BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts

Subject: BS: Bestest Gifts
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:33 PM

Another thread prompted me to almost post :

I always USED to go on the afternoon of the 24th. To the big mall. I loved walking thru stores slowly and looking at all the panic. All the while being calm and sure that I would find the right gifts at bargain prices. I always did.

But, now that I am so disgusted with the commercialism, I read the fliers that come with the newspapers and, when I see a great bargain on something, I ask myself who I could gift with it. If it "fits" someone, I get it and stow it away. But, I would still like to see it just for the kids in our family.... instead of getting gifts for the adults, more gifts for the kids.
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That reminded me of missing the birthdayssss party just before Xmas last year. Uncle, cousin, nephew, nephew's wife, nephew's son, nieces son... all in one party a week before Xmas. I was just home from the hospital two days after an operation and in pain. No way I could go the the party. Made my day when little Nick (austistic) telephoned me and left a message on the answering machine that I had given him the "bestest birthday present EVER!"

He got lots of stuff. Really cool and expensive stuff too, but my present was the very bestest ever and he would never ever get anything as bestest ever again. I wept listening to him on the speaker and wanted to answer but I couldn't.

It was simple. I went to the dollar store the day before the operation. I bought the biggest gift "bag" they had and proceeded to fill it with toys and whatever the hell I thought might be "cool", at a buck apiece. For less than thirty bucks, I kept that kid as busy as a crab on a clam.... for days after too... and as happy as a clam.

So... any of youse got ideas for for cheap that buy a lot of joy?

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Peace
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:37 PM

"I kept that kid as busy as a crab on a clam"

Great expression I have never heard before.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:39 PM

I suppose not. Neither had I.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:44 PM

I considered "coyote on carrion" and several others, but, due to the nature of some of the imaginations of the prurient of nature herein this Café, I went with the crab and clam. Odd that you were the first to post... co-inkydink?

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Peace
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:50 PM

It was the mention of the crab I think. I never had a case of clams.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:53 PM

Beuys SKELP

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:56 PM

lol Peace, in our markets, clams are usually found in the can.

Gnu, what a great idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:57 PM

The best presents are always the one that require much thought and not much cash.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:57 PM

meant ones

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Peace
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:59 PM

Other than written or drawn stuff from my kids, gnu--much of which I still have--the best present I ever received was some baked goods from a young man whose dog we saved in an ice rescue. He was a bit challenged but to show his thanks he baked us cookies. They were delicious.







OK, they were terrible, BUT, the guys on the department ate 'em all.


I do not care about the store-bought stuff or the fancy stuff. Something that shows some thought works for me. That bag you got for Nick would do the trick for this ol' boy.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Peace
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:02 PM

"lol Peace, in our markets, clams are usually found in the can."

Must make it feel a bit risky to uh, uh, use the facilities, no?

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:05 PM

One year when times were hard i made my mum in law a book of cheques they were for things like "Give me a call" "Come to dinner" and "We will come play scrabble"

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:09 PM

Peace... "OK, they were terrible, BUT, the guys on the department ate 'em all."

Got a tear in me eye, b'y.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Becca72
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:45 PM

Best gift I've gotten in a long time is a picture that sits on my desk as I type this. Both nephews, neice and nephew-in-law got together last year and had a photo taken. I love those kids dearly and now I get to see them every day.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Jeri
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:46 PM

Sometimes gifts work both ways and everybody feels good.

My parents got me cardboard boxes of different sizes when I was a toddler and they didn't have any spare money. I can remember how much fun those boxes were to this day. I can hardly remember anything from that long ago and I only remember a few later presents, but I sure remember those boxes.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Wesley S
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:57 PM

My mother once typed up all of the letters that she and my father had exchanged while they were courting during WWII. Cost was a few pages of paper and her time. But it's priceless to all three of us kids. She burned the letters later so we couldn't read the steamy parts.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 05:14 PM

Great story, Jeri.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Tig
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 11:55 AM

Not Christmas but for my brother's 50th he decided he didn't know what he wanted and would chance a 'Lucky Bag' from me - so that's what he got!!

All the old fashioned cheap type of kids sweets - including a sherbet fountain, lolly and licquorice wheel (couldn't find the palma violets though) plus silly toys like a set of bubbles and a yoyo. Odd more 'grown up but useless pressies' like a plastic emergency poncho were also included.

He was over the moon with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Micca
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 12:10 PM

A Friend (a fellow mudcatter) once gave me For a Birthday I think it was, a "Toilet amusement" kit, it contained some TP flat packed Izal, a book of "Toilet humour" a bubble blowing kit (never worked out how to blow bubbles from THAT end) a pack of sweets and a few other small treats, it amused the hell out of me and still warms me at its thoughtfulness

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: gnu
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 12:17 PM

I'll second that re Jeri's post, Ebbie.

And, I've seen many a present given to small children who end up playing with the box rather than the present. Same thing with an accompanying card for small children. Why not spend that few bucks on something else than a card they don't care about? Of course, since the dollar store opened up...

Hehehe... I had a snotty relative who would only give Hallmark cards and openly insisted on receiving only Hallmark cards. So, one birthday, I put a letter size sheet of paper in a same size envelope. I had written on the sheet of paper, "Couldn't find an appropriate Hallmark card. Happy 40th Birthday." I included ten other sheets... 41st, 42nd, 43rd.... she got the message.

Subject: RE: BS: Bestest Xmas Gifts
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 05:40 PM

Micca - you missed out the tube of KY Jelly and the fact that I knew you'd open it at work....

A Friend.