Gifts: practical or wishful?

[jodi]

In our family, we make a wishlist aound this time of year and post it on the fridge for Christmas shopping. After looking at our list (me: canning supplies, my SIL: a water pick for teeth, my mom: dish clothes), DH told me that we are all too PRACTICAL (and promptly wrote "Beer" on his list).

So - are you a practical list maker or do you ask for all the things you would never get for yourself???

I tend to be more practical - although I do have the occasional wishful item. Problem is, there are not a whole lot of things that I want that I don't already have (I get books from the library, videos from Netflix, no interest in music, and I don't trust others to buy clothes for me). Therefore, I tend to ask for things that I truely need, but don't want to spend the money on

[creditcardfree]

My items are more practical, yet they are also items I may not buy for myself. I don't tend to ask for expensive items that I wouldn't be able to afford myself.

For my birthday I asked for a new coffee thermos mug.

[ren]

Last year, my dad laughed himself sick over my Amazon wishlist -- I'd put a bunch of reference books I wanted for work on there as a way to make sure I didn't forget their titles when I could afford them, but forgot that the 'fun' things I was hoping for as gifts would be mixed in with the boring stuff.

I ended up getting cartoons (Batman) and a medical abbreviation dictionary from him. So I guess I do both!

[pearlieq]

Mostly practical, but with some smaller indulgences that I normally won't buy myself (Bath & Bodyworks lotion and the like).

[Broken Arrow]

I'm a dull guy. I go for practical.

[LuxLiving]

So this is your sneaky way to get my Christmas list without having to outright ask for it, eh?

O k a y then, alrighty and in non-priority sorted but random fashion we have:

1) toaster. I like those high end ones that are a combo of color & chrome (yellow or blue would work). Mine a two-seater only toasts one side of the bread at a time - one soft side, one toasted side and you have to flip your bread/bagel/english muffin to get a nice consistent toasting. Meanwhile side one is getting cold - rrrrrr. Any one will do, but I sure do like that expensive one!!

http://www.hugthecook.com/detail.asp...&code=EC-20298

2) VCR - the buns of steel video just won't work in the DVD player. Used would be fine. No rush on this one as I'm a lazzario slacker in the exercise department and like it that way!

3) New taillight cover for my truck - it was cracked before I bought it by someone else and and has a largeish chip out of it - this went unnoticed in the buying process - I'm too frugal to pay for a replacement, but it would be nice to have it repaired.

4) Dashboard cover for my truck. See item 3 as to my frugal reason for not having done this myself already.

5) Closets built along the sides of the large window in my bedroom w/a shelf across the top.

6) The ceiling fan in my dining room fixed (it's new) so that not only the lights work (they do) but the fan could be turned on (it won't)! I think it's the Hubster's doing and not the fan's fault.

7) New cross-cut paper shredder.

8) Glass Storm doors for front and back door.

9) New steel insulated doors for front and back door.

10) New doors for closets in CashHappy's room and FrugalSon's room and one for CashHappySon's bedroom and glass slider doors for the coat closet in the living room.

uuuuuhhh, okay folks there you have it - my top ten - it therefore appears that LLFrugalis is a practical woman.

Send Home Depot or Lowe's Gift cards....bring your warm handyman body over and get crackin'! Lasagna, hot rolls, and a nice chocolate cake for the winner! Ima are you and your handy-husband thinking of travelling my way anytime soon??????????????

[rduell]

I guess my list is a mixture. I have asked for:

- microwave (ours is from the 80s!)
- cordless telephone w/ answering machine
- DVD player so I don't have to use the kids' Playstation 2 for my exercise DVDs
- new set of mixing bowls
- new set of canisters
- Time Life's collection of 70s music

[aurielle]

My needs are pretty simple this year. I've asked for:

bed pillows
a coin purse
a black zip up hoodie
Bath and Body works lotion

[BCHGRL]

The only gifts that I have requested are gift certificates to Lowes. . .so yes I am practical. My mom told me that she refuses to buy me something so boring so she is buying me a new bike. Conveniently for her, I will have to get rid of my old bike so she will get to keep the old bike.

My husband, on the other hand, only wants "fun" presents. He was teasing me the other day because I was wearing slippers. He said "why don't I have slippers" and I said "maybe Santa will bring you some" to which he quipped "NO! I don't want to waste my presents on slippers!" A metal detector, a bike, a new stereo, collector fire trucks, those are the only "presents" he likes. He is normally not high maintenance but when it comes to his gifts he is very HM.

[dmontngrey]

Practical! There's another option than that? I don't think I could be wishful if I tried my very best.

I hadn't put much thought into this yet this year, but the ONLY gifts I would really like are filter upgrades for two of my turtles. One of them has a nice fancy external filter, but the other two have small internal filters. They got tank upgrades this summer and need the filters to go with the "new" tanks. Just something I've been meaning to buy for a while now... but hmmm... maybe I can snag one of them for Christmas!!

Yeah, I know - Boooooooooooooring. I feel very fortunate to have everything I need and then some, and there just isn't anything I want other than the filters.

BCHGRL - That's my DH too! Ewww! No socks or underwear - that's a waste of a gift! Nothing practical for him please!

[JanH]

I want a little of each. I, too, need a toaster and a couple more practical things. But I also put a couple of fun things on the list cos it's fun to get them and I don't get complaints about my list!

[kealina]

lol...we don't make a list but i think we lean toward practical all the way... DH doesn't mind getting those socks and underwear... of course we mix that with stuff like assorted fun condiments (DH loves fun condiments) and gourmet food products we usually only allow ourselves at x-mas... me, there's nothing material i really want that we aren't looking for at garage sales and on craigslist... lol, even that is mostly practical stuff... i already told DH that instead of big presents (we will still buy small $5 or $10 gifts for each other) i'd rather save our money for our trip coming up next spring... hooray...
we both enjoy traveling together and sharing experiences and i'd much rather spend our money on that than on something more material...

[Ima saver]

Lux, where do you live? I know we both live in the South! The only thing I would really like is an air purifier for the bedroom. It is too dusty! Plus I would love some homemade chocolate fudge, no nuts, please. I know how to make it, but if I made it, I would eat ALL of it!

[mom-from-missouri]

New vacume cleaner
Access to a handyman's services for a day to do my long honey do list
Carpet shampooer
another 4 wheeler (used is fine-as long as it runs and can do farm work)-we have one, really need a second one as some chores require 2 people and everything always doesnt fit on the one
year supply of printer ink

[tinapbeana]

boy, am i the only person not keeping a list? hmmmm, weird.... all i ask is that my gift not be something that falls under the 'house' category. see, we need/want things for the house like a dishwasher, oven, curtains, new porch, poker table, bulldozer for the crack shack, etc. but if it's a gift for me it should be a gift for me, not the house. house stuff we'll save for, or we'll agree that is what we *both* get for christmas...

when dh asked what i wanted my mind went completely blank & i said "i'll have to get back with you on that!". i finally gave him the tiny catelog that came with my sony camera and pointed out the filters, lenses, and external flash that would make my heart go flutter. i also mentioned that if he bought them somewhere other than the catelog, he could get more bang for his buck (and therefore i would get more bits! woohoo!).

[kealina]

[quote=tinapbeana]boy, am i the only person not keeping a list? QUOTE]

nope, we don't have a list either... i was just posting about what i am giving to DH and what i told him i wanted... nobody else ask for a list and we wouldn't know what to put on it anyways...

[gptmca]

While i do like to get wishful things....mainly gadgets and the likes, I soon grow bored with them and wish that I had asked for practical presents or something I can get use out of, like clothes or tools that will help me with my everyday tasks!

So my advice when asking for something wishful is to think twice and ask yourself if you really need it.

[lrjohnson]

I don't have a list, but if someone asked, it'd be items that would be a combination.

For example, I don't like my kitchen rugs-the colors are to distracting. I'd love a dark blue rug for in front of the sink, but I wouldn't buy it for myself as it is not exactly a need. If I saw one for a buck at a garage sale I'd spring for it, but I wouldn't spend money. That's a luxury and practical, right?

Same on small plastic ware (8 oz or less), dish towels-plain yellow or blue and cotton, some office supply stuff, a simple wood bookcase, etc.

No one I know hits the forums so this post can't be co0nstrued as a hint!

[kealina]

[quote=lrjohnson]I don't have a list, but if someone asked, it'd be items that would be a combination.

For example, I don't like my kitchen rugs-the colors are to distracting. I'd love a dark blue rug for in front of the sink, but I wouldn't buy it for myself as it is not exactly a need. If I saw one for a buck at a garage sale I'd spring for it, but I wouldn't spend money. That's a luxury and practical, right?

Same on small plastic ware (8 oz or less), dish towels-plain yellow or blue and cotton, some office supply stuff, a simple wood bookcase, etc.

QUOTE]

lol... that's the kind of stuff we look for at garage sales too... we need a bookcase to replace our junky one, a small carpet for our bedroom, looking for a better computer chair, etc, etc... like LRJohnson said, it's not exactly a need but stuff we would enjoy having...

[naturalwoman]

practicle. i rather have toilet paper than another mug i don't need.