CHAT Christmas shopping/crafting? Chinese-made, US made, or homemade?

What is/are the sources for the Christmas gifts you intend to give?

  • Mostly/entirely Chinese-made

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Most/entirely US-made

    Votes: 17 17.7%
  • Mix of the two

    Votes: 23 24.0%
  • Crafted by myself/local artisans

    Votes: 21 21.9%
  • I do not give gifts

    Votes: 6 6.3%
  • I do not celebrate Christmas as a “gift giving” holiday

    Votes: 5 5.2%
  • I do not celebrate Christmas at all; it is pagan as currently celebrated

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • Other

    Votes: 20 20.8%

  • Total voters
    96
  • Poll closed .

Wildwood

Veteran Member
I picked other. We are over the whole gift/shopping thing. If we give anything, it's for our kids and grandkids and it's mostly money.

We help with our grandkids Santa gifts so we aren't shopping. Where their gifts come from depends on what is on their wish list so I'd say mixed. They usually get some handmade things but mostly games and motorcycle equipment so probably made in China. My granddaughter wants some Barbies and a few accessories to go with her games and dirt bike stuff. I'm pretty sure all Barbie stuff comes from China.
 

Jeff B.

Don’t let the Piss Ants get you down…
I’m mainly responsible for the stockings. I need to pick up the pace on stuffers and get my mind working on a gift for HQ6.

Of course, she says, “don’t get me anything…”. I won’t fall into that trap. :D

But I do need to put the thinking cap on.
 

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
I did that once, then I started getting ads for bleaching one's bum, and also for bum rejuvenation surgery... never again. I'd rather get handbag ads thank you very much.
You’re such a pussy. Each of the ads has a tiny “x” in the upper right to close it. When you do, you are asked why you want to close it. You can select from several reasons. Those ads will be replaced by others. But hey, whatever let’s you avoid addressing the issue I guess.
 

Red Baron

Paleo-Conservative
_______________
For out of town family, I send food gifts from Wisconsin specialty suppliers.

If I know somebody's personal tastes a little better, I will order something from Etsy which is a site populated by individual artists and craftspeople.
 
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Nopie

Contributing Member
I like to make things with wood. Last year family members received handmade redwood planter boxes filled with canned jams and jellies I made from fruit in the garden.
My specialty is seedless blackberry jam and syrup because it grows wild all over the property. Even my nieces and nephew like getting that as a gift. Of course that could also be because I slip a little cash into their gift box :lol:
 

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
I like to make things with wood. Last year family members received handmade redwood planter boxes filled with canned jams and jellies I made from fruit in the garden.
My specialty is seedless blackberry jam and syrup because it grows wild all over the property. Even my nieces and nephew like getting that as a gift. Of course that could also be because I slip a little cash into their gift box :lol:
Ooh, that would be such a nice gift. I hope they appreciate it.
 

babysteps

Veteran Member

Yeah, I know, I look like THAT mom.

You gotta understand... my two youngest have 5 older siblings. They already have a metric ton of handed-down toys. You name it, they probably have it, with the exception of anything Barbie-related.

They barely touch them.

The 9 year old's Christmas list, which she's been working on since September, has two dozen specific books, "a trip to hobby lobby" and "new baby chicks". That's it.

The 3 year old... well. She's 3. A mud puddle, some crayons, and a couple empty packing boxes, and she's in heaven.

As far as the older ones, they're all getting things they will like, but I'm also trying hard to reduce the amount of cluttery crap we have in our home and we add to other people's homes.

So, I guess I'm THAT mom. **shrug** So be it.
 

Great Northwet

Veteran Member
I also voted "other". I was goofing off at Pike Place Market a few weeks ago and found some lamps in a shop that are imported from Turkiye(Turkey). It helps their economy and also a local business if I buy some of them there. Plus, they beat in appearance anything I can find at a big box store which are all boring by comparison.

I think I'll pick up 3-4 at $86 each, keep 2 and give the others to family who also have boring lamps.
 

dioptase

Veteran Member
I bought DD two $$ pairs of earrings that have been on her "wish list" for a couple of years. She is also getting a book on aerial photography of mountains (she's the "family geologist", although she doesn't work in that profession). DH was all excited to see Blendtec blenders on sale ("Can it blend?! It can blend ANYTHING!"), and swore he would buy one if I didn't, so I bought one for him. He's very hard to buy for, so now I've got to scrounge up other ideas.

By mutual agreement we eased back on exchanging gifts with my DSis and DBIL, though I will probably send them some food items (nothing to clutter their small house with).

So yes, sadly, everything here is getting purchased. I used to make soap (the real stuff, not melt-and-pour) but I'm too unstable with my knees right now, and can't trust that I can safely go up/down stairs with a pitcher of concentrated lye, or carry and pour a large pot of raw soap. That's the only crafting that I do; I've no patience for knitting/crocheting or anything else artistic. (I still have a large stash of beads, mostly Swarovski crystal, from a brief foray into beading.)

For myself, while there are material things that I WANT (I always WANT, and am currently lusting after a hydroponics setup (let's not mention jewelry)), there is really nothing in that sense that I NEED, and I have told DH/DD not to bother, but I'm sure they're cooking up something. The real things that I want (among others), money can't buy.... like good health, working knees, and my dog young and healthy again.

Dennis, maybe if you check a certain P.O. box later in the month, you might find a Christmas card, or even two. :whistle:
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I'm giving HyVee gift cards (grocery store with a gas station), plus if I have time and energy, I'll fill up about dozen small tins with homemade sugar cookies and fudge (tins were 1/2 at the Dollar Store last summer, so I stocked up).

Most of the people who are getting gifts from me are in their 40s, 60s, and 70s, so I know that homemade sweets and HyVee gift cards will be more treasured than some Chinese trinket.

The pocket shawls that I crocheted for last Christmas were very well received but I didn't have time this year to make any, which is fine, too. People need money/gas worse.
 

Redleg

Veteran Member
Other. Mostly gift cards. I do buy some electronics(made in China) stuff is that is what is wanted.
 

raven

TB Fanatic
It is interesting that you included two categories:
I do not give gifts​
I do not celebrate "Christmas" as a gift giving holiday​

I remember once when I was much younger but still an adult, I returned home for the Christmas Holiday which also happens to coincide with my birthday. I walked into the kitchen and asked my mom what she got me for my birthday.

Without missing a beat,
  • she plucked a bow out of the stack of wrapping paper,
  • walked to the pantry,
  • extracted a jar of peanut butter,
  • suck the bow on top,
  • and announced "Happy Birthday".
My interpretation:
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. I get children in my life gifts, because they are children. When they become adults gifts are not needed to display affection.
 

Loretta Van Riet

Trying to hang out with the cool kids.
I also voted "other". I was goofing off at Pike Place Market a few weeks ago and found some lamps in a shop that are imported from Turkiye(Turkey). It helps their economy and also a local business if I buy some of them there. Plus, they beat in appearance anything I can find at a big box store which are all boring by comparison.

I think I'll pick up 3-4 at $86 each, keep 2 and give the others to family who also have boring lamps.
:worth:
 

Dinghy

Veteran Member
I’m doing a combination of things. I’m making a special ornament for each of the young grandkids, and bought some candy that they don’t normally get, plus toys they’ve asked for. I’ve canned some things that I know my kids will like. I’ll fill in with store bought things that I know they want. I give coffee and jerky, and some get special flavored popcorn made in my town. I give each person a tin of homemade peanut butter cups every year too.
 

Barry Natchitoches

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I quilt and love to create machine sewn items. The main gifts for me to give every year are made by me. Not everyone will get a nice quilt though. Only the few that didn't make me mad or upset this last year. The rest get dept store gifts.
Hello!

Can I get onto your Christmas list?

I promise to be a good boy!
 
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