Well, with the exception of those for Laurence I’ve pretty much got my Christmas gifts all sorted.  They’ve been bought, they’ve been wrapped and in all honesty if I could put them all in the post and get them out of my bedroom I’d happily do that tomorrow.

Here in Dublin sales have started up all over the city which means there is a plethora of affordable and fairly good quality items out there.  Maybe for the first time ever.  I rejoice because I’m hoping it means the end of the “gag gift”.

You know the one I mean – the little jokey item that someone buys because they are trying to get their presents to come in under a budget of €10 or even €5 each but have no idea what in the world to get you.  The gift that might make you smile or even chuckle when you open it, but five minutes later you wonder where you’re going to put it and how long you have to store it.  I’ll be honest, more often than not these joke gifts get tossed in a bin or into a charity shop before I ever make it home with them.  I don’t even regift them because I don’t want to clutter up anyone else’s home or desk.  I hate clutter.

So, in the spirit of helping the entire world avoid joke gifts this holiday season, I’ve put together 10 quality items you can find for under €10.  Since I know the entire world reads this blog, I think it should be a good gift year for everyone.  (And I’ve stayed away from homemade items because 1.  Not everyone has prior experience and messing up on a gift can be frustrating and expensive if you have to try and try again and 2. I’m trying to make it easy for everyone who is pressed for time already.)

1.  Chocolate.  Not even just a Toblerone with a nice bow (which I’d totally enjoy!), but a gift box or selection of artisan chocolates.  Here in Dublin I think Butler’s chocolate is the way to go but Chez Emily from the Temple Bar Farmer’s Market could make up quite a nice little selection for €10. Laurence and I are particularly fond of what we call the “chocolate mices” – so named because they are, um, shaped like mice.

2.  DVD.  HMV, Amazon UK, Xtra-vision and Play.com are positively packed with DVDs priced €9.99 and under.  Not to mention Play.com does free shipping and Amazon’s started free shipping for orders over £25, so if you buy a couple of presents at a time you won’t have any extra charges.

3.  Book.  Oh come on, you knew I was going to say it. The vast majority of paperbacks are now under €10 and there are deals every which way I turn.  Hughes and Hughes has 4 for 3 on all books at the moment, Waterstones almost always has some sort of 3 for 2 table out, Hodges Figgis has an entire basement devoted to deals and discount book shops have popped up all over the city. If you can’t think of a novel that someone would like, think about their interests or hobbies and pick out a nice nonfiction.

4.  Journal or stationery set.  Yes, this is getting a bit more niche but as long as you keep it nice and classy – blank notecards, a little cloth-covered notebook, a tiny leather pocket journal – almost anyone can find a use for a quality paper product.  I like SWALK for fun stationery though The Pen Corner has a good range and TK Maxx occasionally gets some great sets as well.

5.  Picture frame.  Even better, a picture frame with a picture of yourself and the gift recipient inside.  TK Maxx does great frames for under €10.  I’ve never been in there when the frame selection hasn’t spread across several shelves.

6.  Ornament.  Just make sure your gift recipient celebrates Christmas and/or puts up a tree.  Newbridge Silver do a particularly good range of ornaments for €10.

7.  Candle.  Who wouldn’t love to spend an evening cuddled up by candlelight?  If you know the recipient’s preferences you might be able to find a scented candle that would suit, otherwise go unscented so you don’t end up giving someone a headache from the “aroma”.  Here in Dublin the Kilkenny Shop has a fantastic range of candles in all different shapes, sizes and colours.

8. Soap.  Even I, the woman who can only use Cetaphil, appreciate a nice little box of gift soaps at the holidays.  Just a little something to make the powder room look festive.  I’ve found great gift packs at the Kilkenny Shop, Lush, TK Maxx, House of Fraser, The Body Shop, Debenhams, Arnotts, L’Occitane and M&S.  Yes, all €10 or under, though you’ll likely have to do a little digging at the more upscale shops.

9.  Gourmet tea/coffee/hot chocolate.  For those chilly nights and frosty mornings.  Bonus points if you know the recipient’s favourite brand and/or flavour.

10.  A gift card.  €10 to Starbucks is a few hot drinks.  €10 to Xtra-vision is four film rentals.  €10 to a bookshop is a new paperback.  €10 to HMV is a new DVD.  €10 to iTunes is 10 new songs.  And on and on and on.

So there you have it, my ‘09 bargain basement gift guide.  If you’ve got other big ideas with little prices let me know!

And it really is the season now.  I know this because:

1.  The O’Connell Street Christmas tree had its light-up.

2.  Grafton Street is decorated and has turned on its lights.

3.  The St. Stephen’s Green SC has signs up for its Giving Tree.

4.  I’ve got stockings and candy canes in my apartment.

5.  The Late Late Toy Show is on tonight.

6.  Larry has agreed we can put the tree up this weekend.  While accompanied by Christmas carols.  At long last!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I’m celebrating with lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Including a fudge brownie sundae because it’s a holiday and all.

Don’t worry, we’re also doing a more traditional meal with friends on Saturday.

Enjoy your day, holiday or otherwise!

(Picture from freedigitalphotos.net)

I’m talking Holiday Hampers for Writers over at Hell Or High Water.

(Feel free to send me one.)

Last night I dreamed that my older brother moved to Dublin and came over to Sunday dinner with a bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing.

I didn’t want to wake up from that one.

Now that everyone, their brother and their brother’s new channel have let me know that Oprah is going to wrap up her show in 2011, I have mixed emotions.

On the one hand I’ve always looked at Oprah’s show as the tv equivalent of a woman’s magazine, glossy, slick, full of human interest stories, cute products and sometimes insane self-helpy kind of stuff.  That’s the stuff I’ll miss, particularly when I’m flipping channels at lunch time (when the show airs here) looking for something light and even (maybe, possibly) ridiculous to watch.

On the other hand, Oprah’s Book Club has been the bane of my existence as a reader/librarian/writer for years.  I even contemplated writing my MLIS thesis on acquisitions and Oprah’s little club.  I truly believe the publishing industry will be better off without it and I hope that readers (and librarians) will take it back upon themselves to browse the shelves and catalogues instead of passively grabbing the book du jour.

Of course now that I’ve said this, it has occurred to me that maybe her Book Club will live on after the show stops.

Frightening!

Because I just don’t have enough work this month I thought I’d undertake a website redesign as well.

You can check out the results at www.bethmorrissey.com.

And so the great hair debate continues to rage.

Thank you to everyone who offered opinions, but I guess now I should reveal that the red hair post was largely theoretical.  I do love the look of really well done bright red hair, particularly on women who pair it with business suits or tweeds or some other surprising combination, but for me it wouldn’t be a good idea to introduce that many more chemicals into my life right now anyway.  So the “I’m considering part” was along the lines of when I’ve said “I’m considering moving to Berlin” or “I’m considering opening a cup cake bakery” – theoretically possible, but highly unlikely.

But about that move to Berlin…

I know, I know, it’s an awful recession and luxury good are the devil and blah blah blah.

Seriously, I know.

I know so well that I most certainly won’t be buying this Mulberry Long Locked Purse in Antique Gold Cracked Metallic Leather, nor this Misty Zip Pouch in the same, but I can still get my kicks from gazing at them longingly.

And they happen to be in the “For Her” Holiday Gift section, in case anyone’s not feeling the pinch but instead is feeling rather generous…

I haven’t gone Internet shopping in months – probably a new record for me.  But when my hands started to turn purple again and the finger-less gloves got in the way of typing I was faced with a real dilemma.  How to warm up but stay productive?  I’m hoping these Joules Chocatoodle Wrist Warmers will help.

If they do I’m ordering more!