<p>Hmmm - I think that one belongs on the Meta Thread. :)</p>
<p>electonblue--the stress really can be amazing--I cannot believe how much more relaxed I have been this week (since S's acceptance last Friday).
goemom--super! that is a great feeling
missypie--I had my first laugh of the morning..super idea.
My D's name is not uncommon and the first one that comes up if she is googled is a person who...well, let's just say it is not MY daughter(thank goodness). Fortunately that one in her ummm "career" clothes does not look like my D.</p>
<p>gift idea--if I give the kids money I put different amount in cash in different boxes so there is something to wrap and open and it is more fun that way.</p>
<p>Electonblue, this ED wait is killing my son, but not as much as its killing ME! the school in question is being very vague about when it will release results "by the 15th" but has a history of releasing them early (11th, 12th, 13th) and the kids on CC are driving admissions insane with calls, so I wouldn't blame them if they withhold decisions until 2013!! There might be an email or only snail mail, mailed on the 15th or received by the 15th: a definitive date would be SO nice. Of course, next week I'll look back and laugh...</p>
<p>As for the girls, I agree about the bath & body works or Sephora...something nearly-like make-up (slightly tinted lipgloss or lovely smelling lotion) is always a great idea. Love the PJ pants too--</p>
<p>Every morning I wake up and am so glad to have gotten through another night....and immediately check cc..... sigh.</p>
<p>SJTH - we are living the ED waiting game here too. D's school says notification will be mailed on Dec.15 and there is no email notification. I went back to CC threads in Dec 2007 (obsessed? who me?!) and it looks like envelopes started to arrive on the 17th and 18th. </p>
<p>Another gift idea for the charitably-minded. You can purchase gift cards at www .networkforgood. org and the recipient can use it to donate to thousands of non-profits. I'm planning to do that for my teenage nieces and nephews (along with a small un-wrappable gift, of course ;))</p>
<p>Well, she did it last night. Amid many students who are getting their results, my darling D lost it - "why is my school the last to notify?", "do I have the right schools on my list, "what if I don't get into my safety?", "why do other kids think my number 1 is such a safety for them." These poor kids - my heart breaks for them with all the pressure they are under. I think it's going to be a long week.</p>
<p>My D has not heard from her safety but a bunch of other kids have gotten accepted from her school...not all on the same day at least. App was complete a long time ago. I'm not going to pick up the phone and call though, she has to do that...I'm hoping she gets into a more competitive school first and then it won't matter.</p>
<p>My good friend and her son are waiting for an ED that will be on line at 6 pm CST today. I'm nervous for them and it's not even my kid!</p>
<p>Girls gifts: There are darling felt embroidered gift bags at Target in the Dollar section. Earrings, lounge pants (Target,Pink from VS is very big with this age group, Kohl's or check TJ Maxx for big name brand...Express had a promotion where you got a pair of free lounge pants with a $25 purchase), anything from Sephora was a great suggestion, peace sign shirts or jewelry are very popular as are scarfs. Check Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe where cool scarfs are under $10! Kohl's had some nice silver bracelets with inspirational sayings on them like "peace", "hope", "dream". For the one who is in to soccer try the new aluminum water bottles. Try one with a graphic design in team/school colors.</p>
<p>Our TJ Maxx had a whole display of those trendy aluminum water bottles - we snatched a few up for D's Venture Crew friends...</p>
<p>Good luck to all those waiting on ED decisions, while one part of me wished I was in a position that I could have allowed my D to do an ED option, I don't think my nervous system would have been able to handle it!!!</p>
<p>Congrats to all whose kids are in! I am jealous of all of you who have at least one in the bag while my daughter waits for 4 responses that may come in the next two weeks? Ugh! But while we wait and stress, I am trying to get some christmas shopping done and was wondering if their are any college-related gifts that could help pad our scaled-down Christmas loot this year? D doesn't know where she's going yet, as mentioned above, so we can't get any college-name gear. But are their any necessities that we will need to buy in 8 months or so that could pass as Christmas gifts now?</p>
<p>I can't guarantee that my D is going to be terribly excited about this, but I got her a new desk lamp (figuring she'll take it with her next year) which is small but has a full spectrum light that is easy on the eyes. I use one for crafting myself. Again, given our overall cost-cutting of late, I hope she'll recognize it as a good thing. I also got her a funky-looking power strip for plugging in whatever needs to be plugged in. And since we're lucky enough to know where she's going to college (yippee!!) I ordered some maps of the town and a book about the local ghosts there (that one I know she'll like) as well as a school logo hoodie.</p>
<p>Great gift ideas, thanks so much - I knew I'd get some fabulous ideas from this thread!</p>
<p>Congrats, Geomom - that first acceptance does take some pressure off. </p>
<p>Keeping my fingers crossed for all you ED parents and kids. Hopefully, you'll join the few other families who know before the holidays where the kids will be living next year! We'll be way into springtime since DS only visited 2 of the schools he's applied to. Oh well, one of them is a pretty strong match that he liked a lot, so if that's a yes, he'll feel great.</p>
<p>DH and I talked about putting some dorm stuff on DS's list, but I think he's a little apprehensive about acceptance/decision although you'd never know it from his demeanor. He'll rarely discuss the process, acts as if he could care less, but the other night he was on a website that indicates otherwise. The whole moving part might be hard for him to embrace right now.</p>
<p>lottagirlz, not college related, but does she have some nice note paper suitable for thank you notes for grad gifts, rec letters, etc? We got Son some nice cards with his name on them.</p>
<p>I went to the Linens and Things closeout sale and got some Twin XL sheets in a neutral color, a dry-erase board and some under the bed drawers to put in the "dorm stash". I am thinking about using a JoAnns coupon to get one of those ottlites...</p>
<p>Before you buy actual dorm stuff, know your kid. There are some who are not looking forward to leaving home and the receipt of dorm stuff may contribute to a Christmas morning breakdown. (Also, many girls will want to coordinate with their roommate.)</p>
<p>Re Christmas gift ideas: I would have to concur on the pajama pants from Target. My two girls both live in them - with their favorites from the boys department. They also wear boxer shorts from the men's department in the summer - nice because they are somewhat baggy and not indecently short. One pair of men's boxers at Target this spring was a yellow with black ants print - my hs senior thought the "ants in the pants" theme was great, but she needed a small in the men's sizes and they were out of stock. My college senior snatched them up in the medium size partly because she liked them and partly to bother little sister.</p>
<p>Also concur on the fuzzy socks wherever you can find them.</p>
<p>Good book series (that might possibly be overlooked) for your age girls: The Thief (et al) by Megan Whalen Turner; the Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter; the Alex Ryder series by Anthony Horowitz. The series by Turner is deeper than the other two, which tend to be just fun. My two daughters enjoyed them all.</p>
<p>My friend's son just got into Duke. Yea! Now I can stop worrying about them and concentrate on my own kid.</p>
<p>Missypie--yeah! for your friend and their S!</p>
<p>Ok-my tear jerker for the day: S's #1 sent a "Holiday Greeting" complete with numerous picts of students/the Univ. and music by a faculty person. It was very moving and, wow, there he will be. </p>
<p>Hey thanks for the great idea of a sweatshirt from the Univ. I am sure in the spring the seniors will wear them and that will be fun.</p>
<p>D just deferred at Duke, she is so sad:( mom is too.</p>