Lazyweb, I seek your assistance!

[sofiaviolet]

So I mentioned a little while back that I am visiting Cory's parents after Christmas.

I am totally sending them a card, whenever he gets around to giving me an address. I am also going to send a card to his brother Chris and Chris's girlfriend Kajsa (who was one of Ellie's friends in high school, actually).

But I also want to get them gifts! Because I do that! !!!! And this is where I turn to you, oh lazyweb...

Kajsa crochets; I can get her some yarn, y? Or am I projecting my own desire to be gifted with craft supplies? Other people who crochet: what is a reasonable quantity of yarn?

As for the other three, I am completely lost and I doubt Cory will be any kind of help. What kinds of things are reasonable, non-weird (well, non-excessively-weird) gifts for the parents and siblings of one's partner?

I get that this is probably a weird and excessive thing to be doing, but. *hands* I had a Thing about the holiday season as a kid - I tried to get stuff for all my cousins, even the ones I wouldn't be seeing (not make my mom get stuff and put my name in the From: field. Pick it out myself, even if she did give me the money to pay for it). It faded for a while, and then a few years ago, the holiday wishlist meme and the people offering to send out cards brought it out again.

Comments

[pinesandmaples]

I tend to go with a regional gift as a default. You're from New Orleans...what New Orleans thing would you give people? For example, if either of his parents use the kitchen for anything more than microwave popcorn, Besh's new cookbook is stunning. It's part coffee table book and part cookbook. If all else fails, send pralines.

If that's too far afield, what Boston thing would you give people? Is there a consumable that's well-known in the Boston area? Give that.

Added: I get grumpy when people try to give me yarn. Unless you are familiar with my tastes, skip it. It's annoying to find a use for something I would never buy myself so I can't even settle on "well-meaning" for people who go the yarn route. This probably means I'm more of a grump than most people. Still, I would caution you away from yarn unless you know her tastes. A gift certificate would be nicer and more fun.

[sofiaviolet]

That is awesome advice, thank you. I am pretty sure I cannot figure out her tastes from the few posts to her blog, even if they do all contain pictures of her projects, so I will try to figure out the most awesome LYS in Baltimore.

New Orleans stuff is totally doable; if I can't find it online, my parents can find it locally.

[ambersweet]

Here via network surfing!

I knit and crochet, and I'd say that, unless you know her and what and how she crochets very well, not to buy her yarn. Yarn purchase is a very personal choice. What I would suggest is getting her a gift certificate to her local yarn store, online yarn store of choice, or finding out if she has a wish list somewhere and getting something off of that. Or, if you can't manage that, give her a handmade gift certificate for Yarn of Her Choice, and go on a shopping expedition with her! As for a reasonable amount, it depends on what she's making - two skeins is good for smaller projects, like gloves or socks; 2-3 is good for scarves; the larger the project, the more yarn, obviously.

Okay I will stop yarn rambling at you. ^^

[sofiaviolet]

*waves*

Yeah, I've only met her once. She does blog about the stuff she makes, complete with pictures, but she hasn't been doing so for very long. Will seek out yarn stores in Baltimore.

[cinco]

I was going to suggest a gift certificate to a local yarn store too--I'm much closer to DC than Baltimore so I haven't yet done an exhaustive yarn store crawl there, but this one is my favorite of the few I have visited.

And I agree with ambersweet above--2 skeins is a good plan for crocheters (I knit and crochet; knitting requires about a third less yarn).

[sofiaviolet]

Awesome, thanks!