Preparing for Christmas

I spent five hours today putting out my Christmas décor

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I did outside the other day and forgot to get a photo ... I'll get that once it gets a bit dark out
 
I just watched 30 minutes of 1970’s Christmas commercials. If I hadn’t actually lived during that time, I’d think everyone got Kodak instamatic cameras, Norelco razors, and McDonald’s 50¢ gift certificates (“A book of 10 for $5!” - yeah, no 💩, I can do math, kid!) for Christmas and nothing else! :laugh:
 
TastyReuben said:
I just watched 30 minutes of 1970’s Christmas commercials. If I hadn’t actually lived during that time, I’d think everyone got Kodak instamatic cameras, Norelco razors, and McDonald’s 50¢ gift certificates (“A book of 10 for $5!” - yeah, no 💩, I can do math, kid!) for Christmas and nothing else! :laugh:
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Ah, those old Norelco shaver commercials... Noelco. :laugh:

CD
 
kaneohegirlinaz said:
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I did outside the other day and forgot to get a photo ... I'll get that once it gets a bit dark out
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I love this old fashioned quirkiness.

The new version of Santa’s quirks seems to involve aliens and dinosaurs 😂

Well at least thats what‘s mixed in with the baubles in the UK at the moment!
 
We finally got round to putting the tree up:
xmas tree 2023.jpg

Now comes the part I hate. Buying Xmas presents for my wife. This usually involves my spending 10 hours a day feverishly combing every single shopping mall in Caracas, trying hopelessly to find something that (a) catches my eye (b) might possibly be something she likes and (c) costs less than $6,000.
She doesn't read, so the easy option is out. She's got a new I phone. Any clothes I've ever bought her are either too big, too small, wrong colour, wrong style, wrong material, wrong brand, out of date, too avant-garde, etc. She's got 4,000 pairs of shoes and 10,000 handbags, but I can only buy more if they're made by Gucci, Versace, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, etc. Then of course, she won't like the colour.
This is definitely the most stressful time of the year for me, roaming around malls (that I only go to when I need something specific) and wasting entire days looking through windows.
 
karadekoolaid said:
Now comes the part I hate. Buying Xmas presents for my wife.
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My strategy is usually successful (minus this year):

I have a running list on my phone of gift ideas. Starting in January, it’ll be blank.

All year long, I listen for when she says things like, “Oh, this would be good to have,” or “I could really use one of these, but that’s too expensive.” - we’ve been married long enough that I can tell when she’s just mindlessly thinking out loud versus seriously wishing she had something.

It goes on the list. Little things, big things, cheap, expensive, it all goes on the list.

Around about September, I start looking online, thinking about what shops might have this or that locally, and then, between Labor Day and Halloween, I do the majority of my shopping for her.

This year, I must’ve failed to pay attention, because I have very little on her list and I’m stuck. I have the same issue buying her clothes, as far as fit goes, especially right now, as I don’t think she’s finished losing weight, and she has no particular fondness of jewelry (thank god!) and I refuse to give her a gift card, as I see that as a real failure to know your partner, though this year, she might get a small one for some clothes that she can go and pick out.
 
TastyReuben said:
My strategy is usually successful (minus this year):

I have a running list on my phone of gift ideas. Starting in January, it’ll be blank.

All year long, I listen for when she says things like, “Oh, this would be good to have,” or “I could really use one of these, but that’s too expensive.” - we’ve been married long enough that I can tell when she’s just mindlessly thinking out loud versus seriously wishing she had something.

It goes on the list. Little things, big things, cheap, expensive, it all goes on the list.

Around about September, I start looking online, thinking about what shops might have this or that locally, and then, between Labor Day and Halloween, I do the majority of my shopping for her.

This year, I must’ve failed to pay attention, because I have very little on her list and I’m stuck. I have the same issue buying her clothes, as far as fit goes, especially right now, as I don’t think she’s finished losing weight, and she has no particular fondness of jewelry (thank god!) and I refuse to give her a gift card, as I see that as a real failure to know your partner, though this year, she might get a small one for some clothes that she can go and pick out.
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I had it easy, well, making the choice. Jewelry, with diamonds and sapphires. Done. Necklace, earrings, bracelet... it didn't matter as long as it had diamonds and sapphires. I did once buy her a purse (in addition to the diamonds and sapphires) and she loved it. It set me back $350 bucks in 1990's money, so it's a good thing she loved it.

CD
 
caseydog said:
I had it easy, well, making the choice. Jewelry,
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Apart from engagement/wedding rings, I’ve bought her two pieces of jewelry over the last 35 years - a birthstone ring for her birthday, before we married (since lost in the wilds of Brackley, Northants around 1993) and a string of pearls, which she asked for, and I think she’s worn them twice.
 
Problem over here in Venezuela is that women (AND men) are extremely vain.
Women will spend $$$$$$ on making themselves beautiful, and that means make-up, jewellery, clothes, shoes, handbags, etc. Men will often be seen having manicures, pedicures, buying the most expensive perfumes, etc.
I remember my HR Manager telling me (at the company Xmas party) that she'd met "Nancymar" , a receptionist, in the bathroom at the event and was astonished to see she had Gucci lipstick, Cartier eyeliner, and Versace knickers. :laugh: They were only used for "special events". The girl was quite clear; that's where her salary went and that was to ensure she found the "best" man to go out with.
That's also why Venezuela has more Miss Universe/Miss World titles than any other country.
 
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