@ardgedee We hadn't either. We'd talked about needing to, but until Meh (and my VMP) I wasn't motivated enough to blow money on things like this. Now, between purchases and Fukus, we have a pretty good stash going.
I rarely give gifts, and when I do there is a lot of thought that goes into it. Giving someone something generic I had lying around would be rather meaningless.
I do, but I end up having too many of the same thing. :/ So I've stopped having generic gifts on hand. I find that the gifts I do give now, are better and more suited to the person that I'm giving them too; which is better all around.
I use all my weird gifty items for my broadcast's box of crap contests. My mom used to keep stuff around though, like those stocking stuffer gifts you'd find at Target (binoculars, phone holders, photo cubes and crystal clocks).
I got 8 (16 gallon) tubs filled with meh stuff just in case I wanna open up a flea mart sometime in the future thus giving them away as gifts would deter my big b'ness ambitions.
I don't typically keep gifts around, but I do keep a list of gift ideas for friends/family on my phone. Every time I think of something, I add it to the list to reference when needed.
Everybody who says "no" obviously doesn't have elementary-school aged kids around. "Oh, I have a party tonight - what should I get as a gift?" Thankfully mine are beyond that point now, but a box o' cheapo gifts is a necessity for a few years. Not that I would give a ninja-wallet to an elementary schooler...
No, but I do keep boxes of random stuff around for my Mom, since she owns a little thrift store back home. One of the Meh speaker docks from my Fuku went to her because I don't own an iPod. She had the boxed priced but some guy took it out while no one was looking, brought it up and asked her if she would take a couple bucks for this "thing." She didn't know what it was (silly Moms) and said yes. She was slightly annoyed later when she found out what he did, but I guess the crap was just payed forward? Oh, also, she really enjoyed some of the reading glasses because she always seems to lose hers. So thank you, Meh. You're keeping my Mom rich with Mom stuff.
I collect stuff all year for Christmas gifts and office gifts, both bonus and targeted. From time to time it has saved me, like last week when I found out it was a friend's birthday and I hadn't gotten him anything, but I had bought his Christmas gift in May and stashed it away, so it turned into a birthday gift. I do always wrap a few generic gifts like boxes of candy, card games, lotion sets, etc and keep them under the Christmas tree. More than once I have had someone I haven't seen in years turn up at a holiday social gathering at my home with a gift for me, and it was so great to be able to pull something out from beneath the tree for them. Even though they certainly knew it was a generic gift, it's usually pretty decent stuff and does't leave me on the hook having received a gift with nothing to give in return.
Sometimes I see something that I would like to have and know one of my friends or family will like too. I just don't know which one at that exact moment. They are well thought out items for what they are. They are just waiting in the closet to yell out -- "hey give me to suchandso for thisorthat !"
No. Many wise souls have suggested that the proliferation of stuff is a big part of what's wrong with society. Don't be part of the problem.
We do give gifts--some of them meaningless--but we mostly try to avoid the obligatory. The one exception is the annual Christmas party at work, which includes a white elephant gift exchange. We pride ourselves in offering the most absurd--but still personal and potentially useful--gifts of anyone. Folks are always giving generic shit like candles and candy dishes and coffee mugs. We give stuff we really want to get rid of and have just lying around the house (yes, some of it somewhat used)--and usually there's some story attached.
We'll be giving excess from the fuku this year. Thanks, meh. And you're welcome for the free advertising.
@joelmw Sweet! The best company gift exchanges I've been a part of (SO FAR) were the ones where almost every single person just bought liquor or booze in some form, everyone walked away happy from those.
Meh has helped us build up a nice stash of emergency gifts.
@PurplePawprints Was just coming in to say something similar. I hadn't started a stash of backup gifts until Meh came along.
@ardgedee We hadn't either. We'd talked about needing to, but until Meh (and my VMP) I wasn't motivated enough to blow money on things like this. Now, between purchases and Fukus, we have a pretty good stash going.
I rarely give gifts, and when I do there is a lot of thought that goes into it. Giving someone something generic I had lying around would be rather meaningless.
I do, but I end up having too many of the same thing. :/ So I've stopped having generic gifts on hand. I find that the gifts I do give now, are better and more suited to the person that I'm giving them too; which is better all around.
I use all my weird gifty items for my broadcast's box of crap contests. My mom used to keep stuff around though, like those stocking stuffer gifts you'd find at Target (binoculars, phone holders, photo cubes and crystal clocks).
I got 8 (16 gallon) tubs filled with meh stuff just in case I wanna open up a flea mart sometime in the future thus giving them away as gifts would deter my big b'ness ambitions.
I don't typically keep gifts around, but I do keep a list of gift ideas for friends/family on my phone. Every time I think of something, I add it to the list to reference when needed.
Everybody who says "no" obviously doesn't have elementary-school aged kids around. "Oh, I have a party tonight - what should I get as a gift?" Thankfully mine are beyond that point now, but a box o' cheapo gifts is a necessity for a few years.
Not that I would give a ninja-wallet to an elementary schooler...
@smyle what about trip glasses?
No, but I do keep boxes of random stuff around for my Mom, since she owns a little thrift store back home. One of the Meh speaker docks from my Fuku went to her because I don't own an iPod. She had the boxed priced but some guy took it out while no one was looking, brought it up and asked her if she would take a couple bucks for this "thing." She didn't know what it was (silly Moms) and said yes. She was slightly annoyed later when she found out what he did, but I guess the crap was just payed forward? Oh, also, she really enjoyed some of the reading glasses because she always seems to lose hers. So thank you, Meh. You're keeping my Mom rich with Mom stuff.
@jenny Wow, that guy sucks.
@Thumperchick Yeah. People seem to pull that a lot at thrift stores. Even Goodwill. :s
I collect stuff all year for Christmas gifts and office gifts, both bonus and targeted. From time to time it has saved me, like last week when I found out it was a friend's birthday and I hadn't gotten him anything, but I had bought his Christmas gift in May and stashed it away, so it turned into a birthday gift. I do always wrap a few generic gifts like boxes of candy, card games, lotion sets, etc and keep them under the Christmas tree. More than once I have had someone I haven't seen in years turn up at a holiday social gathering at my home with a gift for me, and it was so great to be able to pull something out from beneath the tree for them. Even though they certainly knew it was a generic gift, it's usually pretty decent stuff and does't leave me on the hook having received a gift with nothing to give in return.
Meh Fukubukuros and Woot Bags of Crap have been great for stocking stuffers.
You sure ask a lot of questions.
Sometimes I see something that I would like to have and know one of my friends or family will like too. I just don't know which one at that exact moment. They are well thought out items for what they are. They are just waiting in the closet to yell out -- "hey give me to suchandso for thisorthat !"
No. Many wise souls have suggested that the proliferation of stuff is a big part of what's wrong with society. Don't be part of the problem.
We do give gifts--some of them meaningless--but we mostly try to avoid the obligatory. The one exception is the annual Christmas party at work, which includes a white elephant gift exchange. We pride ourselves in offering the most absurd--but still personal and potentially useful--gifts of anyone. Folks are always giving generic shit like candles and candy dishes and coffee mugs. We give stuff we really want to get rid of and have just lying around the house (yes, some of it somewhat used)--and usually there's some story attached.
We'll be giving excess from the fuku this year. Thanks, meh. And you're welcome for the free advertising.
@joelmw Sweet! The best company gift exchanges I've been a part of (SO FAR) were the ones where almost every single person just bought liquor or booze in some form, everyone walked away happy from those.
@JonT I think many of us would appreciate hard liquor here, but I'm pretty sure it's expressly forbidden (I work for the government).