Christmas is upon us and I have spent too many hours flipping through catalogs and browsing websites. I always daydream about giving (and receiving. I’m no saint, okay) the most extravagant gifts.
If I could, I would lavish piles of presents upon those I love and those in need. If money were no object and I could play Santa, this is what I would give. Think of it as my ultimate Christmas list. Here are my Favorite (Splurge) Things for Friday…
I’m sort of a geek for wood accessories. They appeal to my love of modern design as well as my love of retro aesthetics. I saw this super cool Mac cover on Ragamuffin Soul. I had to wipe the drool away.You can buy yours (and mine) here. Oh, but first, buy me a Mac please. Thanks.
Also this wooden whale desk accessory I spotted on Design Sponge is about as cute as something gets. It is from Pfeiffer Lab, just in case you want to snag one for yourself.
If budget were no issue I would buy my husband an extravagant cigar set (maybe even illegally import some Cubans…wink wink). I’d also buy him an over-the-top film collection like this one from Twentieth Century Fox. It is 20 years of their best films, for the sticker-shockingly high price of $500. Since he is such a movie connoisseur, he would enjoy every dollar spent.
I’m a sucker for anything animal shaped (as long as it’s cool of course) and West Elm is full of adorable yet stylish furry and feathered friends. Another holiday bonus: proceeds from the sale of these sequined cuties benefits St. Judes Hospital for children.
If Santa could bring my kiddos anything maybe he’d bring them a deluxe train set for my son and a ridiculously detailed and beautiful dollhouse for my daughter.
A charity that I long to give thousands of dollars to, is Charity Water. They provide clean water to those in African for as little as $20. My hope is to host a fundraiser, perhaps even here on Modern Reject, to raise the $5,000 necessary to provide an entire village clean water for life. As for now, I’ll just have to give $20 increments. 20 bucks though gives one person clean water for 20 years! Another bonus: 100% of the proceeds to Charity Water go directly to their water projects. It’s like Christmas, all year long.
Consequently, I also signed up to join Carlos Whitaker of Ragamuffin Soul, as he forms teams to help raise money for Watermissions.org. I’ll be rolling out for info next week, as to how you can participate, if you are interested. They are only asking for $10 and are doing a great campaign for the Christmas season.
A few indulgences for myself? Well I’m glad you asked. The domestic girl in me wants a shiny stainless steel refrigerator. This one is the Cadillac of iceboxes, maybe even the Mercedes. Have you ever seen anything like this? Me neither, but I want it. I think my kids could play hide-n-seek in there.
I also love modern design in furniture and this sweet little side table is both rustic and mod. Apartment Therapy is currently running their tremendous annual Christmas giveaway, so maybe I’ll win this pretty one.
When it was all said and done, I would also love to take down every single tag, off of every single Christmas tree angel. My mom, who was a single mom for many years, would take me to the mall every holiday season to choose a child. We had very little ourselves. Some months we barely paid our rent or had little to eat. My mom, however, was so quick to remind me , that despite our seemingly humble life, we still had so much more than so many others. I think shopping for that mystery boy or girl each year are perhaps some of my favorite childhood memories.
So there are a few of the luxury items I would buy for those I love and those who need it, if I could.
What are some of the most luxurious gifts you would buy for your friends, family, those in need, charities, ministries, or yourself? It is fun to daydream about giving and Christmas is the perfect time. I am reminded this time of year to be ever thankful for all that I have, not just material, but spiritually and relationally, as well. I am blessed. What about you?
post main image here.
One word – Yacht!
That answer does not surprise me!
PS. I also like the fridge and mac case (I, also, will need a mac to go with it)
You would use a Mac? You don’t seem like a Mac guy (and that’s not a bad thing). I’m not actually “creative” enough to have one myself, but I dig them.
I am a sucker for vintage looking or handmade looking playable toys for my kids. For some reason I have a hard time resisting the simple sturdy nature of old toys. Some if them remind me of my childhood, some are things I wished I’d had, buy one thing I’m sure of is that i like them a whole lot more then my kids do!
Als
I love those kinds of toys too. Whenever I see them, I want them…and yes, like you, more for myself. I would have more babies (yeah right) just so I could buy all of the beautiful wood infant toys.
P.S. You gotta add more on your splurge list Karis…you make me look like a diva (wink wink).
I would buy new cars for all the ministry team families at our church. It breaks my heart when I know they run into car trouble and don’t have the funds to fix it because of the numerous ways they are caring for people in our city.
I would also pay to help my sister finish her degree and for my brother’s rent for a year. I love them both so much and I wish I could help them follow their dreams.
My husband and I would buy a building for artists and musicians like ourselves. One floor would be a sound proof practice space, the other would be a photography studio and the other floor would be our living space.
Ah to dream…
I love the car idea. It is such a practical, but helpful way to bless people. I love that you would help your sister and brother pursue their dreams too, so great. And i love the idea of your artist studio/musicians studio/home. What a great idea. That could serve as such an awesome ministry too. Thanks for sharing Heather. I hope you do continue to dream about these.
Oooh, I want that fridge! It would take up my whole kitchen!
I would give to http://www.christopherfarms.org
That fridge is amazing, huh?
I looked at Christopher Farms and it sounds really cool. I love that they teach and help encourage business ventures. they don’t just give out meals, but build infrastructure to help supply meals. It looks like a great charity. Thanks for sharing Myilie.
If I suddenly came across infinite financial resources, my splurge would be as follows:
1. I hire a lawyer and file a restraining order against my father’s side of the family. They will come out of the woodwork and suddenly care that I exist if they know I have loot.
2. All debts and student loans instantly paid off.
3. My mom, brother, and grandparents have all debts paid, houses paid, and get new cars. Grandma gets the silver Cadillac that I promised her when I was little. My mom gets set up for life and retires anywhere she wants. My brother gets the entire Snap-On diesel-mechanic’s catalog and the toolboxes he needs.
4. I set up a foundation for the purpose of helping missionaries. Several missionaries who I know personally will be set for life and have every resource they need to do God’s work.
5. I buy a small castle in the Swiss alps and a one way ticket.
Okay, since this is a hypothetical world and we dreamed it up ourselves, let’s just assume there are no greedy family members trying to mooch.
That said, I like how you think! Paying off debt and being extremely extravagant for others.
Missionaries huh? Do you have a special desire to help missionaries? And I just gotta ask…a castle in the Alps? Really? That’s kinda cool, I have to admit, but really cold.
I already have a Mac -LOVE IT- and love that case. I’m a sucker for wood products too. Love the sequined squirrel too (I’ve been told that conversationally I’m like Doug the dog from up- SQUIRREL!)
My if-I-won-the-lottery-and-could-buy-whatever-I-wanted-for-Xmas list is as follows:
1. All debts expunged for myself and loved ones (mortgages, student loans, credit cards, etc).
2. Purchase a vacation home on a lake in the mountains and let pastors and missionary families stay there for free when they need a break.
3. A trip around the world (at least to all the places I want to go…Austria, Bavaria, Normandy, Great Britain, South Africa, Antarctica, South America, New Zealand, Japan, China, British Columbia, Churchill, every state I haven’t yet been to).
4. Use whatever’s left to invite all the biggest philanthropists in the world to lunch and convince them to contribute to a fund so that I can spend the rest of my life going around and secretly helping people (paying for hospital bills, mortgages, etc.).
5. Christmas tree lights that WORK (sigh).
Dee Dee…awesome list. I’m gonna steal a few of your ideas. I love #3, but who wouldn’t. I especially love #4! You could be like the Christian Oprah. I have always wanted to just secretly show up and pay off someone’s mortgage. In AZ, every summer, I see families driving around with no A/C…kids sweltering in the car. I always think about fixing their A/C or heck, buying them a whole new car.
Wouldn’t that be awesome….ah to dream. Although, more than not, people just need us to show them Jesus and that is enough. I’m so thankful God doesn’t say we need piles of cash to be effective for His Kingdom!
Thanks for sharing your fun list!
My list is a lot like a lot of yours. I’d love to help a ministry, and fund some help for incredibly poor children. Help out a fellow single mom. Perhaps build my own church where it’s not about the collection plate but about God.
But for me:
I’d like to go to school. I want to be a nurse, and had just started filling out all the paperwork to start taking pre-req’s when my husband wandered off into the wild blue yonder. Nursing school, on hold again. (first hold happened when I found myself pregnant several yrs ago).
I’d like to live in a stick built house, on 50 acres of land, and move my incredibly dear friend Yvonne and her family, who happen to be my neighbors, with me. Living in a doublewide development, well. It has it’s drama. Ready to go!
I want new furniture, especially in my bedroom, and this really gorgeous set of PINK simply shabby chic bedding, so that I no longer lie awake hour after hour picturing the aforementioned wild blue yonder husband in my bed every night. It would be nice to start fresh, for now.
I’d like to buy a second set, to be waiting for just in case he ever wanders home again.
And I want to buy my kids all a flat screen tv, wii, and vcr/dvd combo with cable.
IT would be nice to have a van younger than my kids.
And finally, I really, really want 2 or 3 Boba’s (wwww.bobababycarrier.com) , which is a type of baby carrier I wear my 3yo in. I HEART Boba, especially organic boba!!
That’s not too much to ask, right? LOL
I like your list. Going back to school would be so great. I’d do that too and study something that I just plain old like, not something that would make me money. I like your wish list for your kids too. A ministry for poor children sounds wonderful also.
And no, your list is not too much to ask….no way.
Get a Mac. You’ll love yourself and others more when you have one. Honestly. Wanna be a good Christian? Good Christians use Macs. ;)
Honestly, there’s some nice furniture I’d like, and I see a lot of great and wild stuff over here in Abu Dhabi. Some of that I would get.
I might get an Apple TV if possible. I’m a fan boy. I admit it.
I’d also get the full seasons of the West Wing, Sopranos, and a few other shows on DVD to watch when I wanted.
I’d get a time machine. That would rock.
For others, I’d get my mom and sister to come and visit again over here, along with my friends. I’d also fly them to the cool places I’ve been to in the past year, like France and Switzerland and Jordan. It would be nice to have them all with me for Christmas this year!
That’s about it, I think. Hooray!
I wanna be a good Christian…better get that Mac!
I love that you’d fly your loved ones to the places you have been fortunate to visit. So great!
P.S. If you get that time machine, I hope you share.
Maybe I already HAVE shared….
If I play my cards right, I’ll have been able to comment on your post before you even wrote it. I’m breaking the space-time continuum.
I’m laughing….thanks for that!