I will make no apology for this edition of our weekly "Conversation Starter." I'm selfishly motivated by the need for your help. And I don't care that Halloween is still three days away. Or that Christmas is still nearly two months off.
We need all the time we can get.
See, here's the problem: My father is in his early 70s; my father-in-law is in his early 80s. If anything, they're trying to get rid of things.
What do you buy for the hard-to-buy-for? What do you do to make the Christmas merry for the folks who seem to have everything, don't need anything or who won't let themselves get pinned down?
Here's another stumper for you: My son is 17. He's a drama kid, a singer, a World of Warcraft fanatic. He is every bit as hard to buy for as my family on the other end of the age spectrum. I hate to tell you how many gifts he's received that went unopened and ignored, only to be returned months later.
I've heard the suggestion of making a donation on a person's behalf to a worthy charity, and I like it, and I may do it. And while my son might very well appreciate it, it's hardly the sort of thing a teenager covets under the tree.
What's your strategy for these people? How do you approach gift-giving for the hard-to-buy-for?
Also - car wash certificates are great! My mother (who is in her mid 70's LOVES This! Books are another great gift!! For your teen ager --- good luck - buy funny silly stuff to open or a family board game to play - and give em cash!!
When my daughter graduated HS, I did the same thing for her. You know how hard it is to make a teenager cry happy tears from being touched?! Yup, it was priceless. In the summer between HS and college, she'd go up to her room and I would occasionally hear the voices <grin>. AND she took it to school with her. I highly recommend - it's an unusual, thoughtful, unique and memorable gift. Various package levels are available - you can put together a nice one for less than $100, easy. And no, I don't work for them - but for weddings, major life events, etc. it is fast becoming first on my list. www.voicequilt.com
In our family everyone has to give a gift wish list to all in attendance on Thanksgiving before we are allowed to eat. That is a BIG incentive for teens, FOOD! The first year it was hard to get them to come up with things but when they did not get to eat they started really thinking! I asked if there were gift cards they wanted. Tell them they need a few items of varied costs on their list. But as my kids got older,cash or gift certificates were what they asked for.They may have something they want but never thought to tell you. They can put anything on the list just not assume they will get that!I give gas cards, fast food certificates, movie theater, bowling, even paint ball certificates to my teens/young adults. This way they can go and DO something and it not cost them anything. Gift cards can be as little as $5 and as much as $1000.
Teenagers are hard. Give them some homemade cookies, candies and a gift card. It's what they want. I-tunes is good for the music/drama kiddo, or Amazon. Or of course gas station, they always need gas.
For someone young or in what I call "need mode" where a gift is function rather than just form I find a way to ask whether it's a wishlist or just outright asking. Unless something just strikes me as perfect that's going to be a better bit. In the middle you have the people who don't want anything but appreciate everything as long as it's creative it will be appreciated... That's the type I'll do a charity donation, picture book, or fun stuff for. Then you have the needs-nothing but will expect something relevant. For those I think it comes down to really having a chance to clue into a conversation. You don't have to ask to hear what they're doing these days, what they like and while you may be a bit off on the pick, that you matched says so much. Good luck!
I always have to check myself when I feel a little anxious about gift giving. Am I just feeling obligated and don't want to mess something up? If so, I have to take care of that feeling before buying anything. Some of my worst gift decisions have come under that kind of pressure! But if I'm feeling otherwise, say, wanting more connection with a person I care about, then I tend to give that feeling free reign. It usually leads me to spend more quality time with the person in question, which almost always gives me bright ideas and important data for future gift-giving. Consumable gifts and/or gifts that lead to memories tend to rise to the top of my list, once I get my feelings in line. Books or appliances that increase self-sufficiency tend to sink lower on the list because they tend to be used alone, and today many of us spend much of our time alone anyway. Best of luck in your process. Hopefully the "sleuthing" will be just as meaningful (if not more so) than the gift itself. Because let's face it, a gift is only as great as the relationship that produced it.
For parents or older person give a picture video by using pictures starting with baby picture , then wedding picture and then put each child and pictures of graduation of weddings , when they were a baby and put all their kids and families. You put all the pictures to songs that mean something to them . At the end put a letter in the video telling them how much you love them and how much they mean to you all . Have all the names of the people in the family at the end of the letter . There are places that make these videos . You need to do a google search for PICTURE VIDEOS
It is a disposable toilet and it makes perect sense. Pure genious.