Greetings and welcome to the second post in the Holiday Post series here at The Itinerant Librarian. Today we are looking at gifts, strange things, and other shopping. I will be honest: a reason I do this post is to poke fun at some of the ridiculous (to me at least) items on the many gift guides you find out there. If it is not the outrageous costs in some of them that presume you own a small island and a private jet it's the ridiculous nature of some of the impractical luxury items. In addition though, I do try to find some bits of good information to provide advice during the holidays shopping season. To my four readers, thank you for stopping by.
Tips and advice for holiday shopping
Text: if you are going home to an unsupportive family this holiday season, remember that you worth is not defined by what they say or how they treat you.
- If you shop online and/or you are mailing gifts during the holidays, you may want to be mindful of shipping deadlines. USA Today has a handy summary of shipping deadlines in 2024 for USPS, UPS, and FedEx. To be honest, by the time you read this, if you want it by Christmas, you should be done or close to done with online shopping by now. I got my holidays shopping done early, so I am good to go.
- The holidays are often a time where people spend money, a lot of money, or gifts, trips, food, and other experiences. Please, whatever you do, do not go into debt just for the sake of the holidays. Salon has an article on "how to get through the holidays without breaking the bank." Some of the suggestions they give are things I do. I make a list and a budget, and I stick to them. I also shop early where I can, and I take advantage of every sale, coupon, and rebate that I can. For example, as a cartomancer and card deck collector, I time my shopping to when the major publishers have sales, then shop accordingly. Do make sure you keep an eye on prices and do some comparison shopping. Make sure you are getting a good discount versus a fake price reduction, i.e. they mark it up to then mark it down and pretend you are getting a deal. Do your homework when you shop.
- Newsweek went and asked a few financial experts for advice on how to save money over the holidays. The best bit of advice: "... stay out of the stores!" Well, there ya go, easy and done.
- The Lexington Herald-Leader suggests shopping with a bit of mindfulness and to consider shopping at vintage and thrift stores. I would just add to that to shop at an actual independent and local vintage store. Support a local small business and find something unique and hopefully at a reasonable price.
General Gift Ideas
Some gifts wrapped under a Christmas tree
- Sometimes you just can't decide on a specific gift. Maybe you just want to offer some easy and convenient, and a gift card often feels easy and convenient. Mental Floss looks at "the 20 best gift cards to buy this holiday season." I would suggest to make sure you are aware of terms of a card such as any additional fees, activation fees, and expiration dates if any. For example, if you get an Amazon card, once you enter the balance in your Amazon account, they do not expire. The article does not really recommend "network" gift cards, i.e. Visa and Master Card, due to their activation fees, but I will say I've used them and while you lose a bit on the activation they can be flexible. Just do make sure you use them up.
- Shopping online? The Met has a list of unique gifts you could find on Etsy. I will be honest and say I do not shop on Etsy, but I do know a few people who do. I will be honest, from the list, the ceramic items do not interest me. I live in a town that has a strong craft culture, and a lot of the local artists here do ceramics. If I want a vase or a mug, all I have to do is walk a few blocks from my library to find them. Having said that, the list does have some pretty things.
- Want to find something unique and interesting, and you're willing to drive a bit to get it? The Rural Blog encourages readers to shop rural. You help support small rural communities, and you might find something you would not have found in the usual big city places.
- The Washingtonian has a small list of 10 ideas. The first item on the list is a trinkets dish, also known as a "catchall." The one in the article is a small glass dish, which to me reminds me somewhat of an old school glass ash tray, used to keep little trinkets. Are there really that many folks who use one of those, and if they do, do they have a fancy glass one? For me, that sounds more like the type of thing my grandmother may have had, but maybe there are folks nowadays who still use them. The $199 three-month fancy ice cream subscription seems a bit much for me, but then again, I am not a denizen of Washington D.C.
- Perhaps you are moved to give to charity. In these Hard Times where scammers and con men are plentiful, you may want to do some research before you donate. On their blog, the Library of Congress offers a guide to researching charities for the holiday season.
Specific niche gifts
A fluffy grey tabby cat dressed like an elf. Text: all I want for Christmas is food.
- For the book people. I will have another holiday post later with book lists, a bit more reader's advisory kind of post. Here, I am featuring some lists suggested for gifts and some suggestions for things book people may enjoy that are not books.
- Vulture offers their 2024 Books Gift Guide. It is a bit focused on Hollywood and celebrity gossip and biography. The list also features some anniversary editions of popular selections.
- Above the Law has a list of 15 best nonfiction books. The best part? These are books that are not memoirs or about politics. Some of the topics include falcon thievery, women and the Grand Canyon, Paris (the one in France), and craft beer.
- This may appeal to the book people as well as folks who enjoy good notebooks and/or stationery. The Well-Appointed Desk has a list of various links to guides and vendors dealing in things like notebooks, stationery, inks, and other items. See if you find something you may like for a gift or for yourself.
- BookTrib claims they got the "One bookish gift guide readers won't want to miss." I think it may be optional for me, but if you want some nice gifts a bit on the high end side, this may be for you.
- Book people often are also notebook and stationery people, and for those folks Notebook Stories has a last minute gift ideas for the notebook people.
- For the tech folks.
- The Verge has a list of holiday tech gifts under $50. Most of the gifts on the list are technology related. The USB-C hub caught my eye as a practical device. The list also includes a Tarot deck of all things: The Women of Science Tarot deck priced at $29.95 (link to Bookshop.org). It seems a bit more of a gimmick theme deck, but I am sure some folks may appreciate it.
- For the music folks.
- The Lexington-Herald Leader has some suggestions for the music enthusiast in your life including box sets of music and books.
- For the gamers.
- Boing Boing has a list for the tabletop gamers, with a bit of emphasis on RPG.
- For the ladies who may like to read and/or want something cozy.
- For the crime buff and mystery fan.
- CrimeReads has a holiday gift guide with things like Goldfinger themed socks, some books, and even a LEGO set.
- For the Pokemon fans.
- The Mary Sue has a list of 12 gifts for them.
- For anime fans.
- CBR has a list of best anime holiday gifts.
- For people with money to burn.
- Want to splurge early? Christian Dior has a $4,000 advent calendar. Read about it at Reader's Digest where they tell you what the calendar includes.
- I have no idea who Todd Snyder is, but Rolling Stone has a list of some of their hoity toity expensive gifts. (Turns out they are a very high end men's fashion store). Among the selections, they got a $198 sweater, a $228 pair of weathered jeans, and a $70 candle. Definitely not on my hoi polloi budget.
- This could've gone under "Alcohol and Spirits" below, but this list of Kentucky bourbon whiskies for gifts features items on the expensive side. I don't know too many people who can afford to buy a whole barrel of bourbon to bottle and share...maybe. Via Lexington-Herald Leader.
- And finally for this part of the post, ¡Hola Papi! has a "heinous gift guide" for when you have to give a gift to that person you absolutely hate or for some other evil reason. Let us be honest. At times, especially at the office, you may be stuck having to bring a gift for that one asshole, so this list may prove helpful.
Alcohol and spirits
Photo featuring various bottles containing beer and spirits with some wineglasses and a beer mug.
- Drinkhacker has a holiday gift guide for cocktail book enthusiasts. They also usually feature guides to various alcoholic spirits in the holidays, but this small list of books caught my eye. The book Witchcraft Cocktails caught my eye. Interested in the spirits? Well, for example, here is their 2024 list of top tequilas and mezcals.
Tarot and other cartomancy and esoteric
A fluffy white cat with a crystal ball. Has scarf on head and a necklace like a fortune teller.
- The Tarot Room offers some Tarot gift ideas. While the list mentions a couple of Tarot decks, it has more Tarot adjacent gifts a Tarot practitioner may appreciate such as pillows, some home wares, and jewelry.
- Theresa Reed, the Tarot Lady, has her 2024 Tarot, Astrology, and Mystical Holiday Shopping Guide. You can find decks, books, some jewelry, and links to services, for example, in case you want to book a reading or other service with a mystic professional. From her list of books, I have read Tarot for the Hard Work (link to my review), which I do recommend. I also read The Social Media Spellbook (link to review).
- Healing Thru Tarot has a holiday gift guide for 2024 with some stocking stuffers. One of the things they list are pocket or mini size cartomancy decks. From their list, I do have the Light Seer's Tarot, pocket edition, which I do highly recommend. I do have the standard size, but for certain things the smaller version is just more convenient, and it is just as good as its big mama. The post features a variety of other items. One thing I would like to get eventually is a good stand or display accessory to display cartomancy cards better.
- OK, this is not quite esoteric, but I was not sure what other category to put it in. The Religion News Service has a list that may satisfy the atheists as well as the spiritual folks in your life.There are one or two quirky items on the list.
This last section is the somewhat risque part of the blog post. If erotica and risque are not your thing, you can stop reading now and go enjoy the rest of the holidays. If you are cool with it, then read on.
Adult and/or sexy gift ideas
A nude blonde pin up girl wrapping a present. Art by Gil Elvgren
- Wicked Sensual got Zachary Zane to "curate" a sensual items gift guide. Some things do look nice.
- Girl on the Net has a Christmas gift guide for the kinky people.
That's all for today folks. Stay tuned for the next blog post in the holidays series where I will be looking at books and reading. In the meantime, thanks for stopping buy and happy holidays.
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