Friday, December 17, 2021

Holiday Post 2021: Gifts, Strange Items, and Other Shopping

Welcome to the second of my Holiday Posts series. Today we look at gifts, strange items, and other shopping. Basically I use a lot of the writing here to snark over some of the ridiculous things people chose to give as gifts in the holiday season. I also try to give some tips and advice that may be useful for folks who are shopping. Mercifully, I am pretty much done with my holiday shopping because I started early. It also helps me that I often buy small things here or there when I see a good sale during the year and save those things for the holiday season. 



General Gift Ideas
 

 
  •  Some basic tips and advice.
    • This small article from The Hustle came out back in October urging people to shop early for the holiday season. As I mentioned, I did start my shopping early. If you are not done yet, what are you waiting for? By the way, the comic strip above came from the article.
    • Get some tips and advice to avoid getting scammed during the holidays. Article via Public News Service. Article draws on information from AARP. 
    • Lifehacker offers some advice to avoid shortages and delays in your shopping. One option is to shop local as much as possible, which is easier said than done especially if you live in places like Bumfuck, USA and local options are limited. In the end, well, do what you can.
    • Now, are you one of those who said fuck it, you are shopping at the last minute? If you insist, Incredible Things has some suggestions on how to succeed at last minute shopping. I do not advocate leaving it to the last minute, but you do you.
  • The best gift of all: MONEY. COLD HARD CASH. CASH IS STILL KING.
    • Wallet Hacks offers a list of "Best Money Gifts for 2021." In addition to the most obvious--cash-- they suggest some personal finance things like contributing to a 529 plan (savings for college) as well as some books on personal finance. 
    • At Cosmopolitan, Mia Mercado comes in defense of the gift card. Personally I am not a huge fan of store/business specific gift cards. However, I am perfectly fine with prepaid general gift cards like VISA and Master Card. Those are ones I use to shop online because I avoid using my personal debit card to shop online. With a prepaid card, I can shop in peace, and if by some bad break from fate the online site gets hacked, they do not get my real banking information. Sure I may lose anything left on a gift card, but it would not be a great loss. So yes, please, feel free to send prepaid gift cards as holiday presents so I can go shopping throughout the year. No, I do not use them right away. I usually save them, then go shopping online at some favorite sites when they have their sales, which are often not during the holidays. 
  • On a tight budget? Cosmopolitan has a list of 42 under $10 gifts. Supposedly these gifts will "impress the heck out of anyone." We'll see about that. 
    • At number 4 we have a canvas tote bag. If the woman in your life is a librarian or teacher, trust me, she does not need another tote bag. She probably has a closet full of tote bags from conferences, etc. 
    • Hate to say this because they are for charity but that string bracelet at number 5 looks like something a child could make when sitting around. Not impressed. 
    • At number 7, the blue light blocking glasses. To be honest, I saw that, and I was reminded of another "blocking" glasses (link to YouTube), and those you can even get as clip-ons if you wear prescription glasses. 
    • At number 8, a desktop vacuum cleaner. I shit you not. Because the perfect gift is a baby Roomba for your desk. 
    • At number 21, I do appreciate the "F*ck This Sh*t" gratitude journal. 
    • At number 33, that wooden giraffe eyeglass holder, well, I can't even. 
  •  VICE offers their list of best subscription boxes. I think if you know the person, and you can match one of these to what they like, you'd do pretty good with one of these. My mother-in-law got the Better Half a subscription box of cooking things, which included a cookbook, for a year, and she was very happy every time that box arrived. 
  • If you want to go a bit more high end on subscription boxes, and you have a man in mind, well, Maxim has some very high end suggestions with the usual macho stuff like cigars (yes, help your man get some cancer) and fancy watches (do people still wear watches? I am sure some do, but do you really need a subscription box for a new watch every month or so?).
  • I am not one to encourage folks to shop at the online Big A, but Rolling Stone came up with their list of unique gifts from Amazon, so naturally I had to check it out and see what ridiculous things they offer. I was not disappointed.  
    • You know how some folks obsess over getting a DNA test to find out their roots, origins, inheritance, or maybe for an episode of Maury? Well, Amazon does one better by selling a dog DNA test. No, I am not making that up; the dog DNA test is the first item on the magazine's list. So if you need to figure out the lineage of your mutt (we call that a "perro sato" in Puerto Rico, also known as canis satus portoricensis), this should help. Oh, and to assure you this is the real deal, it is "backed by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine." 
    • They also list the Shiatsu neck massager. Hold on to this thought (see below). 
    • That Hypervolt massage gun, you know who is really going to use it and where. Don't make me draw you a map. It probably will go along with the luxury lubricant they are also listing. 
  • For something really different, The Reprobate has their Christmas gifts list.  
    • I thought I had seen uber macho perfumes (see below), but they counter by suggesting Hard Leather, a perfume they note that "no one is going to fail to notice you when you wear this, even if you are locked in the darkroom of a BDSM club."
 

Specific and Niche Gifts
 

  • Manly men gifts because for some reason the stereotypical macho gift guides refuse to die.
    • To allegedly counter the stereotypical macho gift guides VICE supposedly asked a bunch of guys what the best gifts for men are.  I am not particularly impressed by what those 14 guys pick. Now I will admit I am not the most alpha of guys but I think I can do without a couples' kayak or a Shiatsu neck massager (the same one Rolling Stone features in their list above. Not that unique now, huh?). On the other hand, the enamel cast iron oven (it's a cooking pot folks) could be nice, and both the Better Half and me might appreciate it. I will acknowledged to be impressed they found at least one guy who shows interest in cooking (either that, or he is hoping to pawn it off on the girlfriend to see if she cooks for him). 
    • Perfumes and colognes are another of those stereotypical manly man gifts. Maxim has a list of the ones to "elevate your scent." This is part of why I would never survive the dating scene if I am ever single again. I do not worry about "elevating" my scent. As long as I smell relatively fresh and clean I am good. As for perfumes, as long as it smells relatively nice and simple, I am happy too. To be honest, I am perfectly happy with drugstore colognes, such as these (via Art of Manliness) which do not cost much and still smell nice. 
  • Gifts for the ladies. See the Cosmopolitan list above under general gifts. Most items are as feminine as it can get.
  •  For the weed and cannabis person, Leafly has a gift guide. 
  • For vegans.
    • Cosmopolitan has a list. Yes, it includes candles because women always like candles (or so they would have you believe).
    • So does VICE, a list of 25 items. Yes, it does feature a candle on the list. It also has a fancy dog leash. I am not sure but I am guessing the damn $59 leash is vegan friendly somehow. 
  • For foodies, Budget Bytes has some ideas. The list includes suggestions and recipes for homemade treats as well as things you can buy.
  • For book people, other than books. For books, stay tuned. I will be posting the holiday post on books and reading later this month.
  •  OK, OK, here are a few books to get you started until I post my holiday post on books later. 
    •  Book Trib has a very nice idea: a list of 6 children's books boxed sets. You enjoyed some of these as a child, so give them to the children in your life to enjoy as well. 
    • Dark Horse Comics has a gift guide. Yes, it has comics and graphic novels, but it also features a few other gifts for the comics enthusiast in your life. I certainly would not mind if someone sent me that Hellboy Omnibus box set on the list. 
  • For the retro/geeky fan in your life, The Retro Network has some stocking stuffers that may be of interest. I do not even use chopsticks, and I think the Star Wars lightsaber chopsticks are something I'd love to have. 
  • Calendars. These can often be a popular gift. In our home, we usually exchange new calendars for the year around Three Kings Day (Epiphany). We often wait to the start of the year to buy them so as to get them discounted, but this year, I bought mine online early (just waited until they had a good online discount) to be safe from shortages, etc. due to COVID.

 
Alcohol and Spirits
 

 
Text: The tree isn't the only thing getting lit this year. (On a serious note, drink responsibly).

 
  •  VICE has a list of 41 best alcohol gifts for 2021. It includes some of the usual things for this category such as good glassware, a good bottle of their favorite drink (wine, whiskey, etc.), and some good books. There are also some suggestions for alcohol-related subscriptions. They were also thoughtful enough to include some options for your friends who may, for whatever reason, choose not to consume alcohol. I appreciate that. 
  • The Spirits Business also has a gift guide for 2021. Yes, there is glassware, which seems mandatory in lists like this. One of their suggestions is a couple of Glencairn glasses, which is something whiskey enthusiasts, including me, would appreciate. 
    • The mini-fridge with fancy gin airline bottles looks cute, but to be honest, makes me think of a hotel mini-bar, and not in a good way. 
  • Esquire has a list of 15 best wine baskets. These are high end baskets. I would be lucky if I get a dollar store basket with a bottle of Two Buck Chuck (it may be Three Buck Chuck by now but still good), some generic "Ritz" crackers, and a block of cheddar from the grocery store. And you know what, that would work just fine in our home.
 

Uber rich/Fancy Gifts
 

Usually I have a segment for seriously high end gifts, but I think many of the lists I've already presented cover this, so let's move on.  



Tarot and other cartomancy/esoteric
 

 
 
This category is a recent addition given my interest in Tarot and cartomancy, plus you can often find something outside the usual.
 
  • Theresa Reed, the Tarot Lady, as her 2021 Tarot, Astrology and Mystical Shopping Guide. Yes, she has some things she has created, but there are also other suggestions you may find interesting. From her list of decks, I am intrigued by her Tarot for Kids deck. In younger days I would not have been so sure that kids should have a deck, but I will admit this is more my baggage from the repressive religion days where such a suggestion meant whoever suggested was not only going to hell, but they would also be labeled as corrupting youth. These days by now, a bit older and wiser, I am cool with the idea. Heck, our daughter had her own decks as soon as she showed interest. Besides, Reed's deck could be useful also for when I read for others, and I need a "family friendly" deck. 
    • Speaking of Tarot decks and childhood, Reed lists the Mystical Medleys Tarot, which definitely takes me back to my childhood. It is already on my wish list, and if and when I get it I will review it here on this blog as well as do a deck interview spread over at Alchemical Thoughts.
    • The Hoodoo Tarot is another one on her list I also have on the wish list. 
    • The book The Magic of Tarot by Sasha Graham is listed. I recently read and reviewed the book so feel free to check that out if interested. It is one I definitely recommend. 
  •  Colette Baron-Reid also has a gift guide for the woo person in your life. 
  • Rebecca Elson of the site Magical Buffet has a list of her favorite things for 2021. You may find some ideas here as well. 
 

 Adult/Sexy Gift Ideas
 
Pin up by Elvgren.

 
Usually I include something in the adult and sexy category, but to be honest, I did not find anything this year that made me jump to make sure I included it If I find anything after I post this I will add it.  I am still including the image to go with the category. 
 

So there we are, the many gifts and strange things people exchange during the holidays. Stay tuned because coming up next is the holiday post on books and reading, and later at the end of the year or start of the next the final post in the series where I look at what the heck happened in 2021. Thank you to my three readers for stopping by. As always, comments are welcome within reason. Stay safe.
 

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