What do you get your parents for Christmas?

[kpgclark]

Each year I have the same dilemma. What do I get my parents for Christmas??? I've been asking them ahead and last year my mom asked for a black cashmere sweater which I got for her. My dad had no idea what he wanted. For one of his birthdays I was going to get him and my mom a ride in a hot air balloon, but it didn't pan out. What do you get for your parents? I don't want to get them gift certificates for dinner or jewelery again.

Any ideas out there?

 

[Kitty 34]

My Dad loves food items especially sausages!! I usually get my Mom a cute Grandma type of sweatshirt.

 

[Boots]

Step mother clothes and my dad likes unusual things. Last year I got him a strange looking huming bird feeder, a therometer that has float type things in it, and a barometer. My in laws this year requested gift certificates to Cracker Barrel.

 

[Lars624]

My parents are the kind of people who don't need anything. If they want something they just go out & buy it.
They are snow birds so they don't wear winter clothing & that rules out sweaters and gloves etc.
A few years ago I finally asked them & they said "Please get us restaurant gift certificates" I always make sure they have something small to open & then I get a Gift cert. Sometimes I get my Dad a big pack of blank VCR tapes because he loves to tape shows, just little things like that. My sister & BIL and my brother & SIL still get gifts no matter what my parents ask for & my Mom still says to me "Can't you convince them we'd rather have the gift certificates?"

 

[Serena]

I never know what to get my inlaws. I just get something hoping they will like it.
My dad likes all the gimmicky stuff. The laughing mirrors, talking parrots, the singing fish.
One year I got him an answering machine. He had told me lots of times that he didn't need it. 2 days after Christmas he was calling me thanking me over and over for it. lol

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I send them my love and blessings. My mother died December 2, 1993 and my father died September 17, 2000. I miss buying and sending them gifts, but I suppose the best gift I can give them is my love. That and taking care of myself...which doesn't seem to be happening right now.

 

[abaldacci]

My MIL and FIL have everything the want at their age, and I paid their cable bill for 1yr. They loved it. I also get my mom things she collects ie knomes by Tom Clark, Dreamcicles, Halmarks. Yr before last I got her a computer and she loves it. She said it was the best gift because she would have not gotten herself one.

 

[Buckalew]

My parents are full time RVers. I usually get my dad a gift certificate to Camping World. He really likes that.
My cyber parents are going to be just as difficult!

 

[shannonandtom]

We stopped buying for my Dad because he took back everything we got him. So he get's nothing!!!

Tom...

 

[whirlsy]

gift cards~ they use to take everything back

 

[Beanie]

I always give my parents their grandchildren for Christmas! Since we live so far from them, we always go to Florida in December, so we can have Christmas with them and the kids! I always buy my Mom a Yankee Candle and give her something of history of her family...like a collage of her family, brothers, sisters, ect...with journaling on it...She really likes stuff like that...(and now I have to give her a Beanie Bear as well, since she has started to admire all of mine! LOL Last time she was visiting, she went home with three bears and thought I wouldn't notice! )

My Dad, I always make him something with the kids involved...I am heavily into Scrapbooking, so I always try to do something like that, except smaller and in a frame...I also get him something Computer related, he loves his computer!

And always, as a tradition, I always give them a huge decorated Basket filled with Coffee Packets!! LOL! They LOVE coffee and drink it constantly, so we fill a basket with premeasured Maxwell House Coffee bags and give them that! They love that one!

 

[Cindy B]

Well, my parents are very diffulcult.

Last year I got them a George Forman grill (you know the smaller ones). They loved it. Since they are by themselves, they use it a lot.


We have gotten them restaurant gift cards in the past, and we may go that route this year.

My FIL and MIL are tough. They are divorced, so you can't get them a joint gift. Last year I got him a gas latern for outside picnic table, and some other small things.. he wouldn't go out and buy it, so I got it for him.

MIL is into Noah's Ark, so anything Noah's ark is good. Picture frames, Christmas ornaments, etc...

 

[Midnightbulbs]

It's the MIL that drives me nuts. I found something great for her this year and was way ahead of myself. Now the darn thing has been recalled.

Back to the drawing board!

 

[Jenzebelle]

My parents are pretty easy to buy for, but I try not to get in a rut of buying them the same thing every year.

I usually do goodie baskets for them. Perfume, lotions, candles and stuff for Mom. A nice bottle of Scotch and a book for Dad.
Last year, Mom got a g.c. for a massage and a facial. This year we are taking them here:
http://www.salemcrossinn.com/fireplacefeast.htm

 

[Lars624]

Jenzebelle-Wow! I checked out that link & I think that place sounds like a lot of fun! I'm sure your family will love it!!

 

[Jenzebelle]

Thanks
DH and I have gone to 4 fireplace feasts there and the drover's roast. It's a wonderful time, and the food is out of this world

 

[Diane]

I give my mother a subscription to her favorite tabloid. She loves it!

(My father passed away years ago.)

 

[Blondie]

Usually something from Swiss Colony or Omaha Steak.

 

[aprincessmom]

One year I bought them new luggage (and put tickets to FL in them to take them to WDW with us). Another year I got both their cars detailed.

Another time my sister and I got them a computer and a year's worth of online services. For Valentine's day each year I get them AAA...they have older cars and do a lot of traveling so I worry.

Last year I got them gift certificates for dinner and a movie...some of the local restaurants in their area had teamed up with the movie theater and were packaging them. They loved that and are still using them up...I got enough for 1 a month.

This year I think I'm going to get them a shelf audio system since they don't have a CD player and their current system has only a turntable and 8-track player! My mom wants to buy some new music but no one sells records anymore (except the used/vintage stores). My sister is going to get them a gift certificate to a local music store so they can buy CDs.

 

[luvmydogs]

My parents are getting older (almost 70), and one of their great joys is keeping a well-manicured yard. In the last several years it's gotten way too difficult for them to keep up with all the yard work (and even tougher for them to admit to ). Since we live 700 miles away, and can't help them with it, last Christmas, we pre-paid a lawn service to do it all for them. My dad was a little put off at first, but when summertime came, my mom thanked me over and over. Will do the same this year.