Christmas plans?

[. . .]

Do any of you have Christmas plans?

I don't.

 

[Droopy]

No plans for this year. Too costly and a lot of hassle.

 

[kasmanaft08]

Be visiting my parents/family in the UK near the end of the month, for a little under two weeks. We don't make a big deal about Christmas beyond exchanging presents for an hour or so, it's just an excuse for them to visit since they both have winter breaks then.
But it will be good to see them again. I'm excited for it.

 

[epath13]

set up a tree. We're broke this year so presents are going to be very modest...unless...what are the jackpots nowadays?
There's a company delivering prepared meals, a delivery guy has lost and rang on our door, so he left a booklet. I saw the trucks here and there all the time but always thought they were expensive and they are actually not, so maybe I'll order a Christmas dinner from them. I don't really want to cook. We'll see. I want to go to Mall of America. I actually love the place, especially walking there early in the morning or late in the evening (less people) but we just went recently so that's not going to happen. Unless..

 

[CJinherPJs]

No Christmas plans here either. My uncle might come down on Christmas Eve but nothing's been decided yet as far as I know. I might have a look in Festive, which is a shop near me that only opens around Christmas time, and see if they have anything nice. Other than that though I don't think I'll be doing much this year.

 

[King_Oni]

I don't have any real plans...

I don't really care about it either... likely my parents will put up a tree and on the evening of the 24th we'd probably exchange gifts, but it's more of a gesture than actually "yay presents". So for what it's worth they can stop that thing as well. I've expressed that I don't want to get something that I don't really want, because it'll likely end up in the bin and thus is a waste of time (and keeping it for the sake of being a gift doesn't fly with me). Usually it ends up with the rather impersonal gift of some cash. And I in return will probably give the same. As a kid it went down the route of "buy something you like yourself" nowadays it's more of a "here's some cash so you have a couple of beers after you paid bills"

It's not that I hate presents and all, but the entire hassle of it being x-mas bothers me. I'm cool with shopping for personal presents actually, but with overpriced products and overcrowded places I can really do without, just because it's "that time of the year".

We used to go out to a restaurant pretty much every year, years back. Nothing to fancy... but that was when my dad still was employed, and both my dads and moms parents lived and we made it a bigger 'family' thing. The only members of "our" family we actually see on a regular basis is my dads sister... perhaps she'll come over with her fat chihuahua...

Spoiler

no srsly, that dog is really overweight

 

[Occasional_Demon]

I think bf and I might do what we did last year, and have a daytrip to the country somewhere. We went to see The Pinnacles last year, which is an area filled with petrified rock [quite interesting]. Maybe this year, we'll head south. Aside from that, not much plans.

 

[kasmanaft08]

An article: Thanks to Asperger’s, I Used To Give My Wife Terrible Gifts. Here’s How I Learned To Pick Good Ones. - Slate Magazine

 

[epath13]

An article: Thanks to Asperger’s, I Used To Give My Wife Terrible Gifts. Here’s How I Learned To Pick Good Ones. - Slate Magazine

I think you still need to have a good memory or shouldn't forget to record what you've discovered if you do (have a bad memory) like for instance, I've been clued many times what people want but I always forget Plus if information is not specific (for instance a specific product of specific brand) I will still be clueless most of the time.
The greatest gift is friendship... neh not really Porsche... neh not really, If I got it I would sell it and bought what I really liked

But there're a few good tips in that article though (how to ask the right questions). Which I'm personally not very good at

 

[kasmanaft08]

I think you still need to have a good memory or shouldn't forget to record what you've discovered if you do (have a bad memory) like for instance, I've been clued many times what people want but I always forget Plus if information is not specific (for instance a specific product of specific brand) I will still be clueless most of the time.
The greatest gift is friendship... neh not really Porsche... neh not really, If I got it I would sell it and bought what I really liked

But there're a few good tips in that article though (how to ask the right questions). Which I'm personally not very good at

I've been guilty of buying things for myself and then giving them to other people. I laughed at the cologne thing as I've done similar things with books I wanted to read (And I'll borrow it when you're done, is that okay?) and other things. I've given half-eaten candy gifts before too...most of the time people just laugh it off.

But on the other hand, sometimes I give really good gifts. It depends if we have similar interests, I guess. I'd personally rather people just give me a URL (another thing I'm guilty of, now that I think about it, when people ask ME what I want) of things to choose from or just tell me directly what they'd like me to look for.

Strangely, enough, even though I may sound horrible at it, I really enjoy getting people I like presents. If I really like someone, I'll do it a lot, actually, which may be strange for the guy.

 

[GhettoButterFly]

I don't have any true plans either. As for gift giving, I am baking cookies for people I know. ! I am going to have fun though.

 

[BruceCM]

Fortunately, I only have to get presents fo rmy parents & they're easy. Dad will get a box of Maltesers & a big Toblerone, as I give him just about every year! Mum wanted a new purse & she got that herself but I'll pay & wrap it up for her. Any 'friends' you were buying presents for should be able to understand if you say you're no good at subtle hints.

 

[epath13]

here's a song to raise Christmas spirit a friend sent it to me, have no clue what language it is, I presume...German?...
[video]http://vkontakte.ru/video_ext.php?oid=66066403&id=161541604&hash=118a4bc99c348397[/video]

 

[. . .]

here's a song to raise Christmas spirit a friend sent it to me, have no clue what language it is, I presume...German?...
[video]http://vkontakte.ru/video_ext.php?oid=66066403&id=161541604&hash=118a4bc99c348397[/video]

It's a Russian website, but it does sound German. Hmm . . .

I think quite a few Russians can speak German. Maybe the person signing that song is a Russian singing in German?

 

[epath13]

It's a Russian website, but it does sound German. Hmm . . .

I think quite a few Russians can speak German. Maybe the person signing that song is a Russian singing in German?

Yeah, it's sort of a Russian facebook, I'm on it just because one of my friends is there, and it was easier for her to chat though it. I'm not sure if a Russian person made it, they probably got the video from somewhere.... and it didn't sound like a fake language either... so at this point, I'm thinking German. I sent it to a friend from Germany, I'll see what she says

 

[GhettoButterFly]

Here's my favorite Christmas tune. <3

I baked the first box of cookies today and gave them out. Tomorrow we're baking two boxes, and giving them out. ^_^; I would give y'all cookies, but y'all not "near" me.

 

[Droopy]

I'm not good when it comes to gift ideas unless people drop hints. I think I'll get my mum a Starbucks gift card and load it with some money. I've already bought my brother and myself tickets to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers play next year. Not sure what to get my dad though. I have to say though, this year feels really strange for me. I've noticed a few others say it as well. There just doesn't seem to be much of a Christmas atmosphere or spirit about this year. I don't know why but it doesn't feel like Christmas compared to previous years. Maybe it has something to do with the economic climate or that this year seems to have went quickly for me.

 

[BruceCM]

Manages to feel enough like Christmas for me. I'm less affected by the economic situation as I'm on benefits at the moment but do plan to get part time work as soon as possible, which'll have to be next year, now. My parents are retired &, while their shares are mostly worth a lot less than they paid for them, they still get dividends, which was the main idea. What with their savings in the Building Society & pensions, they're well enough off for their lifestyles. I'll be staying with them for a few days over Xmas, have 'lunch' that day about 4pm & so on.

 

[King_Oni]

Meh... still a week to go until x-mas, I'm not really in an x-mas-sy mood. Went to some shops earlier today... I now made a mental note to NOT visit toy shops this time of year. Srsly... it's madness. Should still get my parents some kind of gift coupon of sorts, which is usually what I get them. Feels a bit less "impersonal" than just handing them a banknote, and besides, my parents are usually going around in stores all over the place, so it doesn't really matter to them if it's in the shape of a coupon (which still costs the equal amout of the worth on it).

I once got a coupon like that at my last job, obviously the gesture was nice and I can't complain about that, but pretty much each store I buy my stuff at does not take those coupons, so in the past I ended up giving those to my mom at x-mas instead.

Earlier this week I reminisced about x-mas from back when I was a kid. That was when x-mas was awesome. New toys, and the obligatory visit to grandma didn't bother me that much cause I could bring my new toys. That in years turned to "Oh, you really want me to go to grandma/pa's house? Good, I'll bring my laptop" and I ended up doing stuff on my laptop there. Not particularly social on my behalf I reckon, but yeah, that's what happens with obligations I guess. Reason I had to go was probably more because of the dinner my aunt & grandma made. But seriously... I think for one that such "social" behaviour (or the lack thereof) is halfway being an aspie. Because just like at b-days, I didn't connect with any of the guests, nor did the guests direct any attention to me as they had more of an "oh, let him play"-attitude. And I kinda felt like "I don't feel like I am wanted around here, but I just happens to be cause my parents have this obligation and that makes me kinda be around". Anyone else on this? Do you feel you just have to sit through this?

I also remember a few years back when I was in a relationship, I actually had fun in putting effort in getting gifts. At one time, back when I used to paint miniatures (soldiers, tanks, aliens and stuff; used to play the warhammer tabletop game), I actually made a freaky nightmare before x-mas-like diorama with weird pumpkinhead monsters in a snowy landscape in a small plastic container, for my then girlfriend... thought personal gifts were cooler than just buying something. The thing that bothers me most about it now, is that I don't have any pictures from it.

The reason I actually remembered that gift to her was cause I just stumbled upon something pretty awesome along those same lines (unpainted miniatures) which was x-mas related.

An x-mas tree full of things like this would be a good step in making me feel halfway decent about how to inject some awesomeness into x-mas;

Spoiler

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I just can't really picture myself painting over 50 of those... after about 5 I'd be "is x-mas over already?".