What to give the neighbors for Christmas......

The_Traveler · Nov 12, 2014

If you can snoop their bookshelves, find out his area of expertise and get a coffee table book of reproductions or a on-topic souvenir from the Metropolitan Museum in NYC or the Art Institute in Chicago.
Both of them have extensive art related gift shoips.

Rick50 · Nov 12, 2014

Decisions! #&? Best to see if you can find out what they want. Not always easy.

Nevermore1 · Nov 12, 2014

I would go with dinner. If you can't personally take them then get them a gift certificate that would more than cover dinner (including drinks/a bottle of wine) to a nice restaurant in your area that they wouldn't normally go to (something along the line of Ruths Chris or similar).

Designer · Nov 12, 2014

If anybody wants to gift me a dinner certificate for two to Ruth's Chris, I'll PM my address.

oldhippy · Nov 12, 2014

Your neighbors are fortunate to have such a thoughtful friend.

BillM · Nov 12, 2014

I like the idea of cookies and a framed picture and why not make that a framed picture of the kids ? They seem fond of them.

And if that fails then go with Runnah's idea, everyone likes golf

JustJazzie · Nov 12, 2014

Thanks for all the input, friends.

We can't take them to dinner, as we don't eat out. (My son has life threatening allergies and Were sick of ER trips from cross contamination!) I've also brought them dinner a few times throughout the year so I think I don't want to repeat that.

I can't look at their book shelf since they have cats and I leave their house sick for two days every time I enter, but I did love that idea Lew. :-(

old hippy, we are lucky to have them! They are the perfect neighbors, mostly quiet but friendly when it counts. Three acres between us doesn't hurt things either ;-)

So I think it shall be a bottle of wine, and a calendar. That way, if they don't like the picture they can toss it at the end of the month.

now to find a dozen worthy shots!

pjaye · Nov 12, 2014

JustJazzie said:
Thanks for all the input, friends.

We can't take them to dinner, as we don't eat out. (My son has life threatening allergies and Were sick of ER trips from cross contamination!) I've also brought them dinner a few times throughout the year so I think I don't want to repeat that.

I can't look at their book shelf since they have cats and I leave their house sick for two days every time I enter, but I did love that idea Lew. :-(

old hippy, we are lucky to have them! They are the perfect neighbors, mostly quiet but friendly when it counts. Three acres between us doesn't hurt things either ;-)

So I think it shall be a bottle of wine, and a calendar. That way, if they don't like the picture they can toss it at the end of the month. now to find a dozen worthy shots!

That sounds like a really great gift.

Sorry to hear about your son's allergies. I can't even imagine. I have a very good friend whose son has a very severe peanut allergy. She can never come to my desk because I eat peanut butter during the day. She goes through so much with her son. It has to be scary to deal with allergies that severe.

SquarePeg · Nov 12, 2014

Can you take a really flattering picture of their home or their garden and frame it up for them maybe some type of "home sweet home" sentiment on there?

minicoop1985 · Nov 12, 2014

You're REALLY lucky to have neighbors worth giving a gift to. My last neighbors included a wannabe gangbanger and an abusive dad (seeing a pattern here?). Cops were there on a weekly basis, and thankfully they FINALLY got the boot last week.

Anyway, after my bloody Mary induced ramblings, I vote wine. There's very few people out there that wouldn't like a nice bottle o bubbly (i know, you said wine and not champagne) or the red stuff.

vintagesnaps · Nov 12, 2014

Maybe a gift certificate to a local wine shop/vineyard? or to a wine tasting event? If that seems like something they'd enjoy, then they can pick out what kind of wine they like.

Or just get some moonshine at the beverage drive thru, seems to be the latest thing! lol

JustJazzie · Nov 13, 2014

minicoop1985 said:
You're REALLY lucky to have neighbors worth giving a gift to. My last neighbors included a wannabe gangbanger and an abusive dad (seeing a pattern here?). Cops were there on a weekly basis, and thankfully they FINALLY got the boot last week.

Anyway, after my bloody Mary induced ramblings, I vote wine. There's very few people out there that wouldn't like a nice bottle o bubbly (i know, you said wine and not champagne) or the red stuff.

Yes! Definitely lucked out on this one. Had to luck out somewhere though, the house itself is a small disaster! lol.

vintagesnaps said:
Maybe a gift certificate to a local wine shop/vineyard? or to a wine tasting event? If that seems like something they'd enjoy, then they can pick out what kind of wine they like.

Or just get some moonshine at the beverage drive thru, seems to be the latest thing! lol

Nice idea. We do have some local wineries.

symplybarb said:
That sounds like a really great gift.

Sorry to hear about your son's allergies. I can't even imagine. I have a very good friend whose son has a very severe peanut allergy. She can never come to my desk because I eat peanut butter during the day. She goes through so much with her son. It has to be scary to deal with allergies that severe.

I swear I will die of stress before he turns 18! Last time he reacted his blood pressure and heart rate dropped and he couldn't even sit on the couch he was so dizzy he fell off! Of corse, I was home alone with my foot in a cast and not allowed to drive him to the ER myself. *Sigh*

So sorry to hear about your friend! Luckily my son doesn't react that way yet, but the reactions do get worse with every exposure so I will keep my fingers crossed.
We have a friend out here who's little one is anaphylactic to (Brace yourself) Eggs, Wheat, Soy, peanuts, treeNuts, Shellfish, Dairy, and dogs!

SquarePeg said:
Can you take a really flattering picture of their home or their garden and frame it up for them maybe some type of "home sweet home" sentiment on there?

You mean like this? ;-) I was thinking of throwing it in for June.

Designer · Nov 13, 2014

That's a pretty nice photograph! I'm sure they will like it. If you know their decorating style, you can frame it up, or just give them a print with a gift certificate for framing.

W.Y.Photo · Nov 13, 2014

Designers recommendation is the best. Sure wine is nice, but a beautiful photograph of their home is so much better!! Not to mention it means more to an artist to be given artwork than a bottle of wind means.