What is your favorite gift to give?

[MAJPLO]

I am getting ready to start shopping! Or at least planning my gift lists and ideas. Tervis is having a sale today and I remember it was a big hit gift for me last year so I will order a bunch for people again this year. What are other gifts you have given that are relatively easy to find that you love to give? Last year we were able to do 95% of our gift shopping online and I'm hoping to do the same this year. What awesome ideas do you all have for gift giving?

 

[wiigirl]

My favorite gift to give is usally wine and/or food.

 

[maplevale]

I know it's not a popular opinion - but I am a fan of Gift Cards for places you KNOW people will use.....my sister and I often swap gift card for experiences (travel, spas, memberships) because we know the other will love it.

In general I do like to theme things. Last year I gave SIL and BIL a 'weekend road trip' kit. It included a gas gift car, Subway gift card, picnic basket and a book on local 'unique' attractions.

 

[trinchick]

For kids I like to give a combo gift of PJs and a book, preferably that have something in common. For instance, pjs with owls on them I might pair with "An Owl in the Family." Even if the PJs aren't to the parents' taste, they're just wearing them to bed so no big deal.

 

[scrapquitler]

I know it's not a popular opinion - but I am a fan of Gift Cards for places you KNOW people will use.....my sister and I often swap gift card for experiences (travel, spas, memberships) because we know the other will love it.

I am a HUGE fan of gift cards, too! I buy one or two each week starting now and my shopping is done before Thanksgiving! I only have a few people to buy for, so it makes it a lot easier. Other than a few people, my kids are the only ones we buy gifts for at Christmas, and most of the people who get gifts, get gift cards.

I also like to keep a few gift cards in my bill paying book so that I have a gift at the ready in case something comes up that I need a gift (Like a sympathy thing or someone is sick I can give a gift card for the family to buy a pizza). Usually those will be gift cards for the local grocery store, Walmart, Target, a local restaurant. It's very handy, oh, and I keep some generica cards in there as well, so I'm always ready.

 

[disney ambassador]

But we do seem to give a lot of movie baskets (popcorn bowl, microwave popcorn, pop, candy, sometimes a pizza gc, and until Blockbuster closed, a gc for there)

I also tend to be a fan of gc if I know someone will use them. It means I was able to give them the gift of getting what they want without having to shell money out of their own pocket. I love to have gc to spend, feels like free stuff!!!

I loved the ideas of the pj and book and the weekend road trip. I saved those for future reference. Keep coming with the great ideas!!

 

[runwad]

I don't have a favorite gift to give but I just wanted to chime in on gc's. I've noticed that younger kids(preteens and teens) if they have a couple bucks or less left on the gift card they just chuck it. My kids have done this and I went nuts. I feel like I'm wasting money then. I no longer give out gift cards but plain old cash. If I give 20 bucks I want them to get 20 bucks worth not 18.90.

 

[MAJPLO]

I don't have a favorite gift to give but I just wanted to chime in on gc's. I've noticed that younger kids(preteens and teens) if they have a couple bucks or less left on the gift card they just chuck it. My kids have done this and I went nuts. I feel like I'm wasting money then. I no longer give out gift cards but plain old cash. If I give 20 bucks I want them to get 20 bucks worth not 18.90.

This! My husband does this! It drives me up the wall.

 

[kiramay]

We try to do experiences for the adults in my family. We do a Siblings Dinner instead of Christmas presents; all of us plus spouses pick a fancy restaurant and go all out, and it still costs less than getting individual gifts. My sister, SIL, and I buy my mom (and us) theater tickets with champagne brunch every year (all we can drink champagne!).

Last year the kids WDW, so this year it's Disney Infinity, characters, books, and minecraft t-shirts.

 

[ctinct]

I know it's not a popular opinion - but I am a fan of Gift Cards for places you KNOW people will use.....my sister and I often swap gift card for experiences (travel, spas, memberships) because we know the other will love it.

In general I do like to theme things. Last year I gave SIL and BIL a 'weekend road trip' kit. It included a gas gift car, Subway gift card, picnic basket and a book on local 'unique' attractions.

I love the road trip idea! I've already started shopping, but I am SO stealing this idea for next year. Thanks.

Btw, I like theme things too. Last year I gave my kids "the comfy bed ". Things like luxurious sheets, a new down comforter, new pillows, etc.

Another year I stole another great idea from here and gave a gift card tree. Got a small table top tree and decorated it with ornaments made from gift cards.

This year, the main theme so far seems to be " the organized home". Things like no- slip hangers, back of the door organizers, shelving units, drawer organizers, etc. It's not fancy, but I know my grown kids will appreciate it.

 

[Eastern]

I don't have a favorite gift to give but I just wanted to chime in on gc's. I've noticed that younger kids(preteens and teens) if they have a couple bucks or less left on the gift card they just chuck it. My kids have done this and I went nuts. I feel like I'm wasting money then. I no longer give out gift cards but plain old cash. If I give 20 bucks I want them to get 20 bucks worth not 18.90.

My MIL just wouldn't spend them. When we were organizing her stuff, we found a bunch of them, all several years old.

I agree about the kids chucking the cards when they're almost done. I give cash rather than gift cards.

 

[MrsPooh]

I don't have a favorite gift to give but I just wanted to chime in on gc's. I've noticed that younger kids(preteens and teens) if they have a couple bucks or less left on the gift card they just chuck it. My kids have done this and I went nuts. I feel like I'm wasting money then. I no longer give out gift cards but plain old cash. If I give 20 bucks I want them to get 20 bucks worth not 18.90.

Dh hates to carry them around so when the balance remaining is small he will pass it to the customer behind him.

 

[maplevale]

My MIL just wouldn't spend them. When we were organizing her stuff, we found a bunch of them, all several years old.

I agree about the kids chucking the cards when they're almost done. I give cash rather than gift cards.

That is my concern with MIL.

I have taught my kids to spend it all! And I know my SIL is the same.

I see the point in giving cash - but if I get cash it likley ends up being spent on kids field trips and random coffee stops At least a lump at a restaurant ends up being a dinner out.

 

[LJSquishy]

We buy specific gifts for people based on what they actually want or are interested in and never buy random gifts. So...I guess we don't have a "go-to" gift so to speak. We don't typically buy gifts for a lot of people (like my husband's coworkers) either.

I hate receiving mugs & tumblers, though. I'm very picky about everything I have in my house (mugs, furniture, decor, cooking utensils) and only keep what has a purpose and what we will actually use. Every single year someone gives us a mug of some sort (usually with a Starbucks gift card) and every single year we use the gift card (love gift cards) and drop the mug off at Goodwill.

I try and really think about what each person would really love to have but hadn't thought about buying it themselves. One year my mom bought a treadmill and we bought her an iPod nano. That same year my dad bought a sportscar and we had his windows tinted for him. Last year we gave my mom a beautiful statement necklace that she had eyed a few months prior but passed up on because of the price, and we got my dad things for his new Keurig machine as well as a new hard sided cooler to replace the one he'd been toting around for 30+ years that was cracked (his new one is manly looking with black & silver "diamondplating"...he loves it!). So, we just try to be thoughtful and really customize gifts to each person. Some years we don't buy gifts due to a tight budget, and other years we spend quite a bit on gifts.

 

[jensen]

I like to give Wind Chimes... I love them and always go by the theory that you should give gifts that you would love to get.

 

[Owlpost23]

Banded stacks of dollar bills-50.00.The kids think they're really cool,and it's an easy gift.Great for college and high school students.