please empty your brain below
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Allow me a moment of smugness, because I'm usually shopping on Christmas Eve, then end up wrapping things at home on Christmas morning before going to see family. This year, however, I did my shopping last Wednesday and Friday, finishing on Friday, and have wrapped most of it. For once, I'll be able to go out on Christmas Eve and enjoy myself, NOT stressing over unwrapped pressies. Hurrah!
Christmas Chig | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 1:47 a.m. | #
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Books and food is the way to go I find. This year especially there seems to be an abundance of "gift" books which is really helpful. That and food like a nice bottle of Madeira, marron glaces or some posh chutney etc you can't go wrong! Happy Christmas!
AC | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 7:13 a.m. | #
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Good luck.
stroppycow | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 7:25 a.m. | #
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This advice is too late this year, but maybe for Christmas '06. I have two tricks: 1. shop all year long, nothing like pressure to make it worse. Gifts bought on holiay always work. 2. Anytime someone I am that close too mentions something offhand that they want, I write it down and buy it later.
Monica | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 7:59 a.m. | #
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1. I was looking out for Christmas presents earlier in the year, but I only found one. And I didn't go on holiday anywhere, which clearly hasn't helped.
2. There's still time to get them to drop some hints about what they want, I guess.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 8:02 a.m. | #
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socks would be good!!
bblb | 21.12.05 - 8:04 a.m. | #
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In the name of Jesus Christ
shoppers up and down the street,
Enough to eat enough to drink
In the name of Jesus Christ.
In the name of Jesus Christ
lots of money changing hands,
enough supplies to meet demands
In the name of Jesus Christ.
'Tinsel & String' by Neil Innes. I'm not that religious, but whenever I get caught up in the christmas shopping madness I always think of that song.
Jeremy | 21.12.05 - 8:45 a.m. | #
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*laughs at 'I lack retail empathy'*
*and at the evolution of Dickins and Jones trading name*
Am I allowed a blog-vert as it's nearly the FOTCR™ and I've been Quite a Good Witch this year, and your readers are usually good at quizzes?
There are 7 hard chocolate quiz centres leftover from yesterday that need solving at mine... <click here>
Blue Witch | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 8:50 a.m. | #
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I just let the wife do it all. She then tells me which gift to give to which person. Leaving me to do the important business EATING!!!!!! 
Michael | 21.12.05 - 8:59 a.m. | #
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Some thought that I discovered took a little of the pressure off are ...
Gifts reflect more of the givers taste and personality than the receivers so don't fight it.
Without taking it to extremes nor too self-conciously, give them something to remind them of you.
Also, homes are becoming ridiculously cluttered with *things* - give something that will be used up in a relatively short time, next Christmas at the latest. That way, with some subtle enquiry, if you find they enjoyed it, you can give the same next year until it becomes a tradition.
Rick | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 9:00 a.m. | #
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Subscriptions to magazines (clubs, organisations eg National Trust, English Heritage) are quite good... And it solves the problem year after year
Or there are always goats... wells... beehives...
Blue Witch | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 9:17 a.m. | #
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Take the Ricky Gervais route to last-minute Christmas Prsent buying: Get everybody lottery scratchcards. Literally seconds of fun, some people win, some people lose.
Scaryduck | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 9:18 a.m. | #
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That Ricky Gervais doesn't live by his own rules. A couple of Christmases ago I found myself stood behind him in the queue at Waterstones while he was buying several books instead (none Lottery-related)
diamond geezer | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 9:22 a.m. | #
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I cheat and ask someone else who's good at picking gifts what I should get for other people. If I don't do that, I end up with one or two gifts that are perfect and a load of nothing for everyone else.
Chz | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 9:26 a.m. | #
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I cheat even more and ask people what they want.
Katherine | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 10:04 a.m. | #
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I think there is nothing wrong in buying book lovers 'boring' book tokens. I love choosing books and I always appreciate it rather than they stress over buying me a book I either already have or a coffee table book I'll never read. Also wine and smellies (except talc and bath salts)as I'll always use them. Don't need the ribbon trimmed basket though.
Essexgirl | 21.12.05 - 10:15 a.m. | #
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Personally I'd rather receive nothing than rubbish. I upset rather a lot of people when I said this, however.
Oh, well.... 'tis the season.
NiC | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 10:27 a.m. | #
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I always buy things I want and give them - that way at least I can be enthusiastic about giving it.
harriet | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 10:30 a.m. | #
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Shit, it's Christmas???
Oh my god, why didn't somebody warn me???!!!
*runs off to start panic-shopping*
The Girl | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 11:48 a.m. | #
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you need to go somewhere different - all you'll find on oxford street is the same tat you find everywhere else and london is full of cool places to shop. i randomly ended up doing nearly all my shopping at the tate modern shop. you should go to the transport museum shop in covent garden and get everyone route master souveniers!
Ruthie | 21.12.05 - 11:58 a.m. | #
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Oi - I used to work for "boring" Book Token and I totally agree - nothing wrong with it. I would much rather have a book token thatn book I had already read or a book which I know I would never read.
However, any "rubbish" gifts I get given go to my local charity shop, so I would definitely rather have an unwanted present than none at all. It is the thought that counts
Annie Mole | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 1:43 p.m. | #
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Day two on Oxford Street: still not great.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 3:38 p.m. | #
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Try somewhere else!
Another Andrew | 21.12.05 - 4:30 p.m. | #
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Kingston is better than Oxford Street -- less busy, everything's all in one place rather than spread out through 3 square miles of London and there are a mixture of big chain stores and interesting local stuff.
quin | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 4:57 p.m. | #
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(Very) rough philosophy:
Young people - likely to be on lower wage, and still into 'things'. So buy 'things', or vouchers (clothes/record shops) that can be exchanged for 'things'.
As suggested above - more original things can be found in Museum/Gallery shops, and Online Charity Shops (e.g. WWF, Save The Children). Science Museum shop great for small kids presents.
Older people - likely to be on higher wage, and to have accumulated all the 'things' they need throughout previous year and throughout their lifetime. So buy them 'experiences' they won't have done yet - tickets/vouchers for London Eye, Theatre, Red Letter day type things.
There's also 'luxury' type things that people may want, but feel guilty about treating themselves to throughout the year such as expensive food items (preserves/biscuits), or art/photography books. The latter is what I have asked for this year - can't really justify £25/30 on art/graphics hardbacks for myself, but lovely thing to receive as an Xmas present - very 'gifty' - and solves the problem for others not knowing what to get me.
Steven | 21.12.05 - 5:19 p.m. | #
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I tend to buy books or CDs and usually ones that I'd like or have enjoyed myself.
I've also found that Waterstone's return policy can be paticularly generous - quite happy to swap books after Christmas without a receipt - useful if the one you wanted wasn't in the 3 for 2!
Rob | 21.12.05 - 10:44 p.m. | #
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Books, CDs, DVDs, Socks, Vouchers from the Burton Group for Mother.
Sorted.
Darren | Homepage | 21.12.05 - 11:39 p.m. | #
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Books are easy to wrap and ones wih big pictures can be shown to friends who visit.
Debster | 22.12.05 - 10:02 a.m. | #
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Thanks everyone, that actually helped!
(especially one of your early comments, Steven)
diamond geezer | Homepage | 23.12.05 - 12:46 a.m. | #
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