Tag Archives: holiday shopping

Some Quick Gift Advice For Holiday Shopping

The holiday season is officially here!

Saying that should no longer earn any whining or complaints about Christmas displays going up too early. It’s December now. All our Thanksgiving leftovers have since gone bad. It’s perfectly acceptable to fully embrace the spirit and aesthetics of the season. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, at least acknowledge that it’s now entirely appropriate to engage in any number of holiday activities.

I know that’s easy for a guy like me to say. I’ve said before that I take Christmas more seriously than most. I’m the kind of guy who has his Christmas tree up and decorated by Halloween. I’m also the kind of guy who tries to finish all his Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. As I write this, I am done. I’ve completed my shopping and most of those gifts are already wrapped.

I understand this makes me an outlier or an overachiever. I also understand that while many people do have their decorations up, their Christmas shopping may not be over or even started.

Seriously, if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, you’re bound to make it more stressful in the long run. It’s getting to a point where you might be pushing it with respect to finding that special gift for that special someone.

But what exactly goes into a great gift? That’s actually something I’ve learned and refined over the years. I’ve talked about it before, but I feel I should expand on it a bit. I notice that, as I’ve gotten older, it gets a bit harder to buy meaningful Christmas gifts. At a certain age, your family and loved ones really don’t need much from you anymore, aside from your presence and your love during this special time of year.

I know it sounds cheesy, but make no mistake. That really does matter. Just being there and being present on Christmas is often the best gift you can give for some people. That’s all well and good. But like I said, I try to overachieve on the holidays. That means I’ll still try to get that special someone a gift. Sometimes, it’s easy because my friends and family will actually provide a list for me. I always appreciate that and I encourage others to make it easier for their loved ones in that regard.

Granted, sometimes I do have to bug my family and friends for that list, but it’s often worthwhile. You just have to be patient with them, especially the ones with kids. Sometimes, you will end up buying something that the kids love, but the parents hate. As someone with multiple nieces and nephews, I can confirm this conflict. I can also confirm it often makes for great holiday memories.

That being said, I do have some new advice to share for those still struggling to complete their Christmas shopping. Since we’re getting into the heart of the holiday season, I think the time is right to share this. So, here are a few extra tips that I hope will help.

Tip #1: Bigger might not always be better, but sentimental is always better. Don’t just get a gift you think someone wants. Make sure there’s some sentimental aspect behind it, be it a personal photo or something that conjures a memory. An inexpensive baseball glove can sometimes become a kid’s most prized possession if he grows to love baseball.

Tip #2: Customize a gift if possible. You can buy all types of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. Most do little to stand out. But one that happens to be engraved with a quote from a loved one or an image of a friend can make it all the more valuable. Even a cheap keychain can be made special if it has a picture of someone’s first child.

Tip #3: Consider the fun factor. For kids and adults alike, don’t just think about how expensive or popular a gift is. Consider how much fun you’ll have with it. A toy is only as great as the fun it conjures. The same goes for adults. A book is all well and good, but a loved one might have a lot more fun with a deck of Cards Against Humanity.

Tip #4: A gift can also be an experience. Some people don’t care much for material gifts. They’re more inclined to embrace experiences. That’s why concert tickets or tickets to a sporting event can be very memorable. One year, a relative of mine got tickets to opening day for the baseball season. He still ranks it as one of his favorite gifts of all time. You can even get creative with the presentation. Put the gift in a big box and weigh it down with rocks. That’ll be both surprising and memorable.

Tip #5: Supplement a big gift with something smaller. Sometimes, a big gift is definitely the way to go. But it works even better if you can supplement it somehow. If you buy a pitching net for a kid, add in some new baseballs or a new glove. Let the gifts have both a personal touch and an overall experience. It shows you’re willing to put in the extra effort.

Tip #6: Use every opportunity for a surprise. You can get someone a mundane gift that they asked for. That’s all well and good. But if you see an opportunity to surprise them in a good way, take it. I know someone who once got a book he asked for, but there were concert tickets in the cover. Their reaction was just priceless.

These are just a few tips from a veteran holiday enthusiast. I hope they help you in your holiday shopping this year and in future years. Take it from me. A great gift can have an impact that goes far beyond the holidays.

Happy Holidays and Happy Holiday Shopping!

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My Christmas Tree Is Up And My Christmas Shopping Is (Mostly) Done!

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The holidays are fast approaching. Chances are you’ve already heard Christmas music on the radio. You probably started Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” the day after Halloween. Some people whine about it, claiming Christmas festivities are popping up way too early. They’ll even go so far as to say it undermines the season.

I say to hell with those people. I love it! I love that Christmas decorations start going up as soon as the calendar turns to November. I’ve always loved the festivities and aesthetics of Christmas. Talk to anyone in my family. They’ll tell you the same thing. I love Christmas and I always go the extra mile to make it more awesome.

As such, it should surprise absolutely nobody that I already have my Christmas tree up and decorated. Actually, I’ve had it up for a couple weeks now. I put it up the day after Halloween. I’m sure there’s a healthy debate to be had about when the appropriate time is to put up your Christmas decorations. I would not do well in that debate. I’d get a bit too passionate about my right to put up a Christmas tree on Halloween.

So, rather than debate the merits of having your tree up this early, I thought I’d just take a moment to acknowledge that I take Christmas more seriously than most. I’m the kind of guy who will always want to have his tree up the day after Halloween. If I ever meet that special someone, I’d want them to be part of that tradition, as well.

In addition, I’d also like to acknowledge that this year presents some unique challenges for the holidays. I know that’s a relative statement, given how crazy last year was. Even I had to adapt. I still had all my decorations up early, but my family had to modify their usual holiday activities to work around the pandemic. We still made the most of it. This year, we hope to have some more traditional festivities.

There will still be challenges. There are currently some ongoing issues with respect to supply chains and retail. That’s why I encouraged everyone to do their holiday shopping ASAP. I’ll even belabor that for good measure.

Do your shopping early.

Get your Christmas lists completed now.

You’ll save your Christmas spirit plenty of strain in the long run.

To that end, I’d also like to state that I’m not just blowing smoke. I really practice what I preach here. As of a few days ago, I’ve pretty much completed all my Christmas shopping. Now, I say “pretty much” because I don’t shop for Christmas presents like a normal person. Like I said, I go overboard and I’m proud of it.

My standard practice is that I make a list of all my family members. I then ask them if there’s something specific they want me to get them. Most don’t respond, but those that do get priority. For those that don’t, I try to guess as best I can to get them something they would like. I try to make it personal and sentimental. Some of the gifts I bought years ago still get used today. Those are the gifts I love giving.

However, I rarely stop at one gift. I’ve often been inclined to buy two for each person, often as a hedge in case something I get them doesn’t land. It’s the on time of year when I’m not that frugal with my money. I really make an effort to go the extra mile for the people I love.

Part of that is always being on the lookout for more and better gifts. Even when I’ve got my shopping done, I’ll occasionally go to a mall and just browse. If I ever see something that would just be too perfect, I get it. Every year, it seems, I find something unexpected that makes for a great gift.

So, even though my shopping is done on paper, I’m still on the lookout for other awesome gifts. I don’t know if I’ll come across any. I certainly hope I do. It’s been a rough year and the holidays are the best possible time to make it better. Even if you’re not a big Christmas person like I am, I encourage you to make the effort.

It’s not too late. If anything, the time is perfect to make the holidays this year even more festive.

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Attention All Holiday Shoppers: Do Your Shopping EARLY This Year!

11 Best Christmas Shopping Tips - How to Do Holidays on a Budget

I love Christmas.

I love the holidays.

It has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you the same. I take Christmas very seriously. I go out of my way to buy extra gifts and I often spend way more than I intend. However, I gladly pay that price because that’s how much I love the holidays.

Last year was a real challenge for obvious reasons. This year promises to be a bit more traditional and we should welcome that.

However, this year brings with it some new challenges, especially for those who just love waiting until the last minute to do their Christmas shopping. We all know people like that. You yourself might be like that. I understand that not everyone is inclined to be that proactive. There’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t think less of anyone who has a procrastination problem around the holidays.

That being said, you should make an exception this year. If ever there was a year in which you got your shopping done early, make it this one. The ongoing supply chain issues that we’ve all heard about will have an impact, regardless of whether you do your shopping online or go to a store.

This is not speculation.

This is a warning.

If you want to make sure you get all the gifts you hope to give, either for yourself or your loved ones, do your shopping now.

Don’t wait until Thanksgiving.

Don’t wait until the first week of December.

Do it now.

You family will thank you and your holiday experience will be less stressful overall.

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Recounting A Special Christmas Gift (And What Made It So Special)

The holidays are a special time of year. Even in a year like this, we should appreciate that. If anything, a year like this should help us appreciate it even more. Even if we can’t have big Christmas parties or shop in crowded malls, the spirit of the season is something to cherish.

I certainly have a fondness for the holidays. I’ve made no secret of that. I think a year like this has inspired me to get more personal and share more holiday joy than usual. If it helps distract us from how awful 2020 has been, I’m happy to contribute.

To that end, I’d like to share a personal holiday memory that is near and dear to my heart. It’s also fairly recent, so I won’t rely on the kind of child-like excitement that comes with getting your first bike or video game console.

That being said, I still rank my first Super Nintendo as the greatest Christmas gift of all time, but that’s a story for another time.

This particular story happened just last year, long before we knew 2020 was going to crush our spirits. It involves a very special gift that I received from my brother. I’m not sure if he reads this site regularly, but he knows better than anyone why this gift was so special.

To set the stage, I need to explain some of my family’s holiday traditions. Ours aren’t that unique. Me, my siblings, and their significant others all gather at my parents’ house. We all bring our gifts, put them under the tree, and make opening them this big shared event. It’s simple, but it hits all the right holiday tones.

Traditionally, my family knows what to get me long before Christmas. They know me well and they know my tastes are simple. Get me some comic books, some superhero apparel, or something related to football and I’m a happy guy. I like to think I’m fairly easy to shop for.

That didn’t stop my brother from going the extra mile this year. As it just so happened, his was one of the last gifts I’d opened. At that point, I was already a happy guy, swimming in new comics and clothes. This last gift, however, caught me by surprise in a very personal way.

I still remember holding the seemingly innocuous box. It didn’t look like anything elaborate. For all I knew, it was another comic or Blu-Ray movie. I just casually opened it. That’s when I saw it.

It was a framed picture.

Specifically, it was a picture of my grandmother, who had passed away just a few years ago.

Seeing her again, even in a picture, hit me in a way I didn’t respect. Even though she had been gone for years at that point, seeing her again reminded me of how much I missed her. It was somewhat jarring, but in a good way.

I just remember taking the picture out, holding it up, and looking at it for a good long while. I might have disrupted the overall jolly spirit of the room, but I think they understood why.

My brother, along with the rest of my family, knew how close I was to my grandmother. They also knew how hard it was for her during her final years. I visited her regularly and I watched as her health declined. It wasn’t easy, to say the least.

It helped that this particular picture that my brother framed was taken shortly before she fell ill. She was still smiling, as lively as any woman in her 90s could be at that point. Seeing that look on her face, even if it was just in a picture, was enough to make my heart skip a beat.

I almost broke down, but I managed to keep it together. It helped that my older sister came over and hugged me. She knew how much my grandmother meant to me, as well. It was a powerful moment, but one that made both that gift and that Christmas extra special.

That picture my brother gave me still has a prominent place on my shelf. As I write this, it’s right behind me. It still brings me comfort to this day, seeing my grandmother in that picture. For that, I’ll always be grateful to her and to my brother for giving me such a special gift.

Bro, if you’re reading this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for making that Christmas special and for going the extra mile in giving me that gift. You’re the best!

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Christmas As A Kid Vs. Christmas As An Adult

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As adults, we tend to see things very differently than we did when we were kids. There are exceptions, of course. I’m almost certain the look on my face when I re-watch an old episode of “X-Men” or “Spider-Man” is the same now as it was when I was a kid. For most things, though, our thinking and our perceptions evolve.

This tends to manifest a lot during the holidays. As kids, we know why we loved Christmas. We got presents. We got over a week off of school. We got to hang out with friends, show off our toys, and eat whatever sugary treats our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors put in front of us. What’s not to love?

As adults, it changes considerably and the extent of that change differs from person to person. I know people who tend to see the holidays as a chore as they get older. They rarely look happy or festive. They just look stressed out and constantly complain about how hard it is to find parking at the mall in the weeks after Thanksgiving. Honestly, I feel bad for these people.

For others, Christmas becomes more a formality. It’s like Thanksgiving, but with more decorations, presents, and eggnog. It means having a few days off work and catching up with family, especially if you didn’t get to over Thanksgiving. I can appreciate this too. Most of the people I know tend to see Christmas this way and I think it’s perfectly appropriate.

For me, however, Christmas has taken on a whole new appeal since I became an adult. While I don’t see it with the kind of wide-eyed excitement I did when I was a kid, I still get giddier about it than most people my age. I know this because other people, including close friends and relatives, have told me this directly.

That appeal still took a while to evolve. When I was in college, there was only so much I could do for the holidays. I was flat broke, in debt, and still dependent on my parents for all things festive. For several years, I had to do most of my shopping in the campus mall. While my family and friends never gave me a hard time about it, it did dampen my holiday spirit for a time.

Then, after I graduated, started making my own money, and moved out of my parents’ house, things changed. Suddenly, I could celebrate Christmas in my own unique way. For the first couple years, I didn’t even know what that entailed. Once I got going, though, I learned quickly.

I bought my own Christmas tree. I put it up in mid-November and put way more lights on it than my parents ever did. I started wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and novelty ties. I began shopping for Christmas gifts with more money than a broke college student. They were exciting times, to say the least. In the process, I learned something important about Christmas as an adult.

As a kid, Christmas is all about getting.

As an adult, Christmas is all about giving and giving with heart.

I know that sounds corny. I’m sure that will evoke some groans among those who love complaining about how Christmas has become so commercialized and materialistic. I feel bad for those people too because I couldn’t disagree more.

As kids, it makes sense for Christmas to be about getting stuff. We’re kids. We can’t get our own stuff yet. We can’t work, earn money, and celebrate on our own accord. We’re dependent on our parents and our family. Say what you will about that dynamic, those are the logistics we have to deal with.

Once we become adults, we learn what it means to be part of a community and a family. In that community, we can’t just obsess over getting stuff and not just so we don’t become a villain in a Charles Dickens novel. In the adult world, to get the things we want, be it love or a new iPad, we need to cooperate and connect with one another.

Sometimes it’s with friends.

Sometimes it’s with total strangers.

Sometimes it’s with co-workers, peers, or employers.

One way or another, we have to give ourselves to others in order to get what we want, regardless of what day of the year it might be. That’s what it means to be in a family, a community, and a society. It doesn’t always involve giving something material or wrapped in colorful wrapping paper. More often, it means giving our time, our attention, our affection, and our passion.

It may sound like a chore for some, but it’s very rewarding in amazing ways that science has documented. We are a social species, after all. Socializing, forming bonds, and making others around us happy makes us happy, in turn. Around the holidays, we just add lights, food, family, and festivities to the mix, which tends to amplify the effect.

I can attest to the power of this effect. As an adult, some of my favorite Christmas memories from the reactions I see on the faces of friends and loved ones when they open my gifts. The joy I see when I manage to get them something that they love is a true sight to behold. Given how I take gift-giving more seriously than most people in my family, they know I don’t take it lightly.

Those efforts help make the holidays more rewarding for me and my family. For me, it’s not about getting presents. I still enjoy that part as much as anyone who enjoys getting gifts, but I’ve become more and more fond of the giving part of the holidays. By making it more enjoyable for my loved ones, whether it’s through a gift, a treat, or me wearing a goofy sweater, I get more enjoyment out of it as well.

Maybe my idea of Christmas will evolve again once I meet that special someone and have kids. Until then, I have a clear plan for the many Christmas festivities to come. I’ve already completed my shopping. I’m preparing treats and activities, as well. I intend to give my family everything they’ve come to love and enjoy about Christmas. I may not top the previous year, but I will make that effort. That much, I can promise.

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Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Romantic (And Sexy) Manners Edition

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When it comes to sex appeal, manners rarely rank near the top. In fact, they tend to lag behind the the inherent appeal of bad boys, deviants, and other traits every metal band in the 1980s took to an extreme. While there will always be certain women who are attracted to bad boys and men who are attracted to bad girls, there’s still a unique appeal to good old fashioned manners.

I had to amazing parents and several siblings who instilled in me a strong appreciation of manners. I’ve noted before how they taught me the importance of little things like holding the door for a woman. I like to think I’ve taken those lessons to heart and not just with respect to holding the door. When I’m in the presence of a lady, I raise the bar for my mannerisms.

While every situation is different and every woman responds to behaviors differently, I’ve learned over the years that everyone wants to feel valued. Everyone wants to feel appreciated, as well. Manners help us convey that message. They help us communicate that we value them as people. We want them to feel happy, comfortable, and safe in our presence.

It doesn’t always have to include sex appeal, but it certainly can serve as a foundation. It’s true. Manners can be sexy. I saw this first hand while I was dating my ex-girlfriend. When I did something as simple as pull out a chair for her, she responded favorably. It meant a lot to her and she returned the favor in other ways, some of which were very sexy.

Manners may never be as sexy as the bad boys and bad girls of this world, but they’ll always have an appeal on some level. That appeal is worth acknowledging and celebrating. I hope this edition of my Sexy Sunday Thoughts helps contribute to that effort. Enjoy!


“Honesty won’t get you laid, but it will limit the damage to your ego, genitals, and bank account in the long run.”


“Practically speaking, it’s impossible to give a man a blowjob without him noticing.”


“Giving someone oral sex won’t win an argument, but it will make compromise a lot easier.”


“The fact that some people can have sex while sleepwalking proves that we’re horny even when we’re unconscious.”


“On some levels, we want our lover’s to be good listeners so we don’t have to overtly tell them our kinks.”


“Breasts don’t directly cause sexy thoughts, but they do plenty to inspire them.”


“To some extent, being a workaholic is just an unsexy version of S&M.”


Good manners aren’t that difficult to exercise. For the most part, they’re just a byproduct of common sense and basic human decency. Simple or not, they go a long way towards showing someone we care about them. It may not get them overly excited, but it will send a powerful message about the breadth of your passion.

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Jack Fisher’s Guide To (Awesome) Gift Giving

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It’s official now. Thanksgiving is over. The leftovers are mostly gone. That means for the next few weeks, the holiday spirit will revolve entirely around Christmas and Christmas-like festivities. There’s no more complaining about seeing holiday decorations too early. At this point, the time is right to get into the swing of things.

Whether you celebrate it or not, there’s no avoiding it. The season is upon us. We see it in commercials, holiday specials, holiday-themed food, and holiday music. By now, we’ve all probably heard Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” at least a dozen times on the radio.

Without a doubt, Christmas is my favorite time of year. It always has been. As a kid, my family always did so many wonderful things around Christmas. Some of my fondest childhood memories took place around Christmas. As an adult, I found entirely new ways to make it memorable. I’ve every intention of keeping that tradition, especially once I find the love of my life.

Chief among those traditions is my approach to gift giving. Talk to anyone in my family and they’ll tell you the same thing. When it comes to giving Christmas gifts, I go above and beyond. I’m not the kind of guy who will be cheap or thoughtless. I’m also not the kind of guy who puts in minimal effort, stuffing cheap crap into bags and slapping tags on it. I am willing to put extra time and money into holiday gift giving.

It doesn’t matter if I’m buying for my parents, my siblings, my friends, or my nieces and nephews, who are all still kids. I make it a point to give them gifts that are special, memorable, and meaningful. From what I get into how I wrap them, I make sure every gift I give on the holidays conveys a sense of love and sincerity.

For that reason, and in hopes of inspiring others to go the extra mile this Christmas, I’d like to share my unofficial guide, of sorts, to gift giving on the holidays. It’s not a science, but it’s not some wild crap shoot either. You can give awesome gifts without being rich, psychic, or possessed by the spirit of Santa Claus.

These are simple tips and tricks that I’ve learned from years of successful gift giving. I sincerely hope they help enhance your holiday experience, both with respect to giving gifts and inspiring the right spirit for this time of year.


Tip #1: Be Proactive And Listen Along The Way

This may seem too obvious, but I’ll say it anyways. When it comes to Christmas shopping, you don’t want to procrastinate. I know that’s easier said than done. I know there’s a reason why people feel inclined to procrastinate. Given everything that goes on during the holidays, people have even more excuses.

However, this is one effort for which you really want to be proactive. That means planning or at least contemplating your gift giving schedule around Halloween. It may sound too early, but trust me. It pays off.

This past year, I began browsing Amazon, Ebay, and all the usual retail outlets around mid-October, putting together lists of potential gifts for loved ones. I didn’t buy anything at that point. The idea wasn’t to buy it all at once. That’s actually not a good strategy. The best recourse, in my experience, is to have a long list of possible gifts. It’s just a matter of selecting the right gift for the right person.

You won’t always know that in mid-October. You might not even know that until mid-December. That’s where the listening part comes in. As early as Labor Day, start listening to your friends and family. Get a sense for what they want or need. You don’t have to be obvious. A little tact goes a long way.

Then, once Thanksgiving comes around and every major outlet starts throwing big sales, you already have a list of gifts to work with. Take advantage of those sales and you’ll even save money in the process. There is literally no downside to being proactive during the holidays, which is why it’s probably the most important tip I can give for the holidays.


Tip #2: Be Transparent With Loved Ones For Their Gifts (And Yours)

This tactic is a bit more subtle, but it pays off in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes, in order to glean what your loved ones want for Christmas, you have to start by letting them know what you want. Most of my friends and relatives agree. I’m very easy to shop for on the holidays.

That’s not just because I maintain an Amazon Wish List and that most of my requests involve comics, video games, and accessories that rarely cost more than $50. I’m hope and honest about what I want them to get me. I’ll go so far as to text them multiple links to items I want. When you’re that easy to shop for, people are more willing to return the favor.

This has helped a great deal with loved ones who rarely give me any clues about what to get them. Some are just difficult to shop for because they claim to not want anything. Some are genuinely sincere about that. However, they know I’m still getting them something. It can either be just some random thing I guess on or something they can help make meaningful.

Sometimes, it takes a few years to get that sort of rapport with a loved one, but it’s worth doing. Trust me. When you find that right gift for that someone and see their reaction, it makes the holidays that much more special.


Tip #3: Find Meaningful Gifts (Which Need Not Be Expensive)

This is another tip that seems logical, but is easier said than done. That whole notion that it’s the thought that counts isn’t completely wrong, but it still has some merit. Meaningful gifts are the best kind of gifts to get someone. It can have both sentimental and material value. If you really care about someone, you want this gift to send a message. Giving it meaning always helps.

Years ago, a friend of mine got his girlfriend an iPod mini. It was simple. It didn’t seem that meaningful at first. Then, I found out he engraved a quote from his girlfriend’s mother on the back. That quote made that gift more meaningful than anything else he could’ve given her. Needless to say, that was a memorable Christmas and my friend is still with that same woman.

Giving a gift greater meaning also doesn’t mean buying something expensive. Some of the most meaningful gifts I’ve ever given cost less than $20, but they were extremely personal and they sent a message to the person I gave it to. They got that message loud and clear. Our Christmas was better because of it. You can put a price on a lot of things during the holidays, but you can’t put a dollar value on genuine sentiment.


Tip #4: Know When (And How) A Gift Card Is Appropriate

This is a somewhat controversial topic among gift-giving circles. There’s this notion that if you really care about someone, you never give them a gift card. Gift cards are great for birthdays or for people you can’t always see very often, but there’s a taboo with respect to giving them as a Christmas gift. I don’t entirely agree with that.

In general, I don’t give gift cards. I treat it as a last resort, but it’s still an option. I just try to make it more than just a socking stuffer. You can give greater meaning to a gift card. One year, I included a gift card with a Christmas card that has a poem I wrote in it. That poem helped give greater value to the gift card. It made the gesture personal. It showed that I cared and it got the point across.

In the right circumstances, gift cards can totally work. When someone can’t be there for the holidays or is still new to the family, as is often the case with in laws and extended family, a gift card can go a long way towards establishing a rapport. I find that it’s a useful starting point with someone, but it shouldn’t be the endpoint.

Personally, I hope the taboo surrounding gift cards fades in the coming years. With more and more shopping being done online, I think gift cards are a lot more practical today than they were when I was a kid. The rules surrounding them may change, but for now, a gift card should remain a last resort when shopping for a loved one.


Tip #5: Make A List (And Check It More Than Twice)

That old adage about Santa having a list and checking it twice isn’t just a memorable song lyric. It’s a very practical tool for keeping track of your holiday gift giving. I maintain a list on my phone that has everyone I buy a gift for, as well as some ideas on what to get them. I constantly update that list over the course of the year and I let people know when they’re on it.

When the time comes to start buying, I use that list to track what I buy, who I buy it for, and how they react to it. This list, which can get a little bloated at times, acts as both a reference and a guide onto how I perform every Christmas. Given the size of my family and the amount of gifts I buy, it helps to keep track of who gets what. It also helps to identify a certain trend in terms of what certain loved ones like.

Over the years, those trends have helped me refine my gift giving skills for certain people. I learn their tastes. I learn what makes a gift meaningful to them. Most importantly, I keep track of it. Don’t expect to remember all these little quirks over the course of a year.

Keep a list. Check it constantly, especially around mid-November. It’ll ensure you know what to look for and who to get it for when the time comes. It also acts as a way of noting ideas that come to you for certain people. On more than one occasion, I’ll randomly see something online or in a store that I know someone would love for Christmas. I make a note of it and it pays off in the long run.


I hope this helps everyone in their gift giving efforts this season. As I write this, I’m proud to say my shopping is done. I have my presents ready and wrapped for my loved ones. I look forward to seeing their reactions on Christmas morning. I hope everyone else can enjoy a similar holiday experience.

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Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Holiday Shopping 2019 Edition

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It’s official. The holidays are here! That means the people who have been whining about seeing Christmas decorations since October can finally stop whining. There’s no more leftover turkey or Halloween candy. For the next few weeks, it’s all about getting ready for Christmas and all the festive joys that entails.

For me, one of those joys involves holiday shopping. Yes, I know that’s strange to hear from a straight guy who writes sexy short stories about sex robots. No, I don’t care. I love shopping, in general. I attribute that mostly to my awesome mother, who just loved taking me to malls when I was a baby. I like to think that left an indelible mark that is at its best during the holidays.

That’s because when it comes to holiday shopping and buying presents for loved ones, I do not take it lightly. I’m not cheap and I make a concerted effort to get a gift that’s meaningful. That means no gift cards or last-minute panic buys. When someone opens a gift I bought them, I want their face to light up like a dozen Christmas trees. Seeing that joy and sharing it with loved ones is part of why I love the holidays.

It all starts with the shopping. I know the malls are crowded, the parking is a mess, and the commercials are cheesy. I don’t care. I love every second of it and I intend to enjoy it until Christmas Eve. As of now, most of my shopping is done. I still have a few more gifts to buy and I intend to make them count.

Say what you will about my opinions on politics, religion, and sex robots. Just never doubt my Christmas spirit. I hope these Sexy Sunday Thoughts make that point. Enjoy!


“The ability of a man to masturbate to the same porn star is indicative of how loyal he’ll be in a relationship.”


“Technically, family reunion are celebrations of successful orgasms.”


“A happy spouse, a loyal spouse, and a horny spouse are difficult traits to juggle.”


“When you think about it, simultaneous orgasm was the first manifestation of socialism.”


“A relationship based on make-up sex is the romantic equivalent of a stock market bubble.”


“Someone with a foot fetish probably has mixed feelings about dirty socks.”


“Take a moment to appreciate how creative and horny the inventor of certain sex toys must have been.”


I hope that helped get everyone into the holiday shopping spirit. Whether you do it online or brave the crowded malls, I encourage everyone to put a little extra effort into getting gifts for your loved ones. They don’t have to be expensive. They just have to be meaningful and sincere. That, more than anything, is what makes the holiday spirit so special.

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“The Perfect Deal” A Sexy Short Story (About Holiday Shopping)

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The following is a sexy short story about Black Friday shopping, finding the perfect gift for a loved one, and getting a great deal on that gift. These are all festive topics that I’ve channeled into a sexy story. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it gets you in the holiday spirit. As always, I welcome comments and feedback.

“When it came to making a deal, everyone had a line they refused to cross. Those who drew that line too carefully were often the first to get ripped off.”

That was the first sales lesson that Stacy Stamper’s father had taught her as a little girl. Being the son of a traveling salesman and the cofounder of successful marketing company, her father treated sales with a passion that few could match. He said he’d planned on passing down his valuable knowledge to his kids one day. As it just so happened, Stacy was the oldest of the three and often the first to be in a position to use that knowledge.

However, sometimes being the first meant crossing a few lines she hadn’t expected.

“Out here,” said the deep, excited voice of Marvin “Max” Dresden. “Nobody comes into these parts at this hour, especially on Black Friday.”

“It’ll do,” said Stacy. “Just remember I know which parts of this store are being monitored by cameras. So if you’re hoping to record our little exchange, stop hoping.”

“Believe me, I’m looking to record anything. My girlfriend already busts my balls whenever she finds porn on my computer. I’m not looking egg her on…at least until the lease on our apartment is up and we can break up properly.”

“I’m glad your motivations are so simple,” she told him, “but that doesn’t make you any less a sleaze bag.”

“Speak for yourself, Stacy. You’re the one whoring yourself for a fancy pair of cufflinks.”

She scolded the tall, well-dressed man before her, but stopped short of arguing his rhetoric. He might have been a shallow, obnoxious frat boy who never worked a job his well-connected parents didn’t get him, but he had something she wanted and getting it required some ambitious negotiating. In the process, Stacy found out she was prepared to cross certain lines to complete the deal of a lifetime.

Doing so meant meeting up with Max Dresden at four in the morning at the high end West Hills Mall on Black Friday – the unofficial holiday of big deals, which seemed so fitting. While most of the heavy shopping traffic gathered around the north mezzanine, Max had her meet him at a utility entrance on the west end. From there, he led her to an area just outside the staff lounge where they could finalize their lurid deal.

“Call it whatever you want, Max,” she told him. “We agreed on the terms. And I have your girlfriend’s number and your mother’s personal email address as leverage, just in case you’re thinking about changing them.”

“Don’t remind me,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I’m still trying to figure out how you got that from me.”

“You don’t need to know that anymore than I need to know how you ended up with a pair of rare cufflinks. We both want this deal to go smoothly so let’s focus on that.”

Max bit his tongue. He might not have been too bright, but he understood incentives and leverage. That was all she needed him to understand for the sake of the deal.

Officially, Stacy was skipping a post-Thanksgiving breakfast with her family to get a head start on her Christmas shopping. Being the only one of her siblings who was out of high school, had a car, and enough disposable income to spend, nobody gave it much thought. Her father was even proud to see her going the extra mile to secure a good deal.

He might not have been that thrilled about how far she was willing to go to get the perfect Christmas present, but so long as the deal went through, her father never had to know the truth.

“For you, Dad…it’s worth it,” Stacy said under her breath.

At the heart of the deal was a pair of rare cufflinks, specifically the kind her grandfather wore during his days as a traveling salesman. After her grandfather passed away, and was subsequently buried with his cherished cufflinks, her father had tried to purchase a pair for himself. Unfortunately, the European jeweler who made them went out of business years ago and he could never find them.

It had been a point of frustration for years. Her father had been successful at so many things, but not finding a pair of those cufflinks really bothered him.

Stacy believed that getting him those cufflinks would be the greatest holiday gift she could give him. She’d been looking for a pair for the past three years, even as she built a business of her own. Finding them had only gotten more difficult over the years. Then, she found out through a friend of a friend that Max Dresden had a connection. That created an opportunity for a deal.

It was a simple deal and one she was uniquely qualified to make, despite having a limited budget and little time. It helped that Max was a simple man with basic needs, shallow tastes, and poor negotiating skills. If all went well, then they would both get something they wanted from the deal.

“So where are they?” Stacy asked.

“Right here, just like you asked,” Max said, tapping the pocket of his coat.

“Show me,” she said. “Keep in mind, my uncle is a jeweler. He taught me how to spot fakes.”

“Then, I guess it’s a good thing these are the real deal. That way, only one of us wasted our time.”

With a smug smirk, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet case. He held it up closely so that she could see when he opened it. Sure enough, the cufflinks were in there and they were the real deal.

Stacy had to temper her reaction. She’d seen plenty of pictures of the cufflinks. She’d even held the ones her grandfather had shortly before he died. When she reached out and felt the ones before her, it was like reconnecting with a part of her family’s past. She could only imagine how her father would react when he saw them.

“Wow!” Stacy said under her breath. “This is it. These are the cufflinks my father could never find.”

“Too bad his did dad wasn’t friends with some European art guy,” said Max, rolling his eyes. “I still don’t get why he gave me these things in the first place. It’s not like I enjoy wearing fancy suits as much as him.”

Stacy withheld her bemusement. It didn’t seem fair that someone like Max had a pair of rare cufflinks. He clearly didn’t appreciate them.

He didn’t appreciate a lot of things, it seemed. He was a spoiled rich kid who only worked menial jobs because his parents demanded it. A friend of hers even said that the only reason Max was working on Black Friday was because he dented the new Cadillac his father bought him for his senior year at college. It hardly seemed like a fair deal according to her business savvy, but that was Max’s problem. She had more pressing issues.

“Okay. They’re real. You’ve done your part, Max,” Stacy said.

“Does that mean you’re going to do yours?” he asked in a lecherous tone.

“Of course,” she said bluntly. “I organized this deal. I agreed to it. And if there’s one lesson my father and grandfather belabored over all others, it’s this…we honor our deals.”

True to her word – and much to Max’s excitement, as well – Stacy went about upholding her end.

She started by taking off her coat, revealing the somewhat undersized halter top that she only usually wore in the summer. Its small size ensured it showed a good part of her cleavage, of which she had plenty. It also revealed that she hadn’t worn a bra, which Max clearly noticed.

“No bra and no shirt,” he said. “I remember that part of the negotiation.”

“Of course, you do,” Stacy replied.

Without hesitation, she removed her shirt, rendering her naked from the waste up. The sight of her exposed breasts in the soft lighting of the break room earned her a larger smile from max. His excitement growing, he reached out to touch them. Stacy willingly let him. That was another part of the deal she remembered.

“Nice!” he said. “Those pics you sent didn’t do your tits justice. And here I was thinking you Photoshopped them.”

“Like I said, I honor my deals. That means I don’t deceive.”

Staying true to her word, Stacy let Max enjoy her breasts while she unzipped the back of her skirt and let it fall to the floor. That left her in only a black thong, which happened to be the same one she’d worn in the other sexy pictures she’d sent him while arranging their deal.

To ensure Max was sufficiently motivated, she had to offer more than a few gropes and some sexy imagery. He had to feel like he was getting more than what he got from his girlfriend or his porn stash. Given his reaction to feeling her breasts and seeing her exposed body, he had the face of a man who though he’d hit the jackpot.

“Damn! You look good naked too,” Max said. “Why isn’t a hottie like you in college?”

“Because some of us have goals that don’t involve getting a college degree on our rich daddy’s dime,” Stacy said, “but try not to think about that for the next few minutes. As of right now, I’m not just some girl looking to get her father the best Christmas gift ever. I’m just a hot young woman who’s willing to fuck you in a mall break room at four in the morning.”

Max replied with another lecherous grin. He was already so immersed in her breasts that she doubted the other particulars of the deal had crossed his mind. That was fine with her. It just made holding up her end that much easier.

After letting Max have fun with her breasts for a bit, she proceeded with the next step. She dropped to her knees, looking up at him with seductive eyes, pretending as though she were someone who did this kind of thing for free on Black Friday. While he looked back in anticipation, she undid his pants and pulled them down his waist. Touching her breasts had already gotten his blood flowing in the right directions. He already had a semi-hard boner dangling in front of her, which she saw as just another part of the deal.

“I see part of you is already in the holiday spirit,” Stacy said.

“Oh yes. I’m feeling very spirited!” Max chuckled.

Already sounding like the immature frat guy he was on non-holidays, Stacy channeled her own unique spirit for the moment. She narrowed her gaze on his dick, reached out with both hands, and went to work getting him ready for the final transaction.

She started by jerking him off a bit, getting him even harder and evoking a light gasp. Then, she used her breasts to tit-fuck him, placing his cock between her fleshy mounds and pressing them together around his growing member. Max responded with another blissful gasp. His legs growing weak, he leaned back against a nearby wall and gave her more room to work.

“Yeah! Use those tits! Work that cock!” he said.

Stacy didn’t need the extra motivation, but she used it anyway. She worked his cock between her breasts more vigorously, getting him harder by the second. Once she felt that he was near full arousal, she pulled back and took the next proverbial plunge.

“That got the holiday spirit flowing. This should make it stronger!” Stacy said intently.

She flashed him another sexy look, licking her lips and showing off the cherry-flavored lipstick that he’d requested in the negotiation. Then, still as motivated as ever to complete the deal, Stacy took his cock into her mouth and began sucking him off.

“Oohhh fuck!” Max gasped with delight. “Just when I’d forgotten how great blowjobs feel!”

That sounded like a brief slight as his girlfriend, which Stacy doubted he loved to any great extent. If she hadn’t been giving him blowjobs, then chances they were both looking for a reason to break up.

Not being in a relationship herself gave Stacy an advantage. She didn’t have to hold back while sucking Max off. She could be as dirty and sloppy as she wanted. She hadn’t had much of a sex life for the past several months, but she remembered how much her ex-boyfriend enjoyed blowjobs. She hadn’t forgotten how to make them good, either.

She channeled every ounce of oral sex experience since high school. Max told her not to half-ass it during the negotiations and she promised she wouldn’t. True to her word, Stacy licked along his shaft, twirled her tongue around the head, and made plenty of gargling noises. If Max watched as much porn as he claimed, he probably got off on those noises. In a vacant break room, every noise seemed to reverberate.

The results delivered exactly what she’d promised. It got Max fully aroused and fully erect. Stacy expected it to take longer, given the early morning hour and Max’s tendency to overstate his manliness. She didn’t complain, though. It just meant the next part would be that much easier.

“I remember you saying you didn’t want to pop off too soon,” she said while still stroking his cock. “You wanted to wait until you were fucking me.”

“You’re…a good listener, Stacy,” said Max, already breathless.

“I’m also a woman of my word,” Stacy told him, “and I intend to belabor that.”

As Max leaned back against the wall, Stacy kept stroking his dick to keep it hard. While in her grasp, she tactfully retrieved a condom from her purse, opened the package, and put it on his dick. Having had plenty of practice with her previous boyfriend, Max barely seemed to notice.

Once he was ready, she made some final preparations for herself. She rose up from the floor, slipped out of her panties, and stood before the horny frat boy fully naked. She let him take in the sight briefly before turning around, shaking her butt, and casting him another seductive glance.

“What are you waiting for, Max?” she asked him. “Come get the pussy I so willingly offered you in our deal.”

“God, I love the holidays,” he said with a goofy grin.

From there, Stacy let Max take care of business. He threw off his coat and stepped out of his pants, which had been around his ankles. He then grabbed her by the hips, bent her over a nearby table, and positioned himself behind her. He wasn’t rough, but he wasn’t overly tender, either. That didn’t bother Stacy. As long as they both got what they wanted, she didn’t mind his crude approach.

There was no teasing or technique to what happened next. As soon as Max aligned his rock-hard dick with her pussy, he thrust it right into her waiting folds. As his hard length penetrated her womanly depths, he let out a deep grunt that filled the room.

“Oohhh yeah! That pussy…so nice and tight!” Max grunted.

Stacy remained silent, holding onto the table and letting the horny frat boy do what he needed to do. All she had to do at that point was relax, close her eyes, and let basic sexuality do to the rest.

Max kept it fairly simple. After getting a feel for her pussy, he began rocking his hips back and forth, working his cock within her depths. He didn’t go too quickly. He try to overdo it or anything. He clearly wanted to enjoy it, as any horny young man would.

She even made an effort to enjoy it as well. She might not have been overly aroused or all that attracted to Max, but she knew how to get into a sexual mindset. She knew how to enjoy sex, even when it wasn’t that intimate. She’d even worked in a little lube before meeting up with Max earlier, just to make this part of the deal both easier and more enjoyable.

It was another one of her father’s useful deal-making tips. When both sides got to enjoy themselves, both come out feeling like they got more than they asked for. It also made them less inclined to screw each other over. Max might have been a shallow, immature college guy, but he had simple tastes and simpler needs.

“Simple needs…easy deals,” Stacy found herself saying under her breath at one point.

That ensured he didn’t drag the sex out for too long. He didn’t mix it up much, either. As he humped her from behind, he just occasionally squeezed her butt. A few times, he leaned over and fondled her swaying breasts as well. Stacy even threw in a few moans, which weren’t at all faked. Max might have been crude with his approach to sex, but at least knew how to touch a woman. That counted as a bonus in her book.

After a solid round of hard humping, Stacy sensed Max pick the pace up. She sensed he was close. He was just about ready to complete the deal, among other things.

“Fuck! Ohhh fuck! Ohhh man, I’m gonna pop off!” he gasped.

“Do it, Max. Enjoy it!” Stacy said.

He clearly didn’t need the added encouragement, but it kept him nicely motivated as he pushed himself over the edge.

He was a bit louder than she expected, letting out this heavy grunt as he hit his climax. He firmly grasped both sides of her hips, pushed his cock deeper into her pussy, and leaned back slightly as he got his release. She could even feel his member throbbing inside her in accord with his pleasure. She actually enjoyed that feeling, having not forgotten how much she missed regular sex. This might not have been the kind of sex that gave her multiple orgasms, but it still satisfied her in other ways.

“That should do it,” Stacy said. “That completes the deal!”

“Complete…right,” Max said breathlessly, sounding too content to care.

He lingered for a few moments, taking in every last ounce of pleasure from his orgasm. When he finally withdrew, he had to lean on a nearby chair for support. Stacy, showing that she still cared more than most savvy businesswomen, offered him a playful gesture. She even removed the condom for him and threw it in the nearby trash can.

“You got what you wanted, Max. And I got what I wanted,” she said proudly. “That’s the essence of the perfect deal.”

Without even putting her clothes back on, she reached into his discarded coat and retrieved the box with the cufflinks. She even opened it and held them in her hands again, reaffirming they were very real. Knowing now that they were hers and would be the best Christmas gift she ever got for her father, Stacy smiled as though she were the one who’d just had a good orgasm.

“I’d say it’s been a pleasure doing business with you, but…that might be too accurate,” Max said with an amused laugh.

“When it comes to great deals on Black Friday, there’s no such thing,” Stacy said, laughing as well as she gathered her clothes.

“It’s funny. When you first came to me, I just thought you were just some trashy girl in need of a bigger shopping budget…no offense,” he added.

“None taken,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“But this shit really matters to you,” he said in a more serious tone. “You really are a woman of your word. And you’re willing to do whatever to get the job done…including the sexy stuff. I may be a spoiled rich kid, but I totally respect that.”

Stacy cast him another amused grin, but still laughed with him. Max might have been a bit of a meathead, but he was honest and genuine. That counted for something in her book, just as much as upholding a deal meant a lot for her. Regardless of her willingness to employ sex as a negotiating tool, Stacy saw herself as a businesswoman above all else. She found deals. She made them. Most importantly, she honored them.

When it came to getting the best possible deal on this fateful Black Friday, she could safely say she’d come out satisfied.

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A Sexy Anecdote About Black Friday

Does everybody feel full, bloated, and somewhat hung over? Good, because that’s a sign you had a great Thanksgiving. Even if you’re a health nut who agonizes over every calorie you ingest, this is a holiday where you punch your diet in the jaw, throw it out the window, and dive head-first into the nearest cheesecake. It’s part of the holiday spirit.

I certainly did my share of gorging yesterday. Yes, I do feel like a beached whale who had one too many glasses of whiskey. No, I don’t regret a goddamn thing. I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, family, and football it inspires. I also love the day that comes after it as well. It’s not exactly a holiday, but it can be just as much fun if you do it right.

Yes, I’m talking about Black Friday, that holiest of shopping days that inspire people to cut their Thanksgiving dinner short to stand in line at a big box store in hopes of saving a couple hundred bucks on something that’ll probably be cheaper in a couple months. It’s commercialism at its most egregious. The Catholic Church wishes it could inspire this kind of hysteria.

Personally, I love Black Friday. I love to wake up early, fight off a hangover, and go shopping. I know that’s not a very guy thing to do. I can’t say I care if it were. I’ve always loved to shop.

My mom actually told me stories about how she took me shopping when I was a baby. She claimed that was one of our favorite pastimes. I imagine it instilled in me a love of shopping that remains to this day. Compared to the other loves my mother could’ve instilled, I’ll gladly take this. For that, I thank her.

However, there’s another reason I’m fond of Black Friday shopping and it’s a much sexier reason. Sorry mom, but as an adult, sexier reasons do tend to resonate more with young men like me. In the spirit of Black Friday, I’d like to share that reason in the form of a sexy little story.

A number of years ago, back when I was still in college, I was dating this girl. She was cute, witty, and had a real dirty mouth, but in the most lovable of ways. We had been together for a while since then so when she had a chance to visit me on Thanksgiving, we jumped at the opportunity.

It turned out to be a lot of fun. She really enjoyed herself and my family certainly adored her company. There are a lot of dirty mouths in my family too so she fit right in. However, it was what happened on Black Friday, the day afterwards, that helped make that holiday extra memorable.

The day after Thanksgiving, my girlfriend insisted we go shopping. She didn’t need to do much to convince me, which I think surprised her. She loved to shop too so what better way for a young couple to enjoy their holidays than to share in their mutual loves?

My parents, being so wonderfully supportive of my love life, lent me their car so I could drive her up to the mall. Naturally, it was very crowded. You couldn’t take two steps without bumping into someone. It was so chaotic and so busy and we loved it. Dare I say, it put us in the mood.

How do I know this? Well, one of the first stores we visited was Victoria’s Secret. As a young man in his early 20s, that’s akin to a topless bikini model on a beach asking you if you’ll rub lotion on her tits. I can’t remember a time as an adult that didn’t involve bacon or chocolate where my face lit up so much.

Together, we ventured into that Victoria’s Secret. We were a couple shopping for sexy lingerie. I swear my heart and my penis teamed up to excite me and I think my girlfriend knew it. She actually let me assess some lingerie for her, which for me was like that same topless bikini model asking me how I would like to be pampered. I really did feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

I don’t know how long we stayed in that Victoria’s Secret store. To me, it wasn’t long enough, but we did leave with something sexy to enjoy later. I don’t remember what else we shopped for that day or what we ended up buying, but it felt like we had a more productive Black Friday than anyone else at the mall that day, including the guy we saw loading a 70-inch TV into the back of his SUV.

It only got better the next morning. We had a long night the night before so we didn’t get a chance to make use of the sexy lingerie we brought. My girlfriend, though, was nothing if not opportunistic on the holidays. So at around 5 a.m., she knocked on my door (my parents made us sleep in separate rooms) and gave me the best mourning wake-up call a 20-year-old guy could ask for.

Yes, she was wearing the new lingerie we just bought the other day and while it may have put her on Santa’s naughty list,  it made her worthy of every gift I could give. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, she crawled into bed with me. It was freezing that morning too so we had plenty of reasons to get cozy and comfortable.

Thanks to that lingerie, we warmed each other up pretty damn quickly. Out of respect for a very generous ex-girlfriend, I won’t go into too many details. I’ll just say that our hands, lips, and various other body parts made us feel wonderfully festive.

While I did eventually break up with this girl, she’ll always have a special place in my heart. Thanks to the lingerie I helped her pick out that day, Black Friday will also have a special place in my heart, among other parts of my body.

So with that sexy subtext in mind, I hope everybody out there enjoys their Black Friday shopping. I hope the lovers out there make sexy lingerie a priority. It can only make the holidays sexier and more festive.

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