Wednesday, December 17, 2014

What Can I Give You This Christmas?

If choosing what type of tree to go for this year is proving tricky at the moment, even more so are what presents do we give each other for Christmas. On paper and in theory that shouldn't be so difficult but in reality it is. As adults anything that is wanted tends to be acquired at any point of the year so figuring out something unique for each other for Christmas is always a baffle.

A shopping day in London
Especially this year when Gaz put in a restriction saying:

No gardening related Christmas presents this year. And it must look good under the tree.

Oh dear, the question just became more difficult to answer...

Thinking through possible options made me also reminisce some of the more unique, gardening related items that were wrapped and made it 'under the tree' in previous Christmas like:

A pickaxe (that was good fun to unwrap but alas we lost all photos of that event!)
A concrete Japanese lantern
Self made nursery vouchers
Plastic dogs


There were plastic dogs inside that box
As well as more conventional ones like countless gardening books, DVD's, and hand tools.

So nothing for the garden then, hmmm...

And to think that asking for a large glazed vase crossed my mind (like the ones at Kuzma garden). A small two seater bistro set and an external aquarium filter to be used in the new shed were considered too. All of them out of the equation now.


A fabulous vase at the Kuzma Garden
Never mind. With most of our hobbies centred around plants and the garden to remove options that pertains to them is to do something unique. Quite exciting really!

We'll figure something out, we always do. Sweet dilemmas...

I'll leave you with this Christmas song. Cheesy, schmaltzy, but hey it is Christmas!



Hopefully you're having a much easier task figuring out what presents to give to your loved ones. If not then we emphatise!

Mark :-)

27 comments :

  1. No gardening-related presents?! He may as well have said "don't give me anything that I'll like"! ;)

    I'll start shopping soon I hope...

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  2. But wouldn't urn would look great indoors? With a tile and then a pillow on top, a fabulous cat-perch! It could always migrate to the garden later on, when the cats get bored with it.

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    1. why didn't I think of that before Gail, to justify the urn! Pillow on top needed too to stop the cats exploring the inside...

      Urn was a more appropriate word than large vase but opted to use the latter, seems more ap for Christmas :))

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  3. That does make things difficult. Gaz may rue his rule if he ends up with nothing but flannel shirts. My husband established a rule years ago: no more than 3 gifts. It was a reaction to my going crazy buying all sorts of things I thought he might like when I first began making decent money in my job. He was in grad school (making nothing) so he built me a beautiful terrarium, which I loved, but he was upset by the imbalance in the gift giving even though I was not. The 3 present rule persists to this day but I cheat - I often put a couple of like items in a box.

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    1. I might give Gaz flannel shirts just for a laugh Kris (and I'll make sure he wears them!) :) only 3 presents rule doesn't seem unreasonable although it's so easy and nice to get carried away. It's very endearing to find out the back story behind this rule between you and your other half :))

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  4. Andrew is the most difficult person to buy for, so I feel your pain. Somehow buying him books off his amazon wish list just doesn't seem quite right..

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    1. I know how you feel Loree, somehow ticking off books on Amazon list doesn't feel enough...

      Andrew probably has the same predicament, he did say before that you are difficult to buy a gift for too :))

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  5. Oh man I really don't like restrictions. This year my husband wrote me a list!!! And I.......hmmmm didn't know. He came up with something. A great vacuum that weighs only 8 pounds because of my bad back. I think he is tired of vacuuming! LOL But hey, I'm not complaining.

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    1. Very organised and helpful of him Candice! Speaking of vacuum cleaners I quite fancy one of those strong cordless ones now, hmmmm...

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  6. Oh Gaz has presented you with a real challenge then this year. I'm sure you will get there. I'm still trying to wheedle out clues from himself as to what he would like. My favourite present ever was the first Christmas when we were together and he was working on Christmas Day. He departed after giving me a handwritten rhyming couplet giving a clue which led to a little present and another poem - yes the start of a treasure trail of little gifts which kept me occupied for a couple of hours and feeling less sorry for myself.

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    1. That's really sweet Anna and all the more made everything extra special with all the thoughts that came with it :))

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  7. If only the rule could be broken for that urn! It's gorgeous. He's set a challenge, that's for sure.

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    1. I'll see what I can do about the urn Amy. I really want one now! :)

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  8. Say, isn't that urn a "cat cloaking device?" Not a garden gift at all! Wow..what a challenge...my husband is also challenging to buy for - he has everything he needs and we're also purging stuff from our house just to not have such a burden, so it's tricky. A mound of chocolate seems to go a long way for him, however.

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    1. A mound of chocolate doesn't sound like a bad idea Tamara! :)

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  9. Hahaha, this is too funny! I have a harsh time thinking about what to give as a present too!!! I hope you find something very exciting!!!

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  10. Are food gifts a possibility? For DH's birthday I ordered a coconut cake from the Magnolia Grill in Charleston, SC; pricey but so worth it.

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    1. Definitely :) I'm sure chocolates would go down well too!

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  11. Tom and I don't get gifts for each other for Christmas anymore and it's wonderful. Instead, we spend more time together enjoying the season. With our busy schedules, the gift of time is a precious thing. This is the rationale as we're really bad at shopping for each other. Although there is that greenhouse that was a delightful gift...

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    1. Indeed Peter :) and that greenhouse is an amazing present!

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  12. I would love to find that red urn under my tree! No garden-related items? That's like telling Santa he can't eat cookies.

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  13. I can't wait to find out what you gave each other. You know that you have to make that public now, don't you?

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