<p>I like to start early (obviously) with ideas for family gifts, especially for those in the family that don’t need more “stuff.” Don’t want to spend too much so am looking for reasonably priced suggestions. So far, I’ve found some things from Wolferman’s but am looking for other ideas . Thought this thread might give others some ideas for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah,etc.
Wolferman’s has an Autumn Leaves Breakfast Tote,Cardinal Gift Tote and Winter Bounty Gift Bag that I have looked at. Any other ideas (particulary under $50)?</p>
<p>I’m giving my MIL and her siblings each a model of their childhood home. It’s a beautiful old farmhouse that welcomed 4 generations. If you order multiple the unit cost is under $50. [My</a> World by Cat’s Meow](<a href=“http://www.my-world-online.com/]My”>http://www.my-world-online.com/)</p>
<p>Great idea,DougBetsy.I seem to also recall individualized puzzles,things like that, that can be made from a house or address but can’t remember the specifics?</p>
<p>Heifer International. Buy somebody a goat or some chickens. My Mom loved being able to pick out her birthday gift, that would be sent to a family somewhere in the world.</p>
<p>Our extended families have completely stopped the gift giving. It is enough just to be together, and not one of us has missed it at all!</p>
<p>I can sell you the goats 
I really like the idea of no gift giving. I find it enormously stressful. We don’t buy for that many, but I like it to be personal and useful and I <em>hate</em> shopping. Not a good combination.</p>
<p>Seeing as that won’t happen, I am going with DougBetsy’s link. THANKS!!</p>
<p>crizello,Thanks, We have given up on alot as well-it has been gradual though. Have moved from individual gifts to family gifts. Very small family though so would like to still send a small family gift to families of husband’s brother and sister. We are spread out across the country so are not able to see each other on the holiday. Just want to send something small to let them know we are thinking of them. I would love to be with extended family for all the holidays(has been painful at times that it has not been able to happen) but it is usually just not possible.Situations do differ so just looking for ideas to let folks know we’re still thinking of them.</p>
<p>Enstrom’s milk chocolate almond toffee one lb is extremely good. order one and you will become addicted! we also have done wolferman’s, llbean gift packages, and heifer in the past as well as habitat for humanity donations in their name. just added enstrom’s to the gift donation and we were happy as well as all the one’s who got the treat.</p>
<p>Even thought we don’t officially exchange gifts, when I see my sisters and parents, I will bring a gift basket. I will put in some things I have made or knitted. I usually put in some preserves or jams/jellies, some homemade dog treats, maybe knitted some socks, bookmark, or a bag.</p>
<p>It’s nice to send speciality foods from your area–jam, jelly, chutney, preserves, seasonings, cookbook, coffee, tea, wine, etc., book from a local author, notecards from local artist, etc. We’re big on consumables around here so we don’t have to worry about accummulating increasing amounts of “stuff.” Gift certificate to good local restaurant is another nice gift. :)</p>
<p>Last year, we (DH, DD and I) decided that our main gifts to each other would be charity gifts. Each person let it be known what their favorite charities are, and the others made donations in their honor. (For D, I’ve been making donations to World Vision’s Max Impact Fund for several years, because we get a little item in return which can be wrapped and put under the tree.) Then we also exchanged little trinket or gag gifts, limit $10. Big reduction in stress and expense.</p>
<p>For extended family, we started several years ago doing a name-draw, limit $40. Massive reduction in stress and expense.</p>
<p>OP, Harry & David is our favorite mail-order food gift (the Royal Riviera pears are to die for). We also love Wolfermans.</p>
<p>My husband’s family received an annual box of See’s chocolates from Grandma in San Francisco, back before you could get them in any shopping mall nationwide. I’m not sure how long that had been going on, but it was a tradition that worked well for all concerned. Grandma didn’t have to think of something new each year, and the whole family looked forward to receiving it. </p>
<p>If there is some local delicacy that can become your annual treat to family members, it’s a great groove to get into. Now that anyone can order anything from anywhere, I guess it’s harder to come up with something special and there’s no particular need to have it be local to YOUR area, but it’s a nice concept. </p>
<p>If something is welcome, and consumable, and a special treat, I think it’s likely to be welcome year after year and eventually becomes a beloved tradition. My husband’s family would have been disappointed if Grandma sent something else!</p>
<p>If you are my family, feel free to send us a box of Harry and David pears. They are a great gift because they are terrific, not available in stores (unless you live near a H&D store, which we did once but no longer do), and too expensive for me to order for myself. My sister-in-law used to send a box (and we sent her Omaha Steaks) until we agreed to forego gifts for adults altogether.</p>
<p>Oh, and watch for sales and specials for Harry & David, Omaha Steaks, etc. There is almost always a very nice gift available for an <$50 price point, if you grab a sale or a “free shipping” special. Costco has gift baskets from various vendors and sometimes do a great special on something. They had a very nice H&D basket marked way down, with free shipping, one holiday season.</p>
<p>Other options you could make into an annual tradition include a magazine subscription, a membership to an institution (museum, zoo, aquarium), or tickets to something. (At the $50 price point, that could be a “family pack” of tickets to the movies, or potentially a local community theater.)</p>
<p>I like the goat idea. Lots of trees in Israel have been planted in son’s honor.</p>
<p>We no longer do adult gifts. For many years, my favorite gift to my mom was a rose bush from Jackson & Perkins (sp?).</p>
<p>Gifts to a local food shelf is another idea I’ll be using.</p>
<p>Not really small, but for the past year’s we’ve given my in-laws a subscription to Sirius/XM radio. Got the portable in-car radio free the first year, now we renew for under $100 each year. Boom done!
Same with a Golf Magazine subscription to my Dad, he likes it a lot more than a sweater!</p>
<p>FIL used to give us an annual subscription to National Geographic. Miss him. Still keep the pile on the coffee table. He also sent an annual box of grapefruit from FLA. Was a lovely treat.</p>
<p>We’ve done Heifer International a lot in my extended family. I’d say every year someone does it. It’s always welcome.</p>
<p>Calendars are popular and you can use MyPublisher and Moo and Blurb (and others, I’m sure) to make custom calendars.</p>
<p>Some years I’ve knit everyone hats or scarves. Not happening this year, since I have a puppy ;-)</p>
<p>This year a friend is helping a friend of hers sell wonderful silk scarves, very reasonably priced. I’ve bought one for every woman on my list (sisters, biz partner’s wife, MIL). They’re light and beautiful. </p>
<p>I gave a donation to Mini’s clean water project as wedding presents for the two middle-aged “don’t give us any presents” couples that I knew this summer. It’s a small-scale charity with very little overhead. Here’s a newspaper article about it: [Friendly</a> group works to bring clean water to impoverished - Soundings - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington](<a href=“http://www.theolympian.com/2011/07/03/v-print/1710683/friendly-group-works-to-bring.html]Friendly”>http://www.theolympian.com/2011/07/03/v-print/1710683/friendly-group-works-to-bring.html)</p>
<p>Smithsonian and Sunset are also nice gift magazine subscriptions.</p>
<p>I like the Harry and David Royal Riviera pears as well. This year that’s what we are giving to my mother and my H’s father, and two boxes for our house. (You can get the “maverick” slightly less-perfect pears for yourself for less money.) It’s such a great gift because it’s a special treat, not fattening, and keeps for a little while. </p>
<p>We have stopped giving gifts in our extended family for the most part. My mom still wants the tradition, so we do if for her, but not my sisters and their families.</p>
<p>I agree- no more STUFF!</p>
<p>We may take a weekend car trip somewhere for a few days together as a family- such a luxury to just be together, no pressures, rest and play. We will gift each other the things we really already do: clothes money, money for exercise classes and equipment, a night of fun, that sort of thing. It makes us realize how SPECIAL these things really are. Sometimes we have a family party, or each D has a get-together over the holidays. That is more meaningful to them.</p>
<p>I always give my god-children and nieces and nephews gift certificates to Amazon so they can pick out whatever they want or need. A gift for my father is IMPOSSIBLE to figure out… That is one I will put some time into!!!</p>
<p>I spend a bit on the Teacher/Advisor gifts. Best ever: wreaths made of local vegetation, assembled by a local shop. Also give teachers’ kids art supplies and games and puzzles, that sort of thing. Only one more year of this- we stop once they get to college!</p>