Last year I spent hours upon hours upon HOURS compiling a comprehensive holiday gift guide full of gift ideas for everyone on your Christmas list and then some. It was my first attempt at anything of the sort, and I learned a lot through that experience.
1) I will never attempt such a huge undertaking on my own again without major compensation (or the influence of drugs.)
2) My gift guide wasn’t as valuable as it could have been.
I submitted a query for products on a media site, and I was bombarded with pitches for everything under the sun, moon and stars. I can assure you that I was quite discerning about what I included. (I saw first-hand almost everything I included, and I politely ignored or turned down hundreds of products.) And of course I discovered some very cool products that I wouldn’t have otherwise. STILL. It wasn’t the collection of products I would have compiled on my own.
I swore I wasn’t going to do another gift guide this year. It was too much work and too much pressure. But then I thought, what if I do a more personal gift guide? What if I just do a series of posts about things I love, things I want, things I am giving?
This blog is about my life, and let’s face it. The next three months of my life are going to be full of gift buying and gift giving. So I AM going to do a gift guide of sorts. But I’m not going to worry about it being comprehensive, balanced, or any of that. And I’m not going to release it all at once. And it won’t be full of giveaways (sorry!) AND it won’t be laid out all purty and consistent like the one from last year. That was a TON of work, oh my WORD.
Instead, it’s gonna be more of a series of posts. It will still be full of photos and links, and I’ll tell you about each item and why I’ve chosen it. I’ve already started compiling ideas in several posts and I can’t wait to start publishing them.
What did YOU learn this week? Or this month? Or this year? Or whenever…
Please link directly to your What I Learned This Week post – not to your main blog post.
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No post yet, but I’m looking forward to your unique gift guide. What you are actually buying is more influential anyway. I love talking about what other people are buying!
I seriously can’t wait to see your gift guide!! I feel like I’m all out of ideas this year…. not good, not good.
I’m not sure I understand the whole McLinky thing, but let me know if I did it wrong. thanks
I remember last year’s gift guide, so I’m looking forward to seeing another one for this year!
Your gift guide last year was HUGE, and so much info! It was great, but just so much work for you. I can’t wait to see what you do this year!!
Wow, I learned the same thing last year. Not a chance I am going to do it again. I think I still have some submissions from last year that I haven’t opened yet. It got a little crazy. I think this year I’m going to focus on handmade things and local things, and talk more about how to save money when you’re buying gifts for everyone you know. Thanks for the post, I remember working on the guide last year when you were working on yours. It wasn’t that fun.
Your guide last year was a huge undertaking! I personally did purchase something from it but would much prefer a post here and their with your “real” thoughts! SO I am looking forward to your upcoming gifty posts!!!!
I think that’s a great idea. I love putting together fun giveaways and guides at 5minutesforbooks.com, but it IS a lot of work.
And honestly, hearing from people about their personal likes is terrific. Hey, it works for Oprah, right?
Sounds like a great plan!
Do many of your gift recipients read your blog? Will it spoil the surprise?
LOL. That is actually somewhat of a problem. I don’t suppose they will know what is for whom. I do have to delay releasing the kid one till after my son’s birthday.
Looking forward to some ideas for male inlaws!!!!
I’m a little sad about gift buying this year because there won’t be many. With my son and girlfriend living out of state, they’ve pretty much decided on wanting MONEY. Yuck. Last year my brother and sil, we did gift cards another Yuck. I don’t know what we will do this year. So that just means mom which are a limited number of things I could get. As far as hubby, we a lot of times buy something big that we’ve been wanting.
Hey Viki, how about finding one of those Angel Trees or something where you buy gifts for a whole family in need. I always find those the most fun to shop for because I feel like I am really making their Christmas (whereas my kids and family will get more stuff than they could ever need.) Just a thought!
so glad I read this before I started putting together “my gift guide”
I hope you include ideas for boys. I’m at a loss myself.
This is a great post, I just am not into blogging much this week(I am such a wimp when dh is away). Hope to join you again next week!
Ok Jo-Lynne–I have to tell you–you’ve been tagged. You can find it on my blog!
I must say you were very brave to undertake the putting together of a gift guide. I’m pretty anal around gift-giving and I usually make a spreadsheet to track what I’ve bought for whom, what I want to buy, where I found it, etc. Beyond that, I’m hopeless. I keep saying I’m going to make my own wishlist so that when someone asks me what I want, I have something to say….
Looking forward to your more personal, more informal Christmas Gift Guide. Good call on that, by the way. I appreciate gift guides that are “true blue.”
Speaking of gift guides, I’m about to unveil mine tomorrow. It will be organized and include lots of giveaways, BUT I am also *extremely* particular about the products I include. I turned down hundreds of products and most of the items in my guide are ones that I have hand-selected. You’ll have to let me know what you think after it concludes…
I can’t wait to see what you’ve included
I know what my opinions are.. but, I have a limited view, too 
So, I love hearing from others whom I respect and admire.
I must say you were very brave to undertake the putting together of a gift guide. I’m pretty anal around gift-giving and I usually make a spreadsheet to track what I’ve bought for whom, what I want to buy, where I found it, etc. Beyond that, I’m hopeless. I keep saying I’m going to make my own wishlist so that when someone asks me what I want, I have something to say….