Christmas Advice, Please!

[marjorie]

Going to Florida for 5 days up to Christmas. Visiting an ex-sil and her husband with my daughter and grandson. Have never been to their house in their 20+ years of marriage; nearly always lived in other states. How would monogrammed towels on sale be as a gift? Don't really want to spend any Florida time shopping if possible. Thinking ~$50 which could provide 2 clearance bath sheets, 2 hand towels and 2 washcloths with monograms and free shipping. Would still have to wrap when I arrived...

[mom-from-missouri]

Most people can always use good towels. I have plenty, but always put out "good" ones for company--its a gift I'd be happy with.

[Coleroo]

lol...i'd love them too. i use to laugh at my mom's philosophy of "when in doubt, give women towels" - but i found it to be true once i got married...theres always room for any sort of towels and rags (they're expensive and something we may not always end up buying for ourselves - especially beautiful ones).

[Ima saver]

Personally, I would not want them. I would like to pick out my own colors. That is just me!

[marjorie]

I'm thinking it would be tough to go far wrong with white towels with a white monogram. Seems like it should work for any bathroom? I'd go with cream but they are out of hand towels in that color.

I think Towels make a great gift, and the fact you are going to shell out $50 for a ex-sil....Wow.

If you want to make it easier on her incase she doesn't like it, leave off the monogram so that she could return the towels or regift it to someone she knows could really use the towels. With the monogram if she doesn't like it she is kinda stuck with donating it to a thrift shop or letting them sit in a linen closet.

My guess is if this is the first time you have visited the house you are not going to be visiting again for a while....so you will not know if the towels are being used, sitting in a closet or regifted.

[nanamom]

I think it is a great idea, i just gave my DIL and DS1 towels for their anniversary because every time I go there they are all in the wash and very threadbare when they are dry anyway. Towels seem to be something no one buys for themselves.

[leggzz66]

Towels are an awesome choice! Thats just one of the kinds of things i love to get. My mom knows it, i get a laundry basket full of goodies, that just keep on giving. I always need laundry stuff, food, bath stuff, so thats the best stuff you can ever get me. The one gift she got me that id never knew was available, and its not in the us, just japan, the full kimba series, from my childhood. I watched that everyday after school, right after jack lalayne did his jumping jacks, and was so glad to see the boxed set. The only couple other things from my childhood that wouldve gave me a big kick would of been an old bottle of bosco chocolate syrup and the pix from when i was on the bozo show. Towels are your best option, if you want something out of the ordinary, try getting something that will mean alot to them about thier childhood. Maybe your ds loved voltron, or transformers the original, star trek, anything thats not right out there anymore. Look on collectors selling pages, like ebay for example, some peeps offer next day delivery. Also something from her childhood, call her parents and ask, what did she just love as a child, that way your giving something to both of them, that means alot to them. My son loved a gift i found him once, an original set of cards from thunercats, he was four months old when that first aired, and he watched it and turtles all his life. Now hes having his second son of his own and a step daughter, he can share things with from his childhood. Lets face it, our childhoods, things were better then they are today. Never would tv stations ever of aired stuff like simpsons, family guy, king of the hill, or even that grim reaper one where that girl wins the grim reaper in his own games. Thats stuff i dont let my kids watch, they love felix of all things, something my mother grew up with. You just cant go wrong, sharing childhood things or care packages of any kind. My youngest son, 6, loves felix and has every disc out there of his, even his old Christmas special which they sold last year at mass market stores.

[marjorie]

My exhusband and I split and she moved to Florida something like 20 years ago. She's always been good to my kids and right now she's quite ill and not expected to recover. We are visiting this year partly because it may be her last Christmas, and she's never had Christmas with a child (like my grandson) before. While the kids have visited her many years, this will be my first time. We don't normally exchange gifts either, but we will be staying with her for about a week. She was so excited by the idea of having us all for Christmas that she went out and bought some furniture "just in case". She is also frugal by nature, so she must have been thrilled with the prospect. My daughter thinks I should shop there, and wait to get some ideas, but that's cutting it too close for my mental health or budget! Thanks for all the input...

[Hot dog]

If she is frugal by nature she probably has had the same towels for years I know I have and I would love to receive some nice towels for a gift

[leggzz66]

i think the majority here says same thing, new towels are a great idea. I know im one that does for sure.

[CreditExpert]

towels are a neutral idea for a present, and 'his and her' towels are perfect!

[marjorie]

They were both thrilled with getting towels as a gift. Since I could no longer get the sale for the personalized ones, I found a deal on spa towels. It was a good deal, and I was also able to use a coupon, so I ended up getting 4 washcloths, 4 handtowels, and 8 bath towels. Her eyes were pretty full