Now that VaBluebird has come and appreciated all the comments (let us know what you decide!!!) I’ll take permission to vere off a little bit from the actual “gift” ideas…
It doesn’t mean more to me that someone spend 2 hours floating around a mall or online to find “just the right gift” for me. Because if you have to float around and don’t know off the bat what I would want, then chances are the gift you decide on is really a shot in the dark!!!
Put yourself in the shoes of that person receiving a gift. To me, that’s the best advice.
I try to leave original tags and give a gift receipt if possible. That way she knows where to go if she wants to exchange it. Also when I buy gifts I try to go to stores that are pretty accessible or recognized like Macy’s, Nordstrom’s or Bed Bath Beyond so that the receiver is not left with something that they can’t use.
I also LOVE gift cards. My miserliness often stops me from buying stuff for myself - but a GC to Barnes & Noble or Amazon or Sephora means I "have " to spend the card at that place, and I “have” to spend it on myself.
In fact, my favorite gifts are often a GC plus some small thoughtful inexpensive item that shows that the gifter has some idea of what I like - some dark chocolate, a small book of poetry, something like that. As romani, said, gift cards CAN be personal; in my life, they’re much more personal (and appreciated) than stuff from Bath and Bodyworks.
I generally try to buy gifts from Costco and let the recipient know that I’m fine if they choose to return it (generally they’re given a gift card for the full purchase price–no receipt needed).
Of course there is never any guarantee that a person will like a gift - no matter what it is!
One of my most dreaded things is at Christmas or other times of the year having to go to the hassle of returning or exchanging a gift. UGH. Hate those extra trips and the hassle of standing in line, finding something else, etc.
Aren’t you glad you don’t have to buy me a gift??!
That’s why gift card is better idea. And if you don’t use it, you can give it to somebody. Torturing to stand in line for a few bucks. I rather donate them to Salvation Army.
It’s common sense, not to get a $25 from Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. Only make up will cost less than $25. But it’s ok to get $25 from Starbucks. It’s not rocket science.
Truly, again, I am saying this as a 20s woman- I’d ADORE it if my MIL got me GCs. I have received presents from her for 5 years and never once gotten a “thing” that I really liked (and she doesn’t include gift receipts…). Finally, Mr. R asked her to please get me gift certificates to Amazon (or, if she wanted to personalize, Kindle). So, for my birthday, I got a kindle gift card and it was the best present EVER from her.>>>>>>
Ah, got it. Thank you. As long is it’s a meaningful gift card right?
Presents I have given my daughter-in-law, that she likes enough she has requested more:
silver Christmas ornaments
silver picture frames
I am thinking about starting her an old-fashioned charm bracelet and giving her charms to commemorate places we visit together. She is difficult to buy for since she can purchase whatever she wants and they move frequently. We are already storing a bunch of their possessions. If there is some special personal or clothing item she wants, my son wants to give it to her. It is difficult for him to come up with something as well.
I send her beautiful bouquets for birthdays and other occasions. That is always a hit.
Not everyone is a fan of bracelets, especially charm bracelets. Since she seems to like ornaments, maybe Christmas ornaments of places you’ve been together instead? If you know she likes bracelets and particularly charm bracelets, that’s a different story, but not many people I know are fans.
Ah, so far I’m thinking…yoga tees, work-out towels, gift cards to Sephora or Ulta, maybe something to do with hiking because they like to do that, cookbooks, and a Kindle gift card if they have the app, that one I’ll have to ask about. I got some boot socks and a multiple bag carrying thingie to help after stopping at the store on the way home from the work. (apartment living). Don’t dispair, son(s) and gf(s) can share depending on whose day it is to shop. LOL.
@Bromfield,
I have asked my s’s for ideas about what their gf/wife might like, but most of the time (though not always) they are pretty clueless. And sometimes what they boys are getting for their gf/wife is something like a weekend getaway dinner/concert, and younger one’s gf is into old albums from a certain group (am happy to give my old ones). Personally, I don’t know that I would feel comfortable discussing what I plan to spend, but I certainly don’t want to upstage them (well that’s not a problem for the married one as I am not getting dinner/theater/concert tix). They know I like to give gifts but also love to find good deals. The best gift I got for older s’s now wife was something she specifically wanted (they are outdoorsy) and I did a lot of research to find an excellent pair of lightweight. collapsable hiking poles (AND I got a deal! Score!) . Not what I would have ever considered to get as a gift, but it was exactly what she wanted. I would consider a gift card as a backup gift, but I prefer something more personal. Cant send baked items across the country but can order something to be delivered, though I’d probably want to send something from a local bakery and that is hard to have delivered when they are at work.
I think what this discussion has shown us is that we all have personal tastes and ideas. And its all good. But bottom line, we should think about the gift as something from us that is meaningful for our reasons, not for what it might mean to some third party.
I have only have sons as well and it can be hard. Oldest son has been with his gf since high school (they are out of college and working) so I know her well. Youngest has had a gf for over a year, but they don’t live close so I have only spent time with her twice. Way easier to shop for the ones you know well!
I have tried to choose gifts that I know they would not get for themselves but are still practical. For one, that means things like passes to the zoo or aquarium near them, Amazon gc (she is an avid reader and her library does not have every book she wants available), a year of Hulu or Netflix, a Costco membership, but not “stuff” as their apartment was tiny. Their new place is larger so I don’t know what to do this Christmas. This is the first year I will buy for my younger son’s gf as last year her gift was a pass to Universal when she joined us for a trip.
Try not to stress about it too much. My MIL has never given me a gift I liked (for some reason she seemed to think I liked Teddy Bears and Country Blue Duck/Geese themed items). I realize she was doing the best she could do and that is what matters.
I don’t remember liking any gifts my MIL got me either. Don’t sweat too much. I’ve always given my MIL flowers and ceramics stuff that I made. Not worth a lot, but she liked them and used them daily.
My daughter is also an avid reader, part of a book club, so a gift card from Barnes and Noble is really a gift to her.
The only gifts I remember my MIL giving me was jewelry for our wedding, which was burgled some years later. I was very touched that she gave them to me, but other than sentimental value, they weren’t really my taste. I can’t remember any other gifts she gave, but the most important was she raised a great man who is a wonderful husband and father to our kids! I think I mainly gave her flowers and can’t recall what she gave me.
My mom lost touch with what to give us when we were in our early 20s and though she REALLY tried, the things she gave us after our early/mid 20s were really not styles of clothing we would EVER wear. After awhile, she gave up and gave the men aloha shirts (which fit perfectly and were great) and the women checks. That made life easier for everyone.
"caution against getting a GC for a place where most everything is going to be more expensive than the gift card is worth.
Where are these places?"
Mcat, the original post doesn’t make sense. There is no such place as a place where “everything is more expensive than the gift card is worth” because you CHOOSE how much is on your gift card. If all you can afford is a few bucks, then you don’t buy a gift card to Tiffany’s or Kate Spade or Cartier. But a few bucks would be entirely appropriate for Starbucks or iTunes or Barnes & Noble or a movie theater card.
alh - I think it’s sweet about the charm bracelet - I’m assuming you know her taste. I had my own charm bracelet, plus my mother’s, and frankly they’re too jingly for my life and I have the charms all sitting in my jewelry box, being completely useless. I wish I could do something with them, but they just don’t seem to fit today’s styles.
Thanks, Pizzagirl. I now believe I misinterpreted that post: I mistakenly thought there are some stores where, if you pay with a gift card, the price could be higher. Likely, what romani (?) meant was: do not buy a gift card that is worth, say, $40 from a store (or store chain) where most items cost much more than $40.
I notice the thread for buying a gift for young ladies grows faster than the other thread for buying a gift for young men. It is interesting that it seems more people have more troubles in finding gifts for young woman than for young men, especially for a person like OP who posted that “I have all sons.” (We have a son only. We even rarely bought a gift for our son, let alone some young ladies! In our family, we always buy everything together, and there is never a gift that is a “pleasant surprise”. I guess DS must have learned a little bit about gifting by himself – otherwise his gf would have been upset about this by now. LOL.)
