Christmas shopping for the unshoppable

[Hound]

My father and FIL are both impossible to buy for. Trouble is I need to buy my father's Christmas present this week. He has no hobbies, he is retired, and he is one of those people that if they wanted something they would already have bought it for themselves. I'm at a loss. I feel bad that he always gets boring presents, but he's also one of those people that are adverse to anything new or different. I'm tired of buying him CDs, good bottles of wine etc, and now my parents live so far away they have to be able to fit their presents in a suitcase. The joys of Christmas

 

[Amyable]

Restaurant gift cards.
Gas gift cards.

DH got a clever gift from his dad one year: a new wallet with 5 or 6 gift cards in it.

 

[debilorrah]

I suggest a gag gift or something really really quirky for people like that. My brother and SIL are like that too. One year they got a singing trout. Last year they got a gift set to make ice cream sundaes, little cups and all. I would try and find something they can display, like a crystal frog - Swarovski ones are small, pretty, fairly inexpensive - the small ones run around $35. Check them out!

 

[Ashmeade]

If you are looking for something less generic, you can possibly get something that you might want them to have or something that is personal to you and would remind them of you... Something that reminds you of them or something they would never even think of getting for themselves...

 

[Ema]

older gentleman appreciate a good chess set, maybe a decorative sail boat,?? 2 of the gifts that I bought for my FIL who has everything and he loved them, has the sailboat on display in his cabin, and plays chess when we come over or with my MIL on slow nights.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Both my dad and father in law are that way. We get something personal. One year I did a collage of the kids pics. This year I went online to make a photo book. They always seem to appreciate them. It started when both of them complained that yes we do always send them pictures but then they are left not knowing exactly how to display them all or going out for more picture frames. My husband also made a dvd of the kids one year for a birthday present. It had a slide show of pics of the kids. Important events, scout stuff, ballet, ect and even had some little movies of them singing and being goofy. That was a pretty big hit also.

 

[Laurajean]

Sometimes it's simpler than you might think. Every year when my fathers' birthday comes, I give him a card only. Because he has everything, has no hobbies, and buys himself everything he wants. This year I went to his house last week to give him his birthday card. This time I said, "You know Daddy, I'd give you a present, but you have everything". He instantly yet casually said, "A case of Miller Lite would have been nice..."

How did I never think of that? He drinks beer all the time. So simple yet it never occurred to me because I was always trying to think up something "special".

 

[Rozzie]

Is there a charitable cause that is important to him? You could make a donation in his honor. Then give him a handwritten card saying so.

If he doesn't have a preference, how about Heifer International? Or, the one that installs wells in countries where women and children walk miles for water (and even then it's not very clean...)? How about a charity benefiting Haiti?

You could then commemorate this by picking up a small metal Christmas ornament and having it engraved with the year & what the gift was...

 

[PineappleMama]

Some pretty cool ideas so far.... like them all.

Only thing I can say is Do NOT get someone a pet without asking first... inevitably it's a disaster... allergies or phobias or financial... easy to make a mess of it. But on the other hand, if they've mentioned wanting one... totally different ball of wax. Or if they already have one a GC to the pet store so they can spoil their buddy wouldn't be a bad idear.

 

[Sootsie]

have the same problem with my parents, they have everything they need and can buy what they want, Im on a really tight budget and cant afford the quality in anything so ive bought 1/2 dozen plain hankies each and embroidering each with there initials and a small motife. It hasnt cost me a great amount but i know my parents will love them for the time and thought i have put into them. ive also done a jar of there favorite sweets using a fancy coffee jar and decorated it, again not much cost but love and effort

just a thought my dad got my mum a goat a couple of years ago, not for her but sponsered it in a 3rd world country. she loved it and it help someone else too.
in the uk animal parks offer sponser gifts where you you sponser an animal for a year in return you get a certificate, picture and other information we did that for my sil she always wanted an owl we went to visit it and there was a plaque with her name as a sponser