Need last minuit ideas!!!

[Jenni6485]

Tomorrow night is my first formal Christmas party. We know the host, and hostess personally, and I believe that it's curtious to bring a gift for the party throwers. But I dont want to bring something that says 'yeah, we're cheap' or 'last minuit gift' or anything like that. Even know its the truth. :-)~
So, what are some ideas for a lovely gift that looks like it could be expensive , and thought put into it, but really costs around $30 that we can get tonight?
We've known about this for like a month, procrastinators I know. :-)
Anything will help. THANK YOU!

[EvelynGermaine43]

I hate last minute gifts, throwing parties, the whole jig. What I really like is sitting down with my family to watch movies during Christmastime. Just talking, singing, not wearing fancy clothes and pretending to be richer than we are. This year, my family great quite a bit though, so to watch the Grinch, which, by the way, is what I would recommend for anyone as a gift, I had to call an audio visual rentals place to get a projector big enough to show it on my living room wall. The Grinch. Go with the Grinch, VHS or DVD.

[ginnycran]

Oh, Jenni, I feel for you. I have a friend that is a wedding officiant and has a terrible time at all the receptions that he goes to because he has the exact same problem with his nerves! He got over it by just talking to people. Just jumping in, I guess you would say. I hope things have gotten better for you over the last few years. Maybe the baby helps?

[Jody1111]

Jenni, next time you're trying to find a dress at the last minute you should try
http://www.gatheringguide.com/ec/bridal_shops_dresses.html. It's the easiest way I've found of having everything in one place to browse through. I'm sorry this party didn't turn out the way you'd hoped, but maybe the next one will be better-- and you'll have a fantastic dress! - Jody

[oceans3]

jenni,
gee, after all that posting and cookie burning you only stayed an hour and half? also, what happened to the basket idea and you going down to michaels? owell, champagne is good too!! you were probably out trying to find a dress. your post should have read "need a last minute dress!" hee hee. i had the same problem when i was pregnant. esp. during the 1st 4 mo where you are not showing all that much and maternity is too big, yet regular clothes are too tight. at least you found something you felt good in!
sorry you didnt have as good as a time you hoped. i know what you mean by watching others drinking at a party and for whatever reason you are not.(you dont drink, pregnant). its sooo annoying watching and listening to people when they've "had a few".
we are going to a gathering christmas eve (husbands relatives) and now i feel like i should bring a gift!

[JoAnnaRF]

kjsk--Everything worked out. PUS (LOL) still hasn't found the package, but I had them stop payment and issue me new checks which I took to the Money Corner and had cashed for a hefty charge! But better than worrying. UPS offered to send them to my bank for free but I declined. NEVER again. Seems the package was last scanned in New Orleans so I can kind of understand given the mess that is still going on there, but I only wanted what I paid for. The kids are feling better and things are looking up. Oh and someone keyed my van at the mall yesterday, same side as the other damage.LOL I think it's funny. Like pouring a glass of water into the ocean. Just doesn't make a difference. Things are really starting to look UP. And I am VERY excited about Christmas. The magic is that we moms and dads always pull it off! I love that!

Jenni-- How did the party go???? We want DETAILS!!!! Give it up!!

[oceans3]

sooo, how did it all go? what did you end up bringing? did it go over well? were you uncomfortable? lots to talk about? post back with the full nights scoop.

[Jenni6485]

Good afternoon ladies!!! JoAnna, I'm sorry youre having a bad week, but all seems to come out okay. I started chuckling when I read that someone keyed your van, lol, on the side of the damage. Hopefully your neighbor has insurance takes care of it... The body shop will probbably fix those scratches too. :-)

So... About my night.....
Well it was semi okay... Let me start from the begining, on Friday... I got those dresses my friend lent to me, and well, NONE OF THEM FIT! She's been pregnant for 2 xmas's, so they are sort of on the large side.. (but I LOVED the chandelear earings!) So, After I was bummed that they didnt fit, I attempted to try on my gorgious figure fitting lacy black dress... Well, it fit, but... that dress made me look totally pregnant. I'm 4 months, and I have this poofyness coming from my ribs to my growing area... I just went to tears. "I have noting to wear! I feel so fat and ugly!" just a total pitty party.. Well, it made my boyfriend say hes going to buy me a new dress. :-D So yesterday I found a gorgious one at Macy's, black halter, with a jewel assortment in the middle.. reminded me of a dress. Know what I'm talking about? But it was beautiful.. I looked so pretty, I even wore 4 inch stilletos.. (ouch, feet are still numb) Hair and makeup were nice, nothing too fancy. So we bring a really nice bottle of champagne, get there, it was so pretty. Talked to a few girls, there was a playboy playmate there.. hehe. Miss June of 99 or something. Everyone was so drunk. I sware, I was the only one not drinking. My boyfriend wouldnt even stick it out for me. So I felt like a loner, and I felt all bad because I thought I was ruining his night by being standoffish... We stayed for like an hour and a half. I'll tell u what though, if I wernt pregnant, I'd be drinking dancing, talking to everyone there, and just having a great time... But evidently that didnt happen. :-( and he was all mad at me.
But besides all that, it was a really neat party. it was totally laid back, everyone was having a fantastic time... :-( I wish I could have enjoyed it.

[oceans3]

joanna, im sorry but through all of your pain i had to laugh. when you were talking about your son sporting a little mustache and all, i visualized you rocking this baby with a mustache. oh, the little things that amuse me.
sorry you are going through a rough time so close to the holidays with the flu going 'round, money, and the van. geeze, whats next? as if things arent busy enough. well, at least everyone "should" be better by christmas and not sick then. also, if your van had to get hit at least you didnt do it! and the lost checks and ups? im surprised because ups is usually very good. i would make a call and speak directly to the manager/supervisor. i had to do that recently (not ups) with something i ordered and ended up being a nightmare. i spoke with a supervisor and she took care of the problem. my 4yr old calls the ups truck the cvs truck. i told her its ups, and now when she sees it she says, theres the pus truck! well, at least she has the letters right..just mixed up.
now that your daughter is working you may need to ask her if you can borrow some money now! my daughter gave me 3 pennies and a dime and told me i could have it to go shopping. how sweet..if only she knew!
take care and hope all is well!

[JoAnnaRF]

*waving hands in the air* I'm here!!! LOL And WOW am I touched! You have NO idea how your words helpped me today! I have been having one of those "if something can go wrong, it WILL" weeks, and reading this thread actually made me smile. The flu is still making it's way thru my house with ear infections and all that jazz. My neighbor hit my van. I overnighted checks to my bank which is out of state and they are now LOST! And to say that I NEED that money for Christmas would be an understatement!!It is now my personal mission to discourage EVERYONE I come into contact with to NEVER use UPS. They lost it and are now just like, too bad so sad.. By the time I get the people that wrote the checks to stop payment and cut me a new one, Christmas will be over. And this is just a little of how my week has been. LOL
But tomorrow my oldest son will turn 15!!! I am too young to have kids as old as they are. Where does the time go?? I was just holding him and rocking him to sleep and then I blinked. Now he is taller than me, has a lil mustache going on and I can no longer pick him up, but he can pick me up!! It is just crazy. The time. It passes so fast. Take pictures and write EVERYTHING down. You think when they are babies that you will remember everything. You don't. You think those precious moments will last forever when actually, they are gone in a blink. Years pass before you know what happened. When I was a kid, I KNEW I was supposed to have children. I remember telling my mom, I don't know what my children will accomplish, but I was put on this earth to have them. Now they are here and AMAZING. And I am still truly convinced that they are the reason for me. They are my GREATEST accomplishment!
No I haven't been drinking..LOL This thread just really got me. To hear Jenni say that she looks for me and kjsk to post, along with all the other kind words made me feel very appreciated. When I NEEDED to feel appreciated. Everything happens for a reason and Jenni, you are here for reasons. You come for advice and yet you give great advice. Your words help others, even when you aren't trying. And boy the salt you have. You took so much **** and look who came out on top!! kjsk is a Godsend and I too scan for her posts. The best teachers are the ones that are not ashamed to say, "I don't know. But I'll find out for you." If she doesn't know the answer, she says so and then she makes a point to try to find the answer.
Thanks to both of you for making my day brighter and my week, not so bad..
--J

[Jenni6485]

I would have never knows you had an anxiety disorder. You always seem so foward on this websight. It's funny, but whenever I come on here I look for you and JoAnna for recent postings. You two are like the sight moms. You and her always have the best advice and are so sweet and nice about it. (where has she been anyway??)
I've really grown attatched to this place, and you made it comfortable for me.. knowing everything that went on when I first came....

It's great to vent, and I'm glad this thred opened that door for you at this time.
BIG SMILES!!!

lol, I got so caught up on here that I burnt a batch of cookies. hehe :-)

[oceans3]

sometimes i wonder if people post to bring others closer together? i have self diagnosed myself w. social anxiety disorder. i really feel i fall into that catagory. however just based upon the little bit you said, i really felt sorry for us. (half smiling). it is very hard for me to attend functions and thats what makes the holidays so hard for me. there are so many things going on, gatherings, parties, getting together and i would love to sleep it all away. my husband is more outgoing (maybe we compliment each other) but whenever i go anywhere i feel akward, sweat, heart races, hives, clammy palms. im more the type to have people come to me and not me being the one to approach them. i do have a little bag of tricks before i go and those are "topics of conversations" as i stated above (wine doesnt hurt either). it is tough and i sooooo feel for you, i do. i just wish i knew the answer besides xanax. i do come off as confident even though i am actually dying inside and wishing the night would end. im sure it goes waaaay back to childhood where my dad always critisized me or said, what are you stupid? i have a masters degree in edu. and cannot get passed all of that. i am intelligent but i just dont believe it. he's so great now but growing up and that being said can do a number on ya even as an adult.

sorry jenni..just needed to vent!!! i feel you were an "angel" in this.

[Jenni6485]

I feel so much better now. If you dont know it already, I make things into a big deal before I sit down and think. :-)
Atleast I'm preparing myself for the worst.
Thanks girls for all your help. :-D
Have a Wonderful weekend!

[oceans3]

oh no..the cookies! you cant give those to the hosts that will really "do it" hee hee. no, i appreciate your comments, i do. joanna is here. she sometimes take 1 or 2 days off but she's here. i look for her too, i like her a lot. me? forward? im the wimp! you are so sweet to say those things. see, i knew there was a reason for you to be here! i am happy you came back.
you give good advice (even though you are young). hee hee.
you are smart, caring and knowledgable. dont let anyone tell you any different.
you are going to be more than fine tomorrow. if you want anymore advice about what to say etc..  come back and i can give it to ya. im an expert! i "have" to be. mejoje gave good tips as well. re-read her post. my husband is a sports fanatic and i am.. well... NOT. so when we go places he has that in common. i just try and chit chat about jobs, what to do w. the kid/s, weather..yes the weather, any vacations going on or have been on, FOOD, thats always good. just dont mention your burned cookies. its so funny/odd that its what..630 there where you live and 9:30 here. BEDTIME!! let us know how the party went will ya??

[girlwithproblems]

I would have to say bring a nice bottle of wine. Try to get white or red wine that screams expensive. Just dont get wine in a box b/c that screams cheap. Hope I have helped.
     P.S. My little secret my husband and I go to a formal christmas party every year and always bring a bottle of red wine that cost us like 20.00 and everyone always says you shouldnt have you must have paid a fortune HA ha yeah right if they inly knew. I

[Jenni6485]

Thanks girls so much. :-) Helped alot. I have the hair and makeup thing worked out... Until I start doing my hair and it dosnt cooperate.... lol. I'm excited, but stressed.
I almost always feel out of place, unless if I'm the hostess, then I'm just all over talking to everyone and anyone.
This is a very nice home.. they're having gambeling tabels, valet parking, waiters with champagne and ordervs.. (spelling?)
Even a door guy that takes your coat...
I've never been to anything like that.. not even to a fancy restaurant.
My boyfriend is also SUPER outgoing... He will know like everyone there. I've hardly met his old friends, just the ones he parties with. When he introduces me as his girlfriend, they look at me with bug eyes, like 'WOW!'(shooting for the young ones eh?)  I'm half my boyfriends age, so its awkward.
These women we'll be meeting will have huge rocks on their fingers, talking about this or that, their kids, husbands, how 'wonderful' their second marrage is, etc. Maybe we should come up with a story plan before we get there. lol. Everyone else will be bullsh***ng, why not join the club?
I'm worrying about everything and it hasnt even happened yet. Atleast the nice gift would give me some confidence.
I'll let yall know how it goes...
I'll refrain from using, "but, and, cause, ya know, um, yeah, and stuff" lol. Wish me luck, I always think the worst, but I hope we will have a great time.
THANK YOU FOR THE IDEAS!!

[mejoje]

I am like kjsk and am VERY shy and I am self diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. I am so bad that I do not go to clubs or bars because my triceps actually go into spasms. But anyway, I know how you both feel especially sense my DH is extremely outgoing!!! I always tell him not to leave me, but he always does because something is going on or someone just got there, I HATE IT !!! LOL If it is a party that I know noone I feel like a lost puppy dog because I will stick by his side so I am not alone, which doesn't really help the situation unless they start to DO something that I can get involved with (playing pool, darts, cards, a game) but if they sit there talking I feel STUPID. lol Something I have started to try is to wonder into the kitchen and see if they need any help (the hostess of coarse) then while helping or just by asking it breaks the ice and I have someone to talk with for a couple of moments.

As with your appearance, do not put too much thought into it to make yourself seem older. Just try to look elegant and you will be beautifull and not so young. Wear nuteral makeup, not the blues and such that are in style sat the moment. Maybe, if you can pull it off, wear a deeper reddish color lipstick or go with a nuteral color, no pearly or purple, or metalic. And like stated above remember the mascara. Don't go to dark or over powering with the makeup just enhance your features......don't end up looking like MIMI from Drew Carie :) lol

Good luck and I think the basket is a good idea! I was going to put that one with a candle and bath saslts and loton is nice, but haomade cookies are alwys a hit. Let us know how the party went.

[oceans3]

sorry, we must have been posting at the same time! well, im 36 and do not like to go to any functions because im actually shy. i do think i have a bit of social anxiety disorder but no one would ever know it. my heart races, clammy, sweat. i feel like everyone is starring at me or talking about me. i always ask my sis..did i seem nervous? and she's like..no not at all! well, drinks do help but 1: you are under age and 2: pregnant. so thats out. just try to stick w. your guy. i always tell him..dont leave me!! (until you see that im comfortable).
i wouldnt try to look older..seriously. just dont wear anything tight, revealing, slinky, you know what i mean. do your make up nice but dont over do it. less is more! keep your hair natural, not crazy poofy and tons of spray. you have an advantage..your pregnancy so that gives you things to talk about. ask others about what they do/work, any children? are they ready for the holidays? shopping done? that kind of stuff. if i can give you one bit of advice and im guilty of it myself..try to refrain from the word "like" and "ya know"... that shows age. its not so much how you look but how you carry yourself and how you speak. i teach and also talk to parents about programs on the phone. i tend to say like and ya know and i need to be professional and careful of that. you will be fine. dont think about it so much. it will all fall into place. you'll see.

[Jenni6485]

Do they have a Michaels out there??? Its a craft store out here, and everything is 50% off. I could get a cute wicker basker 1/4 yard or less of cheap cute fabric from WalMart or something, glue gun it to the inside of the basket for lining, fill it with a bottle of wine with a cute bottle cover, and a cheap tin with homemaid cookies inside (baking today) and with some cheese that dosnt 'need' to be refrigerated, and a thing of hard salame or sausage or something that dosnt need to be refrigerated. :-)
Not sure if I want to use shrink wrap... That stuff is hard. But a nice ribbon and bow will do just fine. :-)
Cute cute cute!
I can make one for like $30 when to buy it, it would cost around $60 or 70. :-D yay!
Thanks Krystal! :-)
super cute idea!

[cutiemama]

I think that a you can get a really nice bottle of wine for $30 in a nice gift box or bag.  Ask the sales staff at the wine store to choose you a realy nice bottle and to explain it to you and that way you can look a little more sophisticated to the hostess. Good luck.

[maryheather]

Wow--i'm 33 and feeling really old right about now...
My advice to you would be to be yourself.  A ponytail is probably out of the question...but as far as your personality, I can tell you are an intelligent, outgoing, compassionate person.  Just let your personality shine through.  
For the outward appearance...is your hair long or short?  Do you usually wear makeup?  What does your dress look like?  Jewelry is a good way to add/take away age--a simple strand of pearls is very elegant, along with some pearl earrings...simple studs.  If your hair is long, do an up-do...or a french twist.  As far as makeup, formal makeup is usually a little more dramatic, but you don't want to look like a little girl playing dress up.  Just accentuate what you normally do.  Mascara is a must, as well as lipstick w/ liner.  And you can always find someone else at a party that might be a little bit nervous, also.  Locate that person and talk with them.  Also, FYI---tell boyfriend not to desert you.  He needs to keep you with him for the most part, especially if these are people he knows and you don't.  Encourage him to introduce you and tell you one interesting fact about that person in the introduction.  Then, you have something to start talking with them about...(ex.  this is mary, and she has 2 kids and 1 grandson...you can then start asking questions about her grandchild..etc)  Asking questions is always a helpful way to start any conversation.  
Sorry---didn't mean for this to be so long.  I guess I'm Eloise, now.  Have fun and enjoy being together.....MH

[oceans3]

oh...some really pretty christmas ornaments are cool to receive too!! i did that before and they were soo appreciative and ended up being their favorite ones.
anything carried in a wicker basket with a pretty cloth of some kind lining it looks good. how about some nice soap bars with a couple hand towels, lotions, or even the pump hand soap?  
you could even make up your own basket with candles, wine and some fruit? im still thinking!!! im at a loss and all my friends/family call me martha stewart!! think of a theme, get a few things and put them in a basket. i think anything you get will be very nice.

[Jenni6485]

lol, thank you. definately helpful. :-)
I also wanted to ask how can I make my appearance look older?? I already know for a fact that I'm the youngest there.. Everyone will be over 30.. I'm a decade or two behind them. :-(
I feel so out of place going to these things.
I'm borrowing the dress from an older friend, so I got that covered. Just dont know to tone down my youthfulness.
A few weeks ago we went to another christmas party, not formal, but older people.... I sat in a corner and watched as my boyfriend toured the house greeting people. My heart was racing, my arm pits were sweating, I just didnt know what to do.. he had told a few ladies that I'm pregnant, so they came over and started talking to me about it, gosh, talk about awkward! I used to have a few drinks before going to social events, now I cant. Anxiety takes over me.
So seeking advice from some older ladies on preperation. :-) ... and some gift ideas. :-)

[oceans3]

hi jenni!!
do you guys sell "yankee Candles" there? the co. is a couple towns over from me but they are everywhere now. also, a nice bottle of wine. usually "turning leaf" is safe to go w. and not at all expensive. you could get red and white. put some "frilly" ties around it and call it a day!!
you are very gracious to bring something..i never do but myself..ha ha.
you could also get those oh, gee now i cant even think of the brand!! but they are shortbread cookies. they are awsome and come in a black and red plaid box..ugh! cant think of it but take em out of the box and put them on a nice china dish (uhh..dollar store dish) and let them keep it. maybe its "walkers" shortbread?
if i think of anything else i will let ya know. have fun!