What do you want for Christmas?
What do you want for Christmas?
This is my thinly-veiled request for Christmas ideas for a bunch of people I need to buy presents for - some of whom I don't see all that often and know all that well. I thought it'd be handy to have a thread of present ideas that we can all crowd-source off each other. The best ideas are going to be neat stuff that people won't know exists and won't have already bought for themselves. I'll end up getting some people obvious stuff like alcohol and nice chocolates. Those aren't really he ideas I'm looking for.
I don't want to make rules, but I think we need a couple:
- Let's at least cap them at $50. Telling people you want a Drone, a Steam Deck or PS5 simply isn't realistic. I'm not looking for ideas in that price range (even though I'd probably love all these, myself).
- Avoid intimate stuff. I'm not talking sex toys (though avoid those too - I'm not buying my sister-in-law a dildo), but more things that are really personal like jewellery, watches and stuff that you need to know the person's tastes to get right.
A little more than $50 but last year I received a Bug-A-Salt. Best present ever.
Damn I wish I had asked for one of these!
I nearly bought one - but doesn't it leave a mess?
Nah not really. Tiniest bit of salt.
Unfortunately I have to second this
To start things off:
Bluetooth transmitter: Neat little gadget that you plug into your TV and then transmits audio via Bluetooth. The fancier models broadcast two channels - so two people can listen simultaneously. Great for parents with sleeping kids to get some TV time.
Microfiber glasses cleaning cloth: If your recipient wears glasses, they'll have a few of these already. But they're boring. You can get them with nice pictures (My wife has Starry Night by Vincent Van Gough on hers), or you can even get them with custom photos, but that costs a lot more.
I'll add to this as I think of more. 😃
The only issue with the BT transmitters is potential lag. Some models are shocking (I tried one exactly for the purpose you described, but the audio lag was bad enough that I couldn't use it).
I haven't tried this unit, so can't speak first hand on it. It has nearly 500 reviews though and people don't seem to be complaining about lag. This dude says it's good for whatever it's worth.
The one I have used was at work with a meeting room screen and Teams. I didn't notice any audio lag, but remote people talking over the Internet are a little janky anyway.
Some TVs are nice and will automatically delay the audio so it syncs up, at least on mine. However it only does that for TV apps, unfortunately.
Fancy olive oil. Hell even regular stuff costs fancy prices these days.
Gourmet pickles, sauces etc. Not stuff that you find in supermarkets though.
Wide brimmed hat.
Try Cockatoo, you can order large cans off their website and I use them to refill my smaller bottles, truly superb oil for the price and much better than anything you can get at the supermarket. I pivoted to them after I realised most of the Cobram Estate stuff I'd been getting was severely lacking.
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Off to Hammerbarn to get me a husband!
For reals though, I like this one. Assuming they don't peel and fade by the end of summer when exposed to the elements.
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anyone of an eco bent? Check out skipper or biome or ethique.
quality towels. Everyone mocks until they touch them. ohh they are sinful
A meshtastic node. The ones you put together yourself can be purchased for like 20 or 30 bucks, but the ones that are assembled already can cost anywhere between about 60 and 100.
What about a LoRaWAN node? Add to the free stuff!
I gave found the usecase for meshtastic outside of your own large property
I want the Simon's Cat pins that are now out of stock. Grumpfh! And a Numbat.
Best I can do for under $50 is a plush numbat. No chance of a real one. Besides, they're a devil to keep fed.
Sponsor a Devil! It's a pretty adult sort of gift, kids won't necessarily get the voucher/certificate sort of thing, but heck a cheap frame and a fake Santa letter they might be stoked.
Tolkien's Santa letters book might spoil the secret 😜
Books or bookshop vouchers, vouchers to places they might not think to go (eg CERES in Melbourne - sorry, can’t think of something in Perth), something regularly used but gourmet (like the olive oil suggestion), tickets to events (like galleries or wine/cheese tasting), an unusual t-shirt or 2 (eg from redbubble, but only if you know their taste well enough)
Am keeping an eye on this thread for ideas!
I once gave a whole bunch of people bacon making kits. Wildly overpriced for what is in them but the crazed recipie results were fun.
That sounds interesting!
You might be onto something there.... thankyou!
completely ignoring your body text and saying I want one of these bad boys
https://www.thecubicle.com/products/shengshou-gigaminx-v2?_pos=3&_sid=952a14923&_ss=rIf you send me your credit card details including the ccv I'll be sure to buy one on my spree
My kids would probably dig these, but they are not among the people I need inspiration for. They are sorted.
what sorting algorithm did you use on your children?
A hand with some yardwork I'm putting off but idk anyone who would value helping to dig out a stump less than 60 bucks haha.
I'm sad that you'd call this a gift. My family would come out for free to help - this wouldn't be considered a gift for us. 😔
If people were less busy atm (sister has a 2 year old and 2 one year olds) then probably also true. But it's the offer that would be meaningful, moreso than some random item that'll collect dust.
I just wanna be by myself and not forced to pretend that I like doing stuff with my family...
An indoor herb garden. I don’t know if they are just gimmicks but I’ve still been cooking since pandemic and would like to try with fresh herbs more immediately accessible.
I’m told some groceries sell potted herb plants for close to the price of packaged (so a variation could be cheap) but I’ve never seen that near me
3 pairs of cat work socks
First there was cats with jobs. Now they have work socks!Very curious that you'd get an odd number of pairs though.
Aussie land is less likely to have trade with China issues, but right now in the USA, any direct from China stuff you want like AliEx level goods need to be bought. The whole tariff BS is going to be about limiting the average person's access to direct from Asia markets to force us to buy though markup middlemen and price fixing scammers like Amazon. I fully expect things like hobby electronics will become far less accessible for the average person after the end of this year. Aussies might end up getting dragged along in some anti BRICS politics too. So probably get your Asian hardware stuff ASAP. Also like batteries and neodymium stuff like anything with brushless motors or speakers.
You.