. Several friends have given me multitools (like Leatherman or Gerber), and they've all been lovely enough to give me the toughest, meanest-looking, hardest-core versions. I want Batman to step back, go whoa, when I pull out one of the multitools.

(But giftcards are always nice, too.)

Elaine Viets

No Barbie tools for me, either, Dana.
Chick, it might be time to drop a few hints to your daughters so they can coach your husband. Oreck has a power broom & steam mop combo.

cheap Timberland Boots

You are spot on about the pink tools, Elaine--ye gods and little fishes. Several friends have given me multitools (like Leatherman or Gerber), and they've all been lovely enough to give me the toughest, meanest-looking, hardest-core versions. I want Batman to step back, go whoa, when I pull out one of the multitools.

Hank Phillippi Ryan

Steam mop? What would I do with that?

And I'd rather have tough gritty tools than PINK ones.

I'm with ya on this gift card thing--it seems--impersonal. But they sure are fun to get.

Elaine Viets

I think a woman always looked better in Black (and Decker).
Tough stuff for tough jobs.

Sheila Connolly

I crave a Dyson ball vacuum cleaner (especially if the guy with the sexy British accent comes along with it to show me how it works)--and I already own six vacuums.

The comments to this entry are closed.