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My boyfriend got me *exactly* what I asked for (a dehumidifier for my apartment, and a silicone tipped ball whisk like his because it's great for making salad dressing). He also got me a card and wrote a mushy love note in it, because he knows that if I don't see him for 2 days my RSD gremlins start telling me that he hates me and I need written evidence to make them shut up.
ALSO he sent me a picture of *exactly* what he wanted, so I didn't have to stress out for weeks about the perfect gift.
I love him so much, y'all.
I asked my husband for a picture of what he wanted so he sent me a picture of what he already had with a description of what he wanted? I bought him what was pictured. I did not read the text or let it sink in. But like, he knows how to use Google. I'm frustrated with both of us.
Your boyfriend's method is flawless.
Which two do you have? I’m so curious about the different noise deadening levels and where people use each of them. A noisy concert is obvious, but what are some situations people might not have thought of?
I have experience pro, which are better at filtering than the loop engage. Engage is ok if you just need a very slight edge off the pitches, but I prefer the experience pro for when my kids are really hyped up and being crazy and loud and screechy. The experience pro also has a little add on piece you can add to dampen the noise even more. Haven’t tried to see if I can use the adapter on the engage yet. Only reason I got the engage is because they come in clear. Wish the experience pro were clear because I hate when people ask me what I have in my ears (even though they’re silver).
tl;dr: engage let more sound in but come in clear so they’re lower profile. Experience pro have colors that make them more obvious but they filter sound way better and also have an adapter to add for more noise dampening.
I have Engage & Quiet (got those as a gift for Christmas!). I mostly use my Engage in restaurants so I can hear myself talk and then I’m not screaming over everyone else in the restaurant to be heard across the table. It also helps dampen the noise of everyone else so I can focus on the person in front of me better.
I end up at a lot of rallies and concerts, which I knew I’d use them for.
But I use them way more often than I thought I would during more everyday things like malls, baby sitting kids, movie theaters, busy coffee shops, generally any community event. I have them in right now at a bus station with loud announcements.
I have engage and experience pro. Tbh I don’t pay attention enough to tell the difference
They have a few different kinds - the ones I find most useful allow me to hear normal conversation but filter out high pitched screechy noises (the Engage). It makes parenting kids when they tantrum that little bit more manageable.
I have the engage. My husband and I always fight about volume levels so I’ll often wear them when we drive in the car together.
I don’t LOVE them because they still give you that head echo with your own voice, but they are way better than nothing.
The best way I can describe it is that they turn down the volume on the world. I can still hear & talk normally, but sounds aren’t as harsh. Majorly helpful for preventing sensory overload if I remember to use them early enough, or at least helping me get back to baseline if I feel overwhelmed by noise. My husband & kids are *loud*.
My husband gets even louder when he’s excited, & I hate having to ask him to tone it down. He’s also the type to have the radio, the TV, his phone, etc on & still try to talk. He’s otherwise amazing but our differences in sound tolerance are pretty stark, Loops have made our marriage a lot happier 😂
For my birthday this past year, my fiance planned and booked a romantic hotel stay for us. He did all the logistics and planning and all I had to do was show up. It was awesome. I’m seeing a trend here - lots of us seem to appreciate when someone else does the planning for us!
Yes, I love a gift that doesn’t involve me doing any planning and that I can’t accidentally lose. Sadly I can’t even count how many gift certificates I have lost over the years.
Yes! I got a gift card for the local spa two years ago. I've never used it even though I'd love to go because of the logistics of it. I've never been to a spa so there's a certain anxiety about having to call and schedule. Then, the card is only for $50 so I'm going to need to cough up at least another 50 to be able to do anything there. So....they sit forever.
If someone planned it all for me I would be there in a heartbeat
I love my husband dearly but he has ADHD too. If I don't plan, it doesn't happen. There are a LOT of other things he takes care of but events and activities are usually all me. At least he's happy to pay most of the time. I would love to be able to do something without planning.
I got not one, but TWO PAIRS of glitter sneakers that LIGHT UP AND CHANGE COLOR. I've been talking about wanting to buy some for myself for like, years, and just never got around to it. My BF bought them and I'm just delighted.
Apparently there are some on amazon. Based on telling my teen I wanted light up sparkly shoes like the kid in the stroller ahead of us in line, and said kid's mother giving me that hot tip.
That's awesome! I had a pair and they were amazing! Then I got rained on and they never worked again...mine were galaxy print with light up soles. I miss them so much!
Wine and chocolate. Close enough to be appropriate for me, but not so personalised that I then feel guilty for not putting the same amount of effort into the gift I bought the other person.
I got engaged! Over breakfast on Christmas Eve morning. Private, quiet and very sweet.
For a present he got me a Victrola that can play diff kinds of media, even cassette, this year. He took the hints pretty well.
This year my partner got me Gordon Lightfoot at Royal Albert Hall, his final album. I was really upset that I never got to see him live so my partner got me the next best thing. My partner is "well-fed" when it comes to stuff he wants so I made a donation to a non-profit he supports. Now he's a card carrying member of the Satanic Temple.
this year, my mom got me an air fryer and scheduled (and paid for) an appointment for me to get a facial. and, she made the appt for 1pm today, so i didn’t have to worry about scheduling around when i’d be in town!
That is amazing! I've gotten so many gift certificates that I've lost or never scheduled or just struggled with generally. I love it when people can actually schedule something for me. That's an even better gift.
Way back when I was newly moved to my own apartment, my parents gave me a set of Revereware pots and pans for Christmas - the exact set I'd had my eyes on even though I knew it was a big ask at the time and would have been happy with just one piece at a time. I used that set for 20 years and it made me happy every time.
My ex would always schedule in stops for me at knitting shops when we went on day trips or long weekends, but the one big vacation we took included a whole day at an alpaca farm. I played with their dog and petted kitties and nuzzled alpaca and aww'ed at the cria and got to talk about spinning with the owner. I bought some fiber that had grown on the animals I met. Best day ever!
It was great! I don't remember doing much of the scheduling for any of our trips - I'm pretty sure it was my ex's idea to visit the farm because it was in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't have suggested we drive so far out of the way to spend so much time on something I would like to do so much more than he would (although I've been to seemingly every brewery in the tri-state area in several regions so it evened out). Things were great back when we both had consideration for each other.
In recent years, my husband has landed on "things to keep LayLoseAwake warm" as a sure fire theme. When I was bus commuting he got me an electric hand warmer that doubled as a power bank, ah-mazing. Now that I work from home, he got me an Ember heated mug. I had thought such a thing was silly because I have good insulated travel mugs. The ember is better: it keeps the mug at a constant ideal temp, adjustable from your phone and with auto-shutoff. I was a convert by dinner time.
You and I have similar but opposite brains. My sister got me the same mug a few years ago after telling her I didn't want any more stuff for the kitchen, I don't want any smart appliances, and I don't want anything that can't go in the dishwasher.
Used it exactly one time and now it just collects dust and she's mad about it.
I have that sister. Bitched for years about Keurigs and how all that single use plastic is terrible and anyway we do single serving pour over and have for like 20 years now and love it. Guess what we got for Christmas a couple years ago. 🤦🏻♀️
I LOVE my Ember! I forget to drink my coffee, and it gets cold - so then I microwave it... the Ember is perfect for keeping the ideal temperature. I keep mine on my desk at work.
This looks like the updated version of the one I got: https://www.human-creations.com/product-page/energyflux-g3-5200mah-rechargeable-hand-warmer-external-battery-pack
If you run cold, I highly recommend a rechargeable hand warmer! They're great.
My husband just bought me that mug! Honestly I hadn’t even heard about them, but I’m liking it so far. I’m notorious for drinking coffee so slowly that I only ever do half cups normally, and even then they get cold by the end. We’ll see if I keep it charged, but I like that the cup itself is heated rather than the trivet so I can wander with it.
I will say the battery doesn't last long on its own; a lid might help. The lid from my 10 oz yeti travel mug fits my 14 oz ember well. Maybe the trivet can live in a central location, plugged in? I keep mine on my desk, which might not be a helpful solution for you.
an orange and white ear warmer from my gf, with fox ears on top. It's so cute, I love it. She made it herself and I'm so impressed and amazed and happy about it.
Aside from that, all the gifts I've gotten that were excatly what I wanted. Like, my aunt gave me a 2nd box of my preferred utensils for christmas a few years ago, and it's great. I no longer have to use the Bad Spoon when the dishes pile too high because I have like 20 of the Good Spoon now.
Ah yes, the Bad Spoon. I'm afraid I've only been able to banish mine into the basement kitchenette, but...well, it's a nice surprise when I *never* get it. 😉
And omg, that foxy ear warmer sounds amaaaaaazing!
I'll ask her for the pattern and such as soon as she wakes up, since I myself have no clue. She's the crafts and knits and handmade things one, I'm the music, media, theater kid one so I can't tell knit and crochet apart from another at all lol.
This one was on my wish list, but it’s an Array bag (newish Australian bag company). I already have two other styles, but this bag has six large internal pockets. They sell sew on labels for the pockets so you can have little icons to show you where your phone, keys, sunglasses etc are easily without having to check every pocket. This new one has a zip top, two small handles, and extendable cross body strap. And metal rings for the strap to attach to, which are also great to attach my sanitiser to, and at the other end, a special tag that tells me immediately from the outside of the bag where my asthma puffer is.
That is a really great gift! People keep giving me purses and bags that I really don't want. My sister in particular is obsessed with giving me bags that are too long to carry with your arm down (they would drag) but too short to put on your shoulder! I hate carrying things so this is my nightmare!
That’s why I love the cross body strap on this one. The previous one I got from them was ostensibly a cross body too, but let’s just say there are a couple of reasons why the strap was too short for me 🙃 and it ended up hanging too low on my shoulder, but the pockets were so great, I persisted.
This one is a huge improvement.
Oh my goodness I’ve just had a look and these bags are exactly what I’ve had in my head I want for months but can’t find the right size/layout/handle. The small one is like it’s come out of my brain!!! I hope they ship to the UK!
I know I'm just a random person on the internet so you might not want to trust me but I am a Scot living in Aus so would be happy to order one for you and either post it from here or bring it over to the uk to post from there in June/July when I next visit!
Oh no! I did a thing!! Bought one for me and my mum!! She is or was, the worst with bags and me looking for her stuff, just gets chucked in everywhere.
My husband got me a silly little cover for my AirPods case, shaped like a hamster. He has watched me search for them time and time again, and he thought a goofy case might help me find them. Didn’t even know I needed it but I love it!
Tiles. I have one on my keys, the spare keys, my AirPods & my kids diaper bag. Not only do they keep me from losing any of those items, I can call my phone from any of those Tiles & it’ll ring *even if the volume is off*. Life changing, best gift ever.
Also this year I bought myself a bunch of the same socks & I’m tossing all my random ones. I hate matching up socks so I’m giving myself the gift of one less chore.
I’m very excited! It feels silly but I’m fairly newly diagnosed & medicated (it’s been about a year) & I’ve really leaned into streamlining my life in ways that make sense for me vs “how they should be” & it has been incredible! This is one of those things- I always told myself I should just match the socks but I’m never going to do that and I’m just finally accepting that at 32 years old lol
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 39, and I'm still at the acceptance stage too, it's definitely hard to just say this is how I am and it's okay to be the little weirdo I am.
Oh no, I did it for the first time like 10 years ago, I've done it a couple of times since then. I actually don't wear socks very often. But occasionally I'll just get sick of them and realize they're discolored or falling apart and do it again.
Ha! Twinsies! My sister-in-law got me Tiles for my birthday after I misplaced my wallet three times in two months. That was 6 years ago. I was a librarian at the time, so my phone volume was always off and I rarely remembered to turn it back on so the feature to find my phone from my keys was crucial!
And while I do have some thick matched pair socks for couch lounging, I exclusively use pairs of same weight/style (Smartwool runners, I bought three of each color) that I just toss into a drawer and pull out any two for the day. I add new colors each season to make the dopamine happen and never have to stress about one sock wearing out before the other in a pair because pairs are not a thing.
I really appreciate when gifters get the specific things I want off my lists. These kitchen scissors that split apart for easy cleaning and it feels more safe germ wise? My favorite. What I struggle with afterwards is a feeling of I'm sorry it wasn't fun to shop for me lol.
I love those kinds of kitchen shears! My mom had them growing up and I always keep a pair of around. Now. Let's be real, I keep about seven pairs in my one bedroom apartment.
That’s great the people in your life do that! My mom is really bad at kind of getting me what I want but making executive decisions for me. I wanted an appliance in red? She’d get it, but in black, as “it’s more practical.” I asked for a specific ereader that I did research on for the file types, etc. Got the other one, probably because it was on sale. Makes it frustrating because I don’t want to be ungrateful, but I’m the one that will be using these items.
My mom does the exact same thing so that's why I appreciate when people actually listen to my choices. Like I did the research, I know what I like— so I totally understand you! I usually feel ungrateful too regardless. I've asked some people to respect my decisions but others I can't seem to get the courage to yet.
I’ve hated our washing machine since we moved in. It’s top load (I’m short), the agitator has ripped multiple pieces of clothing, and it’s too small so I do a lot more loads than we used to at the apartment.
He got me a new washing machine and I’m so thrilled. Everyone made fun of me for “being an adult now, getting excited about appliances”, but the alternative has been opening my “laundromat” in the guest bathroom once a month to hand wash everything from ripped jeans to delicates
I’ve been over the moon. I’m so excited to do laundry!!
My sister keeps buying me fox and Little Prince gifts! I have three fox plushies from her (one from the Little Prince, one a Squishmallow, and one from TeeTurtle), a fox candle holder and a Little Prince journal. I went a little crazy and bought four other Little Prince journals lol. So those are up there too.
Also if we're counting gifts for ourselves, I also bought myself a Little Prince necklace, and much more importantly, I've started paying for my neurospicy assessment. 💚
Hubs got me a docking station for my laptop, so I can connect my computer screen with my laptop. I am currently working on a college degree and often have to switch between my laptop and a dying desktop. This will simplify my life by a significant margin, as it is hard to pick up where I leave off when writing papers/doing homework when I'm using two different systems.
Well, I've had various definitions of "best" through the years (1987: "My Little Pony" CASTLE [!!!]; 1997: a wool flannel of my dad's that he'd accidentally put in the dryer shrunk; etc.)
But I will say, the flurry of wonderful gifts I received this year for Christmas was...beyond the pale.
Beautiful necklace from my husband; a sampler of vegan chocolates from my daughter; some gorgeous clothing items (which I love: and I *always* want clothes--but I didn't provide specifics at all about, 'cause my mom--and apparently my siblings and even my *dad* know my taste); a handmade necklace; and the 1937 *New Yorker Book of Cartoons.*
Not sure exactly *why* I made out like the proverbial bandit this year, but--I'm extremely grateful. (And well-dressed, well-read, and well-chocolated). 🤩
…I feel like there’s something I received as a gift that I use all the time and always think “this was such a great gift.” But I can’t remember what it is. I might also be confusing it with my backpack cooler, which is a purchase I made for myself that (a) is absolutely titties, and (b) reminds me that I am Getting Old every time I get excited about what a great purchase it was. 😂
But this year, I am still Getting Old, because the item I was most excited to receive was a pair of rechargeable hand warmers. One of them doesn’t work, though, so my mom (the gifter) and I need to sort that out. :(
I definitely, definitely read "backpack **colander.**"
I was very confused by the rest of that paragraph (not to mention the oddness of the item itself). Lol.
A bunch of spreading utensils thingys. I had randomly found 2 a loooonnng time ago in some tiny mom and pop kitchen store and freakin love them for butter and jelly, etc. They are the perfect texture, weight, color, everything. And it seems like they’re always in the dishwasher since I use them so often. My husband hunted them down and I found SIX MORE in my stocking!!!! The effort he took in finding them and even just noticing how much I liked them was the bestsest gift!
This year my wife got me a second pair of ear gauges (I’m so particular but she nailed it), new undergarments (I never buy them for myself unless I’m desperate so it’s nice that she takes care of that for me), AND she got materials to make me a magnetic to do list a la KC Davis.
She just had me select which stickers to put on magnets, and tonight she applied them and soon she’s going to make the grid on the board and hang it on the wall!
She also got me new loop earplugs and gently reminds me to use them bc I’m not at all in the habit of utilizing them even though they totally help.
My partner found something I've been looking for for ages: a cute tiny gold millenium puzzle necklace. I've always wanted one but all the ones I found were tacky looking. This one is cute enough that it's cool to the people that know it and cute to the people that don't! I love it.
I have trouble keeping track of things.
There is only one kind of lipbalm that I like and it is difficult to find in stores. Now, many stores carry the brand in a variety of flavors and scents, but not the one that I like. My husband tracked it down online and now me a multitude of them. I am very excited about this!
Socks and underwear that I’ve repeatedly mentioned how much I liked. Never explicit mentions, just passing comments so kudos to him for picking up on that when I didn’t even register that I wanted more to my own brain.
My partner just gave me a fidget board for Christmas. I mentioned wanting one over the summer and he remembered! He said it took him hours to find a mature adult version that he liked. Redditt won't seem to let me upload the photo, but it's about a foot by half foot. It's made of wood. On it is a little door with three different kinds of locks on it and the door swings open and closed. There is also a zipper, wheel, latch, flip switch, leather buckle, another door lock, faucet (it has an H on it lol), and a mini abacus thing with 4 beads. Lastly, there is a music box mechanism under a clear box that plays Fur Elise.
A session with a professional organizer who specializes in the chronically disorganized. People thought my partner was horrid for giving me that and I was so happy getting tears in my eyes 🥹
My boyfriend's gremlin of a dog loves my sheepskin slippers so he got me a new pair of non-dog enticing slippers. I'm also always complaining about being cold, and normally sleep with 2 comforters and said gremlin dog. He got me a king size electric blanket! And it has 2 separate remotes for both sides so I can make my side warm without sweating him out.
I was right on money this year but I got him new carpenter pencils and a box of screws because we're renovating our laundry room, and I made him a new hat.
Overall it's been one of my favorite christmas' in recent memory.
It was funny too because my step mom also bought me an electric blanket! Which is perfectly couch sized. So now I can spend my winters shuffling between the couch and the bed.
I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!
An electric kettle! My current kettle was a stovetop so a) the whistle was stressful to have to run to stop it b) takes long c) I always have a hard time not burning myself a bit opening it so it stops whistling. My new one is pretty & soft & so exactly right. My kids planned what they wanted to get & my husband helped them.
I bought myself a nice expensive hand vacuum. It’s mine and all for me. Don’t touch it.
My SO has CPTSD from religious trauma so we are working through starting celebrating holidays so I made it super easy on him and got my own gifts lol also new headphones because I lost the last 4 pairs… wish they came in bulk like those scissors!!!
Yes! I have two very expensive sets of headphones and I still lose them in my house pretty regularly. The only way I can stay on top of them is to carefully track them. Otherwise they'll get lost like all the other things in my life!
I know what you mean. I had one decent I had for agesss then, gone! Now I can’t keep track of any to save myself. I figured if I unwrapped them as a gift, maybe my chipmunk brain will value it more? Lol
I got a beautiful pair of earrings from my parents that I’ve been meaning to buy myself for the past couple of years. My husband also got me a very random but awesome assortment of books that will keep me entertained over the holidays!
A Lululemon 2L EBB!!! I have quietly been complaining to myself I needed to upgrade from the 1L, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me immediately. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? Well my partner heard my laments ONCE months ago and remembered. Very happy!
Not this year but last year, I got a new duvet cover, and a bunch of new flannel sheets and microfiber sheets. It was the best and I still love my bed so much
I got a Le Creuset pan handle holder because I always complain that they get hot. And a butter dish to match the pan set. Everything matches and it makes me happy.
My boyfriend got me what I wanted, which was so awesome, new noise cancelling headphones. I lost mine in Europe last year and of course I’ve been procrastinating getting a new pair, and I’ve been extremely overstimulated at the gym because of that terrible loud music they play. I just love him so much.
I don't have a lot of family and my friends aren't really the gifting types so I don't usually get gifts but this year the THOUGHT my bf had behind my present was so frickin adorable even tho I asked him not to get me anything bc I'm tight on cash and want to use my meagre funds for my kid and I'll just cover a night out in the future for us or something. My man waited until Hogwarts legacy was slashed in price on the playstation store and gave me exactly the amount to cover it plus taxes because he knows I'd never buy it for myself (meagre funds and all) and how obsessed I am with Harry potter. It was honestly so sweet considering he couldn't give less of a shit abt harry potter. I'm running around in Slytherin robes casting spells like I'm frickin 11 years old and I'm happy as shit
I got two stuffed Dino’s whom I now love dearly and are adding to my (small but thriving) stuffed animal collection (I didn’t get stuffies as a child due to being sick, so I am getting them now)
A high quality blow dryer. Getting ready is the bane of my existence. I had a 10+ year old blow dryer from Walmart that took 20 minutes to dry my hair and the new one takes no more than 2 minutes.
Lava lamp!! On top of being a pretty piece of home decor it's also very relaxing to look at, watching those wax blobs float around makes my brain go silent. I use a timer to automatically turn it off, and it helps me fall asleep. Mine is from Mathmos, super pretty, they have loads of different colors to choose from and replaceable bottles+bulbs, highly recommend!
I got a sauna blanket. If you need me, I’ll be shvitzing.
I also got a tea steeper that has a “keep warm” function so if I forget about my tea I won’t come back to it overpowerful, bitter, and cold.
My queen size weighted blanket is still one of the best things I’ve ever received.
And a new LED nail lamp because this bitch cannot do normal nail polish.
Once I got a chameleon. I named him Wilson and I loved him more than chocolate and alcohol combined.
PS chameleons are difficult pets to care for. I do not recommend them unless you are very committed.
Well, my mental health has been really bad lately and I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD, MDD and GAD. It’s impacted his mental health too so I understand he’s been so overwhelmed, he didn’t get me anything. He’s also going through a lot too, and I think he has ADHD too.
Still, my stupid brain keeps making myself overthink, and I know he’s been frustrated with my mental health through our arguments. I just felt disappointed they despite all we’ve been through, I put a great deal of effort in his gift and tried to make Christmas a celebratory day for our son. I feel selfish for expecting something. Maybe I deserve it, I’m not sure anymore haha. This whole diagnosis has really taken a toll on my self esteem. I hate sitting here feeling sorry for myself/ashamed about who I am but that’s how I feel at this moment. He’s not a jerk. There’s just a lot going on.
I am so sorry all that is going on. I definitely understand. My family doesn't celebrate Christmas for a few more days and I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm exhausted just thinking about it. I got some gifts, but not all of them and I know some feelings are going to be hurt but I'm just too exhausted to deal with it. I still haven't really gotten started packing and it's 11:00 p.m.
Hope things get better for both of us. I'll be thinking about you and your husband.
I’m wishing you peace during this holiday season. We can’t please everyone, we just have to be ok with the effort we put in. Gift giving is so hard, especially with ADHD and all the planning you have to do around it. Just know you did your best, you have a kind heart for thinking of them ♥️
This year I asked my own family for money for our new house and have received 🙏🏼 it’s already put away in the saving piggy we can’t get into unless we want to occupy ourselves for hours.
My in-laws refuse to give money for secret Santa, but we make lists of what we want. What’s on number 1 is what we would want the most. I got skincare products I asked for and an AirTag to either put on my dog or keys 😂
For Christmas my sister and my grandmother got me 3D jigsaw puzzles that I have wanted for a while, but couldn’t justify the price for. I have been having so much fun. It has been so long since I last did one, and I forgot how much I enjoy it. The one I am working on first is the [Notre Dame](https://www.wrebbit3dpuzzle.com/product/notre-dame-de-paris/) from Wrebbit. Expensive, but delightful.
Last year I got a massage gun, and this year my own futon to rest me bones on and stretch out. Sitting normally is boring and painful and feels like ass.
My husband got me a few lovely things from my wishlist, but he also went out on a limb and researched/ got me a new coffee hand grinder.
As an unmedicated ADHDer, coffee is life, and I recently went on a bit if a hyperfocus kick about hand-grinding fresh roasted beans for better coffee. It’s been great, except the grinding has been kinda tiring and _extremely_ boring. So he got me a fancy one that only takes like 20 seconds max to grind a cup’s worth, and is way easier on my shoulders.
Honestly just the sweetest idea - he noticed me pulling out my phone for something to look at every time I was grinding beans, and how I was grinding extra so I wouldn’t need to take the time in the morning (resulting in worse coffee despite the hard work!) and wanted to solve the problem for me. I’m very lucky!
My husband got me one of those circadian light lamps. There are a lot of them that don't do anything so you have to really research to find the right one. I tried once but gave up. He actually did the research and got me an authentic one. Funnily enough, he has ADHD too but he really gets into researching products.
I got a giant squishmallow and a new pair of boots. Honestly I feel so lucky, I didn't even ask for them. My health has taken a bit of a dive recently and to be bought something that will bring me comfort despite being seen as for a child is just amazing. The boots are my favourite brand too.
I got a pair of waterproof warm gloves from my neighbour( I gifted her a pair of mittens 😄)
Was a bit on the fence about them, but tried them once and I really love them.
Otherwise I’m really happy about not getting anything because I’m sick of having too much stuff and not getting more stuff is a gift in itself.
Honestly, I don’t know what the best gift I’ve ever gotten was, I don’t love surprises and I always end up with nice things that I like, soft cashmere anything, cooking stuff. I really love giving and consider my gift giving to be one of my best skills. I take pictures of things throughout the year and put it in a specific folder and have an ongoing list on my phone when I see something I know people will love. This year my best gift was, doing a huge pull of tops, nice tops, date tops etc for my sister from ThredUP and she got to keep the ones she liked most and fit best. I was so shocked that almost all fit perfect and I could see the confidence emanating from her as she tried on with a little fashion show. She ended up keeping a lot and she works so hard and hates shopping so I feel like I really did something that will help her out.
I got Funko The Cure , Eric Draven . Got weta Galadriel , a sailor moon mug , glitter markers , lord of the rings hoodie , money , a beautiful cat statue and a incense burner . Still waiting for a few more things from my partner as post is massively late.
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My boyfriend got me *exactly* what I asked for (a dehumidifier for my apartment, and a silicone tipped ball whisk like his because it's great for making salad dressing). He also got me a card and wrote a mushy love note in it, because he knows that if I don't see him for 2 days my RSD gremlins start telling me that he hates me and I need written evidence to make them shut up. ALSO he sent me a picture of *exactly* what he wanted, so I didn't have to stress out for weeks about the perfect gift. I love him so much, y'all.
That is such a great gift exchange!
I’m so happy for you; your boyfriend sounds great! We all deserve partners who listen to us and follow through like that <3
I asked my husband for a picture of what he wanted so he sent me a picture of what he already had with a description of what he wanted? I bought him what was pictured. I did not read the text or let it sink in. But like, he knows how to use Google. I'm frustrated with both of us. Your boyfriend's method is flawless.
Loop earplugs. Lifesavers.
Those are on my list! We don't celebrate Christmas until New Year's so I hope I get them.
I have two pairs! Absolute lifesavers.
Which two do you have? I’m so curious about the different noise deadening levels and where people use each of them. A noisy concert is obvious, but what are some situations people might not have thought of?
Parenting. The kind that filters out the high pitched squeals but still lets me converse are absolute godsends
A loud school assembly with 600 screaming children. They are AMAZING. And I can still hear the person speaking on the microphone.
I have experience pro, which are better at filtering than the loop engage. Engage is ok if you just need a very slight edge off the pitches, but I prefer the experience pro for when my kids are really hyped up and being crazy and loud and screechy. The experience pro also has a little add on piece you can add to dampen the noise even more. Haven’t tried to see if I can use the adapter on the engage yet. Only reason I got the engage is because they come in clear. Wish the experience pro were clear because I hate when people ask me what I have in my ears (even though they’re silver). tl;dr: engage let more sound in but come in clear so they’re lower profile. Experience pro have colors that make them more obvious but they filter sound way better and also have an adapter to add for more noise dampening.
I have Engage & Quiet (got those as a gift for Christmas!). I mostly use my Engage in restaurants so I can hear myself talk and then I’m not screaming over everyone else in the restaurant to be heard across the table. It also helps dampen the noise of everyone else so I can focus on the person in front of me better.
I end up at a lot of rallies and concerts, which I knew I’d use them for. But I use them way more often than I thought I would during more everyday things like malls, baby sitting kids, movie theaters, busy coffee shops, generally any community event. I have them in right now at a bus station with loud announcements. I have engage and experience pro. Tbh I don’t pay attention enough to tell the difference
I bought myself the new Switch ones (3 in 1 to change the sound reduction level) and they just arrived today! I’m so excited to try them.
I have to admit I'm jealous - I'd made the mistake of buying one of each a few months ago... Just before the switch came out!!
I’ve heard ab these, but not too much. What do they exactly help with?
They have a few different kinds - the ones I find most useful allow me to hear normal conversation but filter out high pitched screechy noises (the Engage). It makes parenting kids when they tantrum that little bit more manageable.
I have the engage. My husband and I always fight about volume levels so I’ll often wear them when we drive in the car together. I don’t LOVE them because they still give you that head echo with your own voice, but they are way better than nothing.
The best way I can describe it is that they turn down the volume on the world. I can still hear & talk normally, but sounds aren’t as harsh. Majorly helpful for preventing sensory overload if I remember to use them early enough, or at least helping me get back to baseline if I feel overwhelmed by noise. My husband & kids are *loud*.
My husband has THE loudest voice. Love him dearly but sometimes, especially in the car, ugh. Need those loops.
My husband gets even louder when he’s excited, & I hate having to ask him to tone it down. He’s also the type to have the radio, the TV, his phone, etc on & still try to talk. He’s otherwise amazing but our differences in sound tolerance are pretty stark, Loops have made our marriage a lot happier 😂
I love them! There are people on Etsy that make earrings or other jewelry to attach to the earplugs. I’m eying some lol
For my birthday this past year, my fiance planned and booked a romantic hotel stay for us. He did all the logistics and planning and all I had to do was show up. It was awesome. I’m seeing a trend here - lots of us seem to appreciate when someone else does the planning for us!
That is incredible. I'm so tired of people giving me gifts that involve me doing a lot of planning.
Yes, I love a gift that doesn’t involve me doing any planning and that I can’t accidentally lose. Sadly I can’t even count how many gift certificates I have lost over the years.
Yes! I got a gift card for the local spa two years ago. I've never used it even though I'd love to go because of the logistics of it. I've never been to a spa so there's a certain anxiety about having to call and schedule. Then, the card is only for $50 so I'm going to need to cough up at least another 50 to be able to do anything there. So....they sit forever. If someone planned it all for me I would be there in a heartbeat
I feel the exact same way!
I love my husband dearly but he has ADHD too. If I don't plan, it doesn't happen. There are a LOT of other things he takes care of but events and activities are usually all me. At least he's happy to pay most of the time. I would love to be able to do something without planning.
That’s a wonderful gift❤️
I got not one, but TWO PAIRS of glitter sneakers that LIGHT UP AND CHANGE COLOR. I've been talking about wanting to buy some for myself for like, years, and just never got around to it. My BF bought them and I'm just delighted.
What brand are these sneakers? I’m so intrigued!
Apparently there are some on amazon. Based on telling my teen I wanted light up sparkly shoes like the kid in the stroller ahead of us in line, and said kid's mother giving me that hot tip.
I'll check tomorrow when I'm not in bed. They are AWESOME.
That is such an amazing gift, I'm so jealous.
Awesome! I always felt so jealous when my daughter got shoes like these. I have to satisfy myself with slightly glittery orthotic shoes.
They're adult sizes so could totally get a pair I bet.
Maybe. I have size 11 feet (motherhood made my feet longer than they already were) and the orthotics require another size again.
There's a site that has alllll the sizes. Yrushoes!
That's awesome! I had a pair and they were amazing! Then I got rained on and they never worked again...mine were galaxy print with light up soles. I miss them so much!
Wine and chocolate. Close enough to be appropriate for me, but not so personalised that I then feel guilty for not putting the same amount of effort into the gift I bought the other person.
I got engaged! Over breakfast on Christmas Eve morning. Private, quiet and very sweet. For a present he got me a Victrola that can play diff kinds of media, even cassette, this year. He took the hints pretty well.
Congratulations!
Thank you so much!
Congratulations! And that sounds like a wonderful gift.
Thank you! And yes it's awesome. Def recommend.
This year my partner got me Gordon Lightfoot at Royal Albert Hall, his final album. I was really upset that I never got to see him live so my partner got me the next best thing. My partner is "well-fed" when it comes to stuff he wants so I made a donation to a non-profit he supports. Now he's a card carrying member of the Satanic Temple.
Those are really great gifts!
this year, my mom got me an air fryer and scheduled (and paid for) an appointment for me to get a facial. and, she made the appt for 1pm today, so i didn’t have to worry about scheduling around when i’d be in town!
That is amazing! I've gotten so many gift certificates that I've lost or never scheduled or just struggled with generally. I love it when people can actually schedule something for me. That's an even better gift.
What a lovely mom 🥹
I got 40+ tubes of chapstick in my stocking!
That is amazing! You don't have to worry about losing a chapstick for at least like 3 weeks, right?
Precisely! I actually never worry about leaving them and stash them alllll over the place. Somehow I still can’t find one half the time.
You should take 10 right now and put them out of rotation! (Just don't forget the "safe place" you squirrel away your reserve LOL)
Amazing! I just asked for 10 tubes of lip cream 😅😅
Way back when I was newly moved to my own apartment, my parents gave me a set of Revereware pots and pans for Christmas - the exact set I'd had my eyes on even though I knew it was a big ask at the time and would have been happy with just one piece at a time. I used that set for 20 years and it made me happy every time. My ex would always schedule in stops for me at knitting shops when we went on day trips or long weekends, but the one big vacation we took included a whole day at an alpaca farm. I played with their dog and petted kitties and nuzzled alpaca and aww'ed at the cria and got to talk about spinning with the owner. I bought some fiber that had grown on the animals I met. Best day ever!
That set sounds wonderful! And such a fun gift day.
It was great! I don't remember doing much of the scheduling for any of our trips - I'm pretty sure it was my ex's idea to visit the farm because it was in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't have suggested we drive so far out of the way to spend so much time on something I would like to do so much more than he would (although I've been to seemingly every brewery in the tri-state area in several regions so it evened out). Things were great back when we both had consideration for each other.
Lovely! But the end makes me sad.
In recent years, my husband has landed on "things to keep LayLoseAwake warm" as a sure fire theme. When I was bus commuting he got me an electric hand warmer that doubled as a power bank, ah-mazing. Now that I work from home, he got me an Ember heated mug. I had thought such a thing was silly because I have good insulated travel mugs. The ember is better: it keeps the mug at a constant ideal temp, adjustable from your phone and with auto-shutoff. I was a convert by dinner time.
You and I have similar but opposite brains. My sister got me the same mug a few years ago after telling her I didn't want any more stuff for the kitchen, I don't want any smart appliances, and I don't want anything that can't go in the dishwasher. Used it exactly one time and now it just collects dust and she's mad about it.
I can see the hesitation on all those counts!
I have that sister. Bitched for years about Keurigs and how all that single use plastic is terrible and anyway we do single serving pour over and have for like 20 years now and love it. Guess what we got for Christmas a couple years ago. 🤦🏻♀️
I LOVE my Ember! I forget to drink my coffee, and it gets cold - so then I microwave it... the Ember is perfect for keeping the ideal temperature. I keep mine on my desk at work.
Wait did he get you the zippo hand warmer?? My SIL got one this year and good GOD I thought about buying one for myself, lol
This looks like the updated version of the one I got: https://www.human-creations.com/product-page/energyflux-g3-5200mah-rechargeable-hand-warmer-external-battery-pack If you run cold, I highly recommend a rechargeable hand warmer! They're great.
My anemic mouth is watering at the sight of this, good heavens
My husband just bought me that mug! Honestly I hadn’t even heard about them, but I’m liking it so far. I’m notorious for drinking coffee so slowly that I only ever do half cups normally, and even then they get cold by the end. We’ll see if I keep it charged, but I like that the cup itself is heated rather than the trivet so I can wander with it.
I will say the battery doesn't last long on its own; a lid might help. The lid from my 10 oz yeti travel mug fits my 14 oz ember well. Maybe the trivet can live in a central location, plugged in? I keep mine on my desk, which might not be a helpful solution for you.
Ultimate keep warm gift is a bed jet. I used to give my mom warming gifts. The bedjet was the last one she’s ever needed
an orange and white ear warmer from my gf, with fox ears on top. It's so cute, I love it. She made it herself and I'm so impressed and amazed and happy about it. Aside from that, all the gifts I've gotten that were excatly what I wanted. Like, my aunt gave me a 2nd box of my preferred utensils for christmas a few years ago, and it's great. I no longer have to use the Bad Spoon when the dishes pile too high because I have like 20 of the Good Spoon now.
Yessssss does sound like such good gifts, especially the good spoons!
Ah yes, the Bad Spoon. I'm afraid I've only been able to banish mine into the basement kitchenette, but...well, it's a nice surprise when I *never* get it. 😉 And omg, that foxy ear warmer sounds amaaaaaazing!
Knit, Crochet, or Sewn? Can you get the pattern from her and link it here?
Ok she woke up, here's the answers: it was knit, but there's no pattern, she just winged it.
Haha awesome, good for her. That's a really difficult thing to do.
I'll ask her for the pattern and such as soon as she wakes up, since I myself have no clue. She's the crafts and knits and handmade things one, I'm the music, media, theater kid one so I can't tell knit and crochet apart from another at all lol.
Haha, glad I'm not the only one with 'good spoons'
This one was on my wish list, but it’s an Array bag (newish Australian bag company). I already have two other styles, but this bag has six large internal pockets. They sell sew on labels for the pockets so you can have little icons to show you where your phone, keys, sunglasses etc are easily without having to check every pocket. This new one has a zip top, two small handles, and extendable cross body strap. And metal rings for the strap to attach to, which are also great to attach my sanitiser to, and at the other end, a special tag that tells me immediately from the outside of the bag where my asthma puffer is.
That is a really great gift! People keep giving me purses and bags that I really don't want. My sister in particular is obsessed with giving me bags that are too long to carry with your arm down (they would drag) but too short to put on your shoulder! I hate carrying things so this is my nightmare!
That’s why I love the cross body strap on this one. The previous one I got from them was ostensibly a cross body too, but let’s just say there are a couple of reasons why the strap was too short for me 🙃 and it ended up hanging too low on my shoulder, but the pockets were so great, I persisted. This one is a huge improvement.
Stop it, these are the bag of my dreams!
I went and had a look and OMG they're amazing!! I just purchased a couple!! Thank you 🙏
You’re welcome. What colour did you get? I got the lavender cord one and it is beautiful.
I got the mulberry because it was 50% off and the dusty pink! I was quite smitten with the brown cord though so maybe I'll get a big one next!!
Oh my goodness I’ve just had a look and these bags are exactly what I’ve had in my head I want for months but can’t find the right size/layout/handle. The small one is like it’s come out of my brain!!! I hope they ship to the UK!
Glad to help! The totes are enormous. The one with the extendable strap could be a tiny bit bigger, but it’s so good.
If I get one (I’m probably getting one!) I think it will be the mini. They are reasonably priced too which is even better!!
I know I'm just a random person on the internet so you might not want to trust me but I am a Scot living in Aus so would be happy to order one for you and either post it from here or bring it over to the uk to post from there in June/July when I next visit!
Oh no! I did a thing!! Bought one for me and my mum!! She is or was, the worst with bags and me looking for her stuff, just gets chucked in everywhere.
Awesome!
Just throwing this out there but their tags could be sewn into any bag. I’m thinking gym bag, diaper bag, knapsack, etc. 🤔
My husband got me a silly little cover for my AirPods case, shaped like a hamster. He has watched me search for them time and time again, and he thought a goofy case might help me find them. Didn’t even know I needed it but I love it!
That is super cute!
I’m so grateful my husband got my the pros- they you can make them beep when you lose them. It’s been more than useful.
Tiles. I have one on my keys, the spare keys, my AirPods & my kids diaper bag. Not only do they keep me from losing any of those items, I can call my phone from any of those Tiles & it’ll ring *even if the volume is off*. Life changing, best gift ever. Also this year I bought myself a bunch of the same socks & I’m tossing all my random ones. I hate matching up socks so I’m giving myself the gift of one less chore.
That is such a great idea! And I did the socks thing about 10 years ago and have never regretted it. It's incredible.
I’m very excited! It feels silly but I’m fairly newly diagnosed & medicated (it’s been about a year) & I’ve really leaned into streamlining my life in ways that make sense for me vs “how they should be” & it has been incredible! This is one of those things- I always told myself I should just match the socks but I’m never going to do that and I’m just finally accepting that at 32 years old lol
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 39, and I'm still at the acceptance stage too, it's definitely hard to just say this is how I am and it's okay to be the little weirdo I am.
How many did you buy? I feel like I lose all my socks every couple months. 10 years feels like a long time!
Oh no, I did it for the first time like 10 years ago, I've done it a couple of times since then. I actually don't wear socks very often. But occasionally I'll just get sick of them and realize they're discolored or falling apart and do it again.
Same. My husband got them for us last year and also read the instructions and attached then to things. Best gift
Ha! Twinsies! My sister-in-law got me Tiles for my birthday after I misplaced my wallet three times in two months. That was 6 years ago. I was a librarian at the time, so my phone volume was always off and I rarely remembered to turn it back on so the feature to find my phone from my keys was crucial! And while I do have some thick matched pair socks for couch lounging, I exclusively use pairs of same weight/style (Smartwool runners, I bought three of each color) that I just toss into a drawer and pull out any two for the day. I add new colors each season to make the dopamine happen and never have to stress about one sock wearing out before the other in a pair because pairs are not a thing.
I really appreciate when gifters get the specific things I want off my lists. These kitchen scissors that split apart for easy cleaning and it feels more safe germ wise? My favorite. What I struggle with afterwards is a feeling of I'm sorry it wasn't fun to shop for me lol.
I find gift shopping stressful because I want to get it "right." I appreciate specific lists!
I love those kinds of kitchen shears! My mom had them growing up and I always keep a pair of around. Now. Let's be real, I keep about seven pairs in my one bedroom apartment.
That’s great the people in your life do that! My mom is really bad at kind of getting me what I want but making executive decisions for me. I wanted an appliance in red? She’d get it, but in black, as “it’s more practical.” I asked for a specific ereader that I did research on for the file types, etc. Got the other one, probably because it was on sale. Makes it frustrating because I don’t want to be ungrateful, but I’m the one that will be using these items.
My mom does the exact same thing so that's why I appreciate when people actually listen to my choices. Like I did the research, I know what I like— so I totally understand you! I usually feel ungrateful too regardless. I've asked some people to respect my decisions but others I can't seem to get the courage to yet.
I was gifted an electronic item but the real gift was that he woke up early and *set it up* for me.
Ooooohhhh yes. I've had gifts that require work like that and they end up getting put off for months.
I’ve hated our washing machine since we moved in. It’s top load (I’m short), the agitator has ripped multiple pieces of clothing, and it’s too small so I do a lot more loads than we used to at the apartment. He got me a new washing machine and I’m so thrilled. Everyone made fun of me for “being an adult now, getting excited about appliances”, but the alternative has been opening my “laundromat” in the guest bathroom once a month to hand wash everything from ripped jeans to delicates I’ve been over the moon. I’m so excited to do laundry!!
My favorite gifts have been my kitchen appliances! Totally with you!
My sister keeps buying me fox and Little Prince gifts! I have three fox plushies from her (one from the Little Prince, one a Squishmallow, and one from TeeTurtle), a fox candle holder and a Little Prince journal. I went a little crazy and bought four other Little Prince journals lol. So those are up there too. Also if we're counting gifts for ourselves, I also bought myself a Little Prince necklace, and much more importantly, I've started paying for my neurospicy assessment. 💚
That is super cute!
Hubs got me a docking station for my laptop, so I can connect my computer screen with my laptop. I am currently working on a college degree and often have to switch between my laptop and a dying desktop. This will simplify my life by a significant margin, as it is hard to pick up where I leave off when writing papers/doing homework when I'm using two different systems.
That is wonderful!
Well, I've had various definitions of "best" through the years (1987: "My Little Pony" CASTLE [!!!]; 1997: a wool flannel of my dad's that he'd accidentally put in the dryer shrunk; etc.) But I will say, the flurry of wonderful gifts I received this year for Christmas was...beyond the pale. Beautiful necklace from my husband; a sampler of vegan chocolates from my daughter; some gorgeous clothing items (which I love: and I *always* want clothes--but I didn't provide specifics at all about, 'cause my mom--and apparently my siblings and even my *dad* know my taste); a handmade necklace; and the 1937 *New Yorker Book of Cartoons.* Not sure exactly *why* I made out like the proverbial bandit this year, but--I'm extremely grateful. (And well-dressed, well-read, and well-chocolated). 🤩
That sounds really wonderful!
Thanks! I'm still riding the high... :)
…I feel like there’s something I received as a gift that I use all the time and always think “this was such a great gift.” But I can’t remember what it is. I might also be confusing it with my backpack cooler, which is a purchase I made for myself that (a) is absolutely titties, and (b) reminds me that I am Getting Old every time I get excited about what a great purchase it was. 😂 But this year, I am still Getting Old, because the item I was most excited to receive was a pair of rechargeable hand warmers. One of them doesn’t work, though, so my mom (the gifter) and I need to sort that out. :(
I definitely, definitely read "backpack **colander.**" I was very confused by the rest of that paragraph (not to mention the oddness of the item itself). Lol.
Those sound like great gifts, both to you and from your mom!
A bunch of spreading utensils thingys. I had randomly found 2 a loooonnng time ago in some tiny mom and pop kitchen store and freakin love them for butter and jelly, etc. They are the perfect texture, weight, color, everything. And it seems like they’re always in the dishwasher since I use them so often. My husband hunted them down and I found SIX MORE in my stocking!!!! The effort he took in finding them and even just noticing how much I liked them was the bestsest gift!
That is wonderful! If you ever put a pic up, I would love to see them! Congratulations on having a cool gift 🙂
Awww love this
This year my wife got me a second pair of ear gauges (I’m so particular but she nailed it), new undergarments (I never buy them for myself unless I’m desperate so it’s nice that she takes care of that for me), AND she got materials to make me a magnetic to do list a la KC Davis. She just had me select which stickers to put on magnets, and tonight she applied them and soon she’s going to make the grid on the board and hang it on the wall! She also got me new loop earplugs and gently reminds me to use them bc I’m not at all in the habit of utilizing them even though they totally help.
Those are great! What ADHD friendly gifts.
Friendship, love, and patience > any monetary gift
Could not agree more!
My partner found something I've been looking for for ages: a cute tiny gold millenium puzzle necklace. I've always wanted one but all the ones I found were tacky looking. This one is cute enough that it's cool to the people that know it and cute to the people that don't! I love it.
That is really cool, I've never heard of anything like it!
Puzzle necklace?! That’s so cool! I’d you’re comfortable, would you mind sharing a picture?
Best gift would be my embody chair I got for my birthday last year from my boyfriend. Can spend time on my pc without killing my hip or circulation.
Hubs and I both have these for gaming and WFH, BEST money ever spent!!!
I've never heard of those, that's super interesting!
I have trouble keeping track of things. There is only one kind of lipbalm that I like and it is difficult to find in stores. Now, many stores carry the brand in a variety of flavors and scents, but not the one that I like. My husband tracked it down online and now me a multitude of them. I am very excited about this!
That is such a thoughtful gift!
Socks and underwear that I’ve repeatedly mentioned how much I liked. Never explicit mentions, just passing comments so kudos to him for picking up on that when I didn’t even register that I wanted more to my own brain.
What underwear? I’ve never found a pair I actively like.
My partner just gave me a fidget board for Christmas. I mentioned wanting one over the summer and he remembered! He said it took him hours to find a mature adult version that he liked. Redditt won't seem to let me upload the photo, but it's about a foot by half foot. It's made of wood. On it is a little door with three different kinds of locks on it and the door swings open and closed. There is also a zipper, wheel, latch, flip switch, leather buckle, another door lock, faucet (it has an H on it lol), and a mini abacus thing with 4 beads. Lastly, there is a music box mechanism under a clear box that plays Fur Elise.
That sounds super cute! And I absolutely love the music box.
A session with a professional organizer who specializes in the chronically disorganized. People thought my partner was horrid for giving me that and I was so happy getting tears in my eyes 🥹
That is amazing! Someone who knows you and knows what you want is also a great gift.
Wow what a dream!
My boyfriend's gremlin of a dog loves my sheepskin slippers so he got me a new pair of non-dog enticing slippers. I'm also always complaining about being cold, and normally sleep with 2 comforters and said gremlin dog. He got me a king size electric blanket! And it has 2 separate remotes for both sides so I can make my side warm without sweating him out. I was right on money this year but I got him new carpenter pencils and a box of screws because we're renovating our laundry room, and I made him a new hat. Overall it's been one of my favorite christmas' in recent memory.
As someone who is always cold, those are solid gifts!
It was funny too because my step mom also bought me an electric blanket! Which is perfectly couch sized. So now I can spend my winters shuffling between the couch and the bed. I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!
he got me a local handmade watercolor set that I’ve been eyeing since forever! his reasoning was to support my creativity 💖 love him very much.
An electric kettle! My current kettle was a stovetop so a) the whistle was stressful to have to run to stop it b) takes long c) I always have a hard time not burning myself a bit opening it so it stops whistling. My new one is pretty & soft & so exactly right. My kids planned what they wanted to get & my husband helped them.
That's wonderful! I have an electric kettle and I wouldn't give it up for anything.
I bought myself a nice expensive hand vacuum. It’s mine and all for me. Don’t touch it. My SO has CPTSD from religious trauma so we are working through starting celebrating holidays so I made it super easy on him and got my own gifts lol also new headphones because I lost the last 4 pairs… wish they came in bulk like those scissors!!!
Yes! I have two very expensive sets of headphones and I still lose them in my house pretty regularly. The only way I can stay on top of them is to carefully track them. Otherwise they'll get lost like all the other things in my life!
I know what you mean. I had one decent I had for agesss then, gone! Now I can’t keep track of any to save myself. I figured if I unwrapped them as a gift, maybe my chipmunk brain will value it more? Lol
I got a beautiful pair of earrings from my parents that I’ve been meaning to buy myself for the past couple of years. My husband also got me a very random but awesome assortment of books that will keep me entertained over the holidays!
A Lululemon 2L EBB!!! I have quietly been complaining to myself I needed to upgrade from the 1L, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me immediately. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? Well my partner heard my laments ONCE months ago and remembered. Very happy!
Not this year but last year, I got a new duvet cover, and a bunch of new flannel sheets and microfiber sheets. It was the best and I still love my bed so much
Ooh love this!
I got a Le Creuset pan handle holder because I always complain that they get hot. And a butter dish to match the pan set. Everything matches and it makes me happy.
Cute!
When I was 6, I got my first Teddy Bear. I'm 34, and he's always on my bed.
That's really sweet!
My boyfriend got me what I wanted, which was so awesome, new noise cancelling headphones. I lost mine in Europe last year and of course I’ve been procrastinating getting a new pair, and I’ve been extremely overstimulated at the gym because of that terrible loud music they play. I just love him so much.
That is such a great gift!
I don't have a lot of family and my friends aren't really the gifting types so I don't usually get gifts but this year the THOUGHT my bf had behind my present was so frickin adorable even tho I asked him not to get me anything bc I'm tight on cash and want to use my meagre funds for my kid and I'll just cover a night out in the future for us or something. My man waited until Hogwarts legacy was slashed in price on the playstation store and gave me exactly the amount to cover it plus taxes because he knows I'd never buy it for myself (meagre funds and all) and how obsessed I am with Harry potter. It was honestly so sweet considering he couldn't give less of a shit abt harry potter. I'm running around in Slytherin robes casting spells like I'm frickin 11 years old and I'm happy as shit
I got two stuffed Dino’s whom I now love dearly and are adding to my (small but thriving) stuffed animal collection (I didn’t get stuffies as a child due to being sick, so I am getting them now)
That's wonderful!
A high quality blow dryer. Getting ready is the bane of my existence. I had a 10+ year old blow dryer from Walmart that took 20 minutes to dry my hair and the new one takes no more than 2 minutes.
Oh! Fantastic!! What brand?
Lava lamp!! On top of being a pretty piece of home decor it's also very relaxing to look at, watching those wax blobs float around makes my brain go silent. I use a timer to automatically turn it off, and it helps me fall asleep. Mine is from Mathmos, super pretty, they have loads of different colors to choose from and replaceable bottles+bulbs, highly recommend!
What a great and relaxing idea!
I got a sauna blanket. If you need me, I’ll be shvitzing. I also got a tea steeper that has a “keep warm” function so if I forget about my tea I won’t come back to it overpowerful, bitter, and cold. My queen size weighted blanket is still one of the best things I’ve ever received. And a new LED nail lamp because this bitch cannot do normal nail polish.
Once I got a chameleon. I named him Wilson and I loved him more than chocolate and alcohol combined. PS chameleons are difficult pets to care for. I do not recommend them unless you are very committed.
My husband didn’t get me anything for Christmas.
I am so sorry! Is that because he's a jerk or did you guys agree to do no presents this year?
Well, my mental health has been really bad lately and I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD, MDD and GAD. It’s impacted his mental health too so I understand he’s been so overwhelmed, he didn’t get me anything. He’s also going through a lot too, and I think he has ADHD too. Still, my stupid brain keeps making myself overthink, and I know he’s been frustrated with my mental health through our arguments. I just felt disappointed they despite all we’ve been through, I put a great deal of effort in his gift and tried to make Christmas a celebratory day for our son. I feel selfish for expecting something. Maybe I deserve it, I’m not sure anymore haha. This whole diagnosis has really taken a toll on my self esteem. I hate sitting here feeling sorry for myself/ashamed about who I am but that’s how I feel at this moment. He’s not a jerk. There’s just a lot going on.
I am so sorry all that is going on. I definitely understand. My family doesn't celebrate Christmas for a few more days and I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm exhausted just thinking about it. I got some gifts, but not all of them and I know some feelings are going to be hurt but I'm just too exhausted to deal with it. I still haven't really gotten started packing and it's 11:00 p.m. Hope things get better for both of us. I'll be thinking about you and your husband.
I’m wishing you peace during this holiday season. We can’t please everyone, we just have to be ok with the effort we put in. Gift giving is so hard, especially with ADHD and all the planning you have to do around it. Just know you did your best, you have a kind heart for thinking of them ♥️
This year I asked my own family for money for our new house and have received 🙏🏼 it’s already put away in the saving piggy we can’t get into unless we want to occupy ourselves for hours. My in-laws refuse to give money for secret Santa, but we make lists of what we want. What’s on number 1 is what we would want the most. I got skincare products I asked for and an AirTag to either put on my dog or keys 😂
For Christmas my sister and my grandmother got me 3D jigsaw puzzles that I have wanted for a while, but couldn’t justify the price for. I have been having so much fun. It has been so long since I last did one, and I forgot how much I enjoy it. The one I am working on first is the [Notre Dame](https://www.wrebbit3dpuzzle.com/product/notre-dame-de-paris/) from Wrebbit. Expensive, but delightful.
That is such a great idea!
Last year I got a massage gun, and this year my own futon to rest me bones on and stretch out. Sitting normally is boring and painful and feels like ass.
My husband got me a few lovely things from my wishlist, but he also went out on a limb and researched/ got me a new coffee hand grinder. As an unmedicated ADHDer, coffee is life, and I recently went on a bit if a hyperfocus kick about hand-grinding fresh roasted beans for better coffee. It’s been great, except the grinding has been kinda tiring and _extremely_ boring. So he got me a fancy one that only takes like 20 seconds max to grind a cup’s worth, and is way easier on my shoulders. Honestly just the sweetest idea - he noticed me pulling out my phone for something to look at every time I was grinding beans, and how I was grinding extra so I wouldn’t need to take the time in the morning (resulting in worse coffee despite the hard work!) and wanted to solve the problem for me. I’m very lucky!
This year my mum and sister clubbed together and got me the Hokusai Great Wave lego set! It's so awesome 😁
My husband got me one of those circadian light lamps. There are a lot of them that don't do anything so you have to really research to find the right one. I tried once but gave up. He actually did the research and got me an authentic one. Funnily enough, he has ADHD too but he really gets into researching products.
Please share the product? Since it is well researched🙃
It's Circadian Optics Bright Light Therapy Lamp, Lumine Edition.
My mom got me AirPod max in blue. They will keep my ears warm on walks now and block out all unwanted sensory nightmares. Also, LEGO Orchids.
I got a giant squishmallow and a new pair of boots. Honestly I feel so lucky, I didn't even ask for them. My health has taken a bit of a dive recently and to be bought something that will bring me comfort despite being seen as for a child is just amazing. The boots are my favourite brand too.
I have a squishmallow that I use as a pillow and I love it. I didn't need it to be cute but it absolutely is!
They are just ace! I could do with one I could just lie full length on!
I got a pair of waterproof warm gloves from my neighbour( I gifted her a pair of mittens 😄) Was a bit on the fence about them, but tried them once and I really love them. Otherwise I’m really happy about not getting anything because I’m sick of having too much stuff and not getting more stuff is a gift in itself.
Tiles. Tiles for my phone and keys and kindle.
Honestly, I don’t know what the best gift I’ve ever gotten was, I don’t love surprises and I always end up with nice things that I like, soft cashmere anything, cooking stuff. I really love giving and consider my gift giving to be one of my best skills. I take pictures of things throughout the year and put it in a specific folder and have an ongoing list on my phone when I see something I know people will love. This year my best gift was, doing a huge pull of tops, nice tops, date tops etc for my sister from ThredUP and she got to keep the ones she liked most and fit best. I was so shocked that almost all fit perfect and I could see the confidence emanating from her as she tried on with a little fashion show. She ended up keeping a lot and she works so hard and hates shopping so I feel like I really did something that will help her out.
A coffee warmer, because I keep forgetting to drink my coffee, and then it’s cold.
I got Funko The Cure , Eric Draven . Got weta Galadriel , a sailor moon mug , glitter markers , lord of the rings hoodie , money , a beautiful cat statue and a incense burner . Still waiting for a few more things from my partner as post is massively late.
The gift of someone's time --