christmas shopping

If your mom likes to read, I think a subscription to a monthly magazine is a great Christmas or birthday gift. It's sort of "the gift that keeps on giving" as every month, a new "present" arrives. For example, if she loves to cook, try Everyday with Rachel Ray or Food by Martha Stewart. If she likes celebrity gossip, there are plenty of magazines for that. Pretty much any hobbie she has: travel,science,gardening, knitting, home decor, etc. has magazines. My mom reads less books than she used to but she really enjoys shorter reads, that's why I thought of magazines. Our bookstore has a very interesting gift--a little box filled with a listing of magazines and a postage paid envelope. Inside is a listing of several magazines. The receiver checks off the magazine subscription she wants and mails it in. I buy my mom gift cards to the restaurants she and her friends like to go to. I've even gotten her a gift card for the grocery store where she stops. One year, her birthday "gift" from me was her choice of a day trip within 2 hours' drive (that's as far as she wants to go) and lunch at the destination. I had researched 3 different shopping/restaurant locations and told her about them. Then, gave her the choice. My mom has expressed interest in Netflix but she's not on the computer and I'm not sure it would be easy to manage a queue of movies for her. Perhaps your mom would enjoy that. I find my mom prefers my time and an outing/activity as opposed to a gift as she has accumulated so much stuff over the years, she has trouble finding something she really wants. One year, I paid for a manicure and pedicure for her although she insisted I go with her and get one also. That's kind of a fun morning or afternoon. Last Christmas, we ordered Wolfermans' for my mother-in-law. My husband couldn't think of what to get his mom and I thought she'd enjoy Wolfermans'. They have a line of different kinds of english muffins, breads, jams, etc. We got her the monthly "club" for a year. So, every month, she gets a package that's got a different variety of foods: freshly ground coffee, french toast muffins, maple syrup, etc. She just has a fit every month and calls and tells us everything she got. She just loves that! I'm sure you can find Wolfermans online by googling it. They also have single gift baskets or 3 month clubs, I think. Oh, boy, I have gone on, cher913. Take care.

I am a little stressed as well. My son will be born before Christmas. So I have tried to start before he gets here. Look at it this way, you'll be done and won't have to deal with the crowds.

Honey I carry too much hurt to think about Christmas. It is another reminder of how very different my life is and what I have lost! Sorry to be a downer! xoxoxoxoxoxo

Oh, to me you are not early for Christmas at all! Everyone should start this early, and avoid a lot of headaches!

I have trouble finding gifts to buy for those hard to shop for people. Gift cards are an easy way out for those types of people. You could find out her favorite store and get her a gift card for there. Does she like movies? You could do a gift basket with a few good movies, some popcorn, some of those seasoning things for popcorn, and a few other treats in a big plastic bowl for eating the popcorn. How about a nice pamper yourself gift basket? Some bath salts, pumice stone, loofa, maybe a nice bathrobe in a cute basket. I think gift baskets are a nice way of doing things. You just pick a theme and run with it. Need help? Let me know what she likes.

I LOVE to find the "perfect" (or at least the "close to it") for each person I buy for. It is like a challenge or a puzzle for me. I always look at what the person does and what they enjoy...then "move it" to the next level. Maybe they like puzzles, I will get them a puzzle box (with a little something in it - like jewelry or gift certificate, etc.). Or maybe they like unusual things...I LOVE to shop online and find "uncommon goods." If they have pets...I will make sure to buy a toy or treats for them. Animal lovers like it when their pets are remembered...and if you make the pets happy the pet-owner is happy. I also enjoy putting "gifts" together. Maybe a basket full of their favorite snacks, or games or little toys. Or I pick a theme and "run with it." Maybe a bag full of hair accessories, comb, brush, fancy shampoo/conditioner...and then top it off with a hat (for those not so good hair days...or those days you wake up too late to do your hair). Maybe they love to go to the beach...I will buy a beach bag and fill it with "stuff" to do or to use on the beach; book of crossword puzzles, a pair of sunglasses, a new beach towel, sunscreen, a bottle of water, and don't forget a ziplock for all those shells they will collect. I don't know...I just enjoy trying to find new creative ways to "put-it-all-together." And Christmas is just one of my favorite times of the year. It can be stressful...but starting early is always helpful. And if it isn't fun and if it isn't something you really want to do...why do it at all? :-) GOOD LUCK! and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hmm, I know you said she doesn't like perfume, but how about bath and body stuff? You could get her some aromatherapy type candles, bath beads, body gel, body lotion, things of that nature. Just pick a scent that you know she likes, and get her all types of stuff in that scent to match. You could even take it a little further and get her a bath mitt or bath sponge the same color as the candles and things. If you go to the Dollar Tree or similar store, you can get most of the stuff that you would need for a set like that really cheap. You can get the lotions and stuff that she would actually put on her body at Bath & Body Works. They aren't so cheap, but they do have good sales on sets from time to time. I know between now and close to Christmas they will have at least one a month!!!

I have a few hard to shop for people on my Christmas list and I have had a slot of success looking online. Do a search under Unusual Gifts and see what kind of sites come up. Good luck and let us know if you find anything good so those of us with the same problem can cop you.

What an early christmas preparation. that good.