Presents 2022
27 Dec 2022 03:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cimoreneWax and I both tend to kind of ignore presents, for the most part. We share the quality of being able to buy most of the stuff we actually want, which tends to be like things for our hobbies. We also don't attach much sentimentality to them, I guess.
(I like getting presents that are surprises, but not enough to care that much, and also I'm hard to pick things out for, so my sister - the person I talk to about my hobbies and interests the most, because she shares most of them - is the only person who's very well equipped to give me that kind of present, something you like or want enough to be pleased with but not enough to have got it yourself even though it is related to your hobby.)
I'm thinking about this because in Finland, birthdays that are a multiple of 10 are a big deal. My MIL, who was both sweet and thoughtful AND good at organizing and planning, always gave slightly fancier presents for them - in fact she gave me one of my favorite necklaces when I turned 25 and one when I turned 30. The one I got when I turned 35 was even better because it was an heirloom. But on our own, Wax and I tend to consider birthdays just another day. My SIL is just a couple of weeks younger than me, so we've always both just had a birthday when we have a Christmas reunion, and she asked me if Wax got me anything special this time and was a bit shocked that I said no. She asked for a kayak and got one. There's a good spot for it near their house, and they've already been multiple times with rented ones. That's adorable!
This year at Christmas Wax and I bought ourselves:
1. Wax and I get more enjoyment miles, or minutes as it were, out of pajamas than anything else, and we decided a few years ago to get them for each Christmas. But we didn't want to wait to open them at Christmas, so we didn't. (We got two different colors of what we agree is the perfect nightdress: Ristomatti Ratia Adina. )
2. I spent about 75€ on fountain pen stuff (a nice sturdy Twsbi Eco that I could take to work worrying able damaging it, like with my beloved Pelikans which have softer, springy nibs, and a glass dip pen, but I chipped the tip right away), and ordered about the same amount of cake baking stuff for Wax (a mousse ring and a set of piping tips and the plastic reusable foil that you use to line the mousse ring when making mousse cake, all from the delightful posh kitchen store whose invoices tragically DON'T look like wedding invitations anymore, but they sent us a free spongecloth in the last one). But obviously we didn't wrap those things.
3. I was saying we should get something we could stand to wait and open at Christmas, and I happily remembered our Rörstrand Mon Amie mugs - we had two, so I bought us two more, and then when they arrived I reminded Wax that the reason I ordered them was to have something to open on Christmas Eve but she looked at me like that was ridiculous, which, like, it was, so we just used them right away.
4. I also bought the hilariously minimalist Swedish midmod design candleholder Stumpastaken, which holds 9 tealights by default so I've been coveting one to use as a menorah for years. I laugh whenever I look at it - it reminds me of the Bauhaus nativity. For Hanukka, obviously, not birthday or Christmas.
5. Last fall we discussed me ordering a KitchenAid mixer after my first few paychecks, but I kinda rethought it. We have a Kenwood which is, yes, inferior. It's lighter, the body is plastic that's already yellowing, and it's got places you can't clean bread dough out of without taking it apart. It's got attachments that are not stainless or enameled so they can't be washed in the dishwasher. But we use it comparatively little. Wax has gotten really into making cakes and she bakes much more than me these days, but usually with the hand mixer. Since all the Korean and Japanese pastry chefs on YouTube that we follow primarily use hand mixers too, I now feel that this is a legitimate choice. Also if we got one we'd probably have to drive to Turku just to donate the Kenwood.
And I don't really want any more expensive fountain pens right now! I've found my ideal pen in the Pelikan 200/400 series, and I like them so much that I don't want any more pens that aren't piston-fillers, except the Twsbi (for its sturdy hard nib that I'm not afraid of damaging) and a handful of Kaweco Sports, which not only have hard nibs but which I prefer to load with cartridges because they're so small. They're handy to have in the pocket, but I don't want a whole collection of them; if you have a pen inked up and don't use it for a few weeks it'll dry up, which is bad for them.
I would like an endless collection of sweaters, but there's a limit to how fast we can knit, so buying more wool in advance would be silly.
(I like getting presents that are surprises, but not enough to care that much, and also I'm hard to pick things out for, so my sister - the person I talk to about my hobbies and interests the most, because she shares most of them - is the only person who's very well equipped to give me that kind of present, something you like or want enough to be pleased with but not enough to have got it yourself even though it is related to your hobby.)
I'm thinking about this because in Finland, birthdays that are a multiple of 10 are a big deal. My MIL, who was both sweet and thoughtful AND good at organizing and planning, always gave slightly fancier presents for them - in fact she gave me one of my favorite necklaces when I turned 25 and one when I turned 30. The one I got when I turned 35 was even better because it was an heirloom. But on our own, Wax and I tend to consider birthdays just another day. My SIL is just a couple of weeks younger than me, so we've always both just had a birthday when we have a Christmas reunion, and she asked me if Wax got me anything special this time and was a bit shocked that I said no. She asked for a kayak and got one. There's a good spot for it near their house, and they've already been multiple times with rented ones. That's adorable!
This year at Christmas Wax and I bought ourselves:
1. Wax and I get more enjoyment miles, or minutes as it were, out of pajamas than anything else, and we decided a few years ago to get them for each Christmas. But we didn't want to wait to open them at Christmas, so we didn't. (We got two different colors of what we agree is the perfect nightdress: Ristomatti Ratia Adina. )
2. I spent about 75€ on fountain pen stuff (a nice sturdy Twsbi Eco that I could take to work worrying able damaging it, like with my beloved Pelikans which have softer, springy nibs, and a glass dip pen, but I chipped the tip right away), and ordered about the same amount of cake baking stuff for Wax (a mousse ring and a set of piping tips and the plastic reusable foil that you use to line the mousse ring when making mousse cake, all from the delightful posh kitchen store whose invoices tragically DON'T look like wedding invitations anymore, but they sent us a free spongecloth in the last one). But obviously we didn't wrap those things.
3. I was saying we should get something we could stand to wait and open at Christmas, and I happily remembered our Rörstrand Mon Amie mugs - we had two, so I bought us two more, and then when they arrived I reminded Wax that the reason I ordered them was to have something to open on Christmas Eve but she looked at me like that was ridiculous, which, like, it was, so we just used them right away.
4. I also bought the hilariously minimalist Swedish midmod design candleholder Stumpastaken, which holds 9 tealights by default so I've been coveting one to use as a menorah for years. I laugh whenever I look at it - it reminds me of the Bauhaus nativity. For Hanukka, obviously, not birthday or Christmas.
5. Last fall we discussed me ordering a KitchenAid mixer after my first few paychecks, but I kinda rethought it. We have a Kenwood which is, yes, inferior. It's lighter, the body is plastic that's already yellowing, and it's got places you can't clean bread dough out of without taking it apart. It's got attachments that are not stainless or enameled so they can't be washed in the dishwasher. But we use it comparatively little. Wax has gotten really into making cakes and she bakes much more than me these days, but usually with the hand mixer. Since all the Korean and Japanese pastry chefs on YouTube that we follow primarily use hand mixers too, I now feel that this is a legitimate choice. Also if we got one we'd probably have to drive to Turku just to donate the Kenwood.
And I don't really want any more expensive fountain pens right now! I've found my ideal pen in the Pelikan 200/400 series, and I like them so much that I don't want any more pens that aren't piston-fillers, except the Twsbi (for its sturdy hard nib that I'm not afraid of damaging) and a handful of Kaweco Sports, which not only have hard nibs but which I prefer to load with cartridges because they're so small. They're handy to have in the pocket, but I don't want a whole collection of them; if you have a pen inked up and don't use it for a few weeks it'll dry up, which is bad for them.
I would like an endless collection of sweaters, but there's a limit to how fast we can knit, so buying more wool in advance would be silly.
(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 06:46 pm (UTC)And I'm very much with you re gifts. Personally, I'd much rather give something when I find it than holding on to it for an occasion. But then I'm also very much anti-surprises... (and anti-xmas :)
(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 10:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 28 Dec 2022 12:18 am (UTC)But I don't need it to be on a specific day! (And I'm not sure if my being so far away from my family caused my anti-nostalgia or vice versa, but I love seeing my family whenever we manage to get together!)
(no subject)
Date: 28 Dec 2022 01:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 07:40 pm (UTC)Lolllllll the very first time I’ve ever heard a knitter say this!
(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 10:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 09:05 pm (UTC)My favorite present was the look on my sons' faces when they opened their 2 main presents. I really nailed it this year and their joy is my favorite thing. We have gradually pared down to one main inexpensive present for everyone and then stuff like socks and chocolate around the edges. But I did splurge on the kids this year.
I found my mom a gravy boat in her china pattern too, which was super cool and she loved it.
Happy New Year.
(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 10:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 09:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 27 Dec 2022 10:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 28 Dec 2022 09:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 29 Dec 2022 11:10 am (UTC)I might buy a serger just for the purpose of making my own, in your shoes - I was considering that before we found these styles from this brand actually. But I already have a sewing machine and am comfortable with basic sewing, so that wouldn't be too big a step. Even with those considerations though, it would still take forever to get around to because it's so time-consuming compared to getting your own! And you can't just buy a salwar because they'd be woven and not knitted! Actually like a men's old-fashioned nightshirt with the tails might be the closest you can find to this sort of cut. They'd probably be long-sleeved and with buttons and all that though. Still not as good.
Ratia is a brand that is sold in every city in Finland more or less, carried in all the hypermarkets and department stores and places like that - a sort of patriotic staple. That's the vast majority of its sales and their webstore is comparatively small, probably doesn't get a lot of their attention. You live in the UK, right? So you COULD have ordered from their shop before Brexit!
If you are really determined we could probably forward a package to you.