Sometimes $ is the right gift. What I will often to for my 20s and 30s kids and partners is either verbally or in a card, gift a suggestion or “permission” to use the $ to get something they have been wanting and haven’t sprung for yet (in our world, while they all make decent $, they/we all still budget and don’t have an endless flow of cash)
For instance D2 could use a new phone. We encouraged her to take bday $ to get that. D1 and husband have a new house and have some furniture needs - I might suggest “take this money and buy something for the living room”. They don’t have to follow these suggestions of course- they can go blow the $ on a fancy meal if they want! But reading the suggestions in a card or from my mouth sometimes helps them to see the $ as the key to a wanted/needed item.
And also I will ALWAYS probably give something small to still ope .