5th Gen Giving

1engineer

1engineer

Moderator
This is the time of year when threads will start popping up about what forum members are getting for their trucks. I enjoy reading them as what is Christmas without getting something cool for your truck right?

I would like to go in a bit of a different direction with this thread and talk about GIVING. We all know how much fun it is to get a gift but we all know giving a gift is much more satisfying than getting a gift.

So with that said I would like to start. As my children are pretty much grown, I can't give them much now that they need or want except money lol. My wife has already picked out her gifts she wants so all I have to do is pay for them, so that's no fun either. My favorite gift I am looking forward to giving this year is time. My father in law has been really sick so we have been doing a lot to help him out. I installed a new toilet for a neighbor. I am volunteering at the homeless shelter for the holidays. Time is precious and using it to help someone out is what I look forward to and most of it is what I call stealth giving - very few even know you are doing anything!

So what are some of you guys giving for Christmas? Cool toys for the kiddies? Jewelry for the wife? Volunteering to ring that bell for the Salvation Army? Helping out the less fortunate? Post up here! (mods, I mentioned 5th gen in the title so don't move it please. thanks)
 
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I do not know if this is considered giving or not. My wife tore a rotator cuff muscle earlier this year. She had to go for physical therapy earlier this year to cure the frozen shoulder that results from not being able to move the arm. She actually feels fine and the shoulder works fine now but the doctor said surgery will be needed at some point to repair the tear. She decided she just wanted to get this done and over with so she is having surgery Dec. 23rd. She will not be able to use the arm for 10 days and then 6 weeks of physical therapy. So my holidays will be spent doing what ever I need to do to take care of her. My son and his wife may come to visit a little depending on how she is doing.
 
A few years ago my side of the family decided it was getting a bit silly at Xmas time. I gave my sister a Gift Card to Yankee Candle, I got a G/C to Bass Pro Shops, etc.
We decided to spend the money on the kids and we do "gag gifts". Best thing we ever did!

We had "Xmas in Virginia" last weekend (I refuse to travel on Xmas day since I only get 1 day off and I want to spend it at home with the girls), so...

*Mom got: a "Romantic Dinner For 2 In a Box". 2 cans of Spaghetti O's, Juice Boxes, Tea-lights, Plastic Utensils, Instant Coffee, and Mints.

*Sister: A mason jar filled with "Dehydrated Water Powder"- for emergencies, just add water. It took her a while to "get it".

*Bro-In-Law: "Worlds hardest 3D Puzzle" (he likes puzzles). A picture of the desert and a big Ziploc Bag full of sawdust. Good luck bro...

*Mom's Gentleman Friend (Really proud of her for having the guts to start over after losing my Dad): "The Blok". He wants to get back in shape, so he got a hunk of 2x4 with a handle on top. He can put it on the floor, walk around it twice and take 2 trips around The Blok with hardly any effort at all.


Lots of fun!
 
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This might be kind of cheating, but I wanted to do something productive for society in the PNW. So I'm donating my time and learning the ins and outs of search and rescue. Over the summer (as some of you may already know), I coached flag football for the Vancouver Parks and Rec here.

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It really is/was rewarding to be able to donate your personal time to others, as Greg mentioned. Not only should it be something we do during this time of the year, but hopefully it's something we all strive for everyday of the year.

My gift to myself this year.... I get to go home for 2 weeks and visit my boys at High Tech!
 

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A few volunteer activities I participate in this time of year or whenever there is a need:
Acting as a foster home for dog rescue. I also train the dogs in basic obedience, etc. to make them more adoptable. Adoption counselor.
Instruct/coach teenagers and adults in firearm safety, as well as basic pistol and rifle. Teach Personal Protection classes.
Teach Refuse To Be A Victim seminars to church groups, youth groups, businesses, etc.
Tutor people in English For Speakers Of Other Languages.
 
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I am buying a little John Deere ride-on tractor for Katie, our 4 year old. It has a front end loader and a little trailer. I am trying, gracelessly, to pull her away from glitter-covered tiaras and all things pink. Wish me luck!
 
Unlike [MENTION=104766]CatskillsRunner[/MENTION] I am buying a princess dress for my 3 year old, tiara and all as she wants to be a princess! She's already a tough little girl and LOVES off-roading. "More bumpity bump daddy!" So I just think it's cute.

My 5 year old boy wants a fishing rod, now I'm sorry guys that fish but I HATE it, did it when I was younger but for some reason I came to really not enjoy it. I think the main thing is that I struggle to sit still for more than a few minutes. Anyway, Santa is bringing him a fishing rod and I'll be getting one myself to go next year.

We've had a lot of serious family health issues this year, so we are happy that at this point we still have everyone in our lives.
 
I've been a drummer in the same rock band for 49 years. (Playing classic rock long before the songs were classic) We're playing on the afternoon of New Years Eve at the local Veteran's hospital for wounded soldiers. This is the fourth NYE we've played for them. It's extremely heartwarming for us, and very much appreciated by the soldiers, some of whom arrive by wheelchair or gurney.
 
The wife and I volunteer for 3 square (a non profit organization that feeds kids)
Basically all we do is drive down to the kitchens and make hundreds and hundreds of boxed meals for kids less fortunate than others.
We don't have kids so we use our time to give to other kids.
 
My work family and I adopt a local family in need every year and bring them a xmas meal and toys for the kids and other items they may need. It's a lot of fun to know for a few bucks you can make a whole family have a great xmas.
 
I bought my wife this.... she used to love Ms. Pacman. Hopefully the kiddos will like it also.

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Like [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION], my kids are grown so the gifts for them are trivial really. One thing my wife and I like to do is "random acts of kindness". The other day we bought lunch for a table full of Law Enforcement Officers without them knowing about who did it. My wife knew of an Executive Assistant in her office who was going through some hard times, so she sent money anonymously to her so she could buy her kids Christmas gifts.

I think the best gifts are the ones that are totally from the heart, with no expectations in return.
 
As I get to buy for 17 kids in my family, it's always tough to pick something cool. My favorite gift this year is for one of the 10 year olds that wanted a "Home of the free because of the brave" sign.

T4r.org comes into play there because I requested assistance from one of our resident photo wizards. He was very excited to help, but work timing prevented us from following through, but it's the selfless offer of helping out that was a great gift to me.

Anyway, a 16*20 photo on canvas is on it's way that looks like this:
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Not quite the super cool backstory with it that I was hoping for, but I'm excited to see it hanging on the wall and am proud of the little guy having it on his Christmas wish list!

Okki
 
For the past 5 years, I've donated a day or two of work every month to my local hospital. Nothing special for the holidays, though. A few dollars for the Salvation Army, a few dollars to deserving causes. And the tips I leave to those who do work I don't want to do are often a bit nicer (if deserved).

Kudos to the Marines for Toys-for-Tots. And perhaps a few raspberries to the box stores who sell toys-to-donate at full profit and them claim the results as their contribution to the holiday season.
 
Not really planning on anything special this year. I'm on deployment so I'm missing my sons first Christmas. I'm just hoping to be able to get some factime or skype in with him.

Did get my wife bunny slippers because she wanted them, along with some new york giants tumblers, and a bracelet. Hard enough to shop for women when you're home, twenty times worse when you're in the middle of the ocean.
 
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