What do you buy your parents for Christmas?

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

When my grandmother was alive she also lived on a fixed income. I used to buy her postage stamps and a gift card to the grocery store she shopped at. DH grandmother liked to send greeting cards to everyone. So, one year I bought an assortment of cards, stamps, a card organizer and made some return labels for her. The years after I replenished the cards, stamps and labels. She always said she loved that gift.

 

[bellebud]

Pixstar digital frame. The frame has it's own email address, so people (anyone you give the email address to) can send pictures to the frame, anytime.

 

[DisneyHardin]

My parents are in their mid-60's, but are "young" 60's. I usually buy my mom clothes and my dad a bottle of good bourbon.

 

[Kitty 34]

We always buy Dad (85) a gift certificate at the local hardware. He still loves to tinker!

My Mom, it varies each year depending on maybe what she has mentioned of what she would like. At 87, she is happy as a lark just having a cup of tea with any or many of her family members.

 

[AppleDumpling]

For older people who don't need or want more "stuff", I like to give an "experience". This could be a restaurant gift certificate, and/or tickets to a concert, show or sporting event. Or something related to a hobby or maybe to introduce them to a new hobby, depending on how active they are. Some ideas are golf lessons, art classes, yoga classes, ballroom dance lessons, a day on a charter fishing boat, membership to a local museum, etc. Or a personal service like a day of beauty or a couples' massage. Or pay for a household service such as having their house cleaned, fall clean-up by a landscaper, powerwash or painting of the exterior of their home, or something like that.

Another thing is to replace something they have that is very old and worn that they might not buy for themselves, such as some new fluffy bath towels, luxurious high thread-count sheets, or a new quality set of kitchen knives, etc.

 

[HeatherC]

Mine like to get a Barnes and Noble gift certificate along with one to Panera. They make an afternoon out of lunch and browsing the bookstore.

 

[Domo]

My parents always pampered me. So I like to pamper them. Last Christmas I gave my mum a coffee machine and my dad a digital camera. Not incredibly inspired, but it's the best I could think of at the time. My brothers got a Google Chrome stick and Netflix subscription.

 

[Hikergirl]

What about a subscription to ancestry.com

 

[ZephyrHawk]

My mom is easy. I always know what she will like. Even before she does. This year, mom will likely be getting a voucher for a family photo shoot at a local photographer, packaged inside a nice looking photo frame. And a book I just read, and hated, but know she will like.

My dad is impossible. He has everything he wants. What he doesn't have he can make himself cheaper than I can buy it. I can't ask my mom for help, because she takes what few ideas he gives her for herself. She has none to spare for me. I am, quite literally, thinking of finding another appropriate gift for my mom, and gifting him the photo shoot, because at least it's something that could justifiably be for both of them.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am the 60-something mom. DH and I aren't retired yet. I am going to drop hints that I would like a week of Blue Apron. We have had several weeks of it (meal subscription service) and enjoy getting it.

I like receiving consumables - booze, note cards, special foods. I don't need more "stuff."

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Thinking about an instanpot ... they've used mine a couple of times and seem to like it, but I'm not sure if they really want another large kitchen gadget. So, I'm on the fence about that. We just got family pictures taken, so will give them a nice framed print. Plus the usual family picture calendar we make. They like to travel quite a bit, so I'm not sure if I can incorporate something for their next trip into a gift idea or not.

 

[Owlpost23]

We only have my mom left and tend to buy her clothes since she lost a lot of weight and kept wearing things that were too big for her. She also enjoys wine and dark chocolate, reading and puzzles. It's getting harder to find something new to get for her.

If it's crosswords,NYT crossword subscription is wonderful.

 

[MataHari22]

I have no clue what to get my parents for gifts. They always tell me that they do not want anything, which I suppose, I am the same way. I really do not want "stuff". And, when I do want something, I'm picky.

Stand by gifts for my step mom, have been a couple of bottles of wine. She's likes red wine, so I get her that. I have also bought her perfume. My dad likes to sometimes make a drink with vodka in it, he will have it mixed with cranberry juice and orange juice, so I get him a bottle of vodka. I would always get him a GC for Gander Mt, but now that has closed, I have to find another place that has hunting and fishing stuff, since he likes to do that. I have also designed and created T shirts for them. My dad won the state senior division championship, so I made a shirt with a Pool Shark design. I drew Thing 1 and Thing 2 and made shirts for my step mom and her sister, since they are always together. Step mom also loves John Lennon, so for Xmas this year, I drew up a design with John Lennon. Also, their anniversary is a couple days after Xmas, so I would often get them a GC to a restaurant so they could go out together, and my dad didn't have to worry about cooking.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

We pre-pay the cable company. It sounds odd but they're to the point where they don't get out much and like to watch their shows. And oh my gosh, they LOVE college basketball. The NCAA tournament is in March. They fill out brackets, wear their teams fav colors, etc.

We also wrap up tiny size stocking stuffers and over-fill stockings for them. We've done that every year since we found out they never got anything in their stockings as kids except one peppermint and an orange.

My mom says at their age, she doesn't want anything she has to dust! So most of the items in their stockings are consumables and new word find books etc

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I have no clue what to get my parents for gifts. They always tell me that they do not want anything

This is what my parents say, too!

 

[tcufrog]

This is what my parents say, too!

What about a charity donation? Heifer Project is always a big hit.

 

[superme80]

Tickets to a local show. They have everything they need and can buy all their wants as well. They just don't always think about buying tickets to shows.

 

[ncc1701]

We bought gift cards for restaurants /stores (hi LL Bean) that our parents liked. Unless we saw a book or movie /tv DVD one of them would have liked or expressed an interest in purchasing .

 

[jevs]

My parents are in their 70s, and buy whatever they want whenever they want so they can be difficult to buy for, especially when they don't want (or need) anything apart from seeing us.

Dad: I generally get a sign for his shed, usually a rude one. He has a lot lol
Mum: No idea at this stage. She was admiring a glass dome on the cruise so might see if I can track one down, they were all the rage last year so I'm not too hopeful. Other than that, sometimes I just tell the kids to go choose something for Nanny - sometimes their choices are hilarious but she doesn't care as they're from her beloved grandkids

It's a difficult age to buy for

 

[kimblebee]

For our Christmas we draw names out of a hat and just buy presents for that person. My husband drew my mom and adopting an elephant in her name was on the list so that’s what she’ll get. A few years ago we got a sheep for my dad.

They have everything they could need and value experiences over ‘stuff’.