How Buffy-Boarders do their Christmas shopping

[Skytteflickan88]

Hi, I wonder if you could help me by discussing the topic of Christmas shopping (when you buy them, what you buy, to whom, how you value different kinds of gifts, etc etc). But before you do that, I need you to read this;

I have a paper to write for my university course (at Växjö University, Sweden, where my handler/teacher is Nina Waldmann). Nothing big, just 5 pages about a subject I choose.

I choose "How Buffy-Boarders do their Christmas shopping".

I decided that instead of using questionnaires or doing interviews, I would start a discussion here and see what you guys have to say, and then I would analyze and write a conclusion about your guys' thoughts about Christmas shopping for my paper.

I've decided to not make your identities anonymous; I will mention the name of the board and your usernames. I hope that won't make you shy, since I only intend for my class and a few other people to see your replies and my paper.

In case you agree with above terms, write "I agree with the terms" at the top of your first post(you only need to write it once). If you forget I'll just PM you and ask for permission. If you could do me one other favor, and write your

Nationality(ies):
Age:
Gender(the one you identify the most with):
Occupation:

that would be swell, but I could do without that info in case you're uncomfortable revealing them.

So, let's discuss anything related to Christmas shopping (how you generally shop or shopped for this year in particular, whichever). Like for example;

*Do you like giving gifts?
*Do you like to shop for others?
*When are you finished buying most presents?
*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?
*Do you think it's cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts?
*Would you be happy to get something home-made?
*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift?
*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible?

 

[Mumrik]

Interesting. Are you going to post your results? It'd be nice to see those.

So, here we go:

I agree with the terms.

Nationality: German
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Occupation: student


I'm a huge Christmas (as in, the holiday traditions, I don't associate it with religion) fan and overall, I like giving gifts. The only people who get something every year though are my parents. I don't like being obliged to give something. It's just not my opinion on how you should give gifts. If I see something in a store or on the Christmas market and think, "Hey, friend X would like that", I'll buy it and give it to them. No big deal.
I like baking cookies. However, I don't like eating cookies so I make small packages to give to the friends I see the days before or after Christmas (those are a great excuse if you get a present but don't have one in return, so you're not standing there completely empty-handed because that's kind of awkward and could be seen as mean) but I don't count them as gifts in the regular sense.
So I don't know usually when or if I'm finised. If I see something on the 23rd (the 24th being the main Christmas day in Germany), I'll buy it on the 23rd. But I got my father's in November and my mother's present around the 15th so that's when, in theory, I was finished.
I'm happy to get a present at all so I don't care whether it's home-made or not. My grandmother has given me handknitted socks every year (mainly because I s*ck at knitting socks) and they've come to good use. Sure, I have more use for a book than cookies but I believe it's the thought that counts.

I hope that helps 🙂 Now have some cookies.

 

[white avenger]

I Agree To The Terms


Nationality(ies): U S Citizen

Age:62

Gender(the one you identify the most with):Male

Occupation:Retired

*Do you like giving gifts? Yes

*Do you like to shop for others? Yes

*When are you finished buying most presents? As finished as I can afford to be at this time (If I win the lottery, everybody gets a new car.)

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present? I try to be finished with my shopping by no later than December 15, though I rarely actually manage to accomplish it.

*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts? Absolutely not! My wife paints. and she gives away paintings to most of her closest friends every year, in addition to home made strawberry preserves. If our friends didn't get those preserves every year, we might have a riot on our hands.

*Would you be happy to get something home-made? Certainly.

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift? No

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible? We give gifts to all of our combined immediate family and close friends.

Hope this helps with your paper, and merry Christmas.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

“I agree with the terms”

Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Age: Still younger than Johnny Depp. 🙂
Occupation: Writer/Editor

I always wait until after Thanksgiving (last Thursday in November in the US) to start any serious Christmas shopping, because if I try to "rush the season" I'll just be thoroughly sick of it, and out of the Christmas spirit long before Christmas gets here.

Everyone in my family has an Amazon Wish List, so that's where I start. The more shopping I can do online, the better. But, some people only put a very few things on the list, and I don't like to just buy people things they've specifically asked for.

This year I bought quite a few presents at a new bookstore that I found... things people hadn't asked for, but I thought they'd like.

In the past few months I've gotten my mother hooked on Buffy (we just started watching season 3... she wants to watch every time I visit), so I got her a surprise... a "What Would Buffy Do" t-shirt. I'd already bought her the Susan Boyle CD she asked for, so I folded the CD up inside the t-shirt and wrapped the whole thing. 🙂

For my two nephews (ages 9 and 6), I always buy one toy for them to share, then an individual present for each of them. This usually requires an hour-long trek around Toys-R-Us, because I'm terribly indecisive about buying toys for kids I only see every few months. (They live in Virginia).

I have to buy stocking-stuffers for everyone too. Technically it's supposed to be something inexpensive, but I hate buying cheap-o gifts so I usually just get things that are small in size, and not super-expensive... gift cards, CD's, DVD's, small books. I got each of the kids a little box with 5 Matchbox cars.

So, my strategy is to do as much online as I can, buy each person at least one unexpected thing, and put some thought into it. I pay for everything with a debit card and don't run up a credit card debt.

*Do you like giving gifts?

Yes.

*Do you like to shop for others?

I don't like shopping, but I like having shopped.

I avoid malls and crowded stores at all costs... I don't like feeling homicidal at Christmas time.

*When are you finished buying most presents?

Usually a couple of weeks before Christmas.

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?

See above.

*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts?

If you have the talent to make something worthwhile. My brother usually makes me 1 or 2 mix CD's of good music he found during the year... I look forward to that.

*Would you be happy to get something home-made?

Sure.

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift?

Nope. I mostly like "media" gifts... books, CDs, DVDs. There's nothing on my want list that costs over $50, and most of it is under $20.

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible?

Just family members, usually. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, their 2 kids. I'm single, so no diamond necklaces or Caribbean cruises to buy (as if).

 

[Nix]

I agree to the terms

Nationality(ies): British
Age: 36
Gender(the one you identify the most with): Female
Occupation: Full Time Mum

I do all my shopping online.


*Do you like giving gifts? Yes I love to
*Do you like to shop for others? Yes its still shopping and I love to shop!
*When are you finished buying most presents?October/November
*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?End of November at the latest
*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts? Depends on what it is.
*Would you be happy to get something home-made? yes
*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift? nope its the thought behind the present that counts.
*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible? I stick to close family and best friends for presents and cards as it's the only way I can afford it all.

 

[StuckinTraffic]

I agree with the terms!

Nationality(ies): American
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Occupation: Government Purchasing

I love giving and receiving gifts! Christmas is absolutely my favorite time of the year, I feel like it's the only time that most people have goodwill and cheer for their fellows. That's only true in theory, tho, I guess....sad to say. Well, at least for me, I am much more patient, forgiving, understanding, etc., during the holiday season.

I like shopping, but not during the holidays. Traffic is always SO bad, and where I live we have heavy traffic problems anyway, the holidays just exacerbate them! I do my shopping online when I can, but for the stuff I HAVE to go to a store for, I try get in and out FAST.

I like to have my shopping done by the middle of December, so I'll have time to mail stuff if I need to.

I don't think homemade gifts are cheap at all, I love them! I make candles and soaps, and sometimes I give them as gifts, too, so I love getting handmade stuff.

I don't value any gift over another one, it's the thought that counts. I'm happy to get a gift at all.....even if it's just stocking stuffers or something, they're all great! When my kids were little, their schools would do a little "shopping" exercise with them, they earned "money" to spend as a reward for good behavior and then they got to go pick out a gift with it. They'd come home with the cheapest junk you've ever seen, but I cherished it because it took an effort on their parts to pick that out and wrap it for me.

I usually only buy gifts for a few; the kids, hubby, mom, and that's about it. Everyone gets a card, if they're lucky. Lately I've been cutting back on the Christmas card thing, too. I do some baking and candymaking during the holidays, so I usually have something around if someone drops by and I need to come up with a quick gift for them. Cookies, candy, soap, lotion, or a candle.....people know what they're in for when to come to my house, LOL!

 

[Mumrik]

Okay, I've read this twice and just have to ask - what on earth is a stocking stuffer?

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I agree with the terms

Nationality: British
Age: older than practically everyone here, with the honorable exception of White Avenger 🙂
Gender(the one you identify the most with): Male
Occupation: Civil Service

*Do you like giving gifts? I love giving presents.
*Do you like to shop for others? Usually, it's part of the whole Christmas experience. I have been buying more stuff online of late though.
*When are you finished buying most presents? Hopefully, around 2/3 weeks before Christmas.
*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present? Probably 1/2 weeks before.
*Do you think it's cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts? It's cute if it's from one of the kids but not so sure if it's from an adult 🙂
*Would you be happy to get something home-made? It would depend on what it was - also, see above answer.
*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift? I always try to think "It's the thought that counts". Sometimes it works 😉
*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible? Generally just family members, though occasionally friends get a present from The Pointys

 

[StuckinTraffic]

LOL! You hang up your stocking, usually on the fireplace mantel, but since we don't have a fireplace we hang ours off of the windowsill nearest the Christmas tree. Then Santa comes along and throws little gifts in there; gum, candy, pencils, crayons, little wind-up toys, toy cars, etc. When the kids were small I put a lot of toy cars and those really bouncy balls, or notepads...now I get them mostly gum and candy.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

When I was little I used to love looking through the stocking as much as the gifts under the tree. My grandmother made special ones for my brother and me (and all her other grandchildren)... she sewed little toys and charms and bells onto them.

I got some cool stuff in that stocking... action figures (one year I got Captain Kirk and my brother got Mr. Spock)... those sampler boxes of Life Savers candy that open up like a book... the plastic tubes of M&M's shaped like candy canes... Matchbox cars, watercolor paint sets, little erector sets, all kinds of good things.

Now I wish I was seven again. :-/

 

[Kean]

I agree to the terms.

Nationality(ies): Irish
Age: 22
Gender(the one you identify the most with): Female
Occupation: Student/retail assistant


*Do you like giving gifts?

I prefer giving gifts then recieving them. I don't know why but I get really embarassed when people give me gifts.

*Do you like to shop for others?

If I have a nice idea for a gift for someone I love shopping for people. However, if I have no idea what to get someone shopping becomes the crullest of hardships for me 😉

*When are you finished buying most presents?

I always leave it until a few days before Christmas. I spend the entire month thinking of what to get people and then just go on a two our Blitz a couple of days before Christmas and get everything.

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?

Could be as late as the 23rd? Depends if I am happy with what I've bought for people or not. I tend to get really hung up on whether people like/need what I get them.

*Do you think it's cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts?

I would personally never give anyone anything homemade solely because I have no talent or ability to create anything like that. Unless of course they want a Bangel post for Christmas😉 That I can do lol

*Would you be happy to get something home-made?

Oh I'd love something homemeade!

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift?

Last year I bought everyone really expensive gifts, all brand names and stuff like that. The only reason I did that was because I had been away from home for 5 months and it just felt right to spoil everyone. I'm not in a position to do that this year so it will me average to more or less expensive this year. In saying all that I don't think something has to be expensive to be of value, not at all.

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible?

I normally buy gifts for everyone that is important in my life, so that's my family and certain friends. In all I think I have 10-13 people to buy for in any given year.

 

[Megalita]

I agree to the terms.

Nationality(ies): American
Age: 18
Gender(the one you identify the most with): Female
Occupation: Student

I generally buy my gifts at stores, but sometimes I'll buy things online. I buy for my boyfriend, my sister, my dad, and my best friend. Sometimes I participate in a Secret Santa exchange with my group of friends, too.

*Do you like giving gifts?
Yup! I think it's sort of stressful though -- I'm always nervous they won't like what I get them.

*Do you like to shop for others?
Yes, especially if I know exactly what I want to get them.

*When are you finished buying most presents?
A few days before Christmas. I procrastinate.

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?
It can extend to after Christmas sometimes. :X

*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts?
No, but I hardly ever give homemade gifts. I'm not very crafty.

*Would you be happy to get something home-made?
I would be happy, but honestly I wouldn't prefer it.

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift?
I guess, but there are cases where I'd like a less expensive gift more.

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible?
I mentioned that above! I try to keep it to a small group so I can buy the best gifts possible with my budget.

 

[Angels baby101]

I Agree To The Terms


Nationality(ies): U S Citizen
Age:21
Gender(the one you identify the most with):Female
Occupation:Stay at home Mom

*Do you like giving gifts? Yes

*Do you like to shop for others? Yes

*When are you finished buying most presents? Pretty much when the money runs out

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present? I try to have it done by the 23rd of december lol

*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts? No of course not they're great expecially when it comes from your child 😀

*Would you be happy to get something home-made? Yes

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift? no its the thought that counts 🙂 I love them all just the same

*Who do you generally give gifts to? Lately just my son its all I can afford, but usually try for my fiance, my mom, my dad,my grandma, my fiance's mom, and his dad.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Just a note for future reference that when you changed your mind and decided to use the name of the board in your paper, when you told me you wouldn't be, it would have been appropriate for you to get my permission before posting. It's fine, but in future please be more careful about getting proper permissions.

🙂

 

[Sweetescape]

I agree to the terms

Nationality: British
Age: 18
Gender:Female
Occupation: Student/waitress


*Do you like giving gifts?
Oh I'm going to sound like a right Scrooge now, but no I don't. Not really. I find the whole thing a big hassle, buying,wrapping and exchanging. I'm not good at picking presents, I suck at wrapping and it's always awkward when people open them in front of you. Plus to be brutally honest I like my money, and I don't like spending it on other people. Which means I only buy a small amount of presents and try and get away with spending as little money as possible. Although I do buy nice presents (or so I think) and have never said I wont buy anyone a present I just don't like giving them!.


*Do you like to shop for others?
Nope. I hate doing it. Unless a person has asked for a specific gift/item I find it a really big annoying thing to do!. If the person has told me exactly what they want then it's fine and I can get it over and done with fast. For example I had a friends christmas/birthday present to buy and she had NO clue what she wanted, even though were close friends I had no idea what to get her, I just don't pay attention to that kind of stuff. So I spent a whole day walking around town and ended up buy (what I think) is a cop-out present, the kind you get when you have no idea what to buy someone-which is bath stuff/smellies. There I suck at shopping for others 😛.
Saying this I love to shop for myself! ahaha


*When are you finished buying most presents?
I'm usually finished round the 2nd/3rd week in December I don't like to go to early to give people a chance to tell me what they want,yet I don't like going to late so the thing I might be buying could have sold out. Plus it gives time for anything online that I might buy to arrive.

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present?
Well I've done all my shopping I like to get it done before the 20th.

*Do you think it’s cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts?
Personally I don't like home-made stuff, I think if I've spent money on someone they should do the same back to/for me. Any home made gifts that I've ever got have been pretty rubbish so no I don't like them.

*Would you be happy to get something home-made?
Nope, I usually tell people what I want and I'd never ask for something home-made. I also don't like it when people buy me stuff they thing I might like, I write a list buy me what I want not some rubbish I'll open Christmas day and never use (case in point my gran bought my some jeans that didn't even fit) that way I'm saving you the hassle of returning it/wasting your money. Plus your guaranteed that I will like the gift you've given me and everyone will be much happier!.

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift?
No not really, I value whether not not I can use it and whether it's something that'd I'd use frequently or have really wanted. If it's something not expensive but I've really wanted it for a long time then I'd see it as being better than a really expensive item that I wouldn't really use.

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible?
Few people as possible. Immediate family and one friend. I've bought 5 presents this year. 4 of those are for family members, mum,dad, older sister and her son. Then another one for a friend. I do have 2 other brothers and a sister but we've never bought each other Christmas presents. It's just not something we do lol. I'll get my gran something but I don't usually count if since my parents usually buy it for me and I just give them the money, plus it's usually something small not much you cna buy a 90 year old!. I also don't send cards at all, there a big waste of time and money. Heck I can just see you and wish you a Merry Christmas I don't need to give you a piece of card your just going to throw away.

Man I sound like a right Christmas kill joy! but I love Christmas time! I honestly do it's my favourite time of the year. I'm just a bit picky, maybe I'll get more into home made crap when I'm older..and wiser..ahah yeah who am I kidding.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Thanks guys, this kind of stuff is just what I need for my paper.

I forgot to write it in my post, but if you have any questions at all, PM me. In case there's something you'd like to add, but anonoymously, you could also PM that to me.

And just because this thread is created to help me write my paper, don't be afraid to go "off topic". Anything Christmas-y goes and might possible add something to my paper, even if they're not one of the questions I suggested.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Skytteflickan88 agrees: My bad. I didn't think about asking you. I figured that since I would need to quote at least a few replies from members, they could be googled and the forum could be found anyway, so I shouldn't bother to hide the name.

And it is fine. But it's just important to know that it won't always be fine with everyone everywhere so even if it seems small, you should get permission.

 

[sk]

I agree with the terms

Nationality: Sweden
Age: 36
Gender: Male

Can't really answer the first few questions since they don't really apply on me, so I'll just explain how it works for me. Hope that works.

I don't do any "normal" christmas shopping at all.
That is something I just hate to do and I have just give it up.

It's not that I don't like giving gifts, it's the finding of those gifts that are the problem.
Shopping in general is a pain, christmas shopping when you don't know what to buy is even worse and a complete waste of time. I won't do it.

What I do at times is buy things to people when they ask for them.
Like recently my parents needed a new box for the digital TV. So I bought a box, helped them install it and said merry christmas - this is your christmas present.
A bit early perhaps but whatever, they sure appreciate it more than another box of chocolate.

It's more complicated with the kids of course, would love to be generous to all my nieces and nephew.
But I find it impossible to know what to buy to them all. Can't even keep track of their ages.
Used to do it when it was like two of them but now there are so many (I come from a big family, so it's quite a lot of them now... 🙂).
What I do instead is giving them lots of cash on their birthdays. On christmas they are pretty much drowning in presents anyway. I really don't think they mind.

Regarding home-made gifts it's all about the quality and/or how useful it is.
I know people that makes excellent handicrafts. Buying something similar would probably cost lots of money. Wouldn't mind getting such gift.
If it's someone in my age giving me a hand drawn sticky figure it would be a another story... on the other hand if that sticky figure was drawn by my 3 year old niece I would be quite touched...

In general I would say I value a useful gift over an expensive gift. Something that I always wanted but didn't know I wanted, if that makes sense.
It isn't easy to buy presents to me though and I don't get many either. I already have everything that I need, and if I find something I don't have I will buy it myself.

/SK

 

[JCC]

I agree with the terms.

Nationality: English
Age: 15
Gender: 15
Occupation: Student

Do you like giving gifts? I love giving gifts. I tend not to give gifts that are impersonal or practical; I see giving gifts as an opportunity to express yourself and to have a little fun, to show the recipient that you listen and you understand them and that you can give them something relevant that says something about who they are or your relationship with that person. I wouldn't enjoy giving gifts so much if I was just buying a PS3 or something, and sometimes the best gifts cost very little or nothing.

*Do you like to shop for others? Yes, but it can be stressful sometimes.

*When are you finished buying most presents? Always at the last minute, I'm too lazy to be organised.

*When do you usually buy the last Christmas present? Again, at the last minute.

*Do you think it's cheap to give away something home-made or do you prefer home-made gifts? Home-made gifts are great. It doesn't have to be home-made, but I would prefer gifts to have some kind of sentimental value. It doesn't matter how much someone spends on something or where they got it from so long as it makes me smile.

*Would you be happy to get something home-made? Sure.

*Do you generally value an expensive gift more than a less expensive gift? No.

*Who do you generally give gifts to? A few people or as many as possible? Closest friends, but I dig Secret Santa schemes and join more than I can afford.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

Thanks sk73 and JCC.

In case someone else would like to post something more before I need to start analyzing the responses, I'd love to hear what you have to say.