~ Curious Charlie ~

2012 Gift Exchange - Part 1 @ Saturday, December 29, 2012

While we don't do Christmas, as family and fun aren't two words that can be in the same sentence without a negative adjective, this year we (my friends & le beau's family) did a gift exchange, with budgets starting from $10. Emily & Lily were $20, Helen & Adrian $30, Jas $50, and le beau, anything goes, as whenever I see something he'd like I'll buy it and save it for an occasion.

On Sunday we meet for the exchange and a luncheon hosted by Helen & Adrian, I took a few pictures but they're on the other computer... that and with my mini camera isn't as good as my DSLR. If you're wondering why we didn't wait till Christmas it was because le beau & his family were going to spend Christmas in the Hunter Valley, and NYE in Sydney. I was invited along a couple months ago when they made bookings, but I chose not to go, that and I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to go anyway.

Anyway everyone liked/loved what I got them :).

le beau is a music teacher at a school far far away, he likes to cook occasionally. I got him custom treble clef cufflinks, an ipad case, a signed cookbook entwined with a story, and a slim music sheet tie.

Lily's le beau's younger sister, a make-up enthusiast, studying to be a teacher. Our budget was $20-is, and with that I got her a Burt's Bees's 3 Piece Kit and some mesh bags from Bloom.

For Helen, le beau's SIL, the dr & hostess, I saw these lovely gold sequin throw cushions, unfortunately they were over budget, so I made her three cushion covers. The budget was $30. Being a dr (she's at a hospital) she's on her feet all day so I got her a pedi. kit. I know she likes candles, so after confirming with Adrian that she didn't have this one, I got her MOR's Fig & Olive. Green's her favourite colour.

Adrian, le beau's brother is one of the hardest to shop for. With suggestions from Lily I got him a Burt's Bees' Kit and Soccer Ball cufflinks. It's his favourite sport.

Emily. Magpie. We've been permanently separated in maths, and get glares in IT. XD Who said girls were hard to shop for? :P There's a million generic girly gifts you can get them. For one anything shiny. Like a phone case (do check which version/model they have first) and the Union Jack shamballa bracelet - it's so shiny and it sparkles! And it matches a bag I encouraged her to buy. The only con is that it require two to put on. Not all girls are into nail polish, but Emily is, and so I got her the crystal nail file from Bloom, it's not like using those sandpaper ones. Our budget was $10-20.

Jas is another one hard to shop for, over the years I've bought him everything I can think of. After a long discussion he revealed he needed a notebook for the workshop. We prodded a bit more and got another detail: unlined, no spiral spine (unless it doesn't effect how you write). I wanted to get him Typo's Big Ideas Notebook, the kraft brown one, but it was season :( so we settled for the least girly one I could find. And to get it up to the budget level I got him an itunes card.

I would have preferred to post this before Christmas, but I know that le beau's family and Emily do occasionally read/check out my pictures. :P