I am trying to get my Christmas shopping done,so I asked everyone to make a wishlist,but when I asked my Dad what he wanted,he just says "nothing,save your money" He ALWAYS says this,whether it's his birthday or any other gift giving holiday,I don't think he understands that it just makes it harder on me,because then I have to try to figure out what the hell he could possibly need or want,which I really don't have a clue. Anyone else know anybody that does this?

the only thing my dad would ever say is "Love, Peace, and Happiness." Needless to say, it was something I couldn't provide and was endlessly frustrating.




...






...untill one day I was at a record shop and they had a bunch of patches in a display and it was right there in the middle. A hand sized patch of a heart, a peace sign and a happy face, all together in one patch. It was all of $3.00. I also picked him up a Pac*Bowl shirt seeing as how he works for Pac*Bell. IT was PERFECT!. I got the shirt so he'd have something to put the patch on but he framed it instead and put it on his desk....that was about 6-7 years ago...it's still there all framed and shit!

i'm getting more and more like that, but i mean it. if i want something, i buy it for myself. i don't wait until someone can get it for me as a gift. there's really nothing i want for christmas, and if there is something in the world i want, i'll get it with my own money eventually. i know that's bad.

I know people like that, and I've done it a few times myself. Most of these people seem to really mean what they say.

I never know how to answer when Christmas and birthday times come around. I don't want to hurt people's feelings because I know they mean well, but I really don't want anything as far as presents go. The only thing I'd really like people to give me is money because I'm broke and need every penny I can get, but I think it's rude to ask for money so I don't.

The thing that gets me is people who actually get mad or annoyed with you when you say "nothing". I don't understand that.

if there's something that someone can give me that will remind me of them, that's a good gift. but it's up to them to figure out what that is. otherwise, the gift just reminds me of my own greedy self.

my dad has all he needs, and is not materialistic. for his 80th b=day, we had a brunch for him and some of his friends. he seemed to really enjoy it.
you can always make a donation to a friend's favorite charity if you know of it, or a donation to a worthwhile cause such as the ASPCA, or some such org...

Maybe he truly wants you to get him "Nothing" and for you to "Save your money". Seems like a pretty nice gift to give him.

Anxiety said:

I am also like this. Which in turn makes it a little hard for others to get for me.When it came time to make my list,I could only think of 3 things,but that was within the range that everyone could afford. When first asked what my Dad wanted he said "just something to eat",but he can buy himself that,I want to get him something that he can't or would'nt buy himself. I'm at the point where I think he will either be getting Walmart gift card or a big box of a variety of foods.

EmeraldSkies said:

my dad is EXACTLY the same
every year I feel he ruins my Christmas spirit, it would be SOOOO much easier if he just told me something he needed or whatever, so I DON'T waste my money getting him stuff he never uses (like so many times before).
This year I'm making him a little gourmet hamper, so at least he gets something, cause I know he will be pissy if he is the only one who gets nothing

MY mom.

Very cool gift! He'll probably treasure that thoughtful gift forever

bobGeorge909 said:

my parents are the same, a real pain in the arse to buy for until I realised that its better to get them an experience rather than something material - for instance last year I got them tickets to see the show 'soul train' at the theater

Emerald is there anything that he likes to do that you could share with him, like going to a game of football with him or to his favourite restaurant after the Christmas period - I'd bet he'd love to spend some time with you doing something he likes to do rather than buy him something for the sake of it and it ending up in the back of a cupboard.

Just a thought .... Hope it helps

EmeraldSkies said:

Why don't you give him a nicely-wrapped, heartfelt, handwritten letter as a gift? Probably much more meaningful and - in the course of it - you can explain that you've decided to finally take his advice this year, and thank him for caring about you so much that he'd rather see you put away the money than spend it on a present for him.

Beats a tie any day!

Thank you all for replies.

BobGeorge909~ that is a very cool gift,and it odviously is special to him.

June7~

ZombieKitten~ the funny thing is,I don't think that my dad would truely care if he did'nt get anything,but it would bother me.

Kida ~

MrsGoodnight~ Thank you for the ideas.

Ace~My Dad isn't really the letter type,and the last time he wore a tie was when he had to attend a funeral. Thank you for the post though.

So after reading all your posts it hit me,I KNOW WHAT TO GET HIM!! Today he was asking me if I knew the name of the person that sings the song he hears sometimes on the radio. (insert my look of Huh?) after all there are alot of songs on the radio. Finally I figured out that he was talking about LeAnn Rimes,and the song,Nothin' Better To Do. The he says "One of these days I need to get a CD player for the truck". Sooo... he is getting a nice CD player set for his truck,and the single for that song.



[Edited 11/26/08 21:45pm]

EmeraldSkies said:

mine would sulk for days

I tell my wife this all the time.....because honestly, I buy what I want during the year...so all I want (in my own corny way) is to get her and my kids what THEY want....because I love watching folks open up gifts that I've gotten for them...

reneGade20 said:

same here.

BlackAdder7 said:

That's a good idea. Make a donation in their name in lieu of a material gift. The jmoney will go to someone who really does need it.

My dad is like that, sort of. I always get something for his silly old self anyway and it pleases him. He's very easy to please. I can get him some candy, a Star Trek gift, or something James Bond-ish and he's happy. If I slap together a cd of old songs he's lost over the years, he'll scream like a girl. Hell, if I could get my hands on an Eek the Cat DVD, that would make his entire life...

When people tell me "oh...save your money", I get into their heads and think like them for a hot second. If I really can't think of anything, I just go to amazon.com and get gift certificates. Most of the time, I stick to a theme for everyone to keep it simple. (Thank God my family isn't a set of picky nuts.) So if the theme's candy, I can save 100 bucks by getting everyone a big old 3 pound bag of their favorites.

Except for my cousin. He's 15, tall, and skinny. No candy for his old hyper butt.

That would be me.

But, fer reals, I don't want anything. I live in a small apartment. I don't need more crap. And I don't know anybody who really has extra money right now, so. . . don't spend it on stuff I don't need!

I've actually got my friends trained at this point. But my mother is hopeless, she considers it a maternal duty to spend money on my atheist ass for xmas. . . so I will give her ideas of non-material gifts, generally.

tackam said:

or you could always ask her for something that you can use to make something nice for her. like, ask for some bakeware and then bake something for her with it? cheesy, i know, but people always like seeing that you use what they got you, and it's even better when you use it for something you made for them.

What I do is ask the person closest to them what they need or want... I ask my mom what my dad wants/needs, I ask my sister in law for my brother, and so on and so forth. This way I have some idea rather than wasting money on something frivolous that I bought out of desperation and if that doesn't fly I make them a favorite dish or dessert or something artsy-craftsy...

Merry xmas to all

Aannastesia2 said:

See this action use to work,but since they have been divorced for 3 years she would'nt know.

I already bought the car CD stereo,it's a Pioneer. Is that a good brand?
[Edited 11/30/08 13:54pm]

EmeraldSkies said:

Yep, but I watch/listen to what to things they like or dont like through the year evne at the store for my mom for example. My mom said awhiel back she always wanted a coffee perkalator and she never got one. I got it and wrapped it for her christmas gift. I grabbed the last one( it was red and her color that goes with her kitchen). Shell be so happy. Remember its the thought that counts( but keep the reciept in case someone else got them the same thing).

my dad's hard to buy for because he's so picky! he only likes certain things, and he'll complain if you get him something he doesn't like. one year i bought him a polo shirt, (i didn't have much money), it was a nice one, and he told me, he didn't like it, he doesn't wear polo shirts. so now i just give him giftcards. then he can pick his own gift. he's so grumpy.

Anxiety said:

That's a freakin' adorable idea, thank you.

kimrachell said:

he should be grateful you got him anything at all.

Yes, I do know somebody like that....me! I don't expect anybody to buy me anything, since if I need something, I will go out and buy it on my own.

psychodelicide said:

just for that, i should buy u a gift this year!

InsatiableCream said:

Cool, I love receiving unexpected gifts.