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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
What to get for people who want nothing?
IL's are very practical people. We want to get them something but are drawing a blank? Any ideas appreciated!! TIA!
Re: What to get for people who want nothing?
That's exactly how my DH's grandparents are- they have everything, they need and want nothing. Yet, they always give to everyone else. SO, we usually get them personalized gifts or photos- we have 2 kids so we give them framed portraits, photo mugs/calendars from Shutterfly.com, etc.
Another suggestion is to give experiences. One year we got them baseball tix for a game in the upcoming season- another we got them museum passes and an art history hardback book...
I think you have to remember that gift giving is about the giver. The gift giver gets to decide what the gift is, and the receiver can either like it and enjoy it or not use it. I'm not saying you should buy a wine club membership for somebody in AA because that's what works for you or anything, but you should remember that giving a gift is about finding something that you think a person will enjoy, and giving him/her/them THAT.
Think about what your ILs enjoy. Do they like to read? Maybe get them a new book that they'd enjoy even if they haven't asked for it (a biography of a favorite politician/actor). Do they enjoy wine? Wine Club membership. Fruit? Fruit of the month club.
If all else fails, go to World Market, buy them a pretty basket, and fill it up with wine/cheese/specialty foods from around the world. Just think of what they enjoy and go with that.
Also, keep it in perspective. This is a token of your love; it doesn't have to be a life changing gift or anything.
Food- especially home baked goods
Personalized calendar with all the important dates written in- birthdays (and how old they'll be if they're little kids), anniversaries, etc.
Find something that they're going to buy anyway, and buy it for them. If they get magazines, renew their subscription for them. If they go to movies, buy them a gift certificate to the movie theater.
Wow. I completely disagree with you. Giving someone a gift is not all about you, its about them. Making them happy. Showing them that you appreciate them. Why wouldn't you want them to enjoy it?
I hate golf, but DH loves it, so I get him golf stuff a lot. Sure I would love it if he'd hang out and watch chick filcks with me sometimes, but I didn't buy him Ghost and DesperatelySeeking Susan for his birthday, I bought him some golf shorts and a round at his fav course because thats what HE likes.
To the original poster: Pictures always go over well with family. Or gift cards, or tickets to an event, like someone mentioned above. Good luck.
I've got more issues than a magazine
Well, I kind of think you took my post out of context there. I went on to say, "Do they like to read? How about a book about a politician/actor they like. Wine? Wine of the month club." So, I did in fact try to say, "Think about what they like and go from there." Which really is exactly what you're saying. So, I don't think we really totally disagree here.
When you're gift buying for people who "want nothing" I don't think there should be a pressure to buy the perfect gift, or the BEST gift they've ever gotten. That, to me, seems to be where the OP has gotten wrapped up.
ETA: Also, I think that the giver should get some enjoyment out of giving the gift as you clearly did when buying those gifts for your H. That joy would be seriously reduced if there was a ton of pressure to get EXACTLY the thing that the receiver is waiting to receive. KWIM?
Maybe you can donate to a charity in their name?
It also doesn't hurt to ask if there's anything they need and then you might be able to get them that.
Tea Time for Lulu
Consumables are great for people like this. Some random items that I can think of off the top of my head:
1. Car wash certificates: in our area you can prebuy up to 6 car washes. I would be excited if someone got that for us.
2. Wine: a nice bottle of wine if they are into wine or tickets to a wine tasteing
3. Homemade treats: it doesn't necissarily have to be junk food. It can be a homemade loaf of artisan bread or a canned gift (we do a lot of these)
4. Nice ingredients if they are into cooking. Things like nice olive oil, saffron, teas, coffees, honey, maple syrup, or other luxury ingredients.
5. Garden plants: If they garden, you can buy them plants through Gurneys that will be shipped during planting season if you know what they like to grow every year (like heirloom tomatoes)
6. A CSA basket if they are into fresh local produce