Does anyone have any suggestions for a small gift for my brothers? We don’t normally exchange, but this year we are dealing with a lot in terms of an elderly (91 yrs) , defiant mother. We all love her to death, but she’s pushing us lately. I just want to give them something small to show my appreciation for our being able to work through this season together. One doesn’t drink, so alcohol is out for him at least.
I love and so does my brother Enstrom’s milk chocolate almond toffee in one lb boxes. $22.95 Seriously addicting. He even hinted he wanted this again.
This is my go to gift I sent to realtors, family, thank yous to D’s college roommate
families, my mother’s assisted living nurses, etc.
Food gifts or a restaurant gift card.
+1 to Enstrom’s toffee. That stuff is awesome.
If they are techie perhaps an Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home mini (both around $30)?
What is a “small gift”? Seriously it can vary a lot among givers and recipients. My brother has everything so I’ve given him a lot of lower-priced random gifts over the years—sets of dish towels, food, and thus year a case of a nonalcoholic beverage he likes. My other brother is getting a gift box of smoked salmon—he likes fish.
Airpods, Amazon Echo, Noise canceling headphones, Orvis has great luggage for men, Apple TV
Pens that are tire gauges, and a bottle of aspirin for going the distance withhout pain. And a note. Siblings don’t tell each other enough what we appreciate
H loved the gift card to the local coffee/donut shops which we have everywhere here. He goes through the drive-thru and doesn’t have to fish for change. We’ll be refreshing his supply for Xmas.
Coffee - ground or beans. For small host gifts we do a pancake mix (Krusteaz -no egg) and maple syrup. Maybe a tea bread?
I give my H every year tortilla chips and bottles of hot sauce and salsa. He hates gifts but it is one he loves. My S also one year gave my H beef jerky.
Perhaps a gag gift that relates to the difficult mother (I sympathize- my mom died decades ago and 91 year old difficult father losing memory- none of us kids argue with him anymore now that he can’t think well enough to). Something that evokes the past and will bring a laugh. Or something with a note about how to survive a specific task. The note could make the gift.
An example would be a massive car key holder for my sister who does a lot for our father and took his car keys- out of town (I’m over a thousand miles away). Sweets for being so sweet (and dealing with adversity).
We could trade tales of elderly (we are merely old) difficult parents. Your defiant mother reminds me of my very stubborn father who would literally be kicking and shouting (obscenities) if we tried to make him move to a senior place…
Enstrom’s also makes fantastic toffee popcorn. I just realized we didn’t send it to anyone this year and will probably hear about it.
This company makes the best beef jerky. None of that sugary crud you get at the grocery store snack aisle.
http://newmexicobeefjerkycompany.com/
I also like to get outdoorsy guys a few little doo-dads from outdoor sporting goods stores like Cabela’s or Campmor. The stores usually have one aisle that has a whole selection of little inexpensive items like firestarters, emergency blankets, little first aid kits, 5 in 1 survival tools, etc. We actually have a backpack full of those kinds of items that we keep in our car for emergencies.
I think you can also find a lot of these things at most Wal-Marts in their sporting goods sections.