What do you buy....

[cinmell]

your parents/ inlaws for Christmas? These people have everything! Whenever they need or want anything they go and buy it and they won't give any suggestions. Aside from gift certificates, what do you buy for your parents and inlaws for Christmas?

 

[Cindy B]

Well, I look around my FIL's house and find things that he needs... last year was outdoor laterns for his porch.. His were rusting out, so we got him some for outside... not very exciting but he appreciated the thought, and said "Ive been meaning to replace them!"


My parents I usually get my mom a little something, and my dad either tools, or a Home Depot gift certificate.


I give my grandparents grocery store gift certificates.

 

[CamColt]

My DM and MIL get calendars that we make up of pictures of the grandkids.

 

[crazyme5kids]

This year my sister and I have decided to paint and spruce up my parents kitchen. My nephew and I did this to their bathroom one year and they loved it. We painted and got a new shower curtain, new blinds and curtains, new bath mat etc... They are at an age where they just don't want to be bothered doing that kind of stuff.

 

[Kermit]

We have a really hard time buying for those people because we don't live close to any of them. I talk on the phone with my mom often enough to know what to get her and my dad, but I never know what to get my in-laws. I try to get them interesting things that I know they don't need. Last year, I got them items from a neat catalogue called Rent Mother Nature. You "rent" part of a tree or something like that for them, and the company sends them the output. I think I got coffee beans for FIL's family and clementines (those yummy little oranges) for MIL's family.

 

[DisMNagain]

Sometimes they don't want or need anything except to spend time with their loved ones.

I don't shop much for my folks for Christmas because they'd rather just see us and spend a few hours with the whole gang.

A great gift idea..give the gift of yourself!

 

[Jenzebelle]

We're sending my in-laws some gift certificates to restaurants.
I'm paying for my parents to go here one night in January:
http://www.salemcrossinn.com/fireplacefeast.htm

 

[snoopy]

I do the same as Jenzebelle. My inlaws love to eat out, so I usually find a restaurant in their area, or a quaint little Inn, and buy them a gift certificate. They always seemed pleased, which in itself is an amazing feat for my MIL to be pleased.

 

[AirForceRocks]

We usually get my in-laws a couple of gift certificates for their favorite restaurants, and we have a Christmas floral centerpiece delivered a few days before Christmas, since they do lots of entertaining around the holidays. We also get my FIL a round of golf at a nearby course, and for my MIL the bingo nut, we give her cash in "creative" ways. One year I folded the bills into roses and made a bouquet, and one year we put the money into a clear box that she couldn't open until she solved a puzzle to unlock it.

This is the first year they have asked for anything specific - they want a portrait of DH and I together in uniform.

 

[Laurabearz]

We bougth my FIL a new TV...... Normally we get him WWII books or movies........

 

[Disney Doll]

Mom-sweatshirts with cute embroidered pictures on them,subscriptions to her favorite magazines,a "Mom" ornament(sometimes it's a "Mom and Dad" ornament, depending on which ornament I like better).

Dad-A "Dad" ornament...or the "mom and Dad" one(see above), some sort of tool/handyman related item,this year he gets a coffe cup that says "Father of a Nurse".

There are some years where DH, my brother, my SIL and I pray for an appliance to break!!!!!!!!!

 

[tiggerlover]

This year my in-laws are receiving a snow blower from us and DH's sisters.

My parents are one of those who have everything so I usually just get little things for them. Now that I am in Italy again, I usually send a basket of Italian goodies.

 

[Boots]

We usually give my inlaws money and my dad and stepmother-clothes. Nothing breathtaking here!

 

[Eileen226]

One year, we gave them a combo coffee/espresso machine (electic not the stove top kind). My husbands parents are from Naples and love ANYTHING Italian. We took them to WDW for their first trip this past July to celebrate their forty fifth anniversary. We ate at the Italian restaurant in Epcot (where they made SUCH a fuss over them, they both cried) My children danced with them in the Piazza and all was well. I believe I never have to give them another gift again, but My FIL was complaining the other day about his phone so we are getting a 2.4 gh cordless for them. In the past it has been Cappuccino sets, answering machines and VCR's.

 

[JulesMom]

We usually get gift certificates.

My Dad looks forward to his Home Depot amd my Mom likes her Barnes & Noble one.

 

[DVC-Don]

The adults in our family do not exchange gifts other than husband & wifes. We only boy for the children.

 

[DixieDreamer]

This is an excellent question. I was just working on my gift list for this year... and I always struggle with both sets of parents.

Here are some of the things we have done in the past:

MIL - A woman's tool kit - just for her! (she asked for it actually!) Small tool box with screws, nails, picture hangers, a hammer, screwdrivers (phillips and regular), wood glue, staple gun, small square, pliers etc....

FIL - (he's a mountainier and does NOT like material things very much)... gave him software to create picture slide shows on CD (including music) from his digital camera (he really loved this one)

Gave him a handheld GPS and an REI gift certificate on other years.

Both sets of Parents - A "Cabin Fever" basket that I created. A large basket filled with small brain teaser games, playing cards, music CD's, regular 1000 piece puzzles, crossword puzzles, books, and a variety of teas, coffees, and snacks.

Last year we gave both sets of parents an "images of 2001" gift. DH and I compiled a CD slideshow of our adventures throughout the year, vacations, the garden, and DD at her various pony club, girl scout, and swimming lesson functions - all set to music. We also had a professional photographer take a family portrait last year - and provided that to everyone in an expensive frame.

I have also done a "dinner and a movie" gift... which consisted of a VHS tape (would do DVD now) of a good family movie, gift certificate good for their local theatre for admission, gift certificate for dinner out, and we threw in some microwave popcorn too!

I am drawing a complete blank this year though... so please keep the ideas coming!

 

[cinmell]

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

 

[AMClvsMKY]

My in-laws moved from Illinois to Florida a couple of years ago and all the rest of the family was still in Illinois ( all except us now that we moved to Florida this summer) so we have given them phone cards for Christmas so they can call their kids / grandkids more often.

I usually give my mom clothes and my dad a gift certificate for either Home Depot or Lowe's.

 

[annemariec]

We usually give my parents & inlaws a gift each and a gift as a couple. We try to give them mostly experiences because they have just about everything they want.

My parents like to go a community theater (the tickets are sold as individual plays or season tickets). We get them season tickets. It's neat to hear them speak of a play they went to see in Feb. or Mar..

Usually I'll get my parents & inlaws restaurant gift certificates. We know what they generally like and try to get them someplace they haven't tried that we've been to or is highly recommended.

Gifts over the years include: Emergency car kits, gift certificates to a local botanical garden, gift certs for manicures or facials, gift certificates to a holiday brunch at the Jefferson hotel (decorations are beautiful), latest CD of a favorite musician, latest book by a favorite author, lottery tickets.

I love to try to think of something they might need or would enjoy. It's fun.

Annemarie