<p>…when you don’t know what the house looks like. We will be visiting a relative who lives quite a distance away, and need to buy a gift. I guess we want to spend a minimum of $40 and a max. of $80-100. Any ideas? We have no idea about color scheme, etc.</p>
<p>If they have a yard, I’d buy a lemon tree, or a flowering plant to be planted in the garden. Or daffodil bulbs. (That is, if you think they will get around to planting them.)</p>
<p>um, sorry, I just realized that if they live in the northeast also, this isn’t the right time for that stuff. Maybe a gift certificate at a nice nursery in the area, for spring?</p>
<p>I’ll confess to having a practical streak. While it isn’t pretty in the least, a carbon monoxide detector is an idea. If you have some idea what kind of style the relatives like, another suggestion is a clock. Or you could get one of those indoor/outdoor weather station/thermometer gizmos. If they like cooking, a new pan would be nice.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Something practical combined with something personal is nice (personally, I just don’t have <em>fun</em> giving practical gifts, even when it’s necessary, so I always try to include a small ‘warm’ touch). Baked goods, a framed photo, a meaningful trinket…all could be combined with something more useful/substantial.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you aware of a favorite family game or pastime? Be it a nice bocce ball set or the deluxe Scrabble set, this could also bridge the practical/personal gap.</p></li>
<li><p>There’s no fun or beauty to this suggestion, but I’ve recently discovered an incredible love for pitcher-style electric kettles (just do a google image search for ‘electric kettle’). Far under-appreciated and under-utilized in the US. Then again, far less useful if the new home has a ‘boiling’ water tap…</p></li>
<li><p>Moving is tough work, and in general, I’ve never found it to be much fun. Would it be at all appropriate to give the adults gift certificates for a massage, or something else spa-y and relaxing? Maybe even for dinner at an especially nice restaurant in their new area. Depending on the area, all of these could fall well within your budget.</p></li>
<li><p>Places like Brookstone, Sharper Image, and Hammacher Schlemmer are all good for finding things that are useful and practical, but unlikely to be owned already (or gifted by someone else).</p></li>
<li><p>If they’re new to a whole region (not just a neighborhood), you could ‘theme’ the gift and get them something (or a few things) that will be useful in their new area. If they’re very new to the area, and particularly if they have kids in the house or if they enjoy traveling/getting out, a good area guidebook might also be useful.</p></li>
<li><p>If you know what you’d like to get and are just unsure about color/style, but you’re sure that you can buy this at a chain store, you could check to see if that store exists in the area of your family’s new house, and purchase the gift there after seeing the home. Risky, not ideal, but possible.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>^ I’m just thinking of things that were (or would have been) enjoyable/useful after my family’s last big move, but that was a cross-country move, so it was a little less “welcome to the house” and more “welcome to this side of America.” It’s also worth noting that my experience with giving these gifts is pretty limited (recent grad…everyone’s moving, and they’d all be happy to receive so much as plastic silverware), so I may not be aware of certain customs or taboos. </p>
<p>Good luck with the gift, and enjoy your trip!</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. </p>
<p>Student615, I wish I did know of a family game, but they really don’t play them. They have boys who are into computer and video games as well as sports, but they do not sit as family to play games. I am sure we will enjoy ourselves. We are going there for another relative’s “special” birthday.</p>
<p>Since they are not just starting out in a home it is hard to buy them something not knowing what they already have. One of the most used gifts we got when we built our house was a nice mailbox. We are in a semi rural area and get our mail on the street. The mailbox matched the character of our neighborhood. Still are using it 11 yrs later.
How about a food item. Maybe some of the fresh fruit you sent your son?</p>
<p>A friend of ours gave us power-failure flashlights. They plug into an outlet, come on at dusk (night lights) or if there’s a power failure. Wonderful things.</p>
<p>A gift certificate to Home Depot is always in good taste.</p>
<p>Re the electric tea kettle, those had traditionally been tough to find in the US, but our Costco had one last week!</p>
<p>My standard gift is a ceramic tea pot, adjusted for cost and preferences. If money is left over a gift set of teas beautifullly packaged. Always appreciated.</p>
<p>I collect tea pots so it is a kind of signature gift. Some of the packaged teas have been awesome – black velvet box, hard not to keep.</p>
<p>I am a big fan of signature gifts; gives a chuckle too. There she goes again, kind of thing, but people have confided to me that they wait to see which I choose for them. Babies get books (English teacher, of course), Sweet sixteens fancy journals, high school grad – girls bath stuff with great carrying case, guys, haven’t quite worked out, sometimes hard copy of All the Places You’ll Go. Weddings, individualized, but you get the idea.</p>
<p>Um. I’ll stop. Got excited. Love buying gifts.</p>
<p>Somemom – I don’t always love the idea of online shopping (there’s a comfort that comes from holding onto something while you decide whether you really want it), but electric tea kettles are pretty widely available on the internet (even on US sites). I plan on picking one up next summer (before my own move), so it’s good to know that Costco is a possibility ;)</p>
<p>A very nice picture frame!</p>
<p>Do you know if they have a porch or patio? Maybe a set of NICE plastic glasses, pitcher and tray? Most of the home stores are starting to put out their summer stuff…(with kids…nice plastic might be good even if they don’t have a patio or porch!) </p>
<p>I also get lots of use out of all my unbreakable trays and medium size bowls(metal, nice plastic-melamine, wood). Both for summer entertaining and other informal entertaining. Crate and Barrel had some nice wood items in their most recent catalog. Wood is fairly neutral…can go with any decor.</p>
<p>Also like the idea of the flashlights. One of the best gifts we received is a lantern-style flashlight that stands upright but also has a handle, and can rest on the handle to direct the light. Lower than the price range you’re looking at, though.</p>
<p>CO detector is a wonderful idea. As I recall, we recieved a couple of fire extinguishers - not a sexy gift, but I really loved it. It shows that you care :)</p>
<p>If the relatives are into gardening, a basket with garden gloves and some small tools will be very appreciated.</p>
<p>A 47" LCD 1080p television. I like the Toshiba.</p>
<p>Get them a gift certificate for $100 to a nice restaurant near their new home. I know it’s not for the “house” but…</p>
<p>Well, I have read through all the suggestions, thank you. I did not want to give a teapot because that is what they gave us many years ago (don’t recall the specific occasion). </p>
<p>My H and I just took a ride to a Crate and Barrel. We just decided to window shop until we found something that we thought they’d like. We ended up purchasing a large wooden bowl with serving pieces. I tried to find it online so I could show it to you, but I don’t see it on their site. It would be great for a salad, but it is not a typical salad bowl because it is very wide, but not too deep (deep enough). It would work well for for various veggies. They have a huge kitchen now, and lots of storage so they won’t have difficulty finding a place to store it (they would have in their old home). This bowl is too wide to fit into a regular cabinet, but that won’t be a problem. We saw the house as it was being built, but we have not seen the house since it was completed.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>Sounds like a nice gift :)</p>
<p>My family has a bowl that fits your description perfectly, and somehow, it gets used constantly. In all likelihood, it was once a wedding or housewarming gift (most of the “it gets used constantly” stuff was)!</p>
<p>I know that it will be useful, and I am certain that they don’t currently have a wooden bowl.</p>
<p>northeastmom: sounds like a great gift!</p>
<p>WashDad: oh you wag.</p>