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Gift Ideas Thread

8K views 61 replies 23 participants last post by  Finalcanter 
#1 ·
Not to jump to far ahead, but to give time. And because Black Friday is right after Thanksgiving, many places having them before that.

So a place to ask ideas for that hard to get person, office gift, gag gift etc. Maybe someone has an idea.

This is a new one this year, will see how it works.

Also for ideas for gifts that you have found.
 
#5 ·
Me and my sibs now give donations to charities, in each other's names.


I like gifts of interesting flavored oils, or spices, or dried fruit stuff.


Some kind of beacon light for anyone that walks or rides at night. A several month subscription to Audible. com, so they can listen to books.


Movie gift cards with two boxes of Cracker Jacks.



paperwhite narcissus bulbs planted and ready to bloom in the kitchen window.
 
#6 ·
I'm a minimalist when it comes to gift giving. Sorry, I'm not much help. But yeah, I like gifts like a really nice wine or liqueur for those people who have everything. No point in buying more stuff they won't use, best to give them something they can enjoy.

But this year, I am very interested in finding ways to wrap gifts that do not require using that shiny Xmas paper which cannot be recycled. So much waste... I found some good ideas! My favorite was to use plain brown recycled craft paper with covers from old Xmas cards. These are cute: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/669699407069601431/?lp=true
 
#7 ·
Office swaps where you don't know people well, I figure candy is usually a safe choice. If they won't eat it, they'll surely find someone who can. So are Starbucks or Dunkin (dependent on the audience) giftcards.



I send a lot of cards and/or postcards. Ridiculous, topical, just for fun, for holidays, whatever. I'm always getting postcards when I travel and then scribbling a note, a fact, or a drawing on them and mailing them off. I have a stash. I know when I've been lonely it's been really nice just to receive something (not a bill or junk) in the mail.



I've given my babysitting kids books for their holidays. Stories I've enjoyed, stories that remind me of them. I had a coworker whose bigger-kid-relatives had kindles and he'd give them credit to buy ebooks they wanted.


I gave my riding instructor a horse ornament from Target that I'd repainted to look like her horse. I also gave her socks, but those were because I found The Perfect Socks and they needed to be shared So practical gifts I think are often a solid choice - the little things that might be just slightly too expensive/nicer than usual for someone to buy for themselves



My dad spent most of 40 years giving my mother, every year, a bear Christmas ornament. Eventually some requirements needed to be set up so the tree did not collapse, but she was always a difficult person to buy for and this was the one gift it was basically guaranteed she'd like.
 
#8 ·
Gift giving is stressful, in some ways there is so much hype leading up to the holiday, then the letdown of it being over and wondering what to do with all the stuff one doesn't need or want.

I used to spend thousands of $$$ and decorate every inch of the house. I would be in huge debt for 10 months because of all the over spending :frown_color:

My moto now is "Less is more" so I give only one simple gift each.

Gift cards to my manager and the staff on the floor except the other nurses. The nurses do a Dirty Santa each year.

My children get a gift or two and gift cards to their favorite restaurant. Grandbabies still get a few gifts; one big one and couple little things.

All other adults in my life, like friends, siblings and cousins; get a small gift of whatever theme I am in the mood for.

Last year was all handmade gifts (not made by me) like mittens from the local Alpaca farm, hand rubbed wooden bowl from local carvers, etc.

This year I am going for a fun and frivolous theme, so nothing costly but some that may get a good laugh!
 
#9 ·
All the extended family gives each other gift cards. It’s a horrible system. I wish we drew a number and focused on one person instead of gifting everyone a $10 gift card that isn’t very useful.

We don’t buy much of anything during the year so we try to make Christmas special for each other and the kids.

My husband Is getting a watch engraved with a meaningful quote for my wedding. I’m also getting him some weights, paraphernalia from his favorite show, a DVD, a belt, and maybe one other small thing.

Every year I get my father-in-law in Ace hardware gift card and a sports shirt. My mother-in-law is getting a cookbook and earrings and the same photograph
 
#12 ·
All the extended family gives each other gift cards. It’s a horrible system. I wish we drew a number and focused on one person instead of gifting everyone a $10 gift card that isn’t very useful.
We no longer buy gifts for our grown-up siblings. One year, my husband's brother sent him a gift card for Canadian Tire, and my husband had sent him the exact same gift card. So we talked about it and decided it would be easier to just stop.

Another year, my brother and I exchanged gifts. We both got mixing bowls for each other. The EXACT SAME SET. So again, we agreed that it was a little ridiculous.

Only the kids get presents. DH and I make stockings for each other - no big gifts. But the contents of the stockings are thoughtful. A horse magazine for me, hunting magazine for him. Last year I got him this fun, multi-purpose pen. Some favorite, but expensive chocoloates, etc.

That's pretty well it. No one exchanges gifts at work, but the staff all chip in to buy something for the support staff so I hand over 20$ and let someone else figure it out. I usually give my trimmer and my riding coach something home made, like cookies, horse treats, etc.

I don't even buy presents for my parents anymore after I noticed they'd give me back presents I'd gotten them in past Christmases because they weren't using them and they were taking up too much space.

I don't spend any more than 500$ on all the gifts, and I buy the ones for the kids.
 
#10 ·
We have cut down a lot on our gift giving. Back in the day it was very costly....so these days I just buy for my parents and my 3 nephews. Once in a while b/f & I will exchange gifts but we don't do it every year as we are often saving up for something together (like a trip or a washing machine).

My parents are usually pretty easy to buy for - they enjoy reading and always have books I can get for them. I do stockings for them as well and include lots of toiletries that they would normally buy for themselves (like deoderant, nail polish, toothpaste, toothbrushes). My Dad used to be a mechanic and has also taken up fishing - so lures and tools are good for him.

It's my nephews I have the hardest with. There are 3 of them - oldest being 10 and youngest 4. They have SO many toys and don't usually need any clothes. Two of them do play hockey but by this time of the year they already have all the equipment they need. I was thinking of using @JCnGrace idea of putting money away each holiday for them. And when they are 18 they will get it. I think I will still get them each a book or puzzle or something just so they have something to open from me. These kids play too many video games and I will get anything that promotes them to do anything else!

We used to do a gift exchange at work, but i honestly despise those things...my gift would often be a bottle of wine.
 
#13 · (Edited)
We don't have an official gift or card swap at work. Any exchanges are between those who are friends beyond the office. It removes the stress, as I've a better chance of buying something they actually want.

I need to find something special for one work colleague, as he gave me an early, surprise gift a few weeks ago. I think it's going to be difficult to match!

It was an envelope containing rusty nails. Probably the strangest gift I've ever had but it is one of the best. The nails are nearly 2000 years old and handmade by Roman soldiers, who were also responsible for making XX Legion's swords and spears. They were found during an archaeological dig on a Fort in Scotland. The majority are now in Museums but he thought that i'd like some as well.

My close friends get something handmade, or in my case hand drawn, another does hand knitted etc. We started the tradition a few years ago. It means a lot more than buying something.

Family members used to get cards, money and small gifts but we've made the decision to stick with cards this year as the youngest are teenagers.

I usually keep a couple of boxes of Lindor chocolates, in case i get a surprise gift from someone.
 
#14 ·
@Caledonian What an unusual and unique gift. Get a picture frame and put cotton in it and lay the nails in the cotton to hold them in place. I think it would be a good conversation piece. To bad you can't find a horse shoe that old to go with them.

I think homemade gifts make really good gifts and your work can be customized to that single person.
 
#19 ·
@Caledonian What an unusual and unique gift. Get a picture frame and put cotton in it and lay the nails in the cotton to hold them in place. I think it would be a good conversation piece. To bad you can't find a horse shoe that old to go with them.

I think homemade gifts make really good gifts and your work can be customized to that single person.
Thanks, there are unusual. Huge though, far larger than horse shoe size; mine are two to four inches but they went up to sixteen inches. They were part of the Inchtuthil hoard, made to hold the walls of the fort.

We were laughing about it today, as i said that he's now impossible to shop for, so he's going to have to make do with a sparkly card. :smile:
 
#15 ·
Every year I get further and further away from the whole gift giving thing. I liked it, back then, but the pressure takes away the pleasure, eventually. And, seeing all the unnecessary 'stuff' out there, makes me feel , well, sick.

I mean, where did that stuff come from? who assembled it? what about the plastic it is made from? how long before that item is in a landfull?



So, I won't buy any new decorations, at all. no puzzles are gadgets or useless gag gifts. I don't want to add to the whole 'plastic gadgets from China' overload that clogs our stores these days.


the mantra to consider when thinking about buying 'stuff' is:


Where did it come from ? (how far was this item shipped? who made it, in what kind of factory, and in what sort of environmental care?


Do I really need it? (Do I have something like this already? will I use it? do I have a place to store it?)


Where will it go? (after I am finished with it, or bored of it, or outgrown it, or it breaks or becomes out of style or dirty . . . what happens to it? How long will it last in some landfill? will it release nasty toxins back into the air, water or soil with it's demise?)
 
#23 ·
Yes... my neighborhood does this... I usually end up with the WORST gift that no one would touch!! Seriously... and I work so hard to take a good gift so it gets stolen a time or two... So this year I was going to wrap what I got a couple of years ago and gift that... but this year we decided no gifts! WHAT! lol It is always so fun because some people go over the top to get the worst gift... it really was the best time, got some great pictures.

When I say worst gift, I know it was searched hard for and they put time into it so I appreciated it that way because it was meant for a joke but now I have it I hate to get rid of it..... I would rather have a bottle of wine.

I don't really do gifts as I'm not close to family, I give a few things to friends... a nice necklace, gift card... just depends. I do make a tin full of homemade goodies for farrier, feed stores and a few neighbors... They always say they were looking forward to it when it's delivered...
 
#18 ·
@AnitaAnne, we did the Dirty Santa for a while between us siblings but eventually gave that up too.

Christmas is not too stressful here because we give the grandkids money. All of them are at an age they are usually saving for something bigger than what we would spend. Hubby and I don't exchange gifts because we have everything we need.
 
#20 ·
That is a very cool gift @Caledonian!

I had a thought yesterday. I was thinking that we tend to spend a lot of money at Christmas. Husband loves to give, and I love that about him, but we don’t have a lot to spend.

Often we need a thing, but we have to buy the cheapest version, constantly fix that, or make do without. I realized, why don’t we get these things as gifts?! We already are spending money, and there are things we actually need that we could get better quality.

Obviously you have no idea what other people ‘need.’ Food is always good!
 
#21 ·
@Caledonian I want the envelope of rusty nails! That is SO cool! That would be the perfect gift for me, LOL. And none of @tinyliny 's concerns about cheap plastic, cheap manufacture, and going to the landfill, LOL.

Honestly, this year I'm asking everyone I know well enough to just give me money. I mean, if they want. I am super hard to shop for, especially as I really don't want any more stuff (except for rusty nails!!!). Plus I have three horses so I'm perpetually broke. I guess gift cards are similar. Also easy for me to give. I know people think giving money or gift cards is tacky, but I like to give something I know someone can use.

Bottles of alcohol seem to be an easy default, but a lot of people don't drink. I guess you only get them for people you know well?
 
#24 ·
Homemade food is always a winner!

My favorite is banana nut bread baked in this fancy shaped pan I have. It make 6 medium sized loafs and looks really pretty with just plastic wrap (sorry Tiny) and a shiny ribbon.

Once was in a group where we all made one type of Christmas cookie each, and then got together and divided them all up so we each had every kind.

It was very nice because it sure cut down on baking time and supplies!

I love seeing a plate of a variety of Christmas cookies YUMMY
 
#25 ·
What's fun for some people is to get them something as a running joke, but that they will still enjoy rather than throw out. My dad loves hot sauce and we have yet to find one that he finds too hot, so every year we go out and buy him a new specialty hot sauce. I think the most we've spent is between $40-$60 on hot sauce that we have specifically researched as being ridiculously hot and it doesn't make an impression on him at all.

I have given one gift in my life that made someone cry and I'm really proud of it. I made a painting for each of the dorm girls where I was at a semi-boarding high school. Each one was a silhouette of the animal that in a prior conversation we had decided they were (I was a rabbit for some reason?) Behind the silhouette I tried to paint their two favourite colours streaming out behind the silhouette, which was also their favourite colour but darker for contrast. On the edge of the canvas I wrote down words that described them in silver felt pen as well as inside jokes that we had developed over the year. One girl cried, and another one almost cried.

This year I'm going to get my mom muskox wool socks or gloves. They are ridiculously expensive but suuuuuper warm so I am going to see if I can split it with someone but she's been longing for them for almost a year now so she'll really like them.

Other years I have given people homemade hand cream and that was well received. I have given my grandparents a painting each but I'm not really an artist so now that I'm older I can't really get away with that.

My brother finds body hair disgusting and only comments when it's female despite saying that it's all body hair so I'm getting him a subscription to the dollar shave club so he will be well set up to shave off his own body hair that is apparently so disgusting. Either that or a safety razor that is more eco friendly. If I get him that I will also get my dad to weld it inside a box just to make things fun. Two years ago I wrapped all his gifts in duck tape and zip ties! It was funny.

Ilanna, my horse, is going to get a homemade horse cake with small amounts of all of her favourite foods such as twizzlers, salt and vinegar chips, and powdered donuts. Whenever I'm eating something at the barn I sometimes give her a small piece and she usually likes it! She probably could have been a chef in another life if she had a little more patience.
 
#26 ·
@Queenofsomethinghopefully I first read that as a homemade cake that contains "small amounts of all of her favourite foods such as twizzlers, salt and vinegar chips, and powdered donuts" and I thought ... hmmm....
 
#30 ·
We got tired of stressing over Christmas gift buying, and now we just do gifts for the kids. Before, my husband's large family ALL got gifts, and my small family got only a fraction of our holiday spending and it was getting ridiculous. We decided enough was enough, and that we all had plenty of stuff anyway and didn't need any more. And you know what? Nobody cared*! It was great! No more driving two hours away in a blizzard because it's the only day in December both of us are free, and buying a ton of stuff nobody needs anyway that it will take us all year to pay off.

I usually give gifts to the kids that I've picked up randomly throughout the year. Can't go wrong with books.

*Well, one person cared. But she's the type to overspend her money on things like tattoos and concert tickets, then get mad when she doesn't get enough $$$ at Christmas (or gifts she can sell for $) to pay her bills.... so, yeah, not counting her. She'd be unhappy whatever we did. One year she was saying how long it had been since she had seen some favorite movies from childhood, so I drove all over and got DVDs of all of them for her for Christmas, and a day later saw that she had listed them, unopened, on Craigslist along with nearly every other gift she and her kids had received to raise money for a new tattoo...
 
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