ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 182 Comments

Coffee Break: Tassel Clip Keychain

·
Tassel Clip KeychainThis time of year can be really awful for a lot of reasons, but particularly if you're looking for a small gift, either as a stocking stuffer, a Secret Santa type thing, or as a physical supplement to a larger cash gift. I would be happy to get this fun keychain from Banana Republic — it comes in six colors (easy to find in your bag), looks soft (again, easy to find in a bag), and will fit everyone. It was $19.50, but with code BRSHOP it comes down 40% (today only). Tassel Clip Keychain Readers, what's your go-to gift for under $20? (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.13

  • Nordstrom – Beauty deals on skincare including Charlotte Tilbury, Living Proof, Dyson, Shark Pro, and gift sets!
  • Ann Taylor – 50% off everything, including new arrivals (order via standard shipping for 12/23 expected delivery)
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 400+ styles starting at $19
  • J.Crew – Up to 60% off almost everything + free shipping (12/13 only)
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off everything and free shipping, no minimum
  • Macy's – $30 off every $150 beauty purchase on top brands
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off, plus free shipping on everything (and 20% off your first order)
  • Talbots – 50% off entire purchase, and free shipping on $99+

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

182 Comments

  1. I need suggestions for an inspirational/coming of age gift for my 14 year old nephew.

    Back story: the family is doing an informal ceremony for him, and my husband is supposed to give him some life advice and some sort of token/symbol of that advice. He’s planning to talk about the importance of making mistakes, and then using them to learn and move forward. So far the only ideas we have for a token are: a compass (get lost & then find your way) or a “3rd place” trophy. Not in love with either of those ideas.

    Any suggestions from the Hive?

    1. Not sure if this would be too literal, but maybe an art print of a quote about making mistakes? I’m sure there are things like this on Etsy.

      2. Or what about a quote like this on a credit card-sized engraved on piece of metal for him to carry in his wallet (also probably an Etsy item)? I carry a card with a quote on it that I received in a training in 2003 and a piece of metal that I found in a place that is special to me probably 15+ years ago.

        1. And if you were planning to get him a separate gift, you could pick out a nice wallet to go with the card.

      3. He’s 14 so it’s not too early to slip him a box of condoms and tell him to be careful. I’m serious because my life was turned upside down by a 14 year old who wasn’t.

    4. These are wonderful suggestions, thank you! I especially like the “One who makes no mistakes…” quote, and the idea to engrave it on a credit card type item is a great one.

    5. My dad always gives toolboxes to people graduating. A really nice heavy duty tool box with a few good tools (typical Craftsman that have a lifetime guarantee). He puts his number in there, so help is only a phone call away in case something breaks down. He writes in his card something about how we all need some good tools to get through life. Typically the teens don’t act too excited about the gift when they get it. But just wait til they get to their first apartment and then he gets that phone call asking how in the world do you fix a clogged drain. And years later he has received thank yous for the gift that just kept helping them out.

    6. Maybe give him something that was invented out of a mistake–the slinky comes to mind, but there’s probably better ideas.

  2. Early and insanely wordy threadjack. Apologies in advance — but looking for input from parents, people who’ve observed others with small kids, or those of you who benefited from your own educations as youngsters.

    Backstory: hubs and I live in a smallish town, about 30 minutes from the nearest metro area and ~1 hour to a major US city. He has a great job with a large company here, and I also have a good position with a local organization. However, if our jobs and his entire extended family weren’t in our area, there’s no way in h3ll we’d be living where we do. Our town does have its benefits, but is overall very economically depressed, home to not-great public schools, pockets of high crime, etc.

    Our son is almost 4 and so we’ll be looking to put him in a 4-YO kindergarden program next fall. Our daughter is 1, so of course we want to put them into the same school if possible. Jury is out on whether we’ll have another child, but if I had to guess I’d say we’ll probably go for #3 sometime in the next two years. Both of us went to private schools our entire lives, but I’d be open to sending my child to a public school — in fact, it’s our preference. The problem is that our schools are TERRIBLE. My FIL worked in the local schools for his entire career and it’s just poorly run, underresourced, etc. I would move for good public schools but then we’d be commuting a long way (45mins+) to work and family, both of which are 15 minutes (or less) away now.

    So — we recently toured a local independent school. I went to an independent school (in another town) and loved the environment, though the social aspect (small school + haves/have nots) was challenging. Walking away from our visit today, however, it was clear to both me and my husband that This Is It! It’s a wonderful place. We’re going to tour other schools but the facility, curriculum, etc. are far and away the best in town. For the record, my husband is professionally familiar with the other schools we’ll be seeing — we’re going to go visit them all in order to gauge things from a parent perspective, but we know what we’re dealing with in some capacity thanks to his work.

    So here’s the deal: price tag at Wonderful School is $13,000 annually for early grades and goes up to $15,000 in high school. We’ll get roughly a $5,000 break, but this is at least $8K/year for 4K onward. We’d be eligible for financial aid beginning a year from now (so, starting in 5-year-old kindergarten). For me, I have a lifelong love of learning that began at my independent school, so I think it’s worth it. At the same time, over $30K annually (assuming we send 3 kids there, and at present about 16% of our pretax income) seems crippling.

    Tell me, wise ladies, what would you do? What questions would you ask? It feels worth it to me, but will I regret this price tag down the road? For reference, the next-best school is ~$6,000 annually. We’re in “save” mode and are trying to strip down our regular/recurring expenses, so the idea of locking into a tuition bill like this seems nuts. At the same time, I do believe that investing in education is probably one of the best gifts we can give to our kids.

    1. My only hesitation on private school is can you still adequately save for college? Because graduation college with no student loans is a serious gift to your kids and one I am grateful for every month when I make my payments on my law school debt.

      But that being said, I totally get where you’re coming from. I am in a very similar situation (except that my job is already 1 hour away in the nearest metro area) and we plan to move near my job (significantly better school district) when it’s time for our kids to start school and then my husband will commute. Not ideal but I could not stomach sending our kids to the schools near us. I already hate that my stepdaughter goes there (can’t change that due to custody arrangement). She has some really great individual teachers but we have to be 100% focused on her education and have to be advocates for pushing her ahead (this is not a gifted child we are talking about. She’s exactly on grade level in everything, but unless she is in honors classes, she’s just not being challenged, it’s baffling. Her math teacher flat out told us that we need to be focused on making sure she takes the correct classes in high school to be prepared for college because the guidance counselors are just focused on getting them to graduate because only 25% of them go on to 4 year schools).

      Best of luck!

      1. +1. I went to public school (not a “great” one– an average one) and took all honors and AP courses and got a pretty good education. Certainly enough to get into college. Then my parents were able to shoulder my college tuition, which, because I went to law school (and had to pay for it myself) makes my bills actually payable.

    2. Send your children to the school you like best and is the best choice for your family. If you later find out it’s the wrong fit, you can always look to change schools then. If you make the choice that the tuition payment is right up there with paying the mortgage etc, then I think it’s easier to think of it as an investment and not a splurge. One thing to consider is whether that price tag includes all the ancillaries (uniforms, books, class trips, etc) so you may need to adjust spending in other areas.

    3. No answers, just musings from someone who sent kids to private schools for religious reasons (which I’m not sure was a good idea, in retrospect). You may have to give up vacations, retirement savings, and college savings. School tuition tends to rise faster than inflation. It may be worth it educationally, but if good public schools are 45 minutes away, think about whether you are spending a lot of money to avoid commuting (though I do realize that commuting takes a toll on the family). You can do a lot with $30K+ in after-tax dollars every year.

      1. I meant to add that since your town is in an iffy area, you may find other benefits from moving to a place with good schools.

    4. I don’t have kids… but I was your kids once upon a time. My parents put me in a pricey school that seemed like it offered the works. The cost was about $10k a yr (this was about 20 yrs ago) and I absolutely hated it. Even though my school had tons of opportunities, it always seemed like those opportunities weren’t actually open to everyone. For high school I convinced my parents to let me go to a local public school that had a special program and it was the best thing ever (they are called differently in different places). I really loved experience there, was able to participate in everything they offered & even though many of the kids in the program were well off, they were much better adjusted than the kids at my private school. Have you thought of maybe sending them to public school & then saving a portion of the tuition money for awesome summer educational activities?

    5. In a very similar situation. We’re doing the private school for now (prek) and plan to move before child #2 is school aged. As others have said, that money can be better spent on college, retirement, mortgage in a larger home in nicer area, etc. We can swing child #1, but at the sacrifice of important saving. Two (or potentially 3) would be impossible and very much not how we’d want to spend our money anyway.

      I’ll be giving up my ~10 min commute for ~30 min commute in an average public school district. A great school district would be ~45 min commute, which many of my coworkers do but I wasn’t willing. The environment of those great school district communties isn’t what we’re looking for, either, though.

      I will say that it will be hard to leave the school when it’s time. It’s been great. The atmosphere is definitely different than at (most) public schools. But in the end, I think that it’s not worth the $300K we’d be spending to send them both to PreK-12.

    6. My schooling: Public elementary school, then private middle school and high school. The public schools were underperforming in my area. When I was in public school, I participated in challenging educational programs on Saturdays and during the summer so I wouldn’t fall behind. School was not challenging at all in elementary. I remember not even listening, reading books that I held hidden under my desk, and then getting As on the quizzes and tests because I was so far ahead. Transitioning to private was difficult for a year, because I had to actually start trying.

      Benefits of my childhood education:
      1. No elementary school tuition.
      2. I was exposed to far more socioeconomic and ethnic diversity, which I think still helps me to this day. (Many of my classmates never knew anyone poor or working class besides the domestic workers in their household, for example). So many of them were clueless for so. many. years.
      3. Transitioning between environments allowed me to see that not much is “normal,” which is really a part of number two.
      4. There were more kids to play with at recess in public school.

      Some other thoughts:
      1. Can you live between your town and the area with good schools? Look at the school district map and see how close you could get to your family while still in the better school district. A 25-30 minute commute is a lot less mentally taxing than a 45 minute commute for me.
      2. Can you stick with two kiddos instead of three?
      3. Do you have the time and resources to supplement a public elementary school education? I mean making reading and educational activities a part of your kids’ day-to-day lives, seeing lots of educational movies and tv shows, making your kids do extra workbooks or questions when they’re older, et cetera? If so, you can hold off on the private school until they’re older.

      1. This was pretty much my experience with the public elementary and then private junior/senior high and I think the transition to a private school when I was 12 was really good for me. I was able to excel in other areas (suddenly it was cool to get good grades) and really came out of my shell.

        However, you may want to think about whether that excess tuition from ages 4-12 is worth it – I personally think it may be more valuable to send your child to a private school from the age of 12 on.

        1. I was fortunate and attended public elementary schools in various places and met with good teachers (experienced, caring). For those years, a lot of school learning is really about getting along with other people, being curious, etc.

          I ended up in private school for middle school (which was the best thing ever for finding other peers who were smart and interested in learning), but attended public high school.

          With a solid foundation, I do not believe private hs is necessary, but can provide opportunities that are more easily accessed vs. public schools where the teachers and counselors focus on getting kids to pass and graduate, and can’t/don’t help average students meet their full potential.

          1. This. Although I have to caveat by saying I attended private school throughout (until my PhD which I started at a public university). We had many students who entered my private school at h/s, and I had a couple of friends who left my private school to go to public h/s. Overall, I think the latter is the better way to go as long as the public h/s has resources (e.g. advanced courses, extra-curriculars etc). I firmly believe that the value of my private education was not all the AP classes I was able to take in h/s, but the very early foundation (i.e. elementary school) I built in basic skills, knowledge, and learning techniques. I considered public h/s, but in the end I just didn’t switch. That said, by then I felt very prepared to be able to identify and take advantage of any opportunities that any school could offer. Conversely, I think students who came to my school very late were less versed in how to shape their own education, and struggled a bit initially in figuring out how to take advantage of all the new resources they had available.

            Another thing to consider is whether there is a big difference in COL and property taxes in the better school district. We recently bought a house in an area with fairly low-rated public schools, about 20 min from one of the best school districts in the state (maybe even country). Our main reason was just that there are other things about our house that we could not get in the better school district (e.g. amazing view). But we also calculated that between the higher property values–which would have required a larger mortgage and extra mortgage interest, and the higher property taxes, our non-investment costs would be at least as much as private school tuition for one child. So you may not be saving much in the long run if you move to the better school district assuming it’s funded by higher property values and taxes.

      2. This was my experience in public school all the way through, I breezed through elementary and most of middle school before being challenged in high school (public). My sister and I both ended up at Ivy’s so we are very pro-public schools. However our district had great AP program and those were the classes where we finally had to put in effort.

      3. Whoa, are you me? I also did benefit from having played with kids who came to 2nd grade not knowing English, kids who slept 4 to a bedroom, and kids who brought foods I’d never heard of to share with the class (I still dream about that lumpia), but I did read the entire Babysitters and Boxcar Children collections in the first half of 4th grade, holding the books under my desk and answering the teacher’s questions without looking up from my reading, and when I moved to a great private school halfway through the year, I wept over my long division and struggled to keep up with the writing assignments. I caught up by 5th grade, but that first semester was rough.

        From 4th-7th I was in that private school with a short stint in public in 6th grade, 8th-9th in a DoD school, and 10th-12th back at the private school. I ended up at a great university, and the heavy work load in high school made college more of a personal challenge than an academic one. For the painfully introverted child I was, this was probably the best decision, as my short time reentering the public school system was brutal. That said, the schools in my area were known for fights and drugs.

    7. If my only choice was not great public schools (e.g. the 25% college attendance rate mentioned above) vs. private school at $30K per year, I’d spend the money. That said, we have similar independent schools in our town, and I’m not a fan. Ours are super small (e.g. graduating classes of 30-35 max), and therefore so, so insular. Can you imagine spending 12 years of school with just 30 kids, maybe 40 or 50 if you factor in that some kids may come in and leave? My son has a graduating class of approximately 275, and I love the fact that each year, he gets to meet and interact with different students. I think it is better preparation for college and “real life”. In addition, I read with interest when the private schools publish their college acceptance information. It’s often the same schools that kids from our public school will be attending. Hopefully, in my case, my son will go to a good college (similar to the ones the kids from private school will be attending), plus I’ll have at least 1-2 years of full tuition, room and board saved. Ultimately, in our town, the thing that doesn’t resonate with me is the lack of diversity in the private schools. I just think that environment (attending very small classes with the same kids, year after year) is not really healthy. I would favor a longish commute in a district that does have better public schools.

    8. Two points: (1) It depends on your children. Until 8th grade, I went to a parochial school that was very strict on behavior, had a very structured curriculum, and gave tons of busywork for homework. I’ve always had a rebellious streak though, and looking back, a school with discipline and structure was a good fit. On the other hand, my husband went to a private school that was a great fit for him because they had teachers and counselors and programs to help him with some learning disabilities starting at a very early age. (2) This decision is not forever. Your kids can change schools if necessary (not every year, but it’s normal for kids to change schools when major circumstances change). You may get raises or better jobs or jobs across the country, or you may just decide to put up with the commute. Your kids can also start in a less expensive private school, and if you have the resources later, graduate to better private schools or (if your area has these) magnet schools for middle or high school.

      So, I guess if I were you, I’d make the decision based on the best fit for the children you have now, especially the one about to start school, for the foreseeable future (end of elementary school?). And then re-evaluate as you go. Of course I don’t mean sacrifice other important long-term goals – your own retirement or paying down debt or saving for college. But just because you place child # 1 somewhere for 4K does not mean that all potential children have to, or are even likely to, go there for all 14 years.

    9. What sort of transportation is available if you send your kids to this private school? One of my coworkers bemoans the situation with his kids’ private school. There’s no bus. So there are three options, none of which work super-well for him: (1) somebody becomes a stay-at-home spouse merely to be a chauffeur to the kids (2)pay up with other parents to pay for a shared, private bus– this idea fell apart quickly (3) pay up for a nanny with a good driving record to pick up and drop off his kids. They went with #3 and aren’t happy, but (1 & 2) were untenable.

      Just one thing – there is no guarantee that a school with “the works” will instill any sort of academic or any type of curiosity. I went to university that tends to draw a large % of its student body from some really high-end, good quality private schools. And from these private school kids, it was a very mixed bag as to who was intellecutally curious, vs. just really good at gaming the system to do the least possible amount of work and still get a really good grade.

    10. Just to add a different perspective, I went to a HORRIBLE public school. Ranked one of the worst in the state, even compared to inner city schools. Small rural town where the nearest private option was 45 min away (and so were all the jobs). My mom was single and working full time. And while it wasn’t the best education, I survived. I didn’t take the SAP (our school only mentioned the ACTs, and I drove to the next town over to take them) and had no idea what AP classes were. But I got into our state school with valedictorian-based scholarships, and although the first semester was tough, I graduated with highest honors and spoke at my graduation.

      I’m the first to admit the problems with severely under-resourced public schools, but your kids can still thrive in a non-ideal environment. If you can’t commit to expensive private school or a long commute that limits their after school activities, don’t beat yourself up. Make sure they understand the bigger world, encourage tenacity and curiosity, and they’ll be fine.

    11. I’m a fan of public schools– they’re free and the kids get to hang out with other kids from the neighborhood. Private schools often draw from a larger area, so playdate kids are 20 minutes driving distance away instead of four blocks. But I say that as someone who lives in an enclave of LA where the schools are top notch– third in the state or something. That’s because it’s an affluent area where a starter/fixer/1000 sq foot home goes for over $1M, if you can get it before a developer buys it and builds a $3M McMansion. So the kids are well-cared for and the parents donate over $4M annually to supplement the state budget. Whereas just three miles away, there are schools with kids from impoverished families who are struggling with gang violence and learning English as a second language. Actually most of the schools in LA are more like that. So I’m all for public schools, as long as they are decent and safe, and the kids who go there are prepared to learn.

    12. My parents made the decision to send their 3 kids to private schools all the way from K-12, plus paid for about 1/2-2/3 of our college tuition (we took out loans for the rest). To make ends meet, Dad worked 2-3 jobs, we never went on vacation, rarely went shopping and Christmas and birthdays were the only times during the year we got toys/clothes/gifts, unlike most of our friends whose parents could afford to buy them things through the year. It was completely worth it. All of my siblings would agree that we would never trade our education for trips to Disneyland and the beach, or the Barbies and toys that our friends got. We learned the value of hard work and saving from our parents by watching the sacrifices they made. It certainly isn’t the route for everyone, and children definitely can be successful coming from any number of family backgrounds. But this was the choice my parents made and it worked out successfully for us. I think it really depends on what you consider most valuable – the most important thing for a child is to have a loving, stable home. Whatever decision makes that the most possible will be the right decision for you.

  3. Can anyone recommend a place to buy cute baby clothing as a gift? I’m trying to pick out some outfits for my niece since I can’t figure out what else to get a baby and it seems like it runs the gamut from very cheap (and possibly not nice?) to spending $$$ on designer baby clothing.

    1. Honestly, I really like the quality and selection of Baby Gap. Its usually on sale and its pretty cute. Its better quality that the really cheap stuff, but not at a price that makes your head spin when you realize the baby is going to wear it for a very limited amount of time.

      1. Agree with Baby Gap. I also like Gymboree and Nick and Nora for the cuter/nicer than average baby clothes. The kind of stuff you won’t buy your own kids, but love to receive as gifts.

    2. I find Baby Gap high quality but not always practical. I buy pretty much all of my kid’s clothes at Carter’s.

    3. Where are you located? A lot of this stuff is very regional – for instance, in NYC Century 21 and Loehmann’s have a TON of nice baby stuff on huge discount (Petit Bateau, Jacadi, Ralph Lauren, etc.). In more general terms, I think RL makes fairly nice baby stuff and you can find it on sale at places like TJ Maxx and Lord and Taylor, Boden has really cute stuff, as does the Gap (sometimes). Also, check Gilt & similar sites – they often have tons of stuff on sale for little ones.

    4. Honestly, if the baby is brand new and you are picking out baby sizes, I would rethink. When my friend’s baby was 6 months old, I gave her a couple of sturdier, long-lasting pieces (ex: a hooded sweater jacket) that were closer to the 24 month size. He ended up wearing the things i gave them for much longer than most any gifts she got, and she has not stopped mentioning that to me and thanking me. It was great because i felt like my money went farther, and those pieces ended up being favorites, so both she and the little guy think and talk about me everytime he wears them. Baby-size clothes get worn only a few times before they grow out of them and they get passed on or put away,. And, in her experience, she was given TONS of baby stuff, but as soon as he got bigger they had to buy a lot of new clothes. Getting some clothes to put away till he was older was really helpful.

      Just my 2cents :o)

      1. This was not the question. But feel free to share how awesome and amazing you are.

          1. Just want to agree that you are awesome, because you’re completely right. It’s so helpful when you realize the “baby” stuff suddenly doesn’t fit anymore, and some wise person actually bought things for 24 months!

        2. Jeeze, what’s with all the crankiness?

          Zora, I think you’re awesome and amazing, too. Just for the record.

      2. This is actually very helpful advice…. she was sharing how happy her friend was with a gift so that others can (hopefully) make the same wise choice. Go Zora!

    5. I buy lots of Baby Gap for my son, but their quality is inconsistent. Some items are great, some arrive with holes. Buy online and never pay full price, they ALWAYS have a coupon code.

      For great quality, but a little bit pricey, you can’t go wrong with Hanna Andersson. The clothes and pajamas are fantastic quality.

    6. My son wears a ton of baby Gap stuff, but we always always buy on sale (either online or from the sale rack). Boden is also one of the brands that I LOVE but never pay full price for. Their clothes wear like iron, and I’m now passing down their pieces to other family members.

    7. My mom always seems to find incredible deals at Bloomingdale’s (like prices I’d expect to see at Baby Gap or Macy’s or lower). And I second the opinion of buying clothes bigger than what the baby is now. Babies are only tiny for such a short period (and in my cousin’s baby’s case, he never was a “newborn” size at 10 lbs.)

    10. My friends swear by Old Navy and Carters for their babies, as well as Target’s line of baby’s clothes – all well priced, cute, wash well, and are fairly durable. That said, if you want to buy a special outfit, Janie and Jack has adorable clothing. But it is definitely a splurge given how fast babies grow.

    11. Since this is a gift, you might want to pick out things that the parents might not buy themselves. I find that the Saks and Neiman Marcus outlets often have a decent selection of designer infant/toddler clothes at good prices (though I otherwise agree that Baby Gap stuff is nice). You can also find a lot of nicer clothes for good prices on Amazon and flash sample sale sites (e.g. Gilt, Hautelook, etc).

      I second the recommendation to aim for older kids clothes. I’m finding now that everyone loves to give you the early stuff 0-6m. But everything I’ve heard from other moms is that it’s around the 1yr old stage that they stay in clothes longer and you tend to run out of stuff to put them in (the early stuff some tiems only gets worn once or twice).

      Also, I know you asked about clothes, but there are other things that you could consider as well (since you mentioned clothes were just all you could think of). Books are a great gift, especially b/c they don’t tend to get handed down as often as clothes do. I was so excited by one of our shower gifts that was essentially a library of DH’s and my favorite children’s books. Some early infant/toddler toys fall into the same category, like the Sassy and Lamaze toys that hang from an activity gym or Melissa and Doug wooden toys. We’ve gotten a lot of clothing, and basically no toys…though I know she’ll want some in a few months. Since it’s your niece, I totally understand not wanting to get more practical things like diapers, bottles, etc…though I can tell you the baby’s parents will appreciate those things.

      1. Flying Squirrel – I should have read your response properly first! Oh well, we are going through the same stuff right now so no wonder we are saying the same things. :-)

    12. I know you specifically asked about buying clothing, but if the baby’s parents haven’t specifically requested clothing, and don’t have any children already, can I humbly suggest that you consider buying them some “practical” items instead, or alongside? Not that clothing isn’t practical, but as I’m currently going through this myself, I find it maddening that when people give us gifts for the baby, they give us clothing rather than the practical items that we need and have put on our baby registry. I do really appreciate the lovely clothing people are giving us, but in the meantime I still need the things on the registry (baby health/bath items, diaper pail, changing mats, etc.), which might not be as “fun” for the giftor, but are immensely appreciated by the giftee. Just something else to consider.

          1. then do say crazy things like its maddening for people to give us baby clothes for our new baby when there are so many other things we want people to buy us. come on now.

          2. then dont say crazy things like its maddening for people to give us baby clothes for our new baby when there are so many other things we want people to buy us. come on now.

          3. Right? It’s ridiculous. People give gifts because they want to. If they choose to purchase from the registry, that is fine, but we can buy our own diaper genies. And yes, I do have kids so I am speaking from experience.

    13. Second the endorsements of Carter’s, Old Navy, Baby Gap (on sale). If you’d like to contribute special/nice clothes, depending on the age of the baby and time of year, a high-end snowsuit can be an awesome gift. I was lucky enough to inherit some Patagonia/Columbia and similar snow suits and they were *the best. * Those things are so expensive relative to how much the baby really uses them but when you need them, you really need them. Had I not gotten mine fortuitously I’d have balked at paying through the nose for them but they were so great to have.

      Similar is a expensive bunting (7am or JJ Cole appear to be the main brands). You can avoid the need for a snowsuit with a good bunting and it’s less cumbersome than packing the little one into a suit.

  4. Threadjack: Can anyone recommend footwear for a trip to Asia that involves hot weather and some amount of walking on not-smooth streets? I’d prefer to avoid heels except the very minimal, and will probably be wearing jeans, tunic/leggings, and casual dresses during the trip.
    I think strappy sandals or some sort of open-toe will be good for the warm weather, and I’d like it to be really comfortable with good grip, while moderately protecting my feet from the elements in the form of stuff on the ground I’m likely to (speaking from experience here) step in.

    My usual commute shoes won’t work as they are all closed toed, but for comfort I love the Puma Zandi (that I bought per a recommendation here – thank you!) that I wear many times a week!
    Finally, is it too much to ask that the shoes do double duty for one or two nice dinners out as well?

    1. I wore the Brulee from Indigo by Clarks when I was in India a few years ago. They no longer make that style, but I think you can still find pictures of it. You may find other styles from that brand that work for your needs. The Brulees are very comfortable and one of my go-to summer shoes, however they are casual.

    2. I really like Gentle Soles for travel shoes. They have many different styles, some frumpy and some cute, but all super comfy. They’re pricey but you often find them on sale and you can get them with coupon codes on Piperlime, if nothing else. I can’t recommend them enough.

    4. I wear birkenstock sandals (the ones with the piece that comes up like a T between the big toe and the other toe) whenever I travel to India, which is quite often.

    5. I just came back from India, Thailand and Myanmar. I STRONGLY recommend closed toe shoes for walking around to avoid your toes being a casualty of someone’s spitting. Something easy to slip on/off for temple visiting etc. I had a the TOMS flats which are a little nicer than the classic pair, worked fine a long skirt for the one nice dinner.

      1. This.

        Also, hot weather + open toe shoes + slips and slides and cuts and scratches + non-Western bathrooms = not good.

        Closed toe all the way.

      2. Agreed. I do not wear sandals to travel in developing countries. I am paranoid about getting a foot infection. Also there were times when I studied in China when the streets would flood due to rain and overtaxed sewers – you had no idea what was floating/swimming in that water…

    6. I wore Keen closed-toe sport sandals (Newport style) in Southeast Asia and they were perfect. Not so fab for a nice dinner out, though.

      1. I just bought these for a trip to Costa Rica. Not so cute but man are they comfortable. I’ll also bring some dressier “comfort” sandals that are open toe but with a birkenstock type sole.

  5. You Guise, I am SO MAD at myself. I was being dumb driving in the dark and a pouring rain this weekend and hit a parked car in my neighborhood. I frantically figured out a way to leave a note on the car in a plastic bag so that it would survive the rain, and I went and met the lady this weekend, who is my neighbor, and we exchanged info and she was really nice about it. But I REALLY can’t afford this, for my premiums to go up, or for the repairs.

    Luckily (sortof) the damage to my car is much worse than the damage to hers. But my car needs the entire front bumper AND the entire right front fender/light replaced, and it is going to be so expensive. I am way too broke for this, and I have been mad at myself and sick to my stomach all weekend. I can’t stop thinking about how DUMB I was and how screwed I am now.

    And when talking to my mother this weekend, vented about this a bit and how mad I am at myself. And she immediately just went into a thing about how I shouldn’t have been driving in the rain at all, and I should have turned around and gone back inside as soon as I saw how bad the rain was. And then I had a petty, childish fight with her, because I was thinking “I am already so mad at myself, thanks for making me feel even worse!”

    Ugh, not even sure why I’m posting. Just, how do things like this make me feel like I’m 13 again and have no idea how to be an adult? And like I’m somehow completely doing life wrong…. ok, sorry, end rant.

    1. (1) Driving in the dark and rain isn’t dumb. And if it is, then I’m in a city of morons because it has been raining pretty much non-stop all week, and the roads are always packed. So cut yourself some slack!

      (2) Sh*t happens. Fortunately, your mistake wasn’t a terrible one, because no one is physically injured. Thank goodness.

      (3) Parents know how to push our buttons because they installed them so they know where they all are. It’s really annoying!

      (4) Sorry you are frustrated and mad at yourself.

      1. +1 I think a lot of moms know how to say exactly the wrong thing and that many of us wind up reliving the fights we had with them when we were teenagers. (Case in point, when my mom was here recently TO TAKE CARE OF ME WHILE I’M ON BED REST she told me I should get a different hair cut – which is totally feasible on bed rest – that our yard was messy – because my husband doesn’t have enough to do or worry about these days and, oh yeah, I’m on bed rest – and that my Christmas decorations she was going to put up for me weren’t very nice and instead she was going to just put up the ones she brought that we didn’t ask for and didn’t want, *after* pulling out all of mine from the basement and leaving them in the living room for my husband to put away.)

        So if off-hand mom comments are proof that one is not yet fit to be an adult, I doubt there’s a woman in the world who qualifies as a real grown-up. Moms are just like that sometimes.

        1. TBK–so true that moms know exactly what NOT to say. My mom automatically plays devil’s advocate, even when I am calling for commiseration or just a phone hug. Then we fight because I feel like my mom should be a cheerleader, not an adversary. It’s the worst.

          Zora–I have gotten into car accidents at the stupidest and worst possible times. For instance, who backed into her roommate’s car, in the driveway, because he normally left 1 hour before me, but he had run home to grab something and I missed him coming in. ME! When I was in grad school and had NO MONEY. So dumb. So expensive. I beat myself up over it for a long time, I promise….try to tell yourself that everyone is OK and somehow, maybe even with a 2nd gig or something, you’ll get thru this. Good luck, girl!

      2. both of you are the best, thank you for the commiseration. And, Anon, your ‘they installed them’ line is my favorite thing EVER! I really needed a laugh. ;o)

      3. +2 My mom can push my buttons like no other so sympathies Zora! (I swear I’m a grownup except when I talk to my mother and I revert to acting like a petulant teenager again). Glad to see it’s not just me!

        You did nothing wrong and accidents happen so stop beating yourself up and treat y0urself to a glass of wine tonight (or more…) – you deserve it!

      4. Parents know how to push our buttons because they installed them so they know where they all are.

        This would make one awesome t-shirt.

    2. Hug’s to you, Zora. It can hapen to any one of us. Mom backed up in Rosevelt Field and hit her car, and dad realy lit into her for being sloppey. I do NOT drive any more since I moved into the City, but I do Drive when I am on LI, but do NOT like driveing b/c of all of the luneatic’s out there. FOOEY!

      I remember in college there was a girl who was very popular, but it was onley b/c she had a car. Lot’s of guy’s dated her just to get to drive her MUSTEANG Convertible. She wound up flunkeing out of school b/c she had so many guy’s dateing her for her car. So car’s are a BAD thing for some of us, particulearly her. DOUBEL FOOEY!

      Willem called again and he insist’s on comeing over. The manageing partner said I should let him come over and he will talk to him also so that he can bill his company for talkeing to him. I have almost 280 hour’s billed this month with over a week and 1/2 to go so I should get about 450. The manageing partner said that I should be shooteing for 6500 hour’s next year, and as a partner, I should be easily abel to do that with the 150% uplift he will teach me about. YAY!!!!!

    3. Honey, I’m like you. I obsess about things like this. You need to tell yourself that you can’t go back and change it. You can only go forward. So, no regrets. Put yourself on a serious budget money-wise and then forgive yourself and have a glass of wine when you get home.

      It doesn’t help to obsess over it or feel guilty and stressed. Everytime I do something monumentally stupid that I can’t fix I allow myself to obsess for a day or so and then I tell myself “NO REGRETS” (Sorry, for the ELLENCAPS). Obsessing doesn’t help and it paralyzes me. Acknowledge the mistake and move on. I was in the same place as you about a year and a half ago when I was in a car accident. My car was totalled and I had PTSD.

      I know you’re not in Boston, but if you were, I’d take you out for a drink.

      1. thank you, you are so right, i needed to hear that. And I would SO take you up on that drink. ;o) ok, NO REGRETS!!!

    4. I’m sorry. Getting body work done on a car is so crazy expensive. Don’t beat yourself up, but I know that’s easier said than done.

      I just got a newish used car and about a week after I had it, I somehow left the light on and it drained the battery. Luckily I was able to call my dad to get a jump, but I could not stop berating myself over being so dumb for not turning off the lights.

      As for your mom – that sucks too. It would be great if she had been supportive and helpful. My husband actually does the whole “I told you so” thing sometimes and it makes me so angry. It’s not helpful and just makes me feel worse. I understand there is a need to learn from mistakes, but it doesn’t help when another person piles on and points out what you should have done differently.

      Hugs and I hope your week gets better.

      1. Right? I just rammed my brand new car into a pole at the gas station– in a rush to get to a hair appointment. Total bimbo maneuver. $2100 for a new rear passenger door.

    5. When you get the estimates for the repairs, I’d be sure to ask if they charge a different rate depending on whether the insurance company or you are paying for the repairs. Depending on how expensive it is and how much your deductible is, it may make more sense to pay for it yourself so your rates don’t go up (you will still need to report the accident to your insurer, but if you aren’t making a claim against your policy it usually won’t affect your rates). I had an accident several years ago and the repair shop told me that if I was paying out of pocket they would charge me 1/2 the normal repair rate.

    6. Zora, do you live in Los Angeles? I feel like you do, but might be totally off base.. if you do, I have a recommendation for a cheap/good body guy (he is kind of slow though & never picks up the phone, but give & take)… I have gone through my fair share of bumpers!

        1. I have a trusty mechanic in Oakland who hasn’t steered me wrong yet. I’ll email you the name if you’d like!

    7. When I was a poor law student I dented up my old Honda. My dad got a hood from the pick n’ pull junkyard and I drove around with a mismatched hood for the next ~1.5 years. It was a little embarrassing, but I couldn’t justify spending the money to repaint it.

    8. Oh gosh, I did something like that a couple years ago over Christmas and I felt SO DUMB. Especially since it was very avoidable. And expensive. But, I have State Farm and my premiums didn’t go up. I did have to pay a deductible, which was no fun.

    9. I’m so sorry. And hugs! I totally agree with Anon above on points 1-4.
      You know, this type of thing happens to everyone (Everyone!) at some point over the years. Cr*p happens, right? Home gets broken into, or you lose your wallet, or you get a traffic ticket or an incident like yours – and then you lose or have to pay money which seems like wasteful, useless, unnecessary expenditure at the wrong time.
      But maybe it helps to justify the expense to yourself as a writeoff over ‘n’ number of years? Like, I’ve been driving for n years, and this is only the ___ time it’s happened.
      Or, maybe think of the money as in lieu of something else (you didn’t buy yourself an expensive coat this winter? or you didn’t do that extra vacation that you really wanted to?).

      Sorry, no concrete advice, but silly mental ways of justifying these things sometimes makes me feel better when I’m berating myself.

      1. no, that is very helpful, thank you!! i am definitely way too hard on myself. I have only been in 2 accidents ever that I was responsible for, so that is a pretty good record. I just am so bad at letting myself make mistakes or be not 100% perfect at everything. ;oP

    10. Aw, you all are THE BEST!!! I’m getting teary here! thanks for all the support, I really can’t even tell you how much this means. I am disappointed in myself for a lot of things these days, and this is just one more to add to the pile. But thanks for all the kind words and hugs. I will keep coming back and rereading them everytime I get upset with myself, or when I get the bill. :oP

      1. Sorry you’re having a rough time :( I do know how that feels. It will pass – try not to obsess about it in the meantime. Hugs and cookies.

      2. Next time you feel disappointed in yourself remember that you went the extra mile to make sure the owner of the parked car you hit could get your information despite the rain. SO MANY PEOPLE would not have stopped. It’s a sign of your integrity and character that you did. My car was once hit while it was parked on the street. The guy who hit it left a note and paid for everything. I still think about that man and what a good person he was. So are you! Hope you start feeling better soon.

        1. Thanks! yeah, the lady i hit kept saying the same thing, she was so nice about it! And keeps saying she’s sorry for me, too, and not mad at me at all, which really helps. In fact, I had someone hit MY car on the same street a few months ago, leaving a HUGE dent in the side of my car, and didn’t leave a note. So, It does make me feel a little better knowing I’m making good karma for myself, hopefully. I’ll try to remember that. ;o)

      3. Hugs, lady. You bring so much positivity here. Hope you can feel some of it radiating back to you!

    11. Hugs Zora. I did something similar a while back and paid out of pocket for the repairs to the car I hit. I never reported it to my insurance so my rates did not increase and I just sucked up driving a dented car for a bit.

      1. yeah, i wish i could do that. but the damage is definitely more than I can afford, at least my deductible is almost affordable. And the damage on my car is too extensive, the headlight is completely smashed, so i have to repair it asap, and I have one of those hondas made of all plastic that is just super expensive to replace *anything*… this is just going to suck for a while :(

        1. Yikes. I guess you can be glad that you have insurance and that wine is cheap. ;-)

        2. Hugs. When I was in college I accidentally sideswiped a pole while driving my roommate’s car. I had no money, so that was pretty awful.

    12. If it makes you feel better, last year I completely trashed a tire though stupidity. It was daytime and completely dry out. I was driving about 20 mph on a straight road two blocks from home. I got distracted thinking about what I was going to wear the next day and veered into the curb. It wasn’t a ton of money, but the whole set of circumstances was just embarrassing, since it was 100% my fault.

      1. yeah, that’s the thing, it was a Parked. Car. Like DUH!!! I just completely wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, and it is clearly 100% my fault. ;oP well, solidarity for stupid car accidents!!

    13. I can’t believe all the responses here. You drove under weather conditions where you couldn’t see a parked car and ran into it, and now you are asking for sympathy? What if it hadn’t been a car, but a child? Or an animal? You are so completely irresponsible, I really don’t understand how people don’t call you out on it. Seriously, you all. It’s nice to be supportive. But if someone acts this irresponsibly, you are really not helping by pretending that it was ok or acceptable.

      1. Um. People get in similar accidents in perfect weather ALL THE TIME. She wasn’t paying close enough attention. She said that. You are being a butt.

        1. And that makes it better how? She – and everybody who “gets in similar accidents” – needs to pay more attention

      2. If it was a child I’d be asking why a child was in the road unsupervised in the dark/bad weather. If it was an animal I’d suggest some helpful road kill recipes.

        Accidents happen, so do mistakes, and errors and everything else because Human=imperfect

  6. So, I finally logged into myfitnesspal after a year and let me tell you, that was not a good idea for a Monday morning. FOOEY AND RAWR.

    1. Honestly, it’s never a good time. And remember, it could be worse. You could log in the day after New Year’s.

  7. Someone posted in the morning thread about Sorel Joan of Arctic boots. Any other favorite Sorel styles, or are these the best? I live in Chicago and need new winter boots that can take a beating and handle lots of snow.

    1. I saw some different styles of winter boots in a Lands End catalog I got recently, although I haven’t tried them out myself.

    2. Are you going to do a lot of walking in your snow boots? I have the Cate the Greats, but they are on the heavy side, and I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time walking them. To and from the car, to and from the bus/work, are probably fine, but a whole lot more than that is going to give your calves a work out.

      Generally, Sorels are good – good traction, frost plug soles, removal liners so you can dry them if necessary. So any style (except the sweater ones) are probably going to work.

    3. I have the Tofino style and they have been great through two Boston winters. They do well with puddles and snowbanks, and keep my toes warm and dry. I ordered a half size up to fit thick wool socks, but I think they run true to size.

    5. I really like the Joan style. They’re my go-to for walking the dog. The Cate the Greats were far too loose in the ankle for me, so my foot kept going up and down regardless of shoe size–maybe it’s my wide calves? I also have a pair of North Face boots that I own in two colors that are my faves–but , of course, not seeing Zappos carrying anymore. If you can get a lace style with a very wide tongue sewn in, you won’t get wet and you’ll have a more customized fit that will suit better for walking long distance. Think that is what makes the Joans so great.

    6. Here in Denver the Joan of Arctics seem to be people’s choice of footwear for the recent snow & ice – I feel like I have seen dozens of women in them. When I lived in the Midwest, Sorel was the go-to brand for winter boots that had to really work (but you know that, being in Chicago.) However, I think the La Canadienne brand is also considered really good quality, and their boots are much more attractive, in my opinion.

  8. This is ANP from the morning thread — I’m totally ordering that Lands End sequin skirt. Other than how they’ve got it styled with the white tucked-in shirt, what else do you wear on top with this? (I’m asking this as someone who hates tucking in her tops at present thanks to a not-so-flattering postbaby pooch.) Thanks!

      1. This looks fun. But I have a weird inability to pay full price at LE because I feel like they always have a 30% off promo. Anyone know when the next one is coming up? Right now it’s only select cold weather accessories.

        1. AIMS – I’m seeing a price of 24.97 on the website (discounted from $79). Not sure if that changes your mind.

          1. Why, yes it does :) I don’t know why it didn’t come up before….
            I have a lace skirt that’s similar that I have worn on more than one occasion (random weddings, etc.) so I am always looking for similar items that can serve multiple purposes..

    2. A sweater that hits at the hips. Too much lower and it’s going to start catching on the sequins and pulling funny.

      A swoopy/swingy tank top?

    3. Maybe a buttoned up cardi? Burgundy or mustard would be pretty, or you could be sassy and do a grey animal print. The J.Crew Tippi sweater may also work, and it usually comes in a rainbow of colors.

    4. I’ve worn it with a grey sweater, a grey animal print cardigan (as suggested by bankratty), a black v-neck sweater, and a black blazer with a grey shell underneath…and with a loose grey tee for more casual stuff.

  9. I went to a continuing education conference last Friday. I always enjoy checking out people’s outfits at these types of events. I saw a number of women in tights, knee high boots, and tunic sweaters. I would never think to wear a tunic and boots to an event like this. Sure it’s comfortable, but would you do it?

    There were four different presenters – two men and two women. The men looked great, the women on the other hand not so much. One was wearing a dress that was skin tight and she was bulging in all the wrong places. The other one was wearing a pant suit with the jacket buttoned. The pants and jacket were much too small. The pants gave her camel and she had VPL and the jacket was so tight that the buttons were pulling. She was trying to pull the jacket down during her presentation because it kept creeping up.

    These statements may seem highly critical but it made me realize how important it is to dress for the part. I found that I perceived the men to be smarter and more knowledgeable about their subject area than the women. I’m thinking it was simply due to their attire. I was so distracted by this lady pulling down her jacket that I wasn’t really listening to her presentation.

    1. I think it depends on how formal the conference typically is for the first question. I would wear that to certain conferences I’ve been to. It seems like if many women were there in those outfits, it was probably fine for your conference. That said, there are a few conferences I’ve attended where such an outfit is very outside the norm.

      To your second point, it is a good reminder about looking the part. I always do feel a little bad for people giving presentations in too-tight clothing, though, because I always imagine they put on their nicest (only) suit that morning not realizing they’d gained a little weight. I know I’ve been there.

    2. I, like you, notice these things. I am not sure how many other people do, but I would not want to be remembered the way you remember the women you described. As to the casual tunics, etc., were the men in suits or polos and chinos. If they were in suits, I would have been very uncomfortable in boots and a tunic. But I am very conservative in that regard.

  10. Difficult decision ahead, help me make it. Mr. AIMS is really into Dr. Who. Do I get him the Talking Tardis Cookie Jar or the Tardis Tea Pot? FWIW, we drink more tea than eat cookies, but the cookie jar talks so… tough call.

    2. The cookie jar is awesome. I got it for my sister last year. I haven’t seen the teapot in person though so I can’t really compare. I second Mpls’s idea of storing tea in the cookie jar. It isn’t super big so I think it would work fine.

    3. …one for you and one for him?

      I saw the teapot on ThinkGeek the other day, it is pretty adorable assuming it’s the same one. But talking Tardis… but what does it say? Just the Tardis noise?

      1. If I remember correctly it is just the TARDIS noise.

        If you’re ordering from ThinkGeek I’d do it soon. My TARDIS ornament shipping has taken longer than I expected.

    4. I’d say the cookie jar because it talks(!), but if it’s ThinkGeek, they *are* having a 30% off sale today, so… :)

    5. I vote teapot, because I also drink way more tea than eat cookies, and I’d smile every time I used it. And a noise-making cookie jar would just encourage me to eat more cookies so I could hear the sounds, which while fun, is probably not healthy.

      1. Done! And I almost got the matching mug (with cover!) too… But you gotta save something for next year.

  11. I’m waiting to hear back about a job I interviewed for and it’s so difficult to wait! I had two phone interviews that went really well. (It’s an entry-level job on the other side of the country, so I understand why they wouldn’t want to fly me out for an in-person interview.) I’m 100% qualified for the job and it’s the type of work I’m interested in, in the place I’d like to live. I found out in interview #2 that they’re hiring multiple people–when I asked the hiring manager how many, he said “As many good people as we can find.”

    My last interview was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The manager said they’d get back to me the next week, but didn’t sound certain about it. I have another offer for a job I’m less excited about, which I need to make a final decision about this week. If I don’t hear back from the first job by tomorrow, I’ll email them and ask for an updated timeline. Objectively, I think I do actually have a good shot at getting it, but the delay is driving me bananas and it’s hard to squash the evil voice in my head that says of course this won’t work out, because I’m not the kind of person who has good things happen. Ugh! I know what I need to do, but I wish I could stop being so self-defeating.

    1. Keep reminding yourself you got as far as you did for a reason. The ball in in their court and if they drop it, they are ignoramuses.
      And then keep repeating positive things every time the inner neg voice starts up. And try to keep your mind off it by focusing on other things.

      I wish I would hear back from the last place I applied after spending weeks on the resume and cover letter and research and (ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

    2. Tell the company you’re interviewing with that you have an offer with a deadline! I work for a fortune 5 company in recruiting and I can’t expedite a timeline if I don’t know I need to, but I’m always glad to do so for a candidate I want. If I want the candidate to work for me, then I will find a way to get the offer out on his or her timeline.

  12. DH is sick at home with…. (wait for it)…. Whooping Cough! For reals.

    In other news that is almost unbelievable, in my clean swoop around the house last week, it’s become increasingly likely that I THREW AWAY HIS NEW IPHONE. That’s right – in my madness to clean-up all the sick, ick and germs that were lurking, I may have also swooped up his phone. It has been missing since Thursday morning and I put the trash out to the curb on Wednesday evening. It’s impossible the phone could have been anywhere else in the house than the bed or couch (see: owner has whopping cough).

    I was on the verge of buying a new iPhone, so we just bought TWO new iPhones (gah) which leads me to the most pressing issue at hand: what case looks good with a white iPhone?! I love the color purple, want something that feels good in the hand (and will make the phone less slick) and will help protect it when I inevitably drop it. Any thoughts or ideas, ladies?

    1. I drop my phone approximately 80 times a day, and I like the Speck cases for being protective without being as bulky as the Otterbox ones.

    3. Did you leave the phone on silent?

      I’m hoping not, so when you call it, it will ring and you’ll find it under a pile of cushions near the bed, or something like that. Hoping for the best here, and that your DH gets rid of the whooping cough ASAP. Poor guy.

    4. I know this is not at all what you want to discuss with this post, but were you/your DH vaccinated against whooping cough (by TDAP)? I read recently that the vaccine is only 60% effective and that scared the living sh!t out of me, because here I was thinking that if I had the vaccine I didn’t have to worry about getting it. I don’t mean to offend, so feel free to ignore this if you really don’t want to get into it.

      1. @preg3L – This may by why you were reading up on TDAP but just in case, your dr or the hospital will probably offer you one before you come home with your new baby. And your DH can get one from his dr or any pharmacy that provides vaccines.

      2. My husband and I are both 31, and hadn’t been vaccinated since we were kids. The doctor told us that vaccine wears off after ~30 years, so DH got sick but I am fine. We don’t have kids so neither of us have received the newer TDap vaccine as adults.

        Also not exactly the intention of the thread, but I will say that this is no “ordinary” cough and it is easy to imagine how this could be fatal in a child. DH struggles to breathe when a fit occurs, and his airway is much larger than that of a child’s. My personal opinion is that a less-than-perfect vaccine is better protection than none at all. (Not that that’s what you’re saying, but I wanted to put that out there.)

        1. Oh I absolutely agree that less-than-perfect is better than none! Thanks for sharing about your personal experience – I was a bit concerned about the vaccine in case you/your DH just recently (in the last 5 yrs or so) received it during a pregnancy, and your DH already came down with it. I’m very sorry to hear that your DH is sick with whooping cough but selfishly, I’m a bit relieved to hear that it likely wasn’t the vaccine’s fault. (I’m having a hard time with my words; I hope you know what I mean.)

          @Anon, TDAP is actually regularly administered (in my part of the country) during the third trimester of pregnancy, so that the immunity can be passed to the child before birth. I was just blissfully unaware that the vaccine was not closer to 100% (I mean 60% is decent but not awesome). You are correct that I was reading about it because of my pregnancy!

    5. I’d make sure to check the places you think it could never be like the fridge/freezer, under the bathroom sink, in the medicine cabinet, etc. I lost our remote control once for about a week and then found it in a Rubbermaid bin under my bed. I must have been using something in the bin and then didn’t pay attention when I was putting stuff away. I’m great at walking into another room for a second with something in my hands that I then set down somewhere completely random and forget about.

      1. Check the pockets of pants in the laundry too. I have lost things a number of times because I leave them in my pockets and then don’t wear those pants for a while.

    6. can you use find my iphone to see where it was last located? If its on some random road on the way to the landfill… you may be relieved to know when you can cut your losses…

      Good luck! Hoping its stuck somewhere in the blankets!

      1. Alas, it ran out of battery and died several days ago. And all the blankest have been aired, we’ve looked in the oven/fridge/dryer/you name it, but again, DH has only been within a 12 foot radius because he can’t walk easily. I think it’s just a goner. (The iPhone, not my hubby, of course!)

        1. i could be wrong, but if it ran out of battery after it was lost, you may be able to see its last location…

    1. It’s not very creative, but the item that gets fought over at our exchanges is always the Starbucks gift card.

      1. There are no parameters aside from $10… and federal employment law, I suppose.

        1. Ahhh… Then I’d go with the gift card idea or food. Peppermint bark or something similar.

    3. Do you live near a World Market? They have all sorts of little gourmet food items and household goods that are unique and lots under $10.

    5. My office does this. I’m planning either scratch & win lottery tickets or a movie (DVD).

    6. I sometimes get a couple of $1 or $2 scratch-off lottery tickets for these types of gift exchanges… seems a little silly but it’s always a huge hit :)

    7. Something fun for the kitchen like whiskey stones, a nice wine stopper, or check amazon for things by Fred & Friends (like the pastasaurus, gin & titonic ice cube tray, etc).

    8. I found a nerf gun… hits in past years were a golden flying pig piggy bank (courtesy of tj maxx), and a chia gnome

      Our office is usually a mix of weird quirky stuff and gift cards to starbucks or dunkin

  14. A girlfriend is hosting a ladies’ night yankee swap next week. Limit is $15. What should I get?

    3. Hanky Panky Christmas underwear (they have red/green plaid usually around this time of year if you go somewhere like Bloomingdale’s) …. Slightly over $15, but always a hit.

Comments are closed.