Just in time to save you from your holiday shopping day of torment

I know some of you may like to go out in ridiculous amounts of traffic to save a few dollars, and consider pushing down grandmas to get to that last electronic hamster a national sport, but I'm not that way. Perhaps this year you'd like to just stay home tomorrow and and shop from your couch, or at least prepare a thoughtful, precise list so that when you go out you don't get distracted by the hamsters.

For starters, here's a post from 2007 wherein I provide I thoughtful list of 9 potential gift ideas that work for one and all. Two years ago I waited to post it until December 24, though, and got zero comments. See how I'm being more helpful this year?

But wait, there's more. This year I'm doing much (maybe even most) of my shopping online. I mean, sure, there's the usual thrift store books I buy for my brothers-in-law (how much do I love quirky plurals?), but I'm really liking it when I can order stuff and just wait until it arrives. I feel like I won somehow, not setting foot in the mall.

At the same time, I'm still desperately thrifty. I ordered our 150 Christmas cards (I still can't believe we know that many people...) in September, because we'd found our photo already, and I like to pretend to be prepared. Of course, I've totally misplaced them now, so I should really be looking for those instead of blogging. See what I give up for you? Anyway, we ordered the cards through VistaPrint, and they cost us about $12 shipped. They get a little annoying with e-mails almost every other day, but I love them so much I don't care. They also have great deals (100 postcards free! You just pay shipping!) and lovely photo capabilities...their calendars print on lightweight paper, but the colors are rich and crisp. I ordered business cards for myself here, that I use as social calling cards, listing my professions (teacher, mama, artist, poet) and blog. I feel fancy when I give them to people, too. VistaPrint does charge a fee to upload photos, which is why I suggest you order yourself a calender, and upload your 12 favorite photos of the year, and then you can use those on all kinds of different products (tote bags! hats! t-shirts! other stuff!). Shaun's birthday t-shirt came from here last year, and it's still going strong, with regular wearings and washings. I like them so much that I added a link to my right sidebar, which I probably will take down after the holidays, unless y'all love it too much. But I do think you should go play with them: they have neat stuff.

[I do need to tell you that the Vista Print and Amazon links are affiliate ones, meaning if you click on them and order something, I get a very small amount of money in return. Since I've had that Amazon link on my sidebar for the last 2 years, I've earned $1.37. Seriously. Okay, now back to the shopping suggestions.]

Next, in case you want ideas for board games (great gifts for everyone from your best friend to your dentist to your mama), or ideas for four year olds, or ideas for 36 year old weird ladies, or ideas for excellent books, check out my Amazon store. You can click that link right thar (I think) or the link to the right (which is always there for your convience).

I am not usually a proponent of gift cards, but if you want to somehow stand out from those folks who only give cash, you can't do much better than Amazon. Instead of lotion or the average Target gift card, why not give the gift of the expansiveness that is Amazon? I love that you can send it straight to their e-mail, or print it yourself, or schedule its arrival. This would be handy for me, too, because I totally forget birthdays all the time, now.



Okay, that's all for now. I am sooo thankful for all my readers; I really do want to share the things I like with you. I'll try to do a few more of these ahead of the holidays, because I really like getting ideas, so I'll pretend you do, too.

My next post will have cute pictures of kids, I promise. And turkey. And whipped cream. Mmmm.