Christmas gift for Instructor - Need Suggestions

[Jade Tigress]

I would like to get a Christmas gift for my Sifu and have absolutely no clue what to get him.

Keeping in mind a top budget of about $40 what would you want in the way of a martial arts gift? Post links!

Thanks
:asian:

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Good question!

I'm not sure, but I'll start looking. I'll post anything I find that looks good.

 

[TigerWoman]

How about an organizer? I usually just got a fruit/goodie basket from Harry & David's. TW

 

[Xequat]

How about a supporting membership to MT? hehehehe

 

[Gin-Gin]

Century Martial Arts Supply has some gifts: http://www.centuryfitness.com/webap...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=13534&crumb=13501
I think the monk figurines are cute!

as well as Rising Sun Productions (the company that restored "The New Gladiators")--they have lots of posters, DVDs, books, etc: http://www.risingsunproductions.net/products.html

Will let you know if I find any more--oh, you also might want to check out the thread that someone posted here a few weeks ago (forgot who--maybe Sarah or Raisin?) their friend does beautiful wood carvings & stuff....can someone out there find it?

Thanks,
Gin-Gin

 

[Jade Tigress]

Thanks for the great suggestions so far.

(A supporting membership is not a bad idea Xequat, you rascal.)

Which of these designs do you all like better?
(No, I'm not getting him a mousepad, I found some cool travel mugs I might keep my eye on but the pictures were difficult to see and showed up better on the mousepads and t-shirts. I might add a mug to whatever else I find...what's the general consensus on design)




This design I could only find on a t-shirt


If anyone does remember the thread Gin-Gin mentioned please post.

TW - That is a nice gift you mentioned. I'll keep it in mind. Maybe I'll add the mug to that...

 

[RHD]

Buy him my Say Fong Kuen video series for $999.99!

Mike

 

[mj-hi-yah]

I like the one on the t-shirt the best then the Yin-Yang one. My instructor collects dragons. Does he collect anything MA related? Otherwise I think a non MA gift is great too - you can almost never go wrong with a gift certificate to a restaurant he likes. Also, I like Gin-Gin's link for Century they have great stuff!

 

[TigerWoman]

Schools get discounts though from Century, wholesale, so my instructor gets stuff cheaper and alot of time freebies to try out. If he is around this stuff so much it loses some of the newness and value like it does for us relative students. You know what I mean? Its like I used to design art for t-shirts, etc. and now I would rather wear plain. It would be hard to pick out martial art designed shirts etc. because at that stage, he knows what he likes. I know mine doesn't wear anything MA outside the dojang and inside its the dobok. I look at the Century catalog and its mostly KARATE screaming at me. my 2c TW

 

[Jade Tigress]

Buy him my Say Fong Kuen video series for $999.99!

Mike

Okay!

I like the one on the t-shirt the best then the Yin-Yang one. My instructor collects dragons. Does he collect anything MA related? Otherwise I think a non MA gift is great too - you can almost never go wrong with a gift certificate to a restaurant he likes. Also, I like Gin-Gin's link for Century they have great stuff!

He loves MA stuff and I don't know him well enough yet to determine an appropriate non-MA gift. However, a gift certificate to a restaurant would be nice...

I look at the Century catalog and its mostly KARATE screaming at me. my 2c TW

Yeah, I looked at Century online, there is alot of neat Karate stuff but nothing Kung Fu.

Thanks for the help! :asian:

 

[pakua]

First off, make sure Sifu is a Christian..... If not, best call it a New Year gift!

I'm thinking of getting a nice clock for the dojo/kwoon from me and the kids together- the flea markets here have nice wall sized ones with the tai chi symbol (aka yin yang). I got one for my office in the smaller size and it's quite nice.

Here's a thought though- how about something totally divorced from MA? We have lives outside of MA (well maybe), and it could be that an instructor (not your Sifu necessarily) is sick of the MA theme for gifts and would like a nice box of chocolates, or a pot plant, or a subscription to Playboy or a bottle of JD.... whatever. (EDIT.... OK I saw your comment on that idea! Gift certs are always good of course.)

(No, I don't mean the clock is as big as the wall.....)

 

[Jade Tigress]

First off, make sure Sifu is a Christian..... If not, best call it a New Year gift!

I'm thinking of getting a nice clock for the dojo/kwoon from me and the kids together- the flea markets here have nice wall sized ones with the tai chi symbol (aka yin yang). I got one for my office in the smaller size and it's quite nice.

(No, I don't mean the clock is as big as the wall.....)

Well, I do know he's a Christian so I can be sure he celebrates Christmas. It's a good thought to be sensitive to though.

Hmmmm...a wall clock, another good idea. You mean I can't get one as big as the wall?!

You all have some great ideas. Keep 'em coming!

 

[clfsean]

Get a nice gift certificate for a restaurant or something like that. A $40 limit for a MA gift could be a little hard to find with quality to it.

 

[Gin-Gin]

Sorry you didn't find much Kung Fu stuff on the links in my first post....but if you're interested in just asian stuff in general, here's a good website with lots of Chinese clothes, jewelry, housewares, & other gifts (paperweights, pencil holders, calendars, letter openers, lamps, wall hangings, stationery, etc.).
http://www.asianideas.com/

Hope it helps with your gift search, SLTL. Thanks for posting the link for the t-shirts from Zen Shop, that's a "kewl" website (I like the t-shirt with the dragon & "Kung Fu" on it also).

Sincerely,
Gin-Gin

 

[Jade Tigress]

Get a nice gift certificate for a restaurant or something like that. A $40 limit for a MA gift could be a little hard to find with quality to it.

I'm not really looking for an expensive gift. For one I can't afford it, heh, but mostly I think it would be inappropriate to give a large gift at this point. I've only been taking classes for 10 months now. Group lessons twice a week so the relationship with my instructor is fairly new. I was more looking for some token of my appreciation that wasn't totally cheepo but not embarassingly extravagent either. I'm also going to give everyone on class, including Sifu, a tin of homemade Christmas cookies. I just wanted a little something extra to go with Sifu's.

Seems a restaurant gift certificate is getting the most suggestions though.


Gin-Gin ~ Thanks for the asianideas link. They have some prety cool stuff there. I thought the Zen shop had a lot of good stuff too. I'm still kinda leaning toward a travel mug because my instructor has three schools with the nearest (mine) being about 15 miles from his home and the other two being more than 50. So he spends a lot of time driving.

What do you think? Is that too cheesy? A MA themed stainless steel travel mug ($20) with a tin of homemade cookies?

 

[Ceicei]

I'm still kinda leaning toward a travel mug because my instructor has three schools with the nearest (mine) being about 15 miles from his home and the other two being more than 50. So he spends a lot of time driving.

A MA themed stainless steel travel mug ($20) with a tin of homemade cookies?

I'd go with that! Perhaps add an unopened pack of hot chocolate in that mug...

Nothing better than cookies and hot chocolate.... UMMMMM!

- Ceicei

 

[Gin-Gin]

What do you think? Is that too cheesy? A MA themed stainless steel travel mug ($20) with a tin of homemade cookies?

No, not at all--especially since you've known him less than a year. I think he would appreciate it [he can eat a cookie while drinking coffee or cocoa on the way to class!].

 

[Jade Tigress]

I'd go with that! Perhaps add an unopened pack of hot chocolate in that mug...

Nothing better than cookies and hot chocolate.... UMMMMM!

- Ceicei

I like it. Gonna add a pack of hot chocolate too.

Gin-Gin ~ Thanks for the input. :asian:

 

[Gin-Gin]

I like it. Gonna add a pack of hot chocolate too.

Gin-Gin ~ Thanks for the input. :asian:

You're very welcome!
:asian:

 

[wingchunner]

My teacher likes scotch. So, I get him a good bottle. I've gotten him a good bottle of wine before which usually is less. Depending on the type and quality, I'm sure you could get one in your price range. As someone said on another forum, if they don't drink it, it could be used to make some good expensive dit da jow!

Marty