..to get a weird buzz out of fulfilling strange present requests?

[ConcealDontFeeI]

Many moons ago, I was into drink and drugs (& rock and roll). These days I live for the buzz of finding perfect presents, and I'm not ashamed of it! Who's with me?

DD(3) is obsessed with toy story. Toy story 3 99% of the time, unless she's feeling adventurous. We'll finish it, and she'll immediately ask to watch it again. Buzz, Woody and the gang is what she lives for.

The toys are the one and only thing she wants for her birthday in a couple of weeks. I've been trying to manage expectation, as she's hoping for even the toys who only have a one-line cameo in Toy Story 3. She's taking it relatively well. They're bloody expensive aswell, I.e £40-50 each so am planning on getting them second hand from eBay.

But one thing she asks for (in a cute 'I just wish', rather than a spoilt way) every time we watch the film is a Buzz who speaks Spanish and English (like the film, for those who aren't familiar). I tell her that this isn't possible, maybe he'll speak Spanish when you're asleep like buzz does yada yada. She gets it can't happen but just wishes it could.

Doing the eBay trawl as I do every few days for the perfect toy story toys. And what do I happen across but a Buzz who speaks Spanish and English! I was only a kid myself when it came out I think so had no idea that was a thing! Just won at a fab price and now im absolutely buzzing

Anybody else get ridiculously excited at perfect present buying?

I just wanted to say how fab this is. And I get how excited you are at finding this, hope
your DD has a fab birthday and enjoys her present!

My Mum asked for a specific tablecloth, in a certain style that used to be made back in the 80's. She asked me to try to find as close as possible to X style of tablecloth.

I looked on EBay, and lo and behold, the company had indeed made tablecloths back in the 80's and someone was selling an antique new one in a packet for a reasonable price! Couldn't believe it, and neither could she when she opened it! Delighted with myself!

You sound like a brilliant mum (or dad) this is so lovely and something she will remember for years.

*My Mum asked for a specific tablecloth, in a certain style that used to be made back in the 80's. She asked me to try to find as close as possible to X style of tablecloth.

I looked on EBay, and lo and behold, the company had indeed made tablecloths back in the 80's and someone was selling an antique new one in a packet for a reasonable price! Couldn't believe it, and neither could she when she opened it! Delighted with myself!*

How amazing is that!! Well done you

Thanks both! I'm a little short of money at present so my other labour of birthday love is turning our ugly shed into a beautiful playhouse for her. She loves playing house so so much. If we go to a soft play or anything she just wants us both to sit in an alcove the whole time and pretend it's her house

So I'm painting the outside in white and red stripes, clearing out the junk and painting the inside, and putting an old play kitchen and a children's sofa inside. She is going to think it's the best thing since sliced bread!

If I'm not with her, I'm at work though, so I'm so glad for the clock change and since then I've been working frantically on it every 7-8pm and not lifting her up on the kitchen sides for the next 2 weeks until it's time for the big reveal!

Best feeling ever it is though! Hope it does stick with her forever, what a lovely thought.

I love this too. I was so excited tracking down LazyTown figures on eBay for my Son’s 3rd Birthday. I love the buzz too.

I'm useless at presents. Following for tips.

Love this! I love finding perfect presents.

DSis didn’t want anything specific for her 40th recently. I found first editions of 3 really well known books which were published in the month she was born. She loved them!

My biggest present achievement was Muzzy. Ds had just started school and they were using language videos in school that had a character called Muzzy ( big, blue monster type thing). All ds wanted for Christmas was Muzzy.

I had never heard of him, never mind seen him in a shop. So I started searching eBay etc. No joy. Eventually, discovered the BBC provided them free. They sent me out a Muzzy and ds was king of the classroom for months whenever he brought Muzzy into school with him.

I could swear that 15 years ago Muzzy of BBC language videos was a white mouse!

Good find, though!

We still have him. He's a greeny/bluish monster type guy. Ds is 21 now so would have been 17 years ago. He's the guy in the top left in this image images.app.goo.gl/ic956YSgzimf59HD7

Oh yes, I do remember him. I'm muddling two different things up.

Thanks for that, it would have bugged me

I love getting the perfect present, but it's different for me. I would hate to get the present someone specifically requested. I have to get the present they didn't know existed, which makes their life complete.

I don't achieve it very often, but it is heavenly when I do! Recently I nearly bought an expensive present for a slight acquaintance because it was the perfect present for him, but I decided he might think that was a bit creepy. We are in a club together and I've never bought anything for anyone else in the club, so it would be too weird.

We did the French version of that! Goodness, that takes me back.

Mine was finding "MrPottery" — perfect way to replace or add to dinner services etc that are no longer in production. My DM was really pleased that I found her a middle-sized serving dish (she had the large and small in the set).

I love to buy the perfect present for people and sometimes I get a little sad when I can't think of anything special. I never really get requests or ideas but once I get an idea for someone in my head I tend to find it!

When I saw this thread title, I thought it was going to be a thread where (for example) DSis+B ILs sent out a prescriptive present list and you were thrilled to flaunt it with something better (eg "please buy little Tarquin/Jocasta a vintage flute for birthday this year" and you go out and source them crack!

However, reading the thread, I do GET it, and get your high. And congrats to you... you DO sound lovely.

but... I agree with Saracen
I love getting the perfect present, but it's different for me. I would hate to get the present someone specifically requested. I have to get the present they didn't know existed, which makes their life complete I've done this a few times, and it's EPIC!!!!

I agree redhats- I've managed this quite a few times with my children.... the main thing they were blown away by when they discovered the truth about Father Christmas was not the sheer fact of all those people maintaining a fantasy, but how I'd managed to get the the exact perfect things that they had dreamed about, or yes- even better that they hadn't even realised they needed until they opened it and it was perfect in every way.

I love this too! Two years ago I managed to get my Toy story obsessed 4 year old daughter a Toy Story 2 Tour Guide Barbie mint in box for Christmas for less than £20 on Ebay, previously I had seen them go for upwards of £80. Then on holiday abroad the next summer we were in a local supermarket and my daughter pulled from the back of a shelf a mint condition Toy Story 3 Barbie and Ken that I had also really wanted to buy, but they had been going for upwards of £100 used and between £200-£300 new. We paid €26, I assume it had been sitting on the shelf since the film was released in 2010 so 7 years! Needless to say she was over the moon with both and plays with them all still to this day.

That's so lovely! (And exactly the kind of thing my Toy Story obsessed 4 year old would ask for). Just as an aside I often look on ebay for stuff like this and managed to find the shark that knicks Woodys hat in Toy Story 1 as a little figure (including the hat 😂). Very nearly bought it for myself because it always makes me laugh.

I love tracking things down for gifts. My most successful was a book my aunt remembered reading in the 1950's.
She was so thrilled to get a copy that it made my day

I love doing this! I sourced a children's ABC song record from my childhood in the 70s, and gave it to my parents for Christmas. Listening to it was like going back in time! It brought much happiness.

I wish I had the mental space to do this sort of thing more often! I also found an out of print children's book for my sister that we used to love. God bless eBay 😊

Yes this! I remember the joy I had when I found a replica of DD's favourite toy on ebay, which I was soooo chuffed about. And when I went to collect it the seller had a 1 metre large version that she'd not sold yet and was willing to take all the cash I had in my purse for it.

That shark is one of my favourites too! 😂

@RubberTreePlant nah muzzy was always a monster... I remember the adverts from when I was in primary school early 2000s