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What do you get an Irish person for Christmas?

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G

goodcow

Member
Alcohol. HA HA HA HA.

Yeah, I know I'm still going to get that reply somewhere.

But seriously, I'm shopping for an aunt and uncle on my mom's side of the family who I really know nothing about. (I really don't know anything about my mom's side of the family) All I've gotten is this E-Mail from another family member when I asked them for suggestions:

The only thing I can think of is that they are very IRISH!!! They might enjoy some kind of CD of Irish music. That's about the only thing that comes to mind.
Click to expand...

They're in their 50s or so.

And just to answer possible questions in advance:

1) My mom isn't alive, so I can't ask her
2) Why am I getting them a gift if I don't know anybody on my mom's side of the family? They took care of my mother and grandmother's cremations last year, along with all sorts of legal paperwork, so it's really the least I can do as a thank you/happy holidays.

So if any of you are Irish here, or bought gifts for older Irish people, what did you get/what do you suggest?

Thanks.
 
EviLore

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
mafphoto.jpg
 
F

Folder

Unconfirmed Member
An unusual local whisky is likely to go down a treat.
If you're in the US, a decent bourbon... :)
 
H

Hermit

Member
Why would Irish people like to get something Irish? My suggestion would be to get 'em something non-Irish, since they've probably been bugged with that whole green-whiskey-leprechaun-bullshit their whole live.
 
T

The Black Gelding

Banned
Irish you say?? Okay, I gotz da hookup™.

A dishiki:
dishikiblue.jpg


I'm partial to the powder blue myself, though I should get a green/white/green to rep the NGA.

And a nice Kofia to top it off:
AfricanHat_OMA_2653.jpg


There are several several different colours both of these may come in. The best part is that you can rock these threads while wearing most casual clothes underneath.

Or you can be unoriginal and send him another CD full of Gaelic drivel. The choice is yours, peace.
 
G

Grubdog

Banned
Only suckers buy people presents... but how about getting them the most un-irish thing you can find? They might be sick of Irish things, it could be refreshing.
 
G

goodcow

Member
Grubdog said:
Only suckers buy people presents... but how about getting them the most un-irish thing you can find? They might be sick of Irish things, it could be refreshing.
Click to expand...

Except:

1) They're old, and that approach works better with younger people.
2) I don't know anything about them really, as I've only met them once, so I wouldn't know where to even begin in terms of getting them things they might like.
 
P

Prospero

Member
If you feel like you have to get them something "Irish," but you don't want to get something that's tacky and covered with four-leaf clovers, get a book of poetry. Seamus Heaney and Paul Muldoon are two of Ireland's best poets, and they both have collections.
 
I

iapetus

Scary Euro Man
They can get better Irish stuff than you can. Fact. Buy them something you'd buy for a human being, not a stereotype.
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Irish people bring non-Irish people irish things as presents. They don't need you to bring them irish stuff.

So yeah, like others have said, buy them something non-irish.

If you know any theaters or concerts happening in their area, perhaps you could get them tickets for a night out or something?

I don't know..failing that, buy them whatever else you would buy any other 50-year old couple.
 
A

Agent Dormer

Dirty Drinking Smoker
The Black Stallion said:
Irish you say?? Okay, I gotz da hookup™.

A dishiki:
dishikiblue.jpg


I'm partial to the powder blue myself, though I should get a green/white/green to rep the NGA.

And a nice Kofia to top it off:
AfricanHat_OMA_2653.jpg


There are several several different colours both of these may come in. The best part is that you can rock these threads while wearing most casual clothes underneath.

Or you can be unoriginal and send him another CD full of Gaelic drivel. The choice is yours, peace.
Click to expand...

You are the most worthless poster on GAF at present.
 
M

Meatpuppet

Member
If you get anything remotely to do with Ireland, hang your head in shame.

There is little that could come off more insulting, in terms of present selection.
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
The Irish people in my family dont appriciate booze that wasnt made in ireland, it 'doesnt taste the same'. So id go with the 'by them something you'd by a human being, not a stereotype' suggestion
 
L

Litigation Manuel

Member
Get them what every probably Christian Irish adult wants....
mandy_patinkin2.jpg
patinkin.jpg

005.jpg


MANDY PATINKIN! The Yiddish children's clown! He's also a handsome man if I may say so myself.

Ummmmmm....seriously though, I would maybe try the human gift option. A nice card, handwritten letter, maybe a gift certificate to a nice restaurant.
Mandy Patinkin quota for today: FULFILLED!
 
C

Chibbi Brady

Member
The only thing I can think of is that they are very IRISH!!! They might enjoy some kind of CD of Irish music. That's about the only thing that comes to mind.
Click to expand...

If they're about fifty then they should like the Dubliners, The Chieftans or Christie Moore. Don't listen to anyone telling you to get them poetry or a Pogues album.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...dubliners/ref=xs_ap_l_xgl/026-4569201-1326842

Of course, if they are from the North, chances are you'll end up offending them. These are rebel Irish songs, all about the bastarding English. I know, I know, but it's really popular here for that age bracket. Come to think of it, it is very popular with late teens and early twenties as well. I have to listen to it every day, both parents love the Dubliners, every bloody day. :(
 
M

MrPing1000

Member
Well I guess I qualify as Irish (well I'm Northern Irish hooray for politics)

I suggest getting them something american. The notion of getting them something Irish is dumb


ps
We aren't all drunkards. I actually think that notion has come about because of the USA's population pretending to be Irish on Saint Patricks day as an excuse to get totally pissed
 
D

Dagless M.D.

Member
Listen to the Irish people in this thread and don't get them anything related to Ireland.

Get them a gift certificate, it's a good standard bearer if you don't know what to get someone for Christmas.
 
R

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Now now, getting them something Irish may not be entirely bad. I don't recall reading that they are living in Ireland (or even were born there). But if they lived some time there, or something, and are now in America, get them something like a fine liqueur or something that they wouldn't be able to get in America.
 
D

Dagless M.D.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
Now now, getting them something Irish may not be entirely bad, I don't recall reading that they are living in Ireland (or even were born there) but if they lived some time there, or something, and are now in America, get them something like a fine liqueur or something that they wouldn't be able to get in America.
Click to expand...

They may love a gift like that, but there is a good chance that they would find it patronizing. Every person they know is probably getting them 'something Irish’; it would be best if he didn't risk insulting them.
 
K

Kobun Heat

Member
If your relative isn't just talking out of his ass re: Irish music, then you need to get something that 50-year-olds would like. In that I go to quite a few concerts where the audience seems to be composed mainly of Irish people in their fifties, I feel like I can help.

Lunasa's "The Kinnitty Sessions" is up for an album of the year award from BBC.

The Best of Altan: The Songs is a great collection of the band's vocal stuff.

Neither of these CDs fall into the category of OMG IRISH MUSIC GET IT? BECAUSE YOU'RE IRISH. It's just good music that they'll appreciate if they are indeed "very IRISH!"

Another word of advice would be to never, ever purchase any of the random Celtic collections that they sell on TV or that you find in the $9.99 section of Wal-Mart. These are usually garbage put together on a synthesizer and will be promptly thrown away by anyone who actually likes Irish trad.
 
Jade Knight 08

Jade Knight 08

Member
Is "Viagra" out of the question? All you have to do is spray painted it green and they'll have a brand spankin new personality! J/K..... :D :D :D

You could reward them with your knowledge of doing the Irish dancing. :D
 
T

The Black Gelding

Banned
Agent Dormer said:
You are the most worthless poster on GAF at present.
Click to expand...
Who are you? Anyway, dude, you must understand something. Getting an Irish man beer is like getting a redneck a "USA" shirt. You know he has enough. A dishiki would make a very NICE gift for most Euros. It's something they DON'T HAVE already. I mean, why get someone a steryotypical gift.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

Hey, what do you get a black man for Christmas?:

Poster 1: Get him a basket ball, black people LOVE basket ball!

Poster 2: No dude, get him some basketball SHOES! He will love some basketball shoes!

Poster 3: Yo, get him a derby hat. I'm sure that he doesn't have one, and it would go great with his suits!

Poster 4: Shut up poster three, you are useless.
Click to expand...

The others gave very steryotypical answers that the initial poster could have found himself, without the aide of others. Hell, some of the replies were down right racist. Poster 3 gave an answer that took SOME level of thought. In fact, he included pictures that can easilly be traced to places where you could find and purchace the items in said pictures. See, in that example you would be Poster 4. Note that poster 4 did not contribute in any way to the aformentioned thread. The irony is that HE is useless at that moment. Well, actually the point of Poster 4 is just to show how useless YOU are. Damn, there goes my whole example. Well you get the point.
 
K

Kobun Heat

Member
The Black Stallion said:
Getting an Irish man beer is like getting a redneck a "USA" shirt. You know he has enough.
Click to expand...
The others gave very steryotypical answers that the initial poster could have found himself, without the aide of others. Hell, some of the replies were down right racist.
Click to expand...
...aren't you making the exact same stereotyped assumption?
 
S

Socreges

Banned
I don't know if I would want my cousins in New Jersey getting me something necessarily related to the fact that I'm Canadian.

"Well, we know you're Canadian, so we thought you'd like some maple syrup!"
"Well, we know you're Canadian, so here's a hockey puck and some Molson Canadian!"
"Well, we know you're Canadian, so here's a DVD with 5 hours of Howie Mandell stand-up!"

etc

Get them something nice.
 
K

Kobun Heat

Member
It's not that they come from Ireland. It's that they're, quote, "very IRISH!" This would suggest an interest in Irish culture that goes above and beyond mere geographic circumstance.
 
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