The unofficially official GC Holiday help desk

[Xylochick216]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

whatever you can tell me...portable player for home, work and car.

She already has a subscription in her car now...how to transfer it to a portable unit

http://shop.xmradio.com/xm/ctl10600/...si4552593/cl1/

This is the only truly portable XM/Sirius radio. It records shows and allows you to add your own MP3s if you are traveling. The others all require docks. I have the Mirge, which included a car dock, but I have to buy an expensive adapter for the office and home. I just pay the $2.99 a month for an online subscription in addition to my radio so I can listen on the computer, my iPod, and my Blackberry.

[LouisaMay]

Help! Twenty year old niece. She's a college student with an apartment. I feel like I don't know her tastes well at all. She's sort of trendy. Sort of "alternative." We spend around $30 for the family grab bag. Last year, I gave her a Starbucks gift card for her birthday, so I don't want to do anything like that so soon.

Thanks for any help!!!

[AlphaFrog]

I need gift ideas for my bosses.

They are a mother and son who both have enough money to buy whatever the heck their heart desires, including a Hummer (Limited Edition) on a whim.

Also, it doesn't ever seem like the gifts from us are seen as anything more than an obligatory gesture (which at this point, they kind of are - I didn't used to see it that way). Usually, there are 5 office people, and we each put in $20 and spend $50 on each boss. This year, there are only 3 office people, so we're probably going to look at spending $30 each.

Ideas?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by LouisaMay

Help! Twenty year old niece. She's a college student with an apartment. I feel like I don't know her tastes well at all. She's sort of trendy. Sort of "alternative." We spend around $30 for the family grab bag. Last year, I gave her a Starbucks gift card for her birthday, so I don't want to do anything like that so soon.

Thanks for any help!!!

500 Thread Count sheets in a neutral color. Yes, as a 20 year old I might have been less than thrilled when I opened it, but once I tried them out, it would be an AHA! Moment. I honestly like jersey knit sheets better, but everyone needs a good quality set of cotton sheets as well.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by LouisaMay

Help! Twenty year old niece. She's a college student with an apartment. I feel like I don't know her tastes well at all. She's sort of trendy. Sort of "alternative." We spend around $30 for the family grab bag. Last year, I gave her a Starbucks gift card for her birthday, so I don't want to do anything like that so soon.

Thanks for any help!!!

Nice picture frame or two & RitzPix card?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by LouisaMay

Help! Twenty year old niece. She's a college student with an apartment. I feel like I don't know her tastes well at all. She's sort of trendy. Sort of "alternative." We spend around $30 for the family grab bag. Last year, I gave her a Starbucks gift card for her birthday, so I don't want to do anything like that so soon.

Thanks for any help!!!

Get her something for her apartment. Does she have any pictures of it on Facebook that you could take a look at to get some ideas? I would say to get her a gift card for Pier 1 or something, but I generally shy away from gift cards at Christmas.

And this might sound weird, but...

When I graduated college and got my own apartment, my aunt bought me a few gifts, which at the time made me think, W..T..F..

She got me a small tool kit, a cookbook, two flashlights and a ton of different kinds of batteries.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciated it! When I had to put together new furniture, hang pictures, and when the batteries in my fire alarm had to be changed.. the screwdrivers, nails and tape measure in the tool kit came in handy!

When I had to spend Christmas at my boyfriend's house one year, and I was looking for a good recipe so that I had something to bring to his house, I ran for the cookbook.

The first time my electricity went out unexpectedly, I remembered the flashlights...

And everyone can ALWAYS use batteries!

[psusue]

Originally Posted by LouisaMay

Help! Twenty year old niece. She's a college student with an apartment. I feel like I don't know her tastes well at all. She's sort of trendy. Sort of "alternative." We spend around $30 for the family grab bag. Last year, I gave her a Starbucks gift card for her birthday, so I don't want to do anything like that so soon.

Thanks for any help!!!

If she's a smaller size and likes retro vibe clothes, maybe a gift certificate to Modcloth.com? They have amazing dresses and clothes and lots of quirky things, maybe she'd like it.

Also no college kid would ever say no to a Target/Walmart/grocery store/gas gift card. We're poor. Necessities become luxuries. And while it may not be a gift that they "ooh and ahh" over, they will appreciate it after they run out of body wash and don't get a paycheck for another week (can you tell that this has happened to me, haha?)

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

500 Thread Count sheets in a neutral color. Yes, as a 20 year old I might have been less than thrilled when I opened it, but once I tried them out, it would be an AHA! Moment. I honestly like jersey knit sheets better, but everyone needs a good quality set of cotton sheets as well.

Better than jersey or whatevercount cotton is Modal/Beech cotton/whatever else they call it.

Amazingly soft, without seeming to stretch the way jersey does.

[LouisaMay]

Thanks for the great ideas!! Actually, the thought of those bed sheets is making me jealous

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I need gift ideas for my bosses.

They are a mother and son who both have enough money to buy whatever the heck their heart desires, including a Hummer (Limited Edition) on a whim.

Also, it doesn't ever seem like the gifts from us are seen as anything more than an obligatory gesture (which at this point, they kind of are - I didn't used to see it that way). Usually, there are 5 office people, and we each put in $20 and spend $50 on each boss. This year, there are only 3 office people, so we're probably going to look at spending $30 each.

Ideas?

What are their personalities like? You have the impossible people to shop for....LOL

Give us an idea what they are like so we can make suggestions.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I need gift ideas for my bosses.

They are a mother and son who both have enough money to buy whatever the heck their heart desires, including a Hummer (Limited Edition) on a whim.

Also, it doesn't ever seem like the gifts from us are seen as anything more than an obligatory gesture (which at this point, they kind of are - I didn't used to see it that way). Usually, there are 5 office people, and we each put in $20 and spend $50 on each boss. This year, there are only 3 office people, so we're probably going to look at spending $30 each.

Ideas?

This whole thing seems strange to me. I was always taught that when it comes to business offices and Christmas/holiday gifts, you always buy down. Therefore, you don't buy your boss a gift, but they can get you one.

And besides, it's bad enough I'm under all of this pressure to buy gifts for family members.. what happens if I give my boss something they hate?!

However, a holiday card is never out of the question

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

This whole thing seems strange to me. I was always taught that when it comes to business offices and Christmas/holiday gifts, you always buy down. Therefore, you don't buy your boss a gift, but they can get you one.

And besides, it's bad enough I'm under all of this pressure to buy gifts for family members.. what happens if I give my boss something they hate?!

However, a holiday card is never out of the question

The tradition in my office started well before I started here. So, at this point it's pretty much obligitory.

As far as what they're like and what they like: they are pretty secretive people, and like to pretend that they don't have money and are just one of us little people. I'm a little more privy than most to their inner-workings because I've handled some of their personal finance stuff. They like the Panthers (season ticket holders), and the new son/grandson (he's two, and the only son/grandson in the family), and not much else definite. They shop at Marshalls and garage sales. I don't really want to do a giftcard, because I feel like they say "hey, I had no idea what to get you, but if I did, I would spend X amount of money on it".

[DSTRen13]

I always give things like coffee, cookies, etc., for office gifts. If you're looking to spend more, you could do something like a "coffee break gift basket", with nice coffee, flavor syrups, gourmet cookies & chocolates, etc.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

The tradition in my office started well before I started here. So, at this point it's pretty much obligitory.

As far as what they're like and what they like: they are pretty secretive people, and like to pretend that they don't have money and are just one of us little people. I'm a little more privy than most to their inner-workings because I've handled some of their personal finance stuff. They like the Panthers (season ticket holders), and the new son/grandson (he's two, and the only son/grandson in the family), and not much else definite. They shop at Marshalls and garage sales. I don't really want to do a giftcard, because I feel like they say "hey, I had no idea what to get you, but if I did, I would spend X amount of money on it".

Dang...that's difficult because the only thing I could suggest would be something with the Panthers on it...but...considering they have a son, maybe a baby outfit with the Panthers logo on it might not be a bad idea.


That's all I can think of.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Dang...that's difficult because the only thing I could suggest would be something with the Panthers on it...but...considering they have a son, maybe a baby outfit with the Panthers logo on it might not be a bad idea.


That's all I can think of.

That's actually what I did last year (the baby was a preemie, so he's still like a baby, even though he's older now. Turns out that the other coworkers have decided that we've had a crappy enough year here that it only warrants a card. Fine - I didn't need the extra pressure anyway.

So, new Christmas dilemma - nut this one should be easy for someone relatively creative...husband always says he doesn't want anything for Christmas, and the thing is, he truly doesn't. So, I decided that for Christmas, I would take an extra day off work and take the whole family to the children's museum near our house. My husband and I, because of our work schedules, literally only have two days off a year together: Thanksgiving and Christmas. So rather thn anything materal, I think he would appreciate the time together more than anything. So, the dilemma is, how the heck do you (representatively) wrap that?