Who's the hardest person...

[renovation]

...on your Christmas list to find a present for?

For us year after year its always my sister. And this Christmas is no exception.

[Nija]

I do believe I'm the hardest person.

[mcs328]

My wife. It's not the gift finding, it's coming up with the moolah to pay for it. Oh well.

[11th Reader]

My boyfriend, because I don't like to just settle for gifts...I like them to be thoughtful. So, I guess it's really my fault for making it so difficult.

What does your sister like to do...maybe we can help with gift ideas.

[Layla]

My husband. He is a returner. He returns everything. I started bying gift certificates. They were never used. If he want's something, he'd already have it. So, guess what? No more gifts for him!

[avlena]

My mom... she rarely wants anything, and I hate giving gift cards.

[DarkFury]

My mom... she rarely wants anything, and I hate giving gift cards.

I have the solution for that...

You buy her the stuff that she NEEDS yet won't buy for herself.

My mom is the same way... Never asks for anything, however if you pay attention, you can see things that either a) need replacing or b) she doesn't have yet she wouldn't go out and get either.

Those tend to be the best way to give those folks something "meaningful".


Like this year, I'm giving my Mom a brand new cordless phone set. She's still using the one that I gave her 10 years ago and it's all static filled and whatnot where you can't even hear sometimes. So I know that she'll appreciate it. Plus this new phone will have "talking caller ID" so she can hear who is calling before answering the phone.

[DarkFury]

My husband. He is a returner. He returns everything. I started bying gift certificates. They were never used. If he want's something, he'd already have it. So, guess what? No more gifts for him!

Do you know what his FAVORITE store is?

Then why not buy your gift certificates from THAT store? If he likes to eat out, get the certificate to his favorite restaurant/hang out. Or if he plays sports, get one from the places he's most likely to go.

Does he have a hobby? If so, if you buy something for him that he and ONLY he would appreciate, it sure goes alot further as far as "the thought that counts".

[Layla]

Do you know what his FAVORITE store is?

Then why not buy your gift certificates from THAT store? If he likes to eat out, get the certificate to his favorite restaurant/hang out. Or if he plays sports, get one from the places he's most likely to go.

Does he have a hobby? If so, if you buy something for him that he and ONLY he would appreciate, it sure goes alot further as far as "the thought that counts".

Of course I know his favorite store. I've been with the man for 12 years. *I* get that it's the thought that counts. He however, doesn't get it. For ten years I tried on Birthdays and Christmas. Id get him the watch he'd been admiring for months. Or a certificate to the only store he shops at, etc etc. No luck. He wants cash or nothing at all, and well, that's not very thoughtful. Now, he gets what the kids make him, and I help with.

[Jenny]

My father-in-law & dad. My fil just retired about 6 months ago and he still doesn't have any hobbies. He reads though, so we're going to do a gift card to like B&N or something.

My dad isn't retired and has no hobbies either. He isn't a reader, so we always just give him an updated big picture of Josh in a frame for his office. heh

[zippyjuan]

My whole family is pretty hard to shop for- we are generally economicly mature and don't have many needs and the ability to take care of our own wants.

The better you know someone the easier it is to come up with something for them. My brother had a great time cheering on the Colorado Rockies on their way to the World Series so I am looking at a couple of WS items. My Dad will be the hardest. I try to look for unusual items they may find interesting- related to some of their interests.

[11th Reader]

Hehe...you can always do what I did. I made my boyfriend a monopoly game of his life...Edopoly. I changed all of the street names to places we'd been, changed all of the community chest and chance cards to things that were similar to the originals but geared towards him (Instead of "grand opening of the opera, collect $50 from each player" it was "win the March Madness pool, collect $50 from each player" and the picture was of his March Madness bracket). I also got new tokens for the board as well (Golden Bear, poker chip, bicycle, beer, etc. Took me about 2 months to do it, but it was definitely worth it at the end. Oh, and for the luxury tax, I changed the picture of the ring on the board to a picture of the ring I want one day. Sneaky sneaky.

I'm also having trouble gift finding for the future mother in law...she's specifically said, "don't buy me anything, it clutters the house" Do I listen to her...or do I still buy her something?

[gwilks98]

my father...what do you get someone who's terminally ill?

[Layla]

Hehe...you can always do what I did. I made my boyfriend a monopoly game of his life...Edopoly. I changed all of the street names to places we'd been, changed all of the community chest and chance cards to things that were similar to the originals but geared towards him (Instead of "grand opening of the opera, collect $50 from each player" it was "win the March Madness pool, collect $50 from each player" and the picture was of his March Madness bracket). I also got new tokens for the board as well (Golden Bear, poker chip, bicycle, beer, etc. Took me about 2 months to do it, but it was definitely worth it at the end. Oh, and for the luxury tax, I changed the picture of the ring on the board to a picture of the ring I want one day. Sneaky sneaky.

I'm also having trouble gift finding for the future mother in law...she's specifically said, "don't buy me anything, it clutters the house" Do I listen to her...or do I still buy her something?

That's cute!

As for you MIL...you buy her something. Always.

[Memo]

My dad is the hardest to shop for. He has no hobbies and doesn't really "like" anything.

my father...what do you get someone who's terminally ill?

A good time. If he knows he's going to die he probably wants to spend the time he has as happy as possible.

[DarkFury]

Of course I know his favorite store. I've been with the man for 12 years. *I* get that it's the thought that counts. He however, doesn't get it. For ten years I tried on Birthdays and Christmas. Id get him the watch he'd been admiring for months. Or a certificate to the only store he shops at, etc etc. No luck. He wants cash or nothing at all, and well, that's not very thoughtful. Now, he gets what the kids make him, and I help with.

Wow...

Sounds like he's just being "difficult" then.

ok.. in your case, I retract my suggestion. I would only wish that folks who gave me stuff actually paid attention to what I like. Instead, they like to give me stuff that THEY would like and most of it ends up in the closet unused.

[11th Reader]

That's cute!

As for you MIL...you buy her something. Always.

Yeah...I was planning on getting her something. I guess I need to find something that doesn't "clutter." Or is at least useful enough that if it does take up space, it's ok.

*sigh*

[Layla]

Wow...

Sounds like he's just being "difficult" then.

ok.. in your case, I retract my suggestion. I would only wish that folks who gave me stuff actually paid attention to what I like. Instead, they like to give me stuff that THEY would like and most of it ends up in the closet unused.

I'm a very thoughtful gift giver. My family actually compliments me on it. I like to get people not only what they would like, but what I would like them to have. I put a lot of time into it. I used to get very upset with the hubby when he'd return, or stick the gift in a drawer. That's when I turned to Gift Certificates/Cards, which I HATE giving. Oh well, this many years in, I just can't try anymore. Maybe I can buy for you instead

[Layla]

Yeah...I was planning on getting her something. I guess I need to find something that doesn't "clutter." Or is at least useful enough that if it does take up space, it's ok.

*sigh*

Does she like movies? Maybe some gift certificates to the theater in her neighborhood? Does she like to garden? Some nice plants or something?

[11th Reader]

Does she like movies? Maybe some gift certificates to the theater in her neighborhood? Does she like to garden? Some nice plants or something?

No, no movies...they only watch Cantonese dramas...I don't know anything about buying those. They're also health nuts, so my mom's suggestions of chocolate is out of the question. I thought of a plant, but my boyfriend says she wouldn't really be into it much. She just redesigned her kitchen, so I was thinking maybe a small food processor (it's just the two of them) or a blender if they don't have one (they like to make healthy smoothies) but that's all I can come up with.

[DarkFury]

I'm a very thoughtful gift giver. My family actually compliments me on it. I like to get people not only what they would like, but what I would like them to have. I put a lot of time into it. I used to get very upset with the hubby when he'd return, or stick the gift in a drawer. That's when I turned to Gift Certificates/Cards, which I HATE giving. Oh well, this many years in, I just can't try anymore. Maybe I can buy for you instead

hell.. maybe I can send him my "Baby Momma"... and take you in trade.

Sounds like a "win-win" to me.


BTW... if you do ever want to send me his gift, just shoot me a PM.


But yeah.. I know exactly what you mean. I used to do the same thing. I'd research their favorite things and go into shops that you'd NEVER find me dead in trying to buy "the perfect gift" only to have them go "ho hum" at it.


I remember one year... I spent the better part of a week negotiating a deal for a specific piece of artwork that had "little black angels" in it (her hobby/interest is anything associated with "black angels"). So I negotiated the deal for this artwork (and you know that ART never is cheap) and surprised her with it on Christmas some years ago.. .and she's like. Ahh... thanks and sticks it in a corner.

I finally hung it up on the wall for her, above a curio cabinet full of other angel trinkets (many of which I bought and some she inherited from her Grandmother...) and now they just collect dust.

In return she'd buy the common stuff like socks, belts, ties, wallets, etc... instead of looking at my hobbies (I collect tropical fish... mostly African Cichlids and Computers... like you can't find ANYTHING tech related that a tech person would love. )

Either way, the best I can get out of her nowadays is a gift card to Frys or Best Buy (which I hate going to BB... but it's "convenient" for her. PFFFTTT!!!!!! )

[oblongmelon]

my father...what do you get someone who's terminally ill?

Sorry to hear it. Buy him a cassette recorder and loads of tapes so he can record stuff about his life, etc..you'll be happy to have it someday.
And my hardest person to buy for is my mother..I end up giving her gift cards for groceries at her favorite store most times as she has everything else.

[uncledaddy]

Sorry to hear it. Buy him a cassette recorder and loads of tapes so he can record stuff about his life, etc..you'll be happy to have it someday.
And my hardest person to buy for is my mother..I end up giving her gift cards for groceries at her favorite store most times as she has everything else.

I totally agree.

I am sorry to hear as well and will pray for him and your family.

My father passed several years ago and we never got anything recorded from him as his illness was very sudden, ( 3 months from first signs until we buried him ). The irony was that he was a musician, ( lead guitar and lead vocals ), and all we could find was a tape with six song that he sang which we were able to write to CD. Other than that nothing.

Anyway, my family is easy. Never a problem with gifts. The family is happy just to be able to be together on Christmas day and enjoy a bountiful meal together.

( Being single helps with avoiding the troubles with gift giving. )

[yippiekiyeh]

It is tough to get gifts for people, I know I'm a tough one, b/c I don't wait for anything, if I want it, I'll just go get it.

[Yossarian]

both grandmas. i normally just end up giving them a suprise visit around xmas, since i only get to see them a few times a year.

[des1969]

My mother. Refuses to tell me what she wants and buys everything she wants. So I just take her to dinner

[Napoleon54]

my father...what do you get someone who's terminally ill?

Spend as much time together as possible. That's what you're running out of. Make the most of it.

[Napoleon54]

My whole family is pretty hard to shop for- we are generally economicly mature and don't have many needs and the ability to take care of our own wants.

I envy you. This issue is a huge example of a generation gap in my family. My brother and I are both pretty anti-consumerist, economically conservative/responsible/mature, etc... yet our parents mindlessly buy us tons of crap every year that we don't need or want. Last year we tried tactfully hinting towards having a "smaller" Christmas, but still got junk we didn't need or want. People around the world are starving, yet my brother gets a fondue set he has no interest in or need for. Such a waste. I returned the majority of my gifts to the store. This year I bluntly put my foot down about it with them so hopefully it won't be an issue again. Such a waste IMO.

When we were young and growing up they never had much money for stuff like that. Now that they're reasonably financially comfortable, it's like they're trying to make up for lost time. I can understand that to a point, but I wish they'd understand it's just silly. Christmas would be much more enjoyable and stressfree in my family if we didn't have to deal with all the obligatory gift-giving crap.