apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My mother did this for my twin brother and I growing up. Between he and I, there was always a birthday party to go to or Secret Santa at school. She'd buy a mess of $20 or less Lego sets, games, stuffed animals, dolls, etc. and keep them in one of the storage closets in the guest room. It was fun for us because we could pick out what toy we wanted to give from the boxes in the closet, and she didn't have to make 30 trips to Toys R Us.

My friends are all too fabulous and broke to buy each other presents for special occasions all the time, but this reminds me that I really should give more gifts. It'll also give me the excuse to buy a bunch of trinkets off Etsy that I haven't had a reason to buy for myself!

Yes, I have for several years. I have similar plastic drawers, stocked with a variety of things. It came in especially handy when my son was younger and got invited to birthday parties of schoolmates we didn't know well.

that is such a practical and sweet idea.

It's so ridiculous to purchase gifts before the need occurs. I think we've all received items that we immediately realize were not really meant for us. It's such an empty gesture.

I might not have put it quite so directly, but yes, visualingual. Excessive gift giving with no actual thought behind the gift? I have too much stuff already, as do most people I know. They don't want yet another tchotchke to haul around. A tiny gift can be really sweet, but the sweetness comes from it being JUST the perfect thing, referencing some inside joke or shared memory.

I do pick up little gifts throughout the year when I see something charming for my nieces or other family and friends. That way I already have it when their birthday or other occasion rolls around. I have a shelf designated in one closet to store the goodies.

So it doesn't mean that they are getting something stocked up that wasn't intended for them. Ahem Visualingual and erica.

Sometimes I find a sweet trinket or accessory on sale - and buy a few knowing which couple of friends will enjoy them later - at gift time.

When my mom became a grandmother... she started picking up small toys and activity games and storing them in a closet in her bedroom.
Then when the grandkids stopped by to spend the day or the weekend she could retreat to the closet saying... "I have something special for you" and come back out with a fun activity for the grandkid.
Usually she knew which kid she had in mind for the trinket... other times it was the mood they were both in that determined which goody was revealed. The best part is... she always had a trick up her sleeve for a restless child.
you might call it bribery - but that term doesn't apply to grandparents!

Well, it is kind of sweet, but I also have to side with visualingual.

I really don't appreciate gifts that are plucked from gift-stashes like this. I myself only buy things I really enjoy because I hate clutter and the waste that goes along with it. When I receive a thoughtless 'gift' (i.e., a piece of clutter), I cringe on the inside.

Sorry to be a killjoy.

I like this idea for kids-and I did for my sons growing up; and I do on occasion pick something up if I see it and and "oh that would a perfect gift for s0 and so." But I do not stock up little gifts for people for several reasons; I have a sister and SIL who do this, as well as re-gifting; I have lost count of the number of off label "gift sets" (candles, soap, whatever), and it is obvious no thought has gone into it (but I do appreciate a gift, and am always appreciative to the giver) I try to be more of a "doer", plus most of my friends share my "less stuff" mentality....

I do this with baby gifts. I always have something "boy" and something "girl" stashed away, and I pick these items up on sale. This allows me to afford a nicer gift and to save the hassle of last minute searching. In addition, I keep trinkets on hand for grandkids and visiting kids -- stickers, markers, balloons and such.

I have a gift closet ... my mom also had one when we were growing up - she called it Santa Claus's closet. (Yet it took me a surprisingly-long time to figure out Santa's real identity!) I keep all my gift wrap and some boxes of quickie gifts as well as several boxes (broken down by season & occasion) of baking supplies/decorations/candles, etc. to whip up a quick batch of cupcakes or a birthday cake or something. On second thought, I probably picked that up from my mom, too ... she had a second baking/canning kitchen in our basement that had a large walk-in pantry of cake decorations and stuff.

I also have a toy & craft closet for when nieces and nephews come for a visit or if I'm watching one of my friends kids.

I have a gift closet ... my mom also had one when we were growing up - she called it Santa Claus's closet. (Yet it took me a surprisingly-long time to figure out Santa's real identity!) I keep all my gift wrap and some boxes of quickie gifts as well as several boxes (broken down by season & occasion) of baking supplies/decorations/candles, etc. to whip up a quick batch of cupcakes or a birthday cake or something. On second thought, I probably picked that up from my mom, too ... she had a second baking/canning kitchen in our basement that had a large walk-in pantry of cake decorations and stuff.

I also have a toy & craft closet for when nieces and nephews come for a visit or if I'm watching one of my friends kids.

Oh, and of course ... always gotta have the giant box of greeting cards. Must have cards for every occasion on hand, people! ;-)

I love the idea of using the plastic drawers for gift storage. I was fortunate enough just once to have a place with a huge linen closet, so I was able to use half of it as a gift closet. Ever since moving from that place I've mourned the loss of my gift closet. The plastic drawers are great though, for the gifts as well as the wrapping supplies, cards, etc. Thanks for the suggestion!

I don't have space for storing gifts. Maybe an item or two if I see something that someone I know would like. Also, by mutual agreement, my friends and family and I have decided to forego gift-giving amongst ourselves. We've decided that the best gift is not having to go shopping, trying to figure out what to get someone and then having to wrap it, etc. It just makes things so much easier for everyone. The only exception is my parents. My parents and I still exchange gifts because my mother doesn't want to give it up.

Oops ... my post didn't show up the first time! Sorry about the double post.

Anyway, in response to the naysayers above ... I think most of us are talking about stashing little things for people we don't know well (such as the teacher's gift mentioned) or putting aside things for people we DO know well but are saving for a perfect occasion. (Hence why ours growing up was called Santa's closet ... it was full of the gifts my mom found for us all year and saved for Christmas.) For example, right now I have an adorable set of porcelain bunny dishes I found at Easter this year that I'm saving for a cousin's birthday in November (she collects bunnies). For me that's the point ... as someone mentioned gifts should be "just" the right thing ... sometimes just the right thing shows up the wrong time of year, so I grab it and stow it away.

I personally never buy things like candles or soaps or baskets or whatever ... most of my friends all feel we have enough stuff in our lives (and anything we don't have we can buy ourselves) so for years we've all been donating to charities for birthdays, holidays, weddings, etc. For the last four or five years we've actually made a pact not to buy each other Christmas gifts ... instead we all go shopping together and spend our christmas budget on several charities that let you fulfill a kids christmas wishes. It's so much fun and we actually look forward to it every year. (Although the letters sometimes make you cry!) ;-) The best one is through New York Cares.

Incidentally, the funniest bit I ever heard on this matter was on the "Big Bang Theory" where one of the guys explains/complains that birthday gifts are just two people giving the same $50 back and forth to each other ... then at some point one of the two dies and it ends up uneven. ;-)

I think that's one reason why I don't like gifts like baskets, etc ... it's money wasted on something we don't need. And it just keeps going back and forth.

ridge_van_winkle, I love that line from. Big Bang Theory. That's exactly how I look at it.

I wish I had my stuff together enough to have hostess gifts on hand. I'm always running to the store right before a party, trying to find a classy aperitif in my college kid neighborhood.

Like everything, this can be done in a boring or exciting way. I keep gifts that I can hardly wait to give--from museum gift stores often--things that are clever and funny and VERY well received in my crowd (like "Wash Your Sins Away" handy wipes).

Years ago, I went to an exhibit at a SF museum on "Where the Wild Things Are." It's a book that's beloved and personal to a number of people. I bought earrings and pins and key chains and have given them where it meant something over the years (girlfriends moving in together loved the WTWTA keychain as a housewarming gift). And I always try to choose things that can be regifted if they're not the recipient's cup of tea.

They're great to have when you're invited to a friend of a friend's for dinner--funny ice breaker. And I agree, sometimes they're best for folks you don't know as well or to augment a more timely, purposely-chosen gift. Or as a pick-me-up when someone's having a crappy day or does you a favor at work.

Although I agree gift-giving can get really out of hand, I do have a small stash of things I pick up at thrift stores (they end up with a lot of brand-new overstock after Christmas), mostly wrapping-related, but with a few things I just liked. It's always nice to find the perfect home for a little find - like the adorable panda finger puppets I gave to a mom who liked Asian-inspired decor. I don't go out on shopping trips just to get random things to give away, but when I see something someone I know might like (butterfly accessories for one friend, a beaker mug with the chemical formula for caffeine for a chemical engineer) I often snap them up so I don't have to actually look for something they'd like when it's time for their birthdays.

My goodies are all in a cardboard box, though. I ought to see if I have some nicer storage unfilled, to make it into a cute little treasure trove like this.

i have a couple of small future gifts around the house. they are usually things I really love, but don't need, but that i know will at some point be a perfect little gift - i don't just randomly snatch a piece of junk out of a box for anyone, but it's nice to have a small collection of beautiful things i can part with when the time is right.