NOT Child Care Related

[Blackcat31]

I need some ideas for Christmas gifts for my son. Does that sound weird or what?!? like I don't know my own kid...but here is the problem:
He is 19 yrs old, in his first yr of college. He has had a job since he was 16 and has ALWAYS saved. He bought his own car, pays his own gas, insurance and maintenance, he has every gadget known to man, i-pod, e-reader, Droid phone, laptop, you name it but ALL purchased with his own money. (Both my kids were required to get a job at 16 and save 1/2 their paychecks while using the rest for their own car bills, fun money, etc) He is the scientific nerdy type kid. Heart of gold, sensitive, quiet. He loves reading and spends a majority of time with his e-reader in his face. I thought about a nice edition of a favorite book but he seems to have a ton on his e-reader and uses that more than anything. DD gave him a gift card for his e-reader last Christmas that he has still not used. He is leaving for the Air Force in May of 2012. I am stuped as to what to get him for Christmas except for socks and undies! LOL! Anyways, I didn't mean to make this long just though all the wise women on this board might have some great ideas they could share!

[QualiTcare]

i was one of those kids - had to work at 16, saved all my money, got my own car (walked to work until i saved enough), etc.

and i have to say.....the best gift is cold, hard CASH! in fact, someone who saves as much as they can probably appreciates it the most.

[tenderhearts]

Oh that's awesome, that's my 18 year old daughter too. I bought a couple gift cards for gas for her stocking and some other gift cards to places she frequents like starbucks, so if he uses a part store alot for his car maybe a gift card there. We bought each of our kids 13 & 18 yrs a new 32" lcd tv for their rooms not that she's here much but we figure she could take it with her when she moves out (WHEN hopefully not anytime soon).

[Crystal]

yep, cash or Visa giftcard.

And, maybe one small personal item. Is there anything that, as a small child, he really cherished? Maybe, if you could find a replica of that item, and then write him a nice letter about your memories with him and his cherished belonging.

[Pammie]

I do lots of gift cards for my kids (in college and just graduated from college) in their stockings. Just $10-$20 to places like Starbucks, Subway, Pizza, Chipotle, Half Price Books, even the grocery stores that have gas stations with them. They really like the food gift cards and save them for when they're short on cash/time for a quick meal. Seems like they appreciate those the most.

For my techie son, I shop at thinkgeek website. They've got some great stuff for everyone, with pretty good prices. Last year for my son's stocking, he got a titanium spork, some caffeinated soap, and my daughter got a "bubble wrap" keychain from that site. Lots of fun, little (and big) stuff for hard to shop for folks.

[SilverSabre25]

I was also going to suggest www.thinkgeek.com since you said he's a nerdy type. That stuff's cool!

(I'm a nerdy type too)

[Blackcat31]

Thanks everybody!!!! I love the thinkgeek website....has tons of ideas and cool things! I appreciate everyone's help...

[laundrymom]

you just described my son,.. I bought him a 2 terabyte portable external hard drive for his mac, a new ipod touch WITH WARRANTY! , and some clothes. his bday is nov 22 and I combine his bday gift with Christmas

[DaycareMama]

Im gonna go the more emotional route. My son is exactly the same and I have no clue either. But what I am thinking is something personal that the two of us can share together. Maybe a day trip already planned to (something he enjoys)... an exhibt, play or something? I know personaly working as much as I do quality time is always nice and enjoyed by both of us. More so since your son will be going away soon. OR what about something along the lines of focusing on when he does leave? Anything he may like to bring with him or need? Magazine subscribtions that you can mail to him? A full set of nice clippers or personal items he can bring? Im not really sure how else to explain what im thinking. I think my brain is fried tonight. I hope what im saying makes sense...... Or maybe prepaid phone cards to call home?

[QualiTcare]

well this isn't an idea for your son (but maybe someone), but i started buying my daughter a charm every christmas since she was born (including the day she was born) and i put them up - she doesn't see them. they have something to do with something important that year ...like the day she was born is a "little girl" figure charm. one is a gymnast for the year she started that, one is a kitty bc she got her first pet, etc...

i plan to give all of them to her w/ a nice charm bracelet someday....maybe 16or maybe later...i'm not sure. i think it's cool but i always wanted a charm bracelet so i'm living vicariously through her!

[Abigail]

I'm tough to shop for, so unless I ask for something specific I probably don't want it. LOL. I'm given gift cards, which I love, but when I buy for someone else I really try to avoid putting a dollar amount to anything. This is a neat idea just to top off the holiday: turn all the gifts into a scavenger hunt. If you do stockings first, have the first "note" in the stocking. You can either have it all words with instructions on what room to go to next or draw of picture of where the person needs to go or have a hint. Example of a hint would be: The best way to make Easy Mac (Microwave) or Relax with bubbles (Tub) or Get a drink (Fridge). Yes, I actually purchased a magnet as a gift and they were instructed to go to the fridge and they opened the door and looked and looked and looked as I laughed and laughed! It was a wrapped magnet in Christmas paper right next to the fridge door handle and she missed it! ha ha. Just make sure if you put anything in the oven or microwave that nobody turns it on! It never happened to me, but worries me. I usually do this kind of a gift to someone every other year for fun. Sometimes Christmas (last year it was just walking around the house searching for 10 gift cards....all which were in plain sight like in the tree or on the fridge or on a pillow, and they were all $5 gift cards) or a few times we've done this for Easter too. VERY FUN

PS...make sure if you do the hunt you run through it once yourself or else you might forget to place a gift at each location. If you want a longer hunt, just have a gift to start out and then the "big" or "most wanted" gift at the end. (Our last gift was the chocolate bunny at the end of the Easter hunt)

ONE MORE THING, the best part about our last Christmas hunt was that they followed two dozen cards around the house--they were all hand written index cards, made the day of since that is when I got there---just to lead them upstairs and back down over and over to finally end up under the tree!

[mac60]

Car seat covers, adapter to charge phone in car (the outlet), emergency kit for car, month's cell phone payment.

[Candyland]

Cash or gift cards! Looks like we're all on the same page.

And by the way, is there another folder on this forum where we can post "non-daycare related" issues like this one? I'd love to ask some questions myself. Thanks.

[SilverSabre25]

well this isn't an idea for your son (but maybe someone), but i started buying my daughter a charm every christmas since she was born (including the day she was born) and i put them up - she doesn't see them. they have something to do with something important that year ...like the day she was born is a "little girl" figure charm. one is a gymnast for the year she started that, one is a kitty bc she got her first pet, etc...

i plan to give all of them to her w/ a nice charm bracelet someday....maybe 16or maybe later...i'm not sure. i think it's cool but i always wanted a charm bracelet so i'm living vicariously through her!

We do this, except with ornaments. We buy DD and the family an ornament each Christmas and when she gets married/has her first apartment we will give her the whole collection of her own ornaments. I try to make each one meaningful to what she did/was into that year (or near Christmas that year since she's only 3 and her interests change so fast). We'll be doing this for each and every kid we have.

[Blackcat31]

[QUOTE=DaycareMama;61574]Im gonna go the more emotional route. My son is exactly the same and I have no clue either. But what I am thinking is something personal that the two of us can share together. Maybe a day trip already planned to (something he enjoys)... an exhibt, play or something? I know personaly working as much as I do quality time is always nice and enjoyed by both of us. More so since your son will be going away soon. QUOTE]

GREAT idea!! I would think that once he leaves and then returns he will be a much changed person and we are pretty close right now so I would also benefit form that one last day trip or activity where it is just him and I. I am thinking emotional as well because he is my last and when he leaves I will have the empty nest thing going on. (Remember I don't live at my daycare house so my home is getting quieter by the day... )

Nice idea DaycareMama