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[Mary Bailey]

I think your ideas are wonderful!

We are going simpler this year. It will be a small gift and some money. Everyone needs money and I need to buy something special for everyone.  It's my thing.

I'm always an early shopper, but my Dad is on his deathbed now and I'm trying to do things now that I will not want to do later.  He's always loved Christmas and he carried it on after his parents passed on, for us. I must do the same.

[Mominohio]

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@Nomore wrote:

@Mominohio

First, I want to say I enjoy all the topics you write. It gets me thinking. I applaud your versatility in conversations.

Then, since my son lives away and alone in another state, I have to think of something he'd like to have meaningful, not break the bank, and something I can do. Your recipe book sounds wonderful; my daughter has a book she's been writing down recipes she likes from my stash. So, I'm going to do that for my son. Recipes I know he misses and has the means to make. He doesn't have much with him, so he does live a extremely simple life--his belongings are still here at home. He finally broke down and bought a mattress and frame last month after sleeping on a cot for a year. He has one camping chair, a microwave, then he has a small cookset and just the necessities. He wants only what he can pack in his car and be off to his next adventure (job, he is a chemist at a large pharmeceutical corp). So, I have to figure out which recipes he can actually get through. 

And I made him the oatmeal from David V's recipe, he loved it and said he hates to eat the instant oatmeal from the stores now. So I'll make more of that.

I want to think of something else, I need ideas!

This thinking keeps me from dwelling on the bad things in my life right now.    When it rains, it pours. 

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@Nomore

Sorry there are bad things going on for you at this time. And I hear what you are saying about keeping your mind busy. I need to to that as well sometimes. And thinking of nice things to do for others helps for me.

I'm going to have to check out the oatmeal recipe from David. Was is for a dry mix that you use like the instant, or is it a cooked recipe?

Sounds like your son has a great job, and maybe gets to move around a lot and see many places. A good thing to do when you are young!

[Mominohio]

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@lolakimono wrote:

@Mominohio

How about a T-shirt quilt?  If he isn't willing to part with any of his, you could acquire some interesting ones from the thrift store.

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This is a great idea. And I know you are supposed to use shirts that you have worn and mean something, but wouldn't it be great to find them at thrift stores instead, all with something that relates to his interests, experiences etc. Neat idea!

[Mominohio]

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@Mary Bailey wrote:

I think your ideas are wonderful!

We are going simpler this year. It will be a small gift and some money. Everyone needs money and I need to buy something special for everyone.  It's my thing.

I'm always an early shopper, but my Dad is on his deathbed now and I'm trying to do things now that I will not want to do later.  He's always loved Christmas and he carried it on after his parents passed on, for us. I must do the same.

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@Mary Bailey

So sorry about you dad. Your first Christmas without him will be hard, especially since it was special for him. Knowing that the end is near is such a bittersweet time. I'm so sorry you have to experience this right now.

[Marsha2003]

Everyone's ideas sound great.  I love gifts that include memories.  Last year, I sent my parents on a special trip and put together a scrapbook with all of the trip information as a way to announce the gift.

Many years ago when my grandparent's generation was getting older, we put together a family cookbook.  We invited everyone from every generation and every family related to my grandparents to contribute favorite recipes and photographs.  We had it printed and gave each of the families a copy.

[Nomore]

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mominohio wrote:

I'm going to have to check out the oatmeal recipe from David. Was is for a dry mix that you use like the instant, or is it a cooked recipe?

Sounds like your son has a great job, and maybe gets to move around a lot and see many places. A good thing to do when you are young!

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@Mominohio

It is for an instant oatmeal. I changed it to quick steel cut oats and chewy dehydrated apples because I couldn't find the crisp dry ones.

http://www.qvc.com/InstantAppleSnickerdoodleOatmeal.content.html

The day my son was leaving for this job, he was called for the one he wanted in Utah, so he is trying to still get there. He holds to his obligations of doing the right thing, and he knows one day he will be right where he wants to be. He just made the decision to stay for one more year since he is getting a lot of new types of lab stuff.  I don't know how both of my kids are so knowledgable in science, not me, for sure.

[qualitygal]

Mom, can you do up a little stain remover guide too? At 19, he may not know.

[PamfromCT]

@Mary Bailey,

I am so sorry to hear about your dad.  Such a very hard thing to go through.  I truly feel for you.  You will find a measure of comfort in knowing you have done all you can do.  All my very best.

@Mominohio,

Thank you for starting this wonderful discussion.  I am so impressed with everyone's ideas and projects for gifts.  I really like the idea of gifts from the heart and hope it inspires me to do more in this direction.  I have a dear friend who makes prayer shawls for everyone she knows in need.  She is amazing, and her shawls give love and comfort to all.

[Mominohio]

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@qualitygal wrote:

Mom, can you do up a little stain remover guide too? At 19, he may not know.

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@qualitygal

This is a great suggestion, but I have to tell you, I'm not feeling so good today, could really use some cheering up, and this made me laugh! You'd have to know us to know just why (nothing you said, really!).

My kid has always been the dirtiest kid I've ever seen. He is now a machinist and works on cars and engines as well as goes to school full time. His work clothes are so dirty I won't even wash them at home. They go to the laundromat into the washers set aside for rags and rugs!

He has been doing his own pretreating with the shout and a toothbrush, learned how to make bleach his friend, and just how many times he has to wash the same load of those nasty clothes to get them clean. They should know him by his first name at the laundromat.

But what really made me laugh was thinking that if I did put together such a guide, was, would it take three volumes or four to make it complete enough for his laundry! LOL

Really great suggestion, and even better the uplift I got from just thinking about it! Thanks!

[qualitygal]

Well, good mom, glad I could make you laugh when you're not feeling so well. I have great timing don't I? ROFLOL