People post your issues here. maybe it's a relative or a white elephant gift that you need ideas for. Let's make each other's lives easier.



I have an 8 year old niece. I have no idea what she wants this year. Last year she was all into American Girl dolls but i've been told she's completely dropped them now. Every time i see her she's playing with her Kindle Fire so, for the most part, she's set on electronics. She's home schooled so anything for school isn't really a good option either. Thoughts?

12/11/2013 2:23:07 PM

my niece is 10 now (i think). she loves legos, books (diary of a wimpy kid, junie b jones, etc), girl super hero figures, and those rainbow loom toys are really popular (saw some on amazon). she used to be really into those necklace/bracelet kits. i try to not get them electronic type stuff because they have an ipad, wii, and laptop at home they spend enough time with.

i'm unsure what to get my future mother-in-law. she has a lot of naturey knick knacky type stuff in her home, but i figure she doesn't really need more of that. she's into gardening, but already has tons of decorative planters. she does a lot of projects outside in the yard, doesn't really get into movies or tv shows. they do have a dog they kind of spoil, but i'd rather not get something that is specifically for the dog.


[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 2:32 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2013 2:27:19 PM

yeah my niece is really into rainbow loom toys thingys also

12/11/2013 2:33:51 PM

I got my 9 yr old niece this. It's a kick starter company designed to get girls interested in engineering at a young age:

http://www.goldieblox.com/



and my 7 yr old nephew something from here:

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/engineering-toys/c/2045/

[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 2:35 PM. Reason : y]

12/11/2013 2:33:56 PM

http://www.improvelectronics.com/products/boogie-board-original-8.html

12/11/2013 2:35:20 PM

I was big into artistic stuff when I was that age. So something like a jewelry-making set with beads, a paint set, some of those papers where you scratch the black layer off with a stick and there's a color underneath, that kind of thing might be good.

Then again, my brother got me a "sew your own sock monkey" kit somewhere around there and I didn't touch it until I was like 15.

12/11/2013 2:35:58 PM

I need a Christmas gift for a new father. My brother just had his first kid, and since I know all the other gifts will be baby stuff (and since i've already bought them a lot of that shit) I want to get him something that he will like.

What's a good gift for a new father that the new father will be able to enjoy himself?

12/11/2013 2:36:17 PM

As an uncle it's your responsibility to give your niece something that's something she will love, but her parents will hate. This is what my brother does, he constantly gives my son (now 3) things that look like toys, but are in fact super fragile, like a hand carved balsa wood figurine he bought while working in mexico, or a toy sailboat he carved that doesn't float and is held together with two tiny dots of glue.

For an 8 year old girl I'd go with something oversized, like a life sized stuff toy, or something loud, like a karoake player, stereo or ipod dock.

You could also go for the "some assembly required" toys that have millions of pieces and require an adult to put it together. I learned about this one recently when a friend of mine bought his daughter a doll house that she really liked, got it home and saw there were a lot of pieces. He searched for it online and found that most reviewers said it took about a week to fully assemble, which he has to do in secret since this is a Santa gift.

Quote :

" What's a good gift for a new father that the new father will be able to enjoy himself?"

Don't get him anything related to fatherhood. My first christmas EVERYONE got me shit so that I could care for my son. Diaper bags, fatherhood books, "man" oriented changing pads, etc.
Shoot for something fun he can do without leaving the house. Grill accessories, homebrew starter kit, toy quadcopter, etc.
And if all else fails, get him a bunch of DVD or a subscription to a streaming service he may not already have. I spent a lot of late nights bottle feeding my son at 3am and trying to get him to go back to sleep. I ended up watching the entire X-Files series that way.


[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 2:45 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2013 2:38:33 PM

I always thought giving my brother's kids gifts that make noise and have a lot of pieces was funny. Until he pointed out that I haven't had my kids yet and payback is a bitch.

12/11/2013 2:40:21 PM

every time I visit my sister, she's like, "don't do it. do not have kids. I love mine, but don't do it."

I always tell her I'm good.

12/11/2013 2:41:59 PM

Also, this is a pretty cool gift for a kid (girl or boy)

http://geology.com/rock-tumbler/

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Crafts-635-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B00000ISUU



[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 2:47 PM. Reason : rock tumbler]

12/11/2013 2:45:34 PM

I had a rock tumbler as a kid

12/11/2013 2:47:35 PM

^^THAT.
Someone gave me one as a kid. It had to run for weeks and it made the loudest most godawful sound. We put it in the garage and you could still hear it through the walls in the adjacent rooms. After the first time I used it I wanted to do more and my parents made every excuse in the book to convince me it was a one time use toy.

[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 2:48 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2013 2:47:56 PM

I, too, had a rock tumbler. My family made me put it in the detached garage in the backyard. And then on NYE like 3 years ago I apparently got drunk on Four Loko and talked to my step-father-in-law about how sad I was that they made me put it in the garage for like an hour.

12/11/2013 3:00:46 PM

the Rainbow Loom is a good idea. i'll check and see if she has one of those already. She's into fashion jewelry and stuff like that so maybe this would be a good addition.

I like all of the ideas with the science/building things but, to be honest, neither her or my nephew are into that. I honestly feel like it's due to their homeschooling. Their parents aren't super hands on and I feel like they aren't getting the education (especially in sciences) that they could in a regular school system.

12/11/2013 3:04:20 PM

maybe they'd be more into it if they had it available to expose them to it?

[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 3:09 PM. Reason : s]

12/11/2013 3:09:05 PM

Get that little bitch an Amazon gift card so she can buy whatever the fuck she wants on her Kindle Fire. It's the 21st century...who the fuck said give her an oversized stuff animal???

12/11/2013 3:18:57 PM

true, but since i don't see them often i suspect it would just end up in pieces in a closet somewhere instead of getting the full benefit. but i think that's true with most things you give a 5-10 year old.

12/11/2013 3:19:33 PM

i always wanted a rock tumbler as a kid and never got one

12/11/2013 3:20:25 PM

I recommend checking out this list of gifts pulled together by Buzzfeed


it has a few good ideas for the tech geek/ clever person in your life


http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/practical-yet-clever-gifts-that-are-anything-but-lame?bffb

my favorites:
awesome herb chopper thing


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065QEBG2/?tag=buzz0f-20

iphone case with earbud holder




the elastic shoe lace thingies, which are super cool



http://fancy.com/things/485201642111637117/Blue-HICKIES-Elastic-Lacing-System


everlasting socks

http://www.socsock.com/

Stainless steel soap for chefs (which removes the smell of garlic and onion from your hands)


http://www.casa.com/p/kikkerland-magic-soap-512188?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_C&utm_term=WYZ-016&utm_campaign=GoogleAW&CAWELAID=1405515834&utm_content=pla&adtype=pla&cagpspn=pla

um I want one of these for me
This pretty leather wallet has a third layer that works to keep everything secure while also conveniently holding an iPhone.


http://uncovet.com/the-wrap-wallet?medium=HardPin&m=HardPin&u=type367&source=Pinterest&campaign=type367&cid=1172&utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=HardPin&utm_campaign=type367&utm_content=1172

[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 3:30 PM. Reason : .]

12/11/2013 3:29:13 PM

Looking for Dr. Who - Victory of the Daleks poster on matte paper instead of the thin glossy shit.

Anyone have the slightest idea where I can find one?

Like this, except matte: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/390720308360?lpid=82

[Edited on December 11, 2013 at 3:52 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2013 3:50:11 PM

I guess I shouldn't be surprised this exists...

12/11/2013 4:15:38 PM

I love this website for gifts: http://uncrate.com. It's geared more towards men but there's a bunch of cool gadgets and an entire section dedicated to "vices" (alcohol, meat, cigars).

12/11/2013 4:24:39 PM

so apparently another family member has already bought a Rainbow Loom for my niece. grrrrr

12/13/2013 10:07:12 AM

need a funny, but not too offensive present for my sister and her fiance. has to be mailed and needs to be something that is displayed. We just do a gag gift to each other.

12/13/2013 10:12:41 AM

83 year old Granny. Help!

12/13/2013 10:14:42 AM

^how about something like a massage pad for her favorite chair or something like that? I honestly don't know, i've only got one living grandparent and have never had to shop for her.

12/13/2013 10:16:40 AM

My two grandmas are the hardest to shop for but Grandma mentioned wanting flashlights that turn on automatically when he power goes out and I called dibs on that. Granny is just tough. She is opinionated and stubborn. I think a massage pad would be great at that age...presents for her are always risky though. Next year she will be getting framed great grand kid photos. I feel weird giving her a framed picture of me and my hubby but she might like that, too.

12/13/2013 10:51:00 AM

until she gets senile and wonders why she has all these pictures of random people in her house.

12/13/2013 11:15:34 AM

^^^^^

12/13/2013 11:26:12 AM

Someone read my dilemma at the top of the page and HALP

12/13/2013 11:26:46 AM

It sounds like she needs a monogrammed hand trowel:

http://tinyurl.com/knx4wy4

I don't know anything about gardening though. You could research the hobby and find something more baller/useful.

Maybe throw in some gardening books or magazines?

12/13/2013 11:47:08 AM

To Meg, how about these:



http://www.gardeners.com/Puddle-Proof-Field-Bag/8587123,default,pd.html?start=7&cgid=20679



http://www.gardeners.com/Bloomin-Smart-Tool-Belt/8587124,default,pd.html?start=32&cgid=20679


And although I'm in the minority, I like gift certificates. Maybe you could get her a gift certificate to her favorite nursery.



[Edited on December 13, 2013 at 12:01 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on December 13, 2013 at 12:02 PM. Reason : .]

12/13/2013 12:00:26 PM

maybe the hand trowel idea? i dunno. i do like that first bag^. i'll keep looking around but thanks for the ideas and paying attention to me on the internet. lol

12/13/2013 1:11:49 PM

I actually liked that first bag so much I might get it for my wife. After looking through that website I might do a gardening combination of bag, herb markers, and a garden kneeler. Thought I was done shopping...oh well.

12/13/2013 1:28:44 PM

I got one of those goldie blox sets for my niece.

Here's a great list of interesting sites to buy gifts
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/03/best-websites-for-unique-gifts_n_4372626.html

12/13/2013 2:25:57 PM

Thought about getting this for my 3 year old but he's too young, but apparently its a pretty awesome gift for 5 and up.

http://www.amazon.com/Construction-Fort-Discovery-Kids-Build/dp/B009RUYPQ4/ref=pd_luc_sbs_03_04_t_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1



[Edited on December 13, 2013 at 11:46 PM. Reason : ]

12/13/2013 11:29:27 PM

I love those fort kits! I almost ordered one off zulily the other day.

12/15/2013 8:56:21 AM

they look so small and hard to fit into.




still struggling with my niece. I'm debating on just getting her an amazon gift card to use with her Kindle. It would be nice if you could make it just for books or something like that so she doesn't just waste it on Candy Crush or something terrible.

also struggling with my Dad. Dude has anything he needs. i'm vowing no more books that get unread. He's got anything he could ever need for his hobbies. So he's a tough one.

12/16/2013 11:34:21 AM

You're supposed to drunkenly pull out a wad of twenties and tell her to buy drugs with it.

This is pretty basic uncle stuff.

12/16/2013 11:44:10 AM

eh, her older half-brother is already getting in trouble for the drugs. i'd like to preserve her innocence for a few more years.

12/16/2013 11:46:39 AM

Good call. Better stick with beer and cigarettes.

12/16/2013 11:51:25 AM

Quote :

"my Dad. Dude has anything he needs. i'm vowing no more books that get unread. He's got anything he could ever need for his hobbies. So he's a tough one."

tickets to a game he might want to see?

massages? (not sure if guys go for that kind of thing)

leather office supplies

a bottle of his favorite liquor/ beer

a donation to a cause he supports

a universal remote

swiss army knife

compact HD video camera

apparently men like anything wireless


just a few ideas that friends have helped me with over time, my dad wants nothing ever

12/16/2013 12:41:16 PM

8 year old soccer player/kid with eternal energy

girl who is always cold

17 male y/o state fan

54 y/o female state fan

12/21/2013 5:13:30 PM

Would Kiva gift cards make a good gift, or is that a dick move?

6/29/2014 4:24:20 PM

another year, another christmas where i'm completely clueless on my niece and nephew. Honestly, I rarely see them and my brother and I are probably as distant as we've ever been. So it may be a gift card kind of year #baduncle

12/14/2015 10:25:53 AM