Holiday Gift Ideas for Hard To Buy For Recipients
Nov 02 '09
The Bottom Line Think about your recipient and what they would like... and don't be afraid to ask them outright, either!
If there's anything more baffling than shopping for birthday gifts for friends and family members who already have it all, it's holiday shopping for those same people. Every year I find myself staring at the same list of people I need to buy Christmas presents for and wondering what on earth they could possibly want that they don't already have. I know I’m not alone with this problem. Here are a few ideas that I've used in the past that have been well received.
My in-laws have a lot of stuff; so much that their house is jam-packed with books, baskets, musical instruments, and other random objects. I've had good luck giving them perishable items that they will use up and then toss out or recycle the packaging. They like to eat, so I've given gifts from Harry and David, See's Candy, and American Spoon Foods. Each of these places offers a variety of gifts at different price levels, and - I can tell you from experience - they offer some tasty food, too. Another idea they've enjoyed has been a special bottle of wine or scotch. My father-in-law loves scotch, and both he and my mother-in-law like wine. It helps if you know the food and drink preferences of your intended gift recipient, of course - and always be aware of dietary restrictions they might have.
Another idea for the "people who have it all and more" group is to give to a charity in their name. Again, it really helps to know the people you are doing this for well. Some people might prefer to receive a gift for themselves (although no one would probably publicly admit it). The stickier issue is what charity to give to. My in-laws like Heifer International (www.heifer.org), an organization that gives animals to people in need; the people who receive the animals are charged with breeding the animals and giving them to others in their community to help them all become economically self-sustaining. My in-laws love the global focus of this organization. But if I were giving to my parents, I'd probably choose something a bit closer to home, like March of Dimes.
Gift certificates are always classic gifts for people who are difficult to shop for. I know I love to receive them myself, as long as they are for a store that I enjoy shopping at. If you know someone who loves to knit, perhaps a gift certificate to their favorite yarn shop would be appropriate. If they love music, find out what music store they enjoy patronizing. People who enjoy eating out might enjoy a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant. If all else fails, most people can find a use for a gift certificate to Amazon.com; they offer a lot more than books!
If you are very short on cash (and many of us are this year), another idea that I've had fun with is creating a music mixes on compact disc for friends and family members. I've made Christmas-themed ones for friends, and once I went through my entire music collection looking for sappy ballads that I was sure my mother would like. During my first semester in nursing school, I even made a "pharmacology" mix for a nursing school friend, featuring songs that appeared to be related to pharmacology (Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" was the first song on that mix). You can be as creative as you want with this idea, and you can buy a bunch of blank compact discs and empty jewel cases for cheap at Target.
Holiday shopping is a challenge, but if you think about your gift recipient and what they enjoy, that will usually lead you to some ideas. If all else fails, you can always go for the gift certificate!
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Member: Sara Robinson-Coolidge
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