Calling on my CC friends for help with a strange request. We do a Christmas wish list every year with H and our kids to help everyone with their shopping. And at the risk of sounding like a cliche, there just isn’t much of anything that I want or need. Especially not looking for extra “stuff” to store in our house (our cabinets are already full with things - it’s hard for me to get rid of things, I’m definitely a keeper). Any gift ideas of things that you’ve loved? I like to cook, but again there isn’t anything kitchen related that I really need. Interested in gardening, but I’m a newbie at it. Also interested in doing more travel now that I’ve retired. Anyway, gotta come up with a reasonable list soon before I get in trouble.
I got my daughter a certificate for cooking classes. Maybe you’d like some bulbs, seeds, and gardening supplies.
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Consumables.
Last year my mom sent Florida citrus. She passed away, I’m wondering how I can ask one of my kids that I want Florida citrus! I may have to order them myself.
This is one of those things that puts me over the edge. Thinking of something I don’t need but trying to get a list together. When I can buy what I need!
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Do you like any special skin care items? Gift card for a pedicure?
Need to replace any threadbare items?
I just splurged and bought myself some new socks and got rid of the ones where the heels were nearly worn through. But would have been a good item for a Christmas list!
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Something to eat or drink, or a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant, come to mind as possibilities.
Chocolates? Wine?
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My hair products are stupid expensive, so I ask for those. I also really like smartwool socks but they are more expensive than I’d typically spend on myself. This year I’m asking for new cutting boards as I’ve thrown out all the plastic ones. Last year I asked for a stupidly expensive throw blanket that people had been raving about - and it was silly, but I love that damn blanket. For my birthday this year I asked each of my kids to make me a Spotify playlist of songs they liked that they thought I would either like or just that I should know.
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Yes!!! On the hand cream! I got it as a random give away a few years ago and now I ask for that every Christmas. I love it.
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FYI this hand cream from Trader Joe’s is the dupe for the l’occitane. It’s so good and a fraction of the cost
@OctoberKate I remember you and the stupid expensive throw from last year. It’s a great example of what to put in your list and I’m happy you are enjoying it
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Everyone likes a massage. And you says you like to travel. How about a show or concert in another city - part of a getaway.
I just took my wife to Evansville Indiana. We live in a Nashville suburb. You might think - Evansville ? Who vacations there ?
Well it’s three hours. Their zoo has penguins which she loves. But most importantly, they let you feed them. I’ve not seen that anywhere else. I’ve seen you can watch others feed them but not feed them yourself.
So find something unique for you - that’s outside the norm. And ask for that !!
So it’s a 3 hr drive. We stopped at Pennyrile State Park and hiked. Got to Evansville. Walked on the river. Great restaurant.
Next day yummy breakfast, zoo, head home. Wife ecstatic.
Maybe for you it’s a museum or Hamilton is playing somewhere a few hours from home or your favorite musician is. Make a night or weekend away to somewhere new - and have fun Enroute.
You a U2 fan? Get your tix if any left - Europe and S American tour announced. Combine with a visit to a new city in another part of the world.
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For gardening a seed-starter tray and seed warming mat can be useful. Also a gift certificate to a seed company such as Burpee or Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
For travel a set of packing cubes can be helpful. Depending on what you already have and where you’d like to go, a rain shell in a neutral color is an idea. A set of plug adapters. I really like my noise-cancelling earbuds for flying, the kind with a cord have enough charge to make it over the ocean (compared to the iPod-style plugins which go 5-6 hours).
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For those who care about such things L’Occitane tests their products on animals. Trader Joe’s does not. I recently switched from Kiehl’s for the same reason (to Derma-E). You can look brands up here: https://crueltyfree.peta.org
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Experiences or consumables.
Our son is a fabulous cook and we ask him for a meal prepared by him. It’s always wonderful.
DD usually gets me gift cards to my pedicure place, and some good coffee.
DH always gets tea.
We gave DS a membership to a museum near him last year.
DD is harder to buy for but she asked for some mugs I actually posted online. So she is getting those with a selection of tea, and coffee.
@deb922 thanks for the reminder about the citrus! One of our favorite organizations sells it as a fundraiser. I need to order.
We have a few favorite restaurants, and gift cards to those are always nice to get.
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I don’t. 
Massages are wasted on me as I am incapable of relaxing 
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Ha! I also don’t like massages!
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My brother always gets me an expensive bottle of olive oil from Fustinis, I love their Balsamic vinegar too. If you like to cook, a splurge like that can be fun.
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What is the blanket? I could really use a new blanket!
As a pretty experienced gardener, I think that starting gardening by going the seed route (and depending on your location) can be a recipe for failure. Seeds need a lot of attention and some of that may not be intuitive to a newbie.
How about a garden store gift certificate for when it’s planting season in your area? Or a fun houseplant? Indoor citrus tree?
Is there something in your house/kitchen that could use an upgrade? It sounds like you might be a “if it works don’t get rid of it” but at the same time newer models of something might be worth getting rid of the old, still working. Like a newer air fryer. Or a coffee maker. A winter colorful winter jacket to take the place of an older blah one you’ve had forever.
Also support consumables! And the beauty/hair product idea. Don’t be afraid to let yourself be splurged on a fun gift!
I wouldn’t put this on a gift list but this year I bought a new manual can opener.
Because my husband was complaining about the can opener I had.
For years, literally years, I had a can opener that was so difficult to use. It was dumb. The new one is so easy! Why didn’t I do that years ago?
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Are you crafty at all? I tried building a miniature house from a kit early in the pandemic, and enjoyed it so much I have now done three more. Or, less involved, a paint by number. There’s a certain satisfaction in having created something by hand.