Christmas gift tips

[Gerontophile]

Is there a signed pic of George with it?

Wow, this thread is on fire!

[Lang Spoon]

Thanks Fussbudget, will look into that.

[Gerontophile]

And remember peeps: when buying online, always get to the subtotal, then sign out, and within 3 days, discount vouchers will be yours.

[Lang Spoon]

Are Nespresso capsules biodegradable or recyclable? I know George (and now Lang!) are involved, so surely it’s not all landfill..is it?

Apparently landfill FIGS, fussbudget’s suggestion is where I’m leaning toward now so.

[Gerontophile]

I think that the only good thing that 'Im indoors wants, is a signed pic of ... Stephen Curry.

[San Bernardhinault]

I think Nespresso collect old capsules and claim to recycle them, but that's creates extra work and fuss. I like my Nespresso machine because it's zero effort and only about a minute to make a very acceptable coffee in the morning. But it's fully coffee-snob coffee (and the pods are overpriced: cheaper in Europe, mind you). You don't have much control, at all. It does take a bit less counter space than an espresso machine + grinder, because of the size of the grinder mostly.

Molton Brown products are hard to find over here, but I did always like their black peppercorn bodywash.

The missus is getting a new GPS golf watch, because she left the old one attached to a golf cart somewhere - she took it off her wrist because it interfered with her swing - and the new one is smaller and was on a massive discount at Costco last week. I'm not sure anybody else's missus would particularly be excited to get that, though, so I'm not offering it as a suggestion.

[Lang Spoon]

No, that would definitely get me single sharpish. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a GPS golf watch till now.

[Gerontophile]

Well, what got me sharpish, was the so-called originator of Grindr, saying he thought only men and women could marry.

Wonder who bet on the downturn of shares?

[Fussbudget]

It does take a bit less counter space than an espresso machine + grinder, because of the size of the grinder mostly.

I think the grinder we have in the house is this one which is about the size of a pint glass and lives in a cupboard when not in use, but I appreciate that the higher-spec countertop ones are probably easier to use. It seems to do the job perfectly fine though.

[ursus arctos]

Something like this?



We have one of those, but would shell out for a Baratza if we had the counter space. I've also reached the conclusion that a manual grinder gives one more control over the grind.

[ursus arctos]

Ah, missed the link. Apologies.

Details of the Nespresso capsule recycling programme for the UK. Of course they need branded containers . . .

[San Bernardhinault]

As an erstwhile coffee-nerd, I should point out that you really ought to be using a burr grinder to get a consistent grind. That's more important for espresso than for filters or aeropresses or whatever. But, as a Nespresso user, I've long since abandoned my coffee high-horse.

[ursus arctos]

I was assuming that the manual would be a burr.

[Sits]

The Family Sits exchange lists as a number of us (yours truly mostly) have been guilty of many gift faux pas over the years. Which considering I've been with Mrs. S for 35 years is concerning.

She will be receiving some leopard print ballet pumps; I hope to receive a bench vice.

[Sits]

I hope to receive a bench vice.

That looks very wrong.

[Hot Pepsi]

Something like this?



We have one of those, but would shell out for a Baratza if we had the counter space. I've also reached the conclusion that a manual grinder gives one more control over the grind.

I find this design leads to a lot of beans being spilled on the counter. I recommend one where the part that holds the ground beams is completely separate.

[3 Colours Red]

I don't like coffee so I'm feeling a little left out here.

For myself... well, I wouldn't mind a new pair of trainers. The grip on my current pair has completely worn away - trying to walk in the rain has devolved into slapstick. So either them or a Nintendo Switch but I think the latter is wishful thinking.

As for buying for others... I am the worst person in the world at doing this. I'll probably just go for my usual tactic of having about 30 tabs open on Amazon and acting on impulse.

[Simon G]

10 years with my wife this year (this month to be precise, 5 years of marriage) and I get her a present from me, 1 each from the older boys and 1 from the twins.

She drops hints throughout the year and I'm supposed to note them down and work from there - I've got her a Sarah Jessica Parker perfume set and a Jess Glynne cd. She's mentioned slippers so I'll get them, then just one more thing, but I really don't have a clue and am on a bit of a budget - pyjamas and dressing gown may be the order of the day.

As for me - I've hinted at a number of events I'd like to see, darts at numerous places, Bryan Adams live in Cardiff and a few other things, so hopefully she'll shop accordingly.

[treibeis]

Christmas gift tip? Fuck-all. I haven't bought a Christmas present for about 40 years.

I've just realised this isn't true. I give my god-daughter a Christmas present. When she was really young, it was proper presents. Now it's just money.

Although, thinking about it, she's twelve. So she's actually too old for presents.

[Gerontophile]

Two things:Nothing 'Cacharel' will ever work, and 'Lagerfeld' died when I buried that mmotherfucker.

Got any 'might agree, but will only accept gifts, eventually' stuff?

Excellent. I love the smell of dead whale.

[Ray de Galles]

So far I’ve bought my wife a letter rack in the shape of Surbiton station and tickets for the England v Australia netball match next month. I plan to renew her memberships to our local independent cinema and the V&A too but need to find a few things that will constitute a proper stockingful of gifts.

[hobbes]

The problem I have is P's birthday is less than a month before Xmas. So I have to do all my gift thinking in one go. Luckily she just likes to open stuff, she's not overly bothered about what it is. (Unlike me. I'd rather get nothing or have the person give a charity donation on my behalf than them end up desperately buying some awful novelty item like cartoon character socks or a hilarious tie or something that'll clutter up the pace before going in the bin unused. )
So I like to buy a large number of smaller things than one big thing. This bday was an exception as it was a biggie.
So she got the sparkly ring, a hand drawn pun by Moose Allein, a book and some chocs from the cub.
Xmas would normally be the last two and various interesting things I've found through the year, and maybe some tickets to a show.
For my family I do one proper present, then 2 or 3 smaller things that always includes some proper posh chocolates like Linden or something from Fortnum's or Liberty.

[Benjm]

This thread reads a bit like the Telegraph gift guide. Even renegade Marxist Fifers are out buying Nespresso machines now. I guess I'd better start saving up for that stylish sophisticated timepiece to impress the modern man in my life.

I'm utterly baffled by how Molton Brown get away with charging so much for run-of-the-mill toiletries in posh packaging, but I know a few women completely obsessed with that brand so I guess they know their market. If somebody got me a new shower gel as a gift I'd take it as a thinly-veiled barb at my personal hygiene though.

There may be a tacit agreement in place that the gift can wait until the 27th when it will be half price.

On the quality front, and without wanting to sound too much like Nanette Newman, their stuff does last for ages unless you start washing the patio with it.

Buying a modern man a stylish sophisticated timepiece could be a death blow to scintillating conversation, rendering the question of whether you like his watch redundant.

[Patrick Thistle]

How does that work? A different coloured brick every day, and then a grey base plate on the 24th?

Different little model or minifigure every day. Hers has got a Lego Santa minifigure in, probably in day 24.

[treibeis]

A mate of mine's sister ended a relationship because for the first Christmas they were together, her then-boyfriend gave her a wheelbarrow.

She'd got herself an allotment the summer before, so there was nothing that bad about him giving her a wheelbarrow. But she reckoned being given a wheelbarrow made her feel "unfeminine".