Anyone started Christmas shopping yet? What, Where and for who?

[Aliceacc]

OK, kind of an impulse buy after about half an hour of research on something I know nothing about:

I just got my husband an Amazon dot and the Philips Hue starter kit. I suspect he'll be like a kid in a candy store, getting the lights to program, and will love the features of the Dot. I hope so; I was really at a loss for him this year and I'm happy with this idea!

 

[brennicksmom]

OK, kind of an impulse buy after about half an hour of research on something I know nothing about:

I just got my husband an Amazon dot and the Philips Hue starter kit. I suspect he'll be like a kid in a candy store, getting the lights to program, and will love the features of the Dot. I hope so; I was really at a loss for him this year and I'm happy with this idea!

I got the Amazon Dot on a whim for my husband too. I haven't bought anything like the Hue starter kit with it. Honestly, I don't know much about it so I am completely lost as to what companion kits to get with it.

 

[Aliceacc]

Same here. But amazon sold them as a bundle, so I looked at the Hue. Apparently they work together, and you can turn the lights on and off remotely. The bundle meant that the combination cost $100, instead of the $120 it would have been to buy them separately, so I figured I would go for it.

I have very little else for him, so I thought he would get a real kick out of this stuff.

 

[McKelly]

OK, kind of an impulse buy after about half an hour of research on something I know nothing about:

I just got my husband an Amazon dot and the Philips Hue starter kit. I suspect he'll be like a kid in a candy store, getting the lights to program, and will love the features of the Dot. I hope so; I was really at a loss for him this year and I'm happy with this idea!

OK, I am intrigued by this Dot, and I have no idea what to get my husband either. So, if I buy the Phillips Hue starter kit for him, it will do the lights. What do I need in home to make this work. Just wifi?

Thanks - I might have just figured out what to get him!

 

[LovesTimone]

Friends of ours won the NYC Ham for Ham tickets last summer (and thus had front row seats for $10) and were entranced. DD and I have been basically listening to the soundtrack non-stop for over a year. I do not expect to be disappointed. I will happily post a review but we're looking at tickets for next July, so it'll be a while.

Please post a review...Its always great to get another opinion... Looks like we might be taking my parents to NYC in the fall now...So maybe if I can get tickets we will see that to. Thanks in advance...

 

[mrudman]

For those that bought their husbands the Echo Dot, they're going to love them,

My daughters each just got one from my brother (along with the Philips Hue starter kit) for a combo birthday/Christmas present, and they're great!

We have them set up so that they just tell Alexa to turn off/on their bedroom light.. so fun, . And since they're dimming lights, can do full power all the way down to 10% power.

I've had such a fun time with theirs, I ended up buying one of my own for the living room, lol.
And if you have Pandora, or Amazon Music, you can tell her to play any of your stations. So now I'm asking for a Bluetooth speaker for Christmas,

 

[mrudman]

OK, I am intrigued by this Dot, and I have no idea what to get my husband either. So, if I buy the Phillips Hue starter kit for him, it will do the lights. What do I need in home to make this work. Just wifi?

Thanks - I might have just figured out what to get him!

If you buy the starter kit, it includes everything you need as long as you have wifi in your home .

Although it does only control the 2 light bulbs that come in the kit. So I see a lot of light-bulb buying in my future, lol. You can also buy light switches to control, which would be better if lets say the light switch turned on a chandelier that has 6 lights (instead of buying 6 light bulbs)

See my post above also,

 

[brennicksmom]

For those that bought their husbands the Echo Dot, they're going to love them,

My daughters each just got one from my brother (along with the Philips Hue starter kit) for a combo birthday/Christmas present, and they're great!

We have them set up so that they just tell Alexa to turn off/on their bedroom light.. so fun, . And since they're dimming lights, can do full power all the way down to 10% power.

I've had such a fun time with theirs, I ended up buying one of my own for the living room, lol.
And if you have Pandora, or Amazon Music, you can tell her to play any of your stations. So now I'm asking for a Bluetooth speaker for Christmas,

So do you have to have an additional BlueTooth speaker? I thought that the Echo Dot is a speaker

 

[mrudman]

So do you have to have an additional BlueTooth speaker? I thought that the Echo Dot is a speaker

It does have a speaker, and it's not too bad of one, but thinking an external speaker would sound a lot nicer.

 

[angierae]

On Hamilton... I know its the hottest of hot shows right now... But some friends saw it earlier this year in NYC and they thought it wasn't all they hoped for and could have seen something else for the ticket price, They are all about the theater... type people and very engaged in all the Arts, ballet, symphony, museums ... So they are our go to when we head for NYC for what we should see. Just thought I would throw this out there... If you do go will you please do a review... I would like to get another opinion, so when we head back to NYC in the spring we might try to see it.

In a really strange turn of events, we're actually going THIS SATURDAY, so I will be back with a review

 

[missnic]

In a really strange turn of events, we're actually going THIS SATURDAY, so I will be back with a review

Soooo jealous! I've been listening to the soundtrack non stop for weeks. (I was a late comer to the whole thing).

I managed to get DH the Lego Millennium Falcon for about $75 at Target this week. He will be ecstatic!

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

I keep thinking I'm done with Christmas shopping and then think of one more gift I need to buy! Managed to finally get my godson's Christmas and January birthday gifts out of the way! Went to Target and got him two Lion Guard playsets (40% off with cartwheel the other day- not sure if they still are), a stuffed pikachu, and a pack of pokemon cards for christmas and two ninja turtle toys, some pokemon action figures, and a lion guard blind bag for his birthday. Spent about $80 total (40 for birthday and 40 for christmas) between carthweel discounts, the $25 off $100 toy coupon, and my employee discount (10%). VERY pleased to have his gifts out of the way at an affordable price.

I just remembered today that my cousin's birthday is in early January, so I might as well get her gft now. We usually just give something small, around $10. She's really into history, especially the Tudor era, and I got her this really funny Henry VIII mug for Christmas. Kind of stumped for her birthday though.

SO...CLOSE...

 

[LovesTimone]

In a really strange turn of events, we're actually going THIS SATURDAY, so I will be back with a review

Great turn of events... getting to go to NYC... Love it... Please post a review... Have a great time.

 

[disneylovinmom3]

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I just have a few hard to find gifts that are stumping me. One thing I can't seem to find is these darn BB-8 slippers from the Disney store that they got rid of so quick(within a week) that I didn't have time to get them. And of course these are the one thing that my son wants desperately. It's sad but he asks for so little that I may end up just paying 50 on Amazon.

 

[LovesTimone]

OP here...

I think I am almost done, just a couple of stocking stuffers and a couple of GC's and I am done... Woo Hoo..

Now the wrapping begins...

I was out most of the day yesterday and did pick up a few great bargains, for things on the list so a win.

Hit the outlet at the end of I-drive

Disney store Outlet - 2 standard size backpacks for 5.00each which is great as I was looking for something for my DD for our up coming trip, she did not want to worry with a traditional diaper bag. one for her and one for me.... They are black with all different colored Mickeys.. Perfect..... also they had Tsum Tsum for .99 cent and then on top they were buy 2 get one free...Going in DGS stocking..

Coach - pick up a wristlet w/ double zippers for 24.50 plus tax for DD, perfect stocking stuffer.

Yankee Candle - the 3 small jar Christmas set for 12.50 pick up 2 - For DH's office.

I went thru everything and I need ideas for Son in law and my Dad's stocking stuffer.

 

[kkmcan]

I picked up an Echo dot as well for my husband. I know nothing about these but it sounded like fun and I will love the music playing capabilites too.

 

[angierae]

On Hamilton... I know its the hottest of hot shows right now... But some friends saw it earlier this year in NYC and they thought it wasn't all they hoped for and could have seen something else for the ticket price, They are all about the theater... type people and very engaged in all the Arts, ballet, symphony, museums ... So they are our go to when we head for NYC for what we should see. Just thought I would throw this out there... If you do go will you please do a review... I would like to get another opinion, so when we head back to NYC in the spring we might try to see it.

Forgot to come back and post. We saw the show in Chicago. DD21 and I both know the soundtrack by heart, so I can't give a review as someone going into it blind - we knew we loved the music, and were looking forward to seeing the staging.

We loved it, however. It is 99.99% sung, so it just goes from one song to the next and it just doesn't stop. It's lovely, it's heartbreaking, there's some funny moments and some tears. I am so grateful to the friends who offered to sell me their tickets when they were unable to use them.

(And we ended up spending $200 on merch. Oops. )

 

[LovesTimone]

Forgot to come back and post. We saw the show in Chicago. DD21 and I both know the soundtrack by heart, so I can't give a review as someone going into it blind - we knew we loved the music, and were looking forward to seeing the staging.

We loved it, however. It is 99.99% sung, so it just goes from one song to the next and it just doesn't stop. It's lovely, it's heartbreaking, there's some funny moments and some tears. I am so grateful to the friends who offered to sell me their tickets when they were unable to use them.

(And we ended up spending $200 on merch. Oops. )

Thanks so much for the update...I know DH would never go with all the singing.... I on the other hand would most likely enjoy it.