1 December 2009

Christmas presents, Teenagers & Surreal shopping...

This year I am well and truly stumped on the Christmas present front.

The only, and I do honestly mean THE only, things they've asked for are "A cable for my guitar that plugs straight into my laptop" from my 18 yr old son. Done.

"Twilight, the books" from TD (but I have a feeling her Daddy has sorted that one. I would say 'stolen' but then I did mention it to him. I really must check) and "More RAM for my computer" from my 19 yr old.

My 22 yr old has absolutely no ideas for gifts, but is very clear on what he doesn't want. NO clothes, DVDs or Music. He says "There's nothing I really want" ::help::

Eeekk!....So what on earth am I supposed to buy them for Christmas??

So, I thought I'd try the wandering around, looking for inspiration, type Christmas shopping today. Early. I am notoriously renowned for not leaving the house until the afternoon, unless forcibly ejected, I am lazy, lazy, lazy...I am not a morning person!

But as I had already promised TD a lift to college this morning, for a day trip to The National Portrait Gallery in London with her photography class, I would already be out & about.

By 8.20 I was sitting in a completely deserted multi-storey car park, which held just the one car, mine, and 3 car wash guys, twiddling their thumbs, as, er....there were no cars to wash.

Obviously a tad early then!

Not a problem, a pot of tea & a bacon butty in BHS's cafe occupied me till 9am..yummy! It is quite surreal being in a shopping centre when it's virtually empty, a bit dreamlike. Me & about 6 other people....

I did buy a few things, but seriously, this is the first year ever, that I haven't had a list of things to be ticked off as I shove my way round the stores. No 'must have' items that need reserving, or driving some ridiculous distance to get the last one in stock... It felt very, very odd.

Maybe it's the end of an era for me....so I'm feeling a little sad...ish

It is also the first time I didn't have to 'shove' my way around the stores.
Maybe there's something to be said for this 'early' shopping lark, it was quite pleasant.

But luckily, some things don't change......They may be all 'grown up' now....



.....but they still asked for the family Advent Calendar....YAY! .... Not so sad now...

6 comments:

  1. Wish I had the same problem, the older two girls 20 and 18 both want Classic Uggs, short in grey at £150 (I wouldn't mind but they both had knitted ones last year) we only spend £150 on the girls as their Dad spends the same! For 17 year old girl, she has Uggs but pink knitted ones I got in the summer sale because she loved them, so they will surprise her, she also has a hairdryer, Dior Mascara, loads of junk jewellery and shoes from Asos! We spend more on little man so he is getting a laptop! HELP!

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  2. Oh, difficult job there....treat it as a cheap Christmas and treat yourself instead. ;0)
    Or vouchers....???
    Good luck with it all.

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  3. I would get them vouchers too and stocking fillers maybe?
    Money also goes down well, I remember on my late teens, Xmas presents always came inside an envelope and we loved it.
    I also put the advent calendar out today. Certain traditions don't ever go.

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  4. Gift cards - only way to go on that one. Instead of handing out envelopes though - put them in big boxes. At least then they'll have something to open. Oh - and if any drive - gas gift cards; that's what I've been hearing a lot parents say their kids are asking for (since gas is soooooo expensive!)

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  5. I know! Why are they so hard to buy for and so unhelpful in what they want. "Surprise me" my son said. That only serves to instil pure fear in me!! My two do make me laugh because however grown up they claim to be, at sixteen and seventeen they still insist on advent calendars, choccie treats on the tree and of course, stockings from Santa that appear in the night !!!

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  6. I have an idea but maybe it's too late??? I'm 25 so kind of close in age. This year for Christmas my Mum sorted through all the old photos in our house and is giving us loads of our baby/childhood photos. (We literally had hundreds in boxes all over the house)

    I'm not supposed to know but she needed me to make the printer work! Even though I know I am soooo excited I think she's making them into scrapbooks with little details and school reports etc. BEST PRESENT EVER!

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