Flying Tiger Copenhagen

“Flying Tiger is a Danish design store offering a quirky, ever-changing selection of own-designed products at surprisingly affordable prices.”

I LOVE THIS STORE.

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So this place is basically a classier dollar store and it's been missing from your life.

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I especially love the layout of the store. When you walk in, you're forced to walk in a maze-like pattern around the entire store, and I love that. I wish clothing stores were set up that way. 

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Honestly, I can't even give you a summary of what they've got, there's too much - pilates equipment, desk accessories, gift wrap supplies, games, umbrellas, headphones, EVERYTHING. 

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I can't imagine someone entering this store and not coming out with something necessary for a well-lived life. I CAN'T.

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There's one location (so far) in the U.S. and it's in the Flatiron District in New York, you should definitely check it out.

Turtle Doves Ornaments

If you know someone who's overly into Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (who isn't?), this is probably the best gift you could give them. I got them for Nathan a few years ago and they make a yearly appearance now on our Christmas tree. I'm pretty sure there are a few places online you can buy them, but the easiest would probably be on Amazon for $20 for the the pair. 

Annoyance of the Day - Gift Receipts

I hope you know where I'm going with this. What's so annoying about gift receipts? THE ABSENCE OF THEM.

(And before I go on, if you find this post selfish or crass, please don't ever get me a gift. If you're that sensitive about such a topic, I can't imagine you'd be a good gift-giver anyway.) 

Now, why are people so anti-gift receipts? Those tiny pieces of paper are beautiful little angels who WANT you to enjoy the money that has been spent on you! The mere existence of them is one of the greatest advancements in our modern society. Hey! You don't like your gift? That's cool, go pick out something else you DO like and don't waste that hard-earned money that was spent on your behalf! That's all they're saying, why are they not more used?!

I'm not alluding that for every gift I get, I want a gift receipt attached to it - I'm not some sort of demon. But if you're buying someone a gift and you're asked the question, "Do you want a gift receipt with your purchase?" - why the hell is the answer ever NO?! Who has the abnormally high confidence that every gift they've ever bought has been the absolute perfect gift? 

Oh, and the weirdos who give you a gift, you open it and then they say, "I have a gift receipt if you want it" - are we kidding here? Why did you not just include it in the box?! You want me to ask you for it?! I already told you that I'm NOT a demon, so no - I don't think I'll be asking you for that little piece of paper. 

It's so simple. You get a gift receipt. You include with the gift. If the gift sucks, the receiver doesn't have to throw out something they'll feel badly about. They can, God forbid, GET SOMETHING THEY ACTUALLY WANT. Why is this a difficult concept? 

Okay. I'm getting heated up here. I'm sorry. There are, of course, exceptions to these opinions. If you're in my family and there isn't a gift receipt with someone that I don't particularly care for - I'll probably let you know that I want to return it. And it won't be weird 'cause we're family and we can be dicks to each other without guilt. But with friends and acquaintances? That's a way harder area. Friends feel like they should know you, but such is not always the case. And telling a friend is WAY harder than telling your family.

And honestly, there have been maybe four instances in my life when I've really wished there were a gift receipt with a certain gift I've been given. I'm typically very happy whenever someone gets me anything, so I'm really just speaking generally. Gift receipts are so important. I mean, they exist - so why not give them with every gift? Unless you're buying that gift online, I really don't see why this custom hasn't caught on more.

All right, that's it. I'm sorry that you think I'm a terrible person, but someone needed to say it.

“Get Amazon Prime in November. You’ll get a thirty day free trial for any holiday shipping for Christmas gifts. But make sure to cancel it a day before the thirty days are up, so you don’t get charged.”

Mom Says

“At a bridal shower, the first gift the bride opens should be the first gift she uses. This brings good luck. ”

“If you can’t think of a gift for someone’s birthday, but you’d like to get them something more than just a card – go to Etsy and type in “baked goods” and search for sellers in the recipient’s state/province (so that shipping is crazy reasonable).”

— #lizadvice

Mom Says

“When you get a gift, don’t shake the box. Children shake boxes, not adults.”

“Bake a batch (or two) of Christmas cookies, wrap them up in a few different tins and keep them (wrapped) and in your refrigerator. So when someone surprisingly shows up with a gift for you, you have one in return for them. ”

— #lizadvice

Scissortape

This is probably the handiest thing you can own in your home gift wrapping station. What's that? You don't have a home gift wrapping station? How embarrassing for you...

First things first, you should get on that. And if you're telling me that you don't wrap enough gifts to warrant a designated station - then you need to become a more giving person, maybe.

In any case, THESE SCISSORS ARE MY EVERYTHING.

Melting Toht Candle

Ummm, this is fantastic. And probably the world's best gift for anyone whose favourite movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

As it burns, it looks more and more like Gestapo agent Arnold Ernst Toht as his face melts off at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark (the first Indiana Jones movie), when the Nazis open the Ark of the Covenant and suffer the wrath of God. You can get this ($32) Melting Toht Candle from Firebox.