What are you buying for your parents?

[HeatherC]

Oh yeah...my mom also loves People Magazine. So another magazine subscription suggestion.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Too bad they didn't like the frame idea. My grandparents who are the same age as your parents and are not at all techie love theirs. We gave it to them a few years ago. We filled it with photos and since have given them new cards that they can switch out. They turn it on first thing every morning, they love it!

Another great gift they loved was their wedding photo woven into a blanket, you could do any photo. Walmart even does them really inexpensively into fleece.

 

[mrsklamc]

My grandparents are that age and we too were very disappointed that they don't use their pre-loaded digital frame. I second the Omaha Steaks idea... Would they like a heated mattress pad? They are wonderful.

 

[Suz D]

Last year we got my dad (74) an IPod nano which he opened and was pretty much not interested in it. After a few days of using it, he totally loves it and listens to it constantly. This year we got a great deal on an IPod for my in-laws and I'm very excited about it.

 

[jofo]

we're getting them a webcam so we can Skype with them

 

[KKB]

DH's mom & step dad: Personalized "race team" tee/hat
donation to their fav charity
DH's stepmom: restaurant GCs
Dad: Hat of DS's new baseball team
Cool "football" HUSKER thermal mug
Digital pic frame
Mom: massage GC
movie passes

 

[tzolkin]

Well, I was going to get my parents either a Blu-Ray player or a Wii Fit (they were planning to buy a Wii for Christmas). Apparently they just went to Best Buy last night and bought a new TV, a PS3, a Wii, a Wii Fit, and every accesory they need.

Now I have no clue. Last year we gave them a garage door opener. They were thrilled.

We're paying for MIL's plane ticket to visit us. We also took her to Disney with us in May. I just made a photobook of our trip for the kids to give her so she has a gift to open while she's here.

 

[AQW]

My mom is the ultimate online shopper - since she buys stuff almost every day, there is NOTHING that she needs for Christmas! So I bought her a subscription to Amazon Prime, so she can get all her Amazon goodies shipped to her in two days at no cost.

 

[Boo Mc]

Books of stamps, boxes of assorted greeting cards so they don't need to go out every time they need a card, subscription to USA Today, NY Times etc., transfer old home movies on to DVD, fleece sheets (love them!).

 

[Swimalie]

My mom is the ultimate online shopper - since she buys stuff almost every day, there is NOTHING that she needs for Christmas! So I bought her a subscription to Amazon Prime, so she can get all her Amazon goodies shipped to her in two days at no cost.

Adrienne, I just had to comment on your screen name. I spent an entire flight sitting next to Phelps' PR manager's financial partner. This guy is the one who, if Phelps loses his wallet, he calls. It was a cool conversation being a competitive swimmer myself. This was before the whole drug issue he had earlier this year. The conversation after that would have been even more interesting, I'm sure!

Okay, hijack over. Back to parents gift ideas.

 

[lovehoney]

My mom, I just try to go with what is functional. I like what a pp mentioned about buying a years supply of something. I bet if I purchased a years supply of DUCT TAPE my mom would be in 7th Heaven!!!! Boy! She could tape the entire house up! Broken gutters? no problem! Car door falling off...who need another one...just duct tape it!!! Cut on your finger? eh...put a little duct tape on !! She's like Tulla's father with the windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding!!!

This is so funny! I am so getting my Dad a years supply of Duct Tape. I wonder if I should risk getting any color than gray.

Tell me about your official compost pail. Dad has a compost pile out back.

 

[pigletto]

My inlaws are great to buy for. They say they have everything they want except experiences with us and their grandkids. So it has become somewhat of a tradition for me to get MIL, Myself and dd tickets to a play (this year will be Grease.. last year was Wizard of Oz) and then we search out a new restaurant and I also take them to Brunch before the performance. Awesome girls day.
Hubby will take his dad and our son to a NBA game and out for wings after.

My parents are waaayyy harder. They are very well off and literally there is probably nothing I can get them that they couldn't get themselves. So I am buying a large hand blown glass ball for my mom's office as she loves them. And I am still stumped for my dad but he loves to cook so I'll be thinking in that direction.

 

[jlima]

My sister and SIL coordinated a photo with all of our kids back in June; and my mom is getting a framed 16 x 20 of all of her grandchildren. But this took some planning. I know she'll love it.

 

[santa's surpriz]

We put our money together and get a gift card for weekend getaway. My parents take long weekends and we can usually get ideas from the m throughout the year. We usually pair it together with a bottle of wine, travel books for the area, and a mapquest to get there. This year the gift card is $250.

 

[skip323]

This is so funny! I am so getting my Dad a years supply of Duct Tape. I wonder if I should risk getting any color than gray.
Tell me about your official compost pail. Dad has a compost pile out back.

I have a nice stainless steel pail that I purchased from Crate and Barrel. I am, however, probably going to purchase one for my mom from Gardener's supply company (online store). They have stainless steel, ceramic (blue, white and red I think) a clay like pot that is green and tan and maybe a couple of others. They usually come with a carrying handle, holes in the top to let some air through and then charcoal filters to keep the smell and, therefore, fruit flies away. Gardener's supply also has fruit fly traps just in case. I usually empty mine a couple of times a week but I can, sometimes, get away with emptying just once a week. I love it!

I may just purchase a year's supply, for real, of duct tape too!! My mom would get a huge kick out of it!

 

[Liliyana]

My parents are so easy! A month ago, my mother sent me links to exactly what they wanted: a leaf blower and a Season 1 dvd set for a TV show (Big Love).
The inlaws are much more difficult. MIL will be blunt if she doesn't like something (a particular crime was a gift card to Bed, Bath & Beyond; "that store is so overpriced, I won't use this"). Last year we got them a digital photo frame and pre-programmed it with photos of all their grandkids, and I think it was a hit! This year, I got MIL some fancy handmade candles and FIL a gift card for Amazon. Amazon's a good one for those hard-to-buy-for people because they can get themselves anything from books to movies to computer parts to lawn stuff to... you get the idea.

 

[lattemomof3]

Great ideas everyone! I now have a list for my mom for the next 6 holidays/birthdays! My dad passed away 6 months ago, so I love to give my mom tickets to plays that we can go to together. For her b-day in Sept. we went to Wicked w/ dd10. For Christmas I got her tickets to Little House on the Prarie, dd10 will go with us to that to, very excited for that one! We have to travel 4 hours to see the plays, so I get us a priceline hotel room and we make a girls weekend of it - mom loves it! I have been taking pictures of our get-a-ways, so when I have enough I'll make her a small photo album of our mini-trips.

 

[Siouxstone]

Well, I was going to get my parents either a Blu-Ray player or a Wii Fit (they were planning to buy a Wii for Christmas). Apparently they just went to Best Buy last night and bought a new TV, a PS3, a Wii, a Wii Fit, and every accesory they need.

Now I have no clue. Last year we gave them a garage door opener. They were thrilled.
We're paying for MIL's plane ticket to visit us. We also took her to Disney with us in May. I just made a photobook of our trip for the kids to give her so she has a gift to open while she's here.

BINGO! OMG! Thank you OP for starting this thread, as I was super stuck! I am going to check this against my budget for my dad! I already bought my mom's present. But, she lurks, so it's a XXXXXXXXX.

 

[RangerPooh]

Do you have old film negatives (120, 35mm, or 110) or pictures that can be scanned onto a CD. If so you can then use them to create a photobook of memories. I considered doing this for my gandparents and parents this year until I realized that all of this was in storage....an entire coast away.

You could create a calendar of your kids.

Personalized stationary

donation in their name

---- of the month club

magazine subscription, Women's Day, National Geographic, Reminice (sp....both my parents and grandparents like this one), Readers Digest,

If they like to garden a gift certificate to Jackson & Perkins, and gardening supplies

GPS unit

DVDs

CDs or if they have a record player look for a few records in good qaulity, some artisits are putting their songs back onto new vinyl.

 

[Alexander]

We used our DVC points and are taking my parents on a Disney Cruise. It cost us $95 for the booking fees and they're getting an awesome vacation. I figured for b'days and such before we go, I'll get them Disney gift cards to cover any other things they may want to buy while on the cruise. I was absolutely desperate for a gift idea, but this is going to be better than I could have imagined.

For previous years, I have gotten an LLBean small tote bag and put in really good pancake mix, real maple syrup, good coffee, etc. and they had a really nice little breakfast bag.

I've also used the totes for MIL and put in gardening supplies, gloves, trowel, etc.