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The Kitchen Table

Christmas gift suggestions

17 years ago

A few years ago, when it started to get hard for me to get around. I gave magazine subscriptions as gifts. There are magazines out there for every interest. Whenever possible, I would buy the magazine and give that to the person with a note saying they would receive it for a year. The next year, I would renew the subscription. Just a suggestion for those sort of home-bound but have a computer. Dottie

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Comments (8)

casey_nfld
17 years ago
I think that's a great idea. My friend lives in a very small town with not a lot of shopping. She has 3 kids under the age of 6 so she doesn't get out much to travel to other places to go shopping. The last 2 years she has given me a magazine subsciption for Christmas and I've enjoyed them.
azzalea
17 years ago
My aunt gives each of her nieces/nephews a subscription to Reader's Digest each year--always has. It's a lovely gift that's always appreciated, and easy foer her to do.
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What about picture frames? They come in an assortment of styles and prices. I got one for my husband's aunt. The inlaws drew names this year for the first time, thank goodness! I know how difficult it is finding something for each person in DH's entire family. Last year we did charitable contributions in each family's name. Many charities (we used Christian Children's Fund) send out Christmas cards to the family members informing them of the gift. Of course the neices still got gifts, gift certificates to Old Navy.
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I finished everything, including a last minute pair of socks in the Patton stretch sock yarn (made 2 days before Christmas)! I also made a hand pieced and quilted queen sized quilt for our daughter, and a wall hanging.....several scarves, other socks and MANY dish towels - our daughter and a friend wouldn't consider it Christmas without a pile of these under their tree. I hate to be rushed at the last minute, so always start WAAAAAY ahead of the season! I'm still in 'sock mode' right now, but will probably start thinking about next year before January is out! I love to have things finished and tucked away in my closet, awaiting the next Bday or Christmas!
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I have three soups hand written at the top of my shopping list. (it's a simple spread sheet that has room top and bottom for notes) I just jot down what i'm thinking of making over the next weekend. Beef Barley - probably use a mix of grains, maybe some lentils. It is hearty but not quite a stew. Lots of broth for bread, biscuits or croutons. I add extra stock usually. It will thicken overnight. Freezes great. Make a killer top crust/or biscuit pot pie. Thai Coconut Chicken Curry - Also nice and rich but still brothy. I add a bit of tumeric and sweet paprika for color. Very much like a chowder. Not really a bread companion but we like it with thin rounds of toasted baguette. Potato Leek w/garlic and fennel - I use so much roasted garlic it should be called Garlic Soup. (less garlic for gifting). The fennel is some stalks i have frozen i just add while cooking and remove. I have leeks left over from T-day and lots of garlic. I like to use a few whole baby potatoes removed with some of the leeks/onions before stick blending some of the broth. One regular potato diced and half a sweet potato that get blended for some creaminess. Or i could use some squash/pumpkin from the freezer that i roasted a few weeks ago. I made versions of these with a chili and filled a friends freezer after she had her baby. It's a nice gift. If you google any suggestions, you will find many variations of the recipes. For example i just googled the curry to give me a quick reminder of the ingredients... i've never used fish sauce. I might add some shelled edamame. This Beef Barley is similar... Here is a link that might be useful: holiday soups
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Comments (1)
Very good advice! Last summer I worked at computer for hours listing our collections, tools, etc. and approx. worth at that time in case anything happened to us. My DH has collected model cars for years so we gave him name of trusted relative to advise him on value. (This person has much larger collection & could afford to buy them all. Made detailed list of things each kid loved & had been promised. (One child had always been fascinated with bookkeeping ledgers used in my parents business in the early 40's- the others cared nothing about them.) Also listed things we wanted dear friends to have...like fabric for a quilter, craft supplies to another, etc. Attorney said his fee would run higher if we listed all in our Will, but if I typed them all he would sipmly add the list as a codicil to the Will. I was so determined to finish it all my DG thought I was ill or something. It was simply something I felt compelled to do, and am so glad it's done! Suzi
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kathyg_in_mi
17 years ago
I give all 4 of my kids the Reader's Digest each year and all of them enjoy it. The last 2 years when you bought 4 subscriptions you got 1 free and if you paid right then you got a 2nd free one. Works for me!
Kathy G in MI
lydia1959
17 years ago
I give my parents the Missouri magazine every year. They don't like many magazines, but both enjoy this one. It is about towns and events in MO. I'll bet other states have similar magazines.
jannie
17 years ago
I love reading magazines, I have often given Consumer Reports or Readers Digest or various "women's" magazine subscriptions as gifts. I think it's a perfect "consumable" gift. The person gets something all year long and it fits their interest.
lydia1959
17 years ago
I was just at Amazon.com and see they are having a magazine sale. Some really good prices on popular magazines! Just click on magazines from the drop down menu and leave the search box empty... they'll all come up that way. I've bought subscriptions from them before and had no problems.. I've also bought some super cheap at eBay.. but you take your chances there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon
waddles
17 years ago
When DH's grandma asked if we like the Reader's Digest I said absolutely. DH wondered why I would say that and I told him that it was a cheap and easy gift for her to give every year. I enjoy reading them but DH doesn't really but again I thought it would be easy for her because she was going to give us something anyway.
sjerin
17 years ago
That's so considerate of you, waddles. I think a lot of us don't realize how much older folks still like to give gifts, but that it can be quite difficult. Offering an easy and inexpensive idea can be a very thoughtful thing to do.

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