Holiday present ideas for the adults in your life

KKCARLS · October 2013

Lots of people have been posting recently on what they plan on getting their kids for the upcoming holidays and I thank you because I've used many of the suggests for my little one and lots of nieces and nephews. But now I'm stuck on the adults that I need to purchase for - basically SILs and BILs (Ages 30-40) (I won't even attempt to get ideas for my husband). I'm looking for anything from about $25 - $45. Not a huge budget but just trying to get some ideas. I usually get and give lotions and candles but looking for other thoughtful options besides a gift card. I know this is a shot in the dark since you don't know anything else but honestly I don't know what they would like either

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skyejo · October 2013

I'm doing a movie night theme for the bulk of adults this year. Netflix gift card, microwave popcorn and bottle of wine all wrapped up cute (somehow!) in a blanket. It's still a gift card but with a little extra thrown in to make it special.

mae0111 · October 2013

I was also going to suggest a gift basket with a theme. A "date night" theme with a bottle of wine, munchies, chocolates, maybe something that you bake as well?

Or, again this is a gift card, but maybe for an experience? Gift card to a museum or a class that they might like to take? Something through groupon?

rubber_chicken · October 2013

And this is why the adults in my family don't exchange gifts. Why should I buy you crap you don't want just so you can buy me crap I don't want?

If gifts are a must, I'm a fan of experiences - tickets, attraction memberships, magazine subscriptions etc. Also, I've found cute things on thinkgeek and uncommongoods

Karla CS · October 2013

rubber_chicken said:

And this is why the adults in my family don't exchange gifts. Why should I buy you crap you don't want just so you can buy me crap I don't want?

If gifts are a must, I'm a fan of experiences - tickets, attraction memberships, magazine subscriptions etc. Also, I've found cute things on thinkgeek and uncommongoods

I think people, myself included, are really, really bad at buying gifts. There are very few people in my life that I can look at think, 'oh, you know what Julie would like? I know the PERFECT thing!" It's more along the lines of "Well, I have to get Julie something, and I know one time in college, went camping, so maybe I'll get her a portable curling iron (or some other ridiculous gift.. do they even make portable curling irons?) for her next trip."

To that extent, for the most part, I don't give a whole lot of gifts to adults. My go to tends to be something that evokes a good memory - a framed picture or a bottle of wine from the same winery we drank together in the past with a nice note (Here's to reliving all the laughs at your bachelorette party!).

Samiantha101 · October 2013

rubber_chicken said:
And this is why the adults in my family don't exchange gifts. Why should I buy you crap you don't want just so you can buy me crap I don't want?

If gifts are a must, I'm a fan of experiences - tickets, attraction memberships, magazine subscriptions etc. Also, I've found cute things on thinkgeek and uncommongoods

I'm with you on this. With the exception of my mother and husband, I don't buy adults Christmas presents.

Maybe you should suggest to your family to create an amazon wishlist?

mae0111 · October 2013

I tried the no-gift thing with my family once. I finally got them to draw names out of a hat. Know what? They bought gifts for everyone anyway. I was the only one that stuck to the name draw, and looked like an @$$ on Christmas.

So now I just buy the crap. Gift certificates, mostly. I would love to tell everyone not to get me anything, and just focus on the kids. I really, really don't want another scarf.

bullybutt · October 2013

Team no-gifts here also. Each year my whole family bitched and threw fits about having to find and buy gifts for everyone. I jumped on the grenade and told everyone that I was bowing out of the gift giving and they could flame me if they want, but I wasn't buying ANY of the adults shit that they could really care less about having (that they couldn't just buy themselves). I didn't want anything. I just wanted to spend the holiday with family and see the kids open THEIR gifts. Everyone was relieved that someone finally said something and got everyone off the hook (except for my grandma of all people, but she's BSC.)

KKCARLS · October 2013

rubber_chicken said:

And this is why the adults in my family don't exchange gifts. Why should I buy you crap you don't want just so you can buy me crap I don't want?

If gifts are a must, I'm a fan of experiences - tickets, attraction memberships, magazine subscriptions etc. Also, I've found cute things on thinkgeek and uncommongoods

In response to your first sentiment, I have tried to do away with adult gifts. I've gotten my siblings to just draw names so we just have to buy one present for an adult. I brought it up to my husband to do that with his family and he says his sisters like buying presents for people (highly doubtful, she's a busy, stressed mom like the rest of us).

jcath · October 2013

I get discounted movie tickets through my office and everyone loves getting those. I also find cute stuff on etsy. I'm buying lots of those monogrammed chevron infinity scarves ($25ish) and monogrammed pajama pants.

Also search pinterest for gifts. I think I'm making a cranberry infused vodka for my brother and sister in law this year.

SunAndRain · October 2013

The only gift I'm interested in giving and receiving is an "off the hook" card!

We all work. We all have kids or are about to have our first. Can't the gifts be about the kids now??

I just wish I knew how to propose this to my IL's! Problem is, it really isn't my place.

jf198400 · October 2013

I only do gifts for my parents and IL's not siblings (we just buy presents for the kids). The grandparents get some type of photobook or framed picture of the kids every year, or an ornament, etc.

shannm · October 2013

We do a secret Santa with my in laws and spouses. Gifts have included items on existing amazon wish lists, liquor, museum memberships, hiking guides for their city, fabulous socks....

slwprincess · October 2013

Mostly lurker here but wanted to chime in... My family does a Bingo gift swap. Everyone brings a gift $20-25. Mark it male/female/neutral. Play bingo. Each time you get bingo you unwrap a gift or you can "steal" from someone else. Once you black out you choose 1 gift and all others go back in the pile. Keep playing till everyone blacks out. It's so much fun and people bring some really interesting gifts. One year, the most fought over gift was a giant box of Tide! Also, you bring something that YOU want and no one bats an eye if you fight for your own gift ;-)

Netty_3 · October 2013

I loved a tool bag my mom and dad gave me it had the basics in it. Another year they gave me a toolkit to keep in my car...very useful. You could even do jumper cables or emergency kits.
My husband loved clamps and bungee cords he's gotten too.
My mom loved a ladder we had so I'm getting her one and since she thinks she's Bob Villa mixed with Martha Stewart I know she'll love it.

CarrieB. · October 2013

Craft shows are great for finding interesting jewelry for gifts. I tend to buy books, tea, scarves, wine, cooking stuff, theater tickets, magazine subscriptions, etc. I think this year I will buy my parents a Sunday newspaper subscription to a paper that is better than the local one get currently get.

laurakaz13 · October 2013

rubber_chicken said:

And this is why the adults in my family don't exchange gifts. Why should I buy you crap you don't want just so you can buy me crap I don't want?

If gifts are a must, I'm a fan of experiences - tickets, attraction memberships, magazine subscriptions etc. Also, I've found cute things on thinkgeek and uncommongoods

This is how we feel. Last year we revolted and refused to do gifts for adults and told everyone not to buy us anything.

However, if I have to buy gifts for adults it's usually wine/alcohol, a nice candle, scarf, restaurant gift certificate, movie tickets, coffee/tea. Just some suggestions.

MrsMac613 · October 2013

I normally make everyone a stocking with yankee candle car fresheners, homemade cookies, some candy and a gift card in it. This year I am also throwing in nail polish for the ladies.

Strunella · October 2013

Our families are so small, there's no way we'll ever get out of buying gifts for everyone (which amounts to 6 people total plus DS!). But I agree that it just seems so silly to buy people stuff they can really buy themselves. I can barely even come up with a list for myself. I have done a "date night" theme, which was a few DVDs, a super soft throw, popcorn, and hot chocolate. Breakfast theme might be fun too...teas, coffees, different syrups, pancake & muffin mixes, etc,

Iblamethebeer · October 2013

ClaryPax said:

I've suggested no gift giving for adults and neither family went for it. My list is seriously like 25 people. Because I have to buy for so many people I have to have a budget if under 30 for each. I was so bad at it that I borrowed some gift giving books from the library for ideas. That's helped a lot. Other than that I just try to get something when I think of that person or if someone says that reminds me of someone then I'll get it. It's a constant struggle especially because of the family expectations and that my MIL love language is gifts and mine not so much. I hate getting gifts too. I just see it as more crap in the house.

This makes me so sad for you. I have a headache even thinking about that many adult gifts.

OP -- One of the best adult presents I've gotten was an ice-scraper with an attached mitt. Not something I would have thought to purchase for myself, but SO useful.

I also think kitchen towels make a good universal gift. Mine are always getting old and sad, and replacements would be welcome. Just don't get ones that are too fancy/decorative to really use.

And now I will sound like a crazy person, but for 30- and 40-something guys, I would consider giving some components of a basic disaster kit, like a good flashlight and extra batteries, a hand-crank radio, water purification tablets, or a first aid kit. "Prepping" seems to be the new golf around here.

groovygrl · October 2013

I have no problem buying for my side of the family b/c it is just my mom, bro & SIL and bro does not have kids so we spend quite a bit more on them than most ppl probably do for their adult siblings, plus they're really easy to buy for in terms of interests (cooking, food, house stuff, etc).

We have 11 nieces/nephews on H's side and the family won't switch to pulling names so they're actually my huge xmas pain. But the women do get each other small gifts also so that can be rough. last yr I got everyone infinity scarves from kohl's that weren't excessively expensive.
I like the pp's ideas esp car scraper & mitt idea and also my mom gave MH a really good flashlight last year which we really like!

kristennd · October 2013

Amazon's private gift lists are handy because you can add things to them year round. So if you read a book review in March that would be perfect for someone, you can actually save it.

But for the adults in my family, I make a decent contribution to a charity in everyone's name and call it good. No one complains. A few insist on giving me gifts anyway because they enjoy the shopping etc -- it's really for them more than for me so there's nothing to feel guilty about.

northtamarack · October 2013

My gender neutral/age neutral go to gift is lottery tickets - the scratch off kind. I don't do them every year, which I think makes them more fun.

Other than that and what has already been mentioned, I'm all out of ideas. it just reminds me that I've got to get going on Christmas! :-)

pantsarella · October 2013

My family doesn't do gifts- my parents send us a check (or my dad paypals me the money lol) and that's that. My brothers and I don't exchange and I generally don't get my parents anything. Sometimes I give my dad an Amazon giftcard (again, by email lol) so that he can have an excuse to buy something he's been looking at. But for the most part, we're "if I need something, I buy it for myself" people. And we hate clutter so useless gifts go straight in the trash or to goodwill.

DH's family is the complete opposite. His only brother decided a couple years ago to stop exchanging gifts with us and it was awesome. I think we may have even stopped exchanging with them for the LOs, which I'm fine with- I never got presents from my aunts and uncles when I was little because there were so many kids and my family doesn't live near each other. DH's parents, though. UGH. They want gifts. And they give us the WORST gifts. Pretty much everything that's sold on TV. Last year part of our gift was I think 6 tubes of that Flex Seal stuff...the kind you can coat the bottom of a boat with? Wtf was I going to do with that? I tried to give it away and couldn't find anyone to take it, so it went in the trash.

That was a lot of text to say I avoid it as much as possible. I hate giving gifts because I have to and not because I want to. I like lottery tickets, though!

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