Holiday Vents

[madDawg228]

I figured we might be able to use a Christmas Vent thread

I'll start, H picked out a magnetic poetry set as a small gift for SIL.  At the store I noticed that it was about cats, so whatever, SIL likes cats, good small gift.  But as I was looking at it last night, the magnetic poetry is all about sexual innuendos about pussies.    H said that it's totally okay to send, and I am dying of embarrassment.   YOU DO NOT SEND STUFF LIKE THAT TO FAMILY.

Your turn!

[FrozenSunshine]

@maddawg228 - that would probably win gift of the year in my family!

[Kahala]

hahaha. THat is the best story.

[minion]

Yes I dig this thread. Can someone explain to me how White Elephant works in their world?

One of my friends plays the version where she brings crap and wraps it up. I think this is weird because the part of white elephant where you can steal gifts from others, I feel the lack of incentive to steal someone else's garbage. I've always played you bring an item within the specified cost amount. Someone else also brought up that they play the $5 or $10 max cost for item is how they play too, So this year she was like either bring garbage or a $10 item. Why would I pay for an item to contribute to in turn receive something I'll need to go home and throw out? I guess if we did one way or another it would be fine.

[larzhope]

hahah love that madDawg228

I love my ILs (well, MIL anyway... SIL isn't my fave), they have both emailed within 24 hours of each other asking what they can bring for Christmas. Christmas is still 10 days away (well, it was when they asked). We hadn't figure out a menu yet. So, we went to Costco, got beef to cook as the main dish, and I told them I'd be making broccoli and the beef and they could bring a side or appetizer of their choosing.

SIL responded back "well, I guess we'll figure something out" um... was I supposed to tell her to bring mashed potatoes with gravy or something very specific? Dude, you can make whatever the eff you want, i'm trying to make it easy by giving you options. I've been told to bring very specific things before (i.e. certain rolls from great harvest bread company) and I find it incredibly rude...

sometimes you just can't win

[Deleted]

madDawg228, that is the best holiday story ever.

minion, I've always played that you can bring something that you own, but it can't be used/crap or buy something for $X or less. One year I played and my friend had a pair of new ridel champagne flutes he didn't want. Guess who got new champagne flutes.

[madDawg228]

minion The White Elephant rules I know of are if a price limit is given then that means no random crap, and you contribute something you would like to receive. If there is no price limit, then used/regifting is the way to go, but nothing broken/garbage-y.

[Deleted]

The first White Elephant things I participated in were supposed to be things you no longer wanted (used/regifting) and bonus for gag-worthy. At work the first time, the bossish lady didn't set any rules and it was odd (and made me grumpy) as I hate the concept of "oh joy, more crap I don't want or need." Last year, she was more helpful and set it for $10 max, something "green" however you interpret green which made it fun to see how people thought of it. (A lot of items were recycled/enviro friendly or just green in color.) This year it's $10 and red. I REALLY wanted to get this red pacman ghost stress ball I saw on World Market's website as "use this when you're about to see red" but they didn't have ANY. I ended up buying 3 red mini-frango boxes.

[Deleted]

My vent: its dumb but I just can't be arsed to decorate, even though I love and really enjoy the tree when its done. If anyone wants to come over and do it for me, I'll feed you hot chocolate, hot toddies, or eggnog and rum and cookies while you do it!

[MrsPotatohead]

Dec 16, 2014 13:13:18 GMT -5 minion said:

Yes I dig this thread. Can someone explain to me how White Elephant works in their world?

One of my friends plays the version where she brings crap and wraps it up. I think this is weird because the part of white elephant where you can steal gifts from others, I feel the lack of incentive to steal someone else's garbage. I've always played you bring an item within the specified cost amount. Someone else also brought up that they play the $5 or $10 max cost for item is how they play too, So this year she was like either bring garbage or a $10 item. Why would I pay for an item to contribute to in turn receive something I'll need to go home and throw out? I guess if we did one way or another it would be fine.

Having been to these since I was little I always thought 'traditionally' the idea is that you bring something from home that you don't want - not garbage, but sometimes it's a gag gift or just something you'd like to re-gift.  IMO it's a newer idea that you actually go out and buy it, which I think has caught on as a way to combine white elephant + SS. 

(it could also be regional, but I've viewed it as something that's changed over time)

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2014 13:45:53 GMT -5 @ksta said:

My vent: its dumb but I just can't be arsed to decorate, even though I love and really enjoy the tree when its done. If anyone wants to come over and do it for me, I'll feed you hot chocolate, hot toddies, or eggnog and rum and cookies while you do it!

I think I might take you up on that.

[MrsPotatohead]

My only vent is that I just wanted to graduate and enjoy the holidays - instead I just feel more anxious with everyone asking what I'm going to do with my life. THAT IS NOT RELAXING OR HOLIDAY-RELATED! I'm tired and worn out. I want to push pause on life and actually enjoy things for once without worrying about the future.

ALSO, I'm annoyed at all these "ugly Christmas sweater parties" where now it's a thing that you should go buy or make a new ugly sweater (they have kits at The Rack even!!). I was telling my mom this and she was like "yeah, the point is that people used to actually buy these and not think they were ugly so you should just find an old one from the 80's" LOL In addition to that, I just think it's SO overdone and trendy, it's not funny anymore.

[Deleted]

MrsPotatohead TOTALLY agree on the ugly Christmas sweater party thing!

[minion]

MrsPotatohead - That's such a great reminder to not ask about job searches. I'm horrible.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the insight, I needed it! I really like the color idea @ivankitteh!

[madDawg228]

Ditto PPs on the ugly sweater hate. I think I'm going to have to get one this year, I've been trying to avoid it, but there is an opportunity for cheap tickets to a UW basketball game this weekend if you wear an ugly sweater to the game... so I'm going to get one The Huskies are starting off pretty strong this season :::knocks on wood:::

[karebear219]

My Vent: I don't think H has done any Christmas shopping yet. He's usually so good. He'll probably end up getting SIL and MIL a gift card.

Who knows what will or won't end up in my stocking.

[kwpnjumper55]

H won't buy me tickets to the JT concert at the MGM grand in Vegas on NY's. oh wait...

I got nothing. YET. MIL has yet to strike.

[MrsPotatohead]

Dec 16, 2014 14:02:11 GMT -5 minion said:

MrsPotatohead - That's such a great reminder to not ask about job searches. I'm horrible.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the insight, I needed it! I really like the color idea @ivankitteh!

it's ok, it's just because I'm having an identity crisis   I probably do it to other people too because, what else is there to talk about when you start chatting with someone? lol  But it's like when you finish HS (where are you going to college?), finish college (what will you do next?), get married (when will you have a baby?)... it just is what it is, I get that.  It's also hard for me because I'm trying to possibly forge a non-traditional career path so there's the added pressure of being the black sheep in my field + having no idea what that looks like when I tell anyone (at work or not).  So it's just a loaded question

[Deleted]

*hugs @lauralynne * That sounds really difficult and frustrationg!

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2014 15:13:33 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

Dec 16, 2014 14:02:11 GMT -5 minion said:

MrsPotatohead - That's such a great reminder to not ask about job searches. I'm horrible.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the insight, I needed it! I really like the color idea @ivankitteh!

it's ok, it's just because I'm having an identity crisis   I probably do it to other people too because, what else is there to talk about when you start chatting with someone? lol  But it's like when you finish HS (where are you going to college?), finish college (what will you do next?), get married (when will you have a baby?)... it just is what it is, I get that.  It's also hard for me because I'm trying to possibly forge a non-traditional career path so there's the added pressure of being the black sheep in my field + having no idea what that looks like when I tell anyone (at work or not).  So it's just a loaded question

Tell everyone that you're going back to school for your law degree.

[Deleted]

Hugs @lauralynne! You are not a bad mom at all. You respected your daughter's wishes.

Hopefully everything calms down soon.

[minion]

H has to work Christmas Eve and Christmas night. booo

[PandaPear]

Gift Exchanges! I never know what to buy, so inevitably end up spending a bunch of $$ to get something "cool" then get pissy because I end up with some crap. Then there is like a 40minute discussion of the rules - is it 3 steals then frozen? Or frozen on the 3rd steal? Can #1 pick at the end if his/her gift isn't stolen? Or can #1 always pick at the end?

MH's and work LOVE these, so I end up with about 4 every year.