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Our BetterMost Community => The Holiday Forum => Topic started by: Jeff Wrangler on December 15, 2016, 12:01:06 pm

Title: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 15, 2016, 12:01:06 pm
Help!

I need some ideas for Christmas gifts for FOUR female coworkers.

I won't mind if I don't get them to them until after New Year's, because with vacations and so forth I'm just about out of time--supervisor is out from Friday through Jan. 2, inclusive, for example--but I have always been lousy at coming up with ideas for Christmas gifts.

I returned to the office this morning to find a gift from my supervisor and two of my three team mates, so I ought to do something.

Thanks, friends!
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 15, 2016, 07:35:04 pm
Well, an idea has come to me.

A vendor at farmers' market sells all kinds of candles made of beeswax. Perhaps if I can find them each a beeswax candle, perhaps in a jar, that might do the job.

Of course, the weather is supposed to be bad early this Saturday.  >:(

But I'm open to other suggestions.  :)
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 15, 2016, 11:37:17 pm
I think you're on the right track with the candles, friend. If you want to further refine the idea, I would suggest giving them a scented candle. (Aside: Have you noticed the surge in "gifting" rather than "giving"? We have so many wonderful verbs, why do we have to force nouns into doing the job, too?)

Scented candles are available in the traditional kind with a wick and also the LED version. A problem with candles is that you have to babysit them. You typically can't walk out of a room that has a candle burning unless it's an LED. Also, a scented candle will perfume a room even if it's not lit. To go even further, there are these things called scent diffusers. There is a heat source underneath that is like a cup warmer and a tray in which you can put soy wax infused with essential oils. These are divine. I keep one in my bathroom at all times and in addition to the soy wax I sprinkle in herbs, spices, lemon leaves and blossoms, sage, etc.
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2016, 12:12:34 am
Thanks, FRiend! Good thoughts!

I think I'm inclined to shy away from scented things, unless something presumably innocuous, like, maybe, vanilla, or perhaps something that smells like an apple pie, maybe, because some people are sensitive to scents, or just plain don't like them, and I don't know the two new colleagues that well just yet.

I have something similar to your scent diffuser in my kitchen, a gift from a cousin a few years ago. It plugs into a wall outlet (it has an on-off switch), and you put little squares of some waxy stuff in the cup on top, and the heat melts the waxy stuff and makes my whole living r00m-dining room-kitchen smell apples and cinnamon.
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Penthesilea on December 16, 2016, 01:25:08 am
I like the idea of beeswax candles.  They're a natural product and they're pretty with their combs.

Another idea, though I'm not sure if it's practical for you, is to make a batch of Christmas cookies just for them and put it into a nice jar or box for each.


And BTW, what a great idea for a thread. Not just SOS prezzies, but in general to have a place to ask for gift advice! :)
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2016, 10:20:23 am
I like the idea of beeswax candles.  They're a natural product and they're pretty with their combs.

Another idea, though I'm not sure if it's practical for you, is to make a batch of Christmas cookies just for them and put it into a nice jar or box for each.


And BTW, what a great idea for a thread. Not just SOS prezzies, but in general to have a place to ask for gift advice! :)

Thanks, Chrissi! I think cookies can be a nice present; while I haven't baked in years, I have a recipe for great molasses cookies!  :laugh:  That's something else I think I need to stay away from in this particular instance because of the time factor, and, also, my supervisor stays away from/doesn't eat sugary things, so that sort of rules out cookies or candies.  :-\

I guess it can be tough to come up with gift ideas for people you don't know that well.

Christmas ornaments might be another idea. I might also be able to find some hand-crafted things at farmers' market tomorrow.
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2016, 03:45:33 pm
Of course, another thing for me to consider is that I have to take public transportation to work, so I need to get four gifts that will be easily transported on the bus or subway along with my lunch and anything else I need to bring with me.
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 16, 2016, 04:45:15 pm
I just went through this exercise with EDelMar; he wanted ideas for gifts for the caretakers of the Sphinx Observatory in Switzerland. One of the most challenging assignments I've ever had!!
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2016, 08:44:03 pm
On my way to the supermarket, I pass a shop with lots of Christmas ornaments hanging in the window. Ornaments might be another possibility.

I checked this evening, and I need at least one more small gift bag.
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 17, 2016, 12:37:08 am
...Aside: Have you noticed the surge in "gifting" rather than "giving"? We have so many wonderful verbs, why do we have to force nouns into doing the job, too?)


And, presto, NPR has also noticed this gifting/giving silliness. A story ensues. http://www.npr.org/2016/12/16/505892906/the-season-of-gifting-the-rise-of-gift-as-a-verb (http://www.npr.org/2016/12/16/505892906/the-season-of-gifting-the-rise-of-gift-as-a-verb)
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 17, 2016, 04:41:45 pm
Last night my friend Phil, the one who organized the Radio City trip, made the logical suggestion--though my one-track mind would never have thought of it--to give small jars of honey along with the beeswax candles, so that's what I'll be doing. I went to market and bought each coworker a beeswax candle in a jar (apple-cinnamon scent) and a small jar of honey.

At the market, one of the areas ordinarily given over to seating for people who buy food to eat at the many food vendors is presently occupied by an enormous O-scale operating toy train display!  :D
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Penthesilea on December 18, 2016, 05:40:30 am
Last night my friend Phil, the one who organized the Radio City trip, made the logical suggestion--though my one-track mind would never have thought of it--to give small jars of honey along with the beeswax candles, so that's what I'll be doing. I went to market and bought each coworker a beeswax candle in a jar (apple-cinnamon scent) and a small jar of honey.


Ha! Good idea. Why didn't we think of that? Kudos to Phil.


Quote
At the market, one of the areas ordinarily given over to seating for people who buy food to eat at the many food vendors is presently occupied by an enormous O-scale operating toy train display!  :D

I just visited the Philadelphia Christmas Village website in search of a photo of the train. Didn't find one, but I have to say it really looks very German. Often it's funny what is sold as 'typical German' in the US. But Philly apparently got it right! :)
Title: Re: S.O.S. Christmas gifts
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 18, 2016, 05:38:46 pm
I just visited the Philadelphia Christmas Village website in search of a photo of the train. Didn't find one, but I have to say it really looks very German. Often it's funny what is sold as 'typical German' in the US. But Philly apparently got it right! :)

The toy train display isn't in the Christmas Village. It's in Reading Terminal Farmers' Market.

I believe maybe a German Kristkindlmarkt (sp?) was the inspiration for the city's Christmas Village. I go by it almost every day going to and from my job, so you'd think I'd find time to explore it, but so far, no.  :-\