Holiday Gift Guide

Last year I wrote a gift guide and it's been pretty popular. I guess people really care about what neurotic types who put a lot of thought into gifts get others for the holidays. This year I'm going to be just a bit more specific about who is getting what from me this year.

First up, the boy. My husband's hobbies are cycling, photography, and playing guitar. He had several things on his wish list this year: a pocket knife, a grey fedora (right), and a gift card to a local bicycle shop because he's getting a custom frame made and he's going to spend approximately a billion dollars tricking his new bike out.

The hat I'm going to get at a store in St. Paul called Heimie's Haberdashery. I'm estimating its cost at about $50, but I'll update that after I've actually purchased it. I am too late to order a knife, but I'd really like to get him a Boker knife. Maybe for his birthday. Inevitably, the boy is also going to get some argyle socks and some tshirts. Don't say I'm not romantic!!! (Most of my present will be in the form of the gift card to the bike shop, though. I think it's what he wants the most.)

Plus, I really want to start our own Christmas traditions, even though we are never "home" during the actual day. I'm going to buy a leather journal and every major event in our lives, I want to write in the journal where we were, what happened, and maybe stick a picture in it. That journal is going under the tree and we'll do our first entry when we open it. Also, I want to get a special ornament for our tree each year. This year I also ordered an ornament from RockCandyVintage that is personalized with our initials on it. I haven't yet gotten it in the mail, but I'm expecting it any day. ($15)


I got a relatively easy pick for my Secret Santa draw at work this year. Last year I had the music teacher and that was absurdly easy. This took just a bit more thought. I have the following gifts for her (one each day): a four pack of Godiva chocolates ($7) I picked up at the Mall of America yesterday (yes, I am crazy), a six pack of notecards I picked up at 75% off when a store was going out of business earlier this yet, a chat pack of conversation starters I picked up at that same store, a pocket mirror I got as a free gift from BeeDazzleGifts when I ordered some cards earlier this year, and some wall art. It's actually similar to the one below, but instead of saying LOVE it says ART. (I work at a performing arts high school - it totally makes sense in context). ($35 at The Afternoon)
My mother has everything on the planet. My sister told me that she had purchased season two of an old television series for her and if I could purchase the third and final season, that would be great. So I did. ($36.49 at amazon)

My sister is a fan of scary books and movies. I went ahead and got her this book at The Afternoon, too. It's an "interactive" mystery solving book. I'm a bit in love with it myself. ($24.95)
My sister is also crafty. I got her a rubber stamp with her name and address on it from RubberStampPress, another etsy shop. I stopped by a craft store and picked up three ink pads to put in the box with it. ($20.95 for this design - the prices range from $19.95 all the way up to $29.95)
I drew my seven month old niece in the kid's draw this year. (Ha ha. It's the first time there's been more than one niece. So it's the first time we've ever done a draw. That's why it's funny.) Anyway, her adjusted age is about four months old, so I just did an amazon search for what the best gifts are for babies her adjusted age, put in my price range, and picked the two top toys (her parents specifically requested toys - they just don't have a lot, I guess).

Voila! The Soothe and Glow Seahorse ($9.99 at amazon, although I paid $14.87 for it last week) gets five stars from reviewers. It does look pretty awesome.
The Baby Einstein Bendy Ball got 4 and a half stars from amazon reviewers. It doesn't look as cool, but the $5.99 price suckered me in (I had a $20 limit for the baby draw.)
In addition, I purchased a book for each of our nieces and nephews.

For the almost three year old girl, I got a hardcover Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner with pictures by Mark Buehner. The pictures are beautiful.

For the just turned two year old boy, I got a softcover of Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner. I went with a softcover because chances are pretty good the little guy's just gonna rip the pages.

For the 14 month old boy, I went with Big Building Site, part of a John Deere series by Parachute Press. He lives in Iowa. It's a sturdy board book, but has some fun tabs he can play with. I think it's a good fit. (I do have gift receipts for all of these books in case the parents already have them, of course!)

For all three of the seven month old babies, I just went with little board books. I'm convinced one of the sets of parents doesn't read to their baby, so these books are mostly "please read to them!" hints. I got The Napping House by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood, The Mitten by Jan Brett, and The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

My father is by far the most difficult person on my list. I ended up getting him a watch box from Fossil. Brace yourself because this is a hefty $95 price tag. I just did it because I had no other ideas. The man has no hobbies and he's just kind of a grumpapottamus, so there you have it. It's really awesome and I hope he likes it, but if he doesn't, I'm stealing it and taking it back and using it as my own jewelry box (nope, I'm totally not kidding - if he's not using it by the time we leave, I'm just going to take it back - it's too much money to go unused, or worse yet, destroyed by one of their four legged pets).
There you have it. I also have two very good friends who I shop for and, I might add, have some awesome presents for, but since one of them reads this, I don't want to give it away to her what she's going to be getting!! My shopping is nearly finished!! Whoo hoo!! Tomorrow, if I have time, I'm going to put up a list of things on my own personal wish list!!