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Oh I am so happy

AMHAMH
edited November 2011 in General Banter
So this summer my parents rented a house on the beach at South Haven Michigan (on Lake Michigan). My sister and I brought our families to stay and it was great (my baby brother had to train for a bike ride in Iowa, darn it). In any case it was not cheap to rent the house and they did a great job of setting it up. We grew up in Michigan an hour from the Lake and used to go to South Haven every week during the summer.

So I got a coupon for a free 8X8 photo book through shutterfly as a Christmas present, I had my mom and brother in law send my their photos of the vacation and I just completed the 20 page book that I think is super nice. My parents pretty much have everything they could want so it is hard to buy for them but this I was very happy to think of. I paid something for shipping and that was all. Just happy, and glad that my even more limited budget this year may not mean crappy gifts as long as I am creative!

Comments

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Good going! Nice summer vacation, too.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Very nice. South Haven is such a great little town. Maybe we've established this before, but I don't recall... where did you grow up? I grew up in Plainwell :)
  • AMHAMH
    Dang it dude (gender neutral btw) Plainwell! i ran a few cross country meets against you guys i am thinking. I grew up in Kalamazoo, well Portage to anyone who knows the area well enough to know the difference. I moved there at 7 years old and away at 16 to Colorado. That is sooo cool, can I ask what year you graduated high school to see if we are in the same age range? I graduated in '82 and am 45. No one lives in Michigan anymore so it is cool to be able to go back.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    I graduated in 1980 from Plainwell :)
  • AMHAMH
    no chance you ran cross country, that would have been the only way we ran into each other.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    Christmas can be a very expensive proposition, with all the kids, neices and nephews to deal with. Good work, finding an inexpensive yet very meaningful gift for your parents. Next--the kids. Good luck!
  • AMHAMH
    Oh dear, my kids. Well I got a little time. So far I know I want to give my extremely creative daughter a subscription to Threads (a sewing magazine). I am lost with everyone else, and I don't get things for nieces and nephews unless I get them a family gift like a game or movie. I am the one working in social services so i have no money ya know!
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I love "Threads"! I don't sew, but I like to look at the beautiful artful sewing in the photos.

    I had no choice with my nieces and nephews, even though money was very tight. They expected gifts, like just taking it for granted. Never any acknowledgement or thank you, though. I'm glad it's over.
  • AMHAMH
    One year I made cloth napkins for the dinner table, I stiched an initial in the corner of each one, and then took wooden napkin rings and painted them with names. It was a very eco friendly gift made out of muslin. Not sure anyone used them I have gotta say, but that is okay.

    Oh and a classic gift that i always keep on hand for an unexpected birthday party is a drawing pad and a set of colored pencils. That works for a wide range of ages and if I never give it away then we will use it.

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