Emergency gifting help!
January 25, 2017 8:35 PM Subscribe
I need to send a gift to a friend who's experiencing a hard time with a flare-up of chronic illness and anxiety about health coverage. They love cats, crafts, and caramel. What can I order on Amazon (for example) that they dwould love? My price range is around $15-40.
Similarly to the Quonsar gift swap here, I participated in a secret-giver thing with another online community that adds a lot to my life and that I really appreciate. And I have goofed in a big way re: sending a gift to my person. I procrastinated to the point that the paltry little offering I've put together is just not going to cut it. I need to send something delightful, and I need it to arrive quickly.
If anyone has suggestions for products or types of products that might fit one or all of those categories (cats, crafts, caramel), I would love any suggestions!
Amazon/Prime is preferred, but if it's super great at another source I would appreciate those suggestions also. Including any related charities (specifically in the Boston metro area) I could support in their name.
Similarly to the Quonsar gift swap here, I participated in a secret-giver thing with another online community that adds a lot to my life and that I really appreciate. And I have goofed in a big way re: sending a gift to my person. I procrastinated to the point that the paltry little offering I've put together is just not going to cut it. I need to send something delightful, and I need it to arrive quickly.
If anyone has suggestions for products or types of products that might fit one or all of those categories (cats, crafts, caramel), I would love any suggestions!
Amazon/Prime is preferred, but if it's super great at another source I would appreciate those suggestions also. Including any related charities (specifically in the Boston metro area) I could support in their name.
...and here's a caramel-scented cat craft.
posted by amtho at 8:43 PM on January 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 8:43 PM on January 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
Could you buy them a month or two of Netflix?
eg use your credit card to set it up, then set a reminder on your calendar to cancel it when you've spent $X?
Check with them first that they don't already have Netflix, of course.
posted by Sockpuppets 'R' Us at 8:53 PM on January 25, 2017
eg use your credit card to set it up, then set a reminder on your calendar to cancel it when you've spent $X?
Check with them first that they don't already have Netflix, of course.
posted by Sockpuppets 'R' Us at 8:53 PM on January 25, 2017
Amazon has godiva and other fancy candies. Maybe do a box with that and a small needle felting kit for the craftiness? Also, plenty of fancy tea on amazon too. That could all combine for a nice gift box.
posted by gnat at 8:57 PM on January 25, 2017
posted by gnat at 8:57 PM on January 25, 2017
I'm very picky about chocolate and honey and caramel (separate or all together) so when I saw Droga's Money on Honey caramels I was skeptical but I bought the 4 piece box to try. Oh my god they are incredibly good. Bonus, a part of each purchase goes to support bee populations. But really, they are damn tasty and just the right size for one to be a slow melt in your mouth moment without feeling short changed or overly indulgent.
If they are on Ravelry and you are too, you can check their queue and gift them patterns (I don't think Ravelry has a straight up gift card function as of yet, but you could do a gift card to knitpicks, assuming their craftiness leads in a yarn direction.)
...I honestly had to double check that I hadn't joined any gift swaps and forgotten about them because your description is pretty much me. Right now very little is doing much of anything to help me fight my own demons that are being egged on by this disgusting fascist tide. My cat is very fluffy and noisy and has taken to sitting on me and that helps a little... If I were to get a box of stuff in the mail it wouldn't be the contents that would make me feel better nearly as much as knowing the sender was thinking of me, worried about the same things I'm worried about, in support of the same things I'm in support of, emphatically wanting me to not be dead. So really just write a card along with whatever you end up sending, something that will feel like they're being reached out to when they read it.
posted by Mizu at 9:39 PM on January 25, 2017
If they are on Ravelry and you are too, you can check their queue and gift them patterns (I don't think Ravelry has a straight up gift card function as of yet, but you could do a gift card to knitpicks, assuming their craftiness leads in a yarn direction.)
...I honestly had to double check that I hadn't joined any gift swaps and forgotten about them because your description is pretty much me. Right now very little is doing much of anything to help me fight my own demons that are being egged on by this disgusting fascist tide. My cat is very fluffy and noisy and has taken to sitting on me and that helps a little... If I were to get a box of stuff in the mail it wouldn't be the contents that would make me feel better nearly as much as knowing the sender was thinking of me, worried about the same things I'm worried about, in support of the same things I'm in support of, emphatically wanting me to not be dead. So really just write a card along with whatever you end up sending, something that will feel like they're being reached out to when they read it.
posted by Mizu at 9:39 PM on January 25, 2017
My first thought was a nice plushy toy; if I received one from a dear friend thinking of me as you are her, it would be like receiving a hug. I went looking for cat plushies on Amazon but found this little guy and I adore him. He looks like he'd sit nicely too. As a cat person, an adorable elephant would also make me happy, perhaps even more so since my cats wouldn't be jealous :-)
plus some sweet treats as described above, would be a lovely gift.
posted by kitten magic at 1:11 AM on January 26, 2017
plus some sweet treats as described above, would be a lovely gift.
posted by kitten magic at 1:11 AM on January 26, 2017
Okay I think that Pyropet candles are about the coolest things ever and they have a cat variety. You can get them on Amazon too but they cost around $10 more there.
posted by Polychrome at 1:32 AM on January 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Polychrome at 1:32 AM on January 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'd like to also recommend the Droga chocolates. Noms.
Also - I've been you before. This is a friendly reminder that Done is Better Than Perfect. If your friend is like most people, her rubric for "grading" the gift will likely be:
80% - omg i got a gift! Hurray! Automatic 80%!
20% - is this gift an odd gesture, a nice gesture, or a great gesture? Points awarded accordingly!
Your friend will honestly get 80% of the satisfaction in the gift merely by receiving ANYTHING, so worrying about acing that remaining 20% is only making you crazy for minor levels of improvement. You got this!
posted by samthemander at 3:36 AM on January 26, 2017 [9 favorites]
Also - I've been you before. This is a friendly reminder that Done is Better Than Perfect. If your friend is like most people, her rubric for "grading" the gift will likely be:
80% - omg i got a gift! Hurray! Automatic 80%!
20% - is this gift an odd gesture, a nice gesture, or a great gesture? Points awarded accordingly!
Your friend will honestly get 80% of the satisfaction in the gift merely by receiving ANYTHING, so worrying about acing that remaining 20% is only making you crazy for minor levels of improvement. You got this!
posted by samthemander at 3:36 AM on January 26, 2017 [9 favorites]
I love my cat socks and they cheer me up every time I look at them!
posted by Skybly at 5:02 AM on January 26, 2017
posted by Skybly at 5:02 AM on January 26, 2017
a stuffed pusheen of some kind. i am partial to the pusheenicorn.
edit: a friend send me a tiny stuffed purple pusheen when i was in the hospital recently, and it made me smile.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:41 AM on January 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
edit: a friend send me a tiny stuffed purple pusheen when i was in the hospital recently, and it made me smile.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:41 AM on January 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Cat butt magnets
Cat pasta
Cat bag clips
Cat drink coasters
Cat lamp
(I am a certified cat person. Most of these just went on my Amazon wish list)
posted by INFJ at 7:45 AM on January 26, 2017
Cat pasta
Cat bag clips
Cat drink coasters
Cat lamp
(I am a certified cat person. Most of these just went on my Amazon wish list)
posted by INFJ at 7:45 AM on January 26, 2017
Crafting with Cat Hair ticks the first two boxes in one book!
posted by Ian Scuffling at 8:13 AM on January 26, 2017
posted by Ian Scuffling at 8:13 AM on January 26, 2017
I came to suggest anything Pusheen. For cheering up, Pusheen is the cat to call.
posted by epj at 1:03 PM on January 26, 2017
posted by epj at 1:03 PM on January 26, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
Even if you aren't using that search trick, cats, crafts, and caramel is pretty much right up their alley, and things can be very affordable.
You could find: Felted cat toys that are adorable, sweet cat beds, tasty treats (oh wow I just did an Etsy search for "caramel" - so many choices), and of course several thousand crafts and supplies for same. Plus, you'll be supporting an independent artisan.
Bonus: you might establish a relationship with a local artisan who can help you give thoughtful gifts fairly easily and quickly. They'd probably be willing to put in a pretty card with a nice message, too.
posted by amtho at 8:42 PM on January 25, 2017