Help. Have been trying to come up with gift ideas. Have tried “experience” gifts in the past (e.g. overheard them discussing a restaurant someone recommended, so I ordered a gift certificate; bought 5 classes for DIL at her gym and had it added to her membership. SIL bought our granddaughter a year’s membership to the zoo, we paid for babysitting for a night out, etc). So far have only ordered one gift for grandbaby (boots) but they may or may not be the right size, and she gets hand me downs from her cousin.
So please help— ideas for the grown kids/spouses and grandbaby? They really have very little room for “stuff”. I am not a huge gift card fan, but sent one to DIL for her birthday through the snail mail (at DS’s recommendation) and of course they never check their mail! They finally found it. Sigh. I did get a test-tube rack of international salts one year. That was a hit but they still have it (and some are still half full).
Older s and DIL do shop at TJ’s so I could get gift certificates, but that seems unexciting. What are you doing for clever gifts this year?
We have already done the “meal in a box” thing, and DS accidentally broke his Kati tea seeping cup from Tea Forte and i already replaced it for him when one was on sale. Other ideas?
I’m a fan of “expereince” gifts…both of my kids live in fairly small apartments and my parents are not looking to accumulate more “stuff.”
I’ve done theater tickets, restaurants, wine tasting class, cooking class for the kids and they always are well received.
If they like spas perhaps a gift card for a facial, massage etc.
For my parents I pay for their Netflix subscriptions for the year which they are always happy with. My sister gets them a membership to a museum which they also enjoy throughout the year.
Do they like wine? You could do a wine club where they would get a couple of bottles each month to try. How about movie tickets and pay for a babysitter?
One of the best gifts I ever got from my mom was a book. It was stories, her stories of her childhood, stories of her grandparents and parents, stories of her dating my dad. It is a priceless memoir. She typed it up and had it nicely bound. It may be a little late to start on writing your memoirs for this year’s gift, but not next year’s.
If you want to buy an item rather than an expereince, could you perhaps make a meaningful upgrade to something they already have (ex. buy a new TV, a really nice coffee maker etc.). If you do this you may want to get them involved in the final decision.
Getting one of their family photos framed for them ? (something busy people often don’t have the time to do) Even a great iPhone photo or two can look fantastic in a nicely matted frame.
I like the monthly subscription to something - especially if it’s something they really like to consume and would look forward to every month.
Family membership to a zoo or children’s museum in their area?
SIL got them the family membership to the zoo. But there is a children’s creativity museum they like. Thats a great thought.
I wanted to get them (DS#1 and DIL) wine from the year they married or the year their daughter was born, and asked DIL the name of the winery they went to the day they got engaged. She couldn’t remember the name!
I wish someone would digitize the old home movies of my childhood. Remember the old Bell and Howell film cameras and projectors. You can’t even find bulbs for them anymore. My dad has dozens of cans of the old home movies and I’d love to see them again.
My D got me a coffee club membership at craft coffee for mother’s day. She put a dollar amount in and I was able to choose the kind of coffee I wanted. I get a bag every month, though I have started paying for it myself now.
It is a nice way to get something I enjoy without it taking up space.
I like food gifts, Wolfermans, Harry and Davids, fruit of the month club. We have a local olive farm that does great holiday assortments https://texashillcountryoliveco.com/collections/holiday-collections
I always send my elderly mother flowers, not very original but she enjoys them.
*I like the ‘paying for netflix’ idea, and you could package it with movie treats or the ‘dinner in a box’ from Blue Apron or Plated type place for a month or two
*Tickets to an art show in their town (Denver is having the Monet exhibit for the next 4 months and it is very popular) I’m sure there is something where they live
Our son has been sending us subscription coffee from different outlets for a couple of years now. He usually has a a small amount of beans sent every 2 weeks. That way we can experience different blends without being locked in to a specific type. Latest one has been from Rhetoric Coffee from Oakland CA. They send some very interesting blends, and the artwork on the coffee bags never fails to amuse.
These ideas made me look up the coffee shop near DS#2 and DIL. Maybe a gift certificate is a thought, though the delivery is a great idea. The pot I sent them last year broke (and they just chucked it- didnt return it for a replacement) so have to find out what the use if they make it at home
Im not a big fan of “ experience” gifts for big holidays. As gift I often get people things that are “very expensive for what they are.” I find that many people hesitate to get these things for themselves and love them. These include a thermapen meat thermometer, Jo Malone hand soap, a shhhowercap.com shower cap and a Davek umbrella ( the one that alerts you if you leave it behind). I often hear with these types of gifts “ I always wanted this but couldn’t bring myself to buy it!”
NONE of these things take up much room.
I also got people credit card sized cell phone chargers which were highly recommended by The NY Times. Also a huge hit!