Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gift and resolved

Where can I buy pashmina scarves in Montreal?

niccolo — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:42:51 -0800

Where can I find pashmina scarves in Montreal? Not the super-expensive ones, but the many-coloured, mass produced ones. I saw loads in Chinatown in Vancouver, and I am wondering where I can find similar ones here?

Help me identify this tpy

alshain — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:08:59 -0800

Help me identify this toy. Here is the pic: http://picasaweb.google.ca/solroger/UntitledAlbum#5415850742094906690

Is it a grand gesture to anonymously give a woman I think is beautiful a banjo?

Archibald Edmund Binns — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:09:33 -0800

Is it a grand gesture to anonymously give a woman I think is beautiful a banjo? At the beginning of this semester, I briefly was in a relationship with a woman who I cared a great deal about. It didn’t end well, and really, it couldn’t have ended well. We have nothing in common. But as it is, I still think she is beautiful, and I’d like to do something truly grand, both to make this world a better (albeit stranger) place, and to give myself some closure. I have three reasons for doing this, but by all means, do not feel obligated to read them all. I’m just typing them out to see how they sound outside of my head. Skip to the end for the real question.
A few weeks ago, I had dinner with a different ex-girlfriend. We’d been together for a few months, and had some really happy moments. I was very sad when things ended, and when I went to dinner with her, I admit that I was curious to see what she thought about it. But she didn’t think about it. It was if it had never happened, she treated me the exact same way she had when we first met, with lots of care and good feelings, but absolutely nothing of the deeper connection we once had. It hurt that she didn’t seem sad that it was over, even though I honestly would never wish any sort of sadness on her. It’s seemed to me lately that all of my relationships are like this lately, sort of formal, with no real feeling on either party’s part. Someone told me years ago that they measured their life in terms of the effects they had on others, and I can’t get that thought out of my head. So, here it seems that I have the chance to affect someone that I sort of secretly love in a way that seems fantastically random and kind of wonderful.
I’ve been thinking about the word serendipity lately, how it’s supposed to be the hardest English word to translate and all that jazz. I love that word, what it means, and would like to craft a moment of serendipity for someone.
Finally, and most selfishly, I can think of nothing in this world more beautiful than this girl playing the banjo. I mean, Christ, just that mental image of her sitting under a tree in spring sunshine, picking a banjo. That is something I would keep until the worms picked it from my rotting brain.
So, I’ve got a little extra money around, and I just want to do something grand. Something magnanimous. I realize this all hinges on perfect anonymity, but I’m planning on calling musiciansfriend.com to make sure that none of my information is on the box. I’m sending it to her parent’s house, where I assume she’s spending Christmas, so I’m even less suspect (and, to clarify, I’m not stalking this girl. I have no interest in her except as an admirer, this is probably more about me than about her. I looked up her address in the phone book).
My question for you: Is this really a grand gesture, or is it creepy as hell? There is probably some chance that my e-mail or something ends up on the slip, and is it worth that risk?

Obsolete? He wants it.

functionequalsform — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:46:14 -0800

Help me give my friend a thoughtful but useless piece of crap! Ok, so my friend's very webby company is movin' on up to a sweet office in SoHo.

I'd like to get him a gift. I'd also like for it to be the most obsolete, dinosaur-est office supply item we can think of— something that we OBVIOUSLY don't use in offices anymore, and something they OBVIOUSLY can't use, because of said webby-ness. (OBVIOUS is the key word here.)

And don't just say "Stapler! Yay me!" and call it a day, pretty please! Get creative with me! Yes?

What gift(s) could I request for Christmas that would make my life more interesting, social, or creative?

Kirn — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:41:00 -0800

What gift(s) could I request for Christmas that would make my life more interesting, social, or creative? I've been asked by my mother for suggestions of what she could get me for Christmas. Recently I've realised that I spend too much time reading books, watching movies and playing video games, and not enough time doing creative or interesting things, attending cultural events, or being sociable and meeting new people. This is particularly daft as I live in the interesting city of Brighton, an hour outside the even more interesting city of London.

What gift(s) could I ask for that would help me to have a more interesting, social, creative 2010? There's infinite interesting stuff happening in London (and Brighton), so what would give me an excuse to see/do more of it? There's infinite new creative activities I could get involved in (none of which I really engage with currently) so what would give me an entry into them? What would get me out the house? What would get me outside my comfort zone? What would bring a bit more culture, a bit more social scene into my life?

Absolutely any and all suggestions welcome, I'd love a wide grab-bag of ideas. Thanks!

Help me wrap and present delicious but frozen food.

anderjen — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:24:16 -0800

This Christmas, I'm giving everyone the gift of delicious and healthy home-cooked meals, but I'm blanking on how to wrap and/or present them at the Christmas Eve festivities. Everything will be pre-frozen, which probably rules out putting them by the tree with the other gifts, and the only other solution I can think of is leaving them in my car and letting everyone take theirs on the way home, which is lame. There must be a better way. As I'm picturing it, everything will be frozen and packaged into reusable Gladware-type containers. Once frozen, are there any cheap ways of keeping them cold and dry to the point where I could actually wrap them and set them under the tree for a few hours until we get to the gift opening, and then again until people can get them home? I don't want anything to defrost too much, obviously.

The one thing I really do not want to do is buy each recipient a mini-cooler and ice packs because that kind of defeats the purpose of a low-cost/all-consumable present in my mind, and also there are 10 people, which would blow my budget.

If I do have to leave them in the car (which is a viable option, as I live in Minnesota), any cool ideas on what I could use or make to represent the meals for maximum effect? The rest of the gift will consist of other homemade treats and snacks, so there will be something open for sure, but the main meal is kind of the piece de resistance, so I'd like to make sure it doesn't get missed in a pile of wrapping paper.

I am certainly open to better ideas and suggestions if you have any. Thanks, all!

Let's put all the pieces together.

wundermint — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:31:01 -0800

Where can I find the best jigsaw puzzle for my puzzle-loving grandmom? My 85-year-old grandmother is wild about jigsaw puzzles. They are her gaming addiction. Every year for the past several years I've bought her one for Christmas, and recently have been challenging her by getting increasingly difficult ones. I've had random luck getting puzzles at the mall or even thrift stores, but nothing so far this year has looked good. I've searched online and been bombarded with crappy illustrations and generally disappointing results. Help me find the perfect puzzle!
Here are some specs:

- Must be 1000+ pieces, preferably 1500+.
- No Thomas Kinkade or puppy/kitten illustrated puzzles. Classy, interesting photos and artwork only. (I know, so elitist!)
- I want to stay away from the 3D/gimmicky puzzles, no matter how cool. She's a fan of the classic, flat, jigsaw puzzle and I don't want to blow her mind too much.

Your jigsaw puzzle ideas are appreciated!

Xbox 360 games for the retired and slightly arthritic?

Acarpous — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:18:41 -0800

Inexplicably, my sixty-six year old father has just bought an Xbox 360. What games could I buy for it that my parents would enjoy? I suspect that this purchase may have been motivated by his love of Tiger Woods PGA Tour that he once spent hours and hours engaged with but which they have now stopped making for the PC. He now has his beloved golf game, but I would like to buy him (and my mother) another game or two for Christmas. I do not play games of any flavour though and know nothing about them or what's available.

The main point for consideration is that my parents are both in their sixties and while my father in particular enjoys fiddling with new gadgets they'll get frustrated if they can't make something work quickly. Tiger Woods type of complexity is fine because it's slow and no in-game baddie is going to come along and take your head off with a chainsaw if you don't remember how make that putt quickly enough. But anything that requires you to press X five times to the tune of Carmina Burana while touching your toes in order to make the character jump onto something is out because even if they remember how it works they simply don't have the dexterity and it'll get discarded quickly. Years ago my mother could spend days playing the original Doom with just the arrow keys and spacebar but could not cope with performing the simplest actions in Doom 3 as the controls and the various elements had become so overwhelmingly vast and complicated.

Any genre is good, with the exception of any Guitar Hero type music making thing (dexterity again but more importantly, because all music made after 1960 is the work of Satan apparently) and preferably those they can play alone rather than together. Or maybe there are games designed for children that therefore have simple gameplay mechanisms but which are engaging and of a high enough level to hold an adult's attention too?

Journal Of Tanzanian Meat Sciences

benzenedream — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:49:06 -0800

I'm looking for strange magazines to give as gift subscriptions. Ideas? Ideally these magazines would be moderately-priced and worth reading as an insight into other fields, even if the reader has no deep interest in the topic. Trade journals and academic publications are fine. I'm not interested in magazines that are trying to be outrageous in and of themselves.

Ideas for Seattle, WA and Richmond, VA-specific gifts?

Maarika — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:34:51 -0800

Looking for info/tips/leads on local gifts for my Seattle- and Richmond, VA-residing brothers My two younger brothers moved to opposite sides of the country: Seattle, WA, and Richmond, VA. For Christmas I want to give them "experience" gifts like gift certificates, tickets, etc. to cool stuff in their respective cities. Cool stuff includes but is not limited to: restaurants, bars, interesting stores, awesome museums, etc -- anything that gets them out and about and experiencing their new cities in a fun way. I'm located in the Midwest, so I will need to order stuff online or over the phone. I would LOVE your suggestions and leads here!

Some basic info on the brothers (who are in their early/mid-20s):

Seattle brother:
* grad student
* likes the outdoors and offbeat sports
* loves weird restaurants/bars - the weirder, the better

Richmond brother:
* "young professional"
* more standard, conventional interests (i.e. no dive bars, weird clothing stores)
* has a very classy girlfriend who will likely also partake in the chosen experience
* hidden nerd-tendencies

Á mis hermanos: apologies in advance if you somehow find this and thus have your Christmas surprise ruined

Cat went fiddle-i-fee

sagwalla — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:11:19 -0800

My secret santa giftee is an in-law who I have never met. 50-something, craftsman (violin-maker). Budget is £25 (ca. $40). My hope: something sock-knocking in the classical or folk vein; preferably on the new side.

Buying a baby gift from away.

typewriter — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:23:12 -0800

Gift-Filter - Please recommend a shop in Edinburgh that I can buy a tasteful new baby gift online that will deliver in a little over a week. Nuances: I wish to send a small gift to a work colleague of mine, whose wife is due to have a C-section in 10 days. Normally, when I purchase a new baby gift, I either know the couple or the wife so I often end up buying something for the mother. So this time I am a bit stuck for what to buy. (It seems weird to buy for the mother when I don't know her at all.) In this situation, I know the husband, but in a creative relationship that has been primarily online based and likely to continue for several years (fingers crossed for our collaboration!). That is to say, even though we have a creative relationship, I don't really know him very well, and certainly his family not at all. I would say that we are friendly colleagues.

From the time that we worked together in person, I would guess that his tastes (which would hopefully extend to his wife's) might be like the following: Tasteful, not fussy, prefers good quality, down-to-earth

Other random facts about the family: Both Oxford-educated, seem to share similar politics to me (ie. lefty left), own home, mid to late 30s, not religious, career-wise both husband and wife busy, artistic, successful, and they also have two young boys.

I live in Toronto, hence why I'm looking for an online place. I can spend about £20 - £40. Needs to be a place that delivers. (I looked through Etsy Local, but didn't see anything I liked there.)

Two rings become one... or two...

SNWidget — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:36:05 -0800

My wife's birthday is at the end of October, and I want to do something with two rings that we used to wear before we got married. Any ideas? My wife's birthday is the last week of October, and I've been trying to think of something personal to give her. We have two rings that we used to wear before we got married - both silver (at least, I know mine is).

What are some good idea to do with these rings? I've thought of things as simple as tying them together in a nice framed box with a picture of our wedding (which was just in May). But that's about the extent of my creativity.

Any other ideas about what to do with the two rings?

How to give Minneapolis theater tickets as a gift?

Salamandrous — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:43:28 -0800

I want to get theater tickets or maybe a subscription for my 'sister' in Minneapolis. I know that she and her partner are somewhat into the alternative theater scene there, and she also has a strong background in literature and music, so more classical theater works as well. They're also super busy so it has to be possible for them to fit the show(s) into their schedule. I know nothing about Minneapolis, or really about the theater world in general. Is there such a thing as a gift certificate to a theater? Which Minneapolis theater would you recommend? Other related present ideas are also very welcome. Thank you!

What gift for staff at my son's nursery?

dimon — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:44:07 -0800

My son will be 2 soon, and is moving to a new nursery in November. He's attended the nursery for 2 days a week for the last 12 months. What do I buy for the (10 or so) nursery staff as a 'thank you'? I don't want to spend a fortune, maybe about £40-50, which equates to about $65- $75.

It's not the best nursery - there's alot missing in terms of the facilities etc - that's why I'm moving my son to a new nursery soon.

Having said that, the nursery staff have been lovely, and clearly do care about my son, which I really really appreciate, and I want to thank them.

So I guess I don't really want to buy the usual chocolates or biscuits. But then, there are about 10 staff I want to thank, so maybe sweet stuff is the easiest way to ensure they all get something? There's also one or two staff members who I could buy something a little extra for - but it won't be necessary to do this if I get something nice for them all.

Just wondered if anyone has experience of this? Comments/advice much appreciated!

Gift for a woman I barely know?

Phire — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:48:31 -0800

I need help coming up with a gift idea for a 40-50 year old woman that I don't know very well at all. My dad and I will be visiting Chicago for a few days in the near future, and we'll be staying with a friend of his. They were pretty close about ten years ago when both our families lived in the same city, but now we live about a thousand miles apart and they very rarely see each other.

Last time he stayed with this family a few years ago he brought a gift that was more oriented towards the dad, whom he knows better. This time he'd like to bring a gift that the hostess can really appreciate. I've been tasked with finding such a gift.

The only things I know about her is that she's not religious, that she has a daughter who is around 21-year-old, and that she works as a technician at a Big Pharma company. What can we bring in the price range of $60-80 CAD that would be appropriate as a thank-you gift? We're in Ottawa, but bringing the usual maple syrup and whatnot would feel kind of tacky.

almost christmas

caelumluna — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:53:59 -0800

I want to buy a gift to this old lady. But I am a cat person and never had a dog in my life, so I have no idea what to do. This little lady is quite old I think, and as far as I know she is not very active and sleeps a lot.
So any suggestions? Any response is appreciated!

Birthday Gift for sister

happydude123 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:52:05 -0800

Hey, my sister is turning 21 and she just finished a 4-year undergraduate degree and has been accepted in Med School in the fall. What cool gift can I get her (possible Med School related) Thanks

Good coffee, in taste and price.

CrazyLemonade — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:02 -0800

What’s the best single serve coffee machine for around $100? I want to give one to my husband as a birthday gift, even though he’s a very occasional coffee drinker. I’d like for the machine to be able to brew different types and flavors of drinks. This is what I was going for (we tried it at our hotel room during our honeymoon last year), before my sister told me she tried this at a friend’s house and really liked it (I hate the design, and the price isn't great either, but it does seem to have more variety in the drinks options.....?).

I looked at this question, but it’s too old to matter; this question’s best answers go to pretty expensive machines or things that only make espresso.

I thought I’d ask you all what you thought before making any decisions.

How can I use downpayment from my boyfriend if he won't be on the mortgage?

akephalos — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:18:57 -0800

As an unmarried couple trying to buy a condo, the lender seems to have an issue with my boyfriend contributing the down payment, as it is only me on the mortgage. Even if he submits a 'gift' letter saying that the money is not a loan.

Why is this so complicated? We are two individuals that have been together for 3 years. Having myself alone on the mortgage is the only realistic way to do this, as he has parking tickets that were reported to credit agencies and trashed his credit score, which is why it won't work to have him on the mortgage.

This would be in Chicago. Without his contribution there is no way we can have a significant enough down payment. Is there no way to have just myself on the mortgage, the condo titled in both of our names, and his down payment accepted? ARG!

Happy to answer any questions.

What should I get as a graduation present for my sister - quickly?

Kirn — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:19:22 -0800

What should I get as a graduation present for my sister - quickly? My sister is about to graduate from university/college and is hoping to work in mental health. I've only got a couple of days before I go up to see her so I need to pick up a little present quick - I was thinking a really nice book would be ideal, but I wasn't able to find one just browsing. (Ideally it'd be both a beautiful hardback book and something appropriate to the occasion - about life after university, or life in your early to mid-20s, or something..) However I only have a couple of days to get this, so speedy suggestions much appreciated!! Not only books, anything else as well (I was also thinking a nice pen or journal or something) but something I can probably pick up where I am (Brighton, UK) without having to order online. I was thinking up to about £40-50 or so but don't let that be a factor in your speedy and helpful suggestions!! :)

My nephew just turned one. What should I buy him that's cool and costs ~$150?

carpyful — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:39:11 -0800

My nephew just turned 1. I only have $150 but I want to get him something cool that he'll appreciate in the future. My nephew who lives in a different state just turned 1. I want to start being the super cool uncle early and get him a gift that is unique and something that he won't necessarily just throw out once he grows out of it.

I've seen this post, which had some really great ideas. However, they all seem a bit beyond my (small) budget and a lot of the ideas that people shot out I want to save for later years (namely the Port and the museum membership suggestions).

Ideally, I'm looking for a gift that he'll be able to hold on to for a few years. Maybe something he'll want to bring to a show-and-tell or something that will be much more appreciated post high school graduation?

I kind of like the idea of a framed stock, but I can't really think of a cool company to "invest" in. I was also thinking of registering [his name].com -- because I'm geeky like that -- but it's already taken.

So, mefites, can you help me think of a unique gift that can be appreciated in the future and that costs ~$150?

What bulk item will satisfy the mobs of children and my guilt?

BusyBusyBusy — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:42:54 -0800

What bulk item can I bring with me to Ghana to hand out to begging children? Toothbrushes? Food? Toys? Soon I'll be traveling to Ghana (West Africa) to work with a sexual health organization doing HIV awareness stuff. The last time I was there, I felt very guilty and overwhelmed by all of the children (generally ages 4-10) who would follow me and ask for things.

I'd like to bring something with me to give out. No, I can't give them condoms. Requirements:

-Can be bought in bulk online or in person (Indianapolis)
-Lightweight
-Can be taken on a plane
-Not ultimately destructive e.g. sugary candy harms teeth, choking hazards, something so valuable its taken and sold by others.
-Low cost, max $1 per item as I'd like to have at least 100 of them.

Thanks, MeFites!

Where to go for weird Father's Day gifts?

katillathehun — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:20:35 -0800

Father's Day is coming up! Fast! My dad loves really bizarre, silly and off-the-wall stuff. A little morbid is also good (he was pleased as punch when I gave him a strawberry-flavored gummy human heart), but not required. I've given him surprise boxes from Archie McPhee before (which he loved), but I'd like to find him something even different-er this year. Where should I shop? If it helps: my 50-something-year-old dad doesn't fit the Hallmark mold for American fathers. He doesn't care about football or beer. He shares cooking and household chores with my mom. This is a CS Lewis-reading, science program-watching, Norah Jones (okay, and the Monkees)-listening nerd who's still a kid inside.

Thank-you gift for my cousin?

obliquicity — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:47:49 -0800

I need help coming up with a good thank-you gift for my (female, early 30s) cousin at the end of a 3-week visit. I've been staying with my cousin in London for about 3 weeks, and would like to get her something meaningful to say thank you. But to get to the point: I don't know her very well (I grew up in the US, she in the UK); despite being exactly the same age we are entirely dissimilar in personality/likes/interests; she is currently on a diet so food is out (including taking her out for a meal); she doesn't drink, so alcohol is out; and she's already got every household tchotchke thing (candles, bath/beauty products, picture frames, etc.) I can think of. Oh, and she works in the entertainment industry so things like "here are tickets to X" are entirely redundant. What's more, she works fairly long hours and spends each weekend out of town in order to take care of a relative, so her schedule can be tricky.

So based on what I know, she likes: relaxing with tv/movies; spa weekends; her family's dogs; trashy magazines (her description); hanging out with her godson; mystery novels and chick lit. She doesn't like: running or other exercise for its own sake; art, especially of the modern and contemporary varieties; crafty stuff; jigsaw puzzles.

To top it all off, she's far, far wealthier than I am, so I'd rather get something that demonstrates some imagination than something that just says "here's a random luxury item" -- because we're in different enough financial brackets that it would probably come across as "here's something kinda tacky." Plus, she's the kind of person who just buys whatever it is she wants -- so she already has all the latest DVDs, etc.

And for those of you who want to suggest donating to charity in her name/honor -- I've sponsored her in the Race for Life this weekend, but want to do something that's actually for *her*, since she's been doing so much to make my stay here fun.