# Need gift ideas for parents...



## jeninga75 (Dec 18, 2007)

I know you're thinking to yourself, whose easier to get presents for than parents! Well, you don't have mine.  Every year we go through this and it's driving me crazy. I refuse to get gift cards. Don't get me wrong, they're awsome for aquaintences, co-workers, secret Santa kinds of stuff and your mailman. They don't collect anything, have no hobbies, don't watch/collect movies/cds, or anything general I can think of. What would you do if you were in my shoes? Of course when I ask my mom says oh, you don't have to get anything... ya, right. 

Cost isn't an issue if it's worth it but I generally don't spend more than 100-200$ for them. This is my only family so I don't mind splurging on them, I have no one else to get gifts for.

So hit me with ideas! What do you get 2 people who want nothing!!!!


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## texasgirl (Dec 18, 2007)

Do they read books? What do they do in their spare time? What are their ages?


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## pdswife (Dec 18, 2007)

I sent mine roses this year.
They too are impossible to buy for.
Very picky...no hobbies ( except sitting on the sofa watching tv)
both on special diets (though dad doesn't follow his) and they have everything they
need... They hardly ever leave the house (by choice) so the flowers will give them
something pretty to look at.


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## babetoo (Dec 18, 2007)

*gifts*

being a mom, grandma, and great grandma , i think i can answer this.

you are set against gift cards. i love to get them and my kids know i love em.

they know the stores i like, ie barnes and noble , big lots and so on. 

it would be really hard for them to buy for me, as they would never know my secret longings. 

so maybe rethink the cards. last year my oldest granddaughter gave me two free tickets to the local movie house, loved them. 

merry christmas
babe


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## affable_artist (Dec 18, 2007)

Send them to a Bed & Breakfast.... or some other (affordable) weekend getaway.


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## QSis (Dec 18, 2007)

What about a gift of the month subscription?  Like fruit of the month, cheese of the month, coffee/tea of the month, or (my personal favorite) bacon of the month?

Or a "care" package of food and drink treats that they may not buy for themselves?

If they sit and watch TV, like pdswife's parents, maybe they would like a DVD player and a subscription to Netflicks.

How about next year, getting the family photos on a DVD?

Theater tickets?  Scratch tickets???

Lee


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## Fisher's Mom (Dec 18, 2007)

QSis said:


> Like fruit of the month, cheese of the month, coffee/tea of the month, or (my personal favorite) bacon of the month?
> Lee


 I love it when you're online, Lee!


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## jabbur (Dec 18, 2007)

There are also gift cards to grocery stores.  They sound a lot like my in-laws.  They don't travel, MIL doesn't drive anymore (which is probably a good thing), they barely leave the house except for church and the weekly shopping.  They have everything they need.  They could buy my house 3 times over with what they have squirreled away.  They are tough.  We have gotten them the fruit of the month several times and they seem to enjoy that.  This year my BIL got them one of those digital frames and solicited pics from family to up load so when they open it the pics will be ready for viewing.  If you live close offer to cook them a special dinner and go all out with your choices.  Maybe you can pay for some home service they might need help with like lawn care or gutter cleaning.


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## auntdot (Dec 19, 2007)

My mil, bless her, she is tough to buy for.  We got her a couple of little things but then were in a fix.

My sil casually, and innocently, as an aside, mentioned that my mil's TV was starting to go on the fritz.  Bingo.

TV for mom.

Sometimes ya gotta look real hard to find a gift.

OK, does mom/dad cook?  That opens all sorts of possibilities.  Can buy a lot of neat foods online from foie gras to steaks, lamb, you name it, everything from appys to desserts. 

Or if they don't like to cook, they gotta eat.

Can get a gift card to a restaurant they particularly like.

Or one to a fancy local place they otherwise would not go to.

How about a Saturday night at a hotel? Or a weekend package?

I know it is tough but they have to do something.  

Maybe they have complained about something, as minor as it may seem, that you can take care of.

I am typing this from out office/computer room.  It is cold in the winter.  Best gift I got in years was a stand alone radiator.  If anyone asked me what I wanted I would have said nothing.

There guaranteed is something in their lives you can make more pleasant with a Christmas gift.

You may have to work to find it.

Ask you family members, siblings, aunts, anyone.  Or their friends.  It may be a bit of work, but heck they are your parents.

And sounds like you would really like to make them happy.

Good luck.


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## NAchef (Dec 19, 2007)

We have generally done the same thing every year for our parents - "DVD's"

This year was different - we bought both sides a digital photo frame and a 2 gig SD card that I have been filling up with around 100 pictures or so of family pics I have taken. Some are Grandkid pics and some are of their parents. The pitures will automatically cycle through and have a different pic every 5 sec. They can add to the SD card and create their own. I just felt it was something they would use year round and show others throught the years.

Good luck


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## Barbara L (Dec 19, 2007)

Is there something that would make what they do easier?  My dad was always the hardest person to shop for.  He said he didn't need anything and, like your parents, he didn't have a lot of hobbies (he was pretty much a work-a-holic--now he is semi-retired).  I just looked at what he did and now and then just the right gift came to mind.  For instance, he always polishes his shoes, so one year I got him a nice shoe-shine kit.  He loved it and uses it to this day.  

Barbara


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## Renee Attili (Dec 19, 2007)

I have a similar problem with my mom. She is at the age where the last thing she needs is a nother knick knack to dust. So what I do for her is get her "services". Like, I pay for a year of the paper delivered to her front door, or she has well water so I paid for 12 months of a softner business who came added salt cleans and flushes the system. I also have gotten her stepping stones that go from where she parks to the sliding door, and to the front door and to the barn. That way, during summer when the rain has flooded her yard she can keep her toes out of the puddles. Think of things that you know the could use day in and day out and provide that service to them. My mom loves it.


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## csalt (Dec 19, 2007)

I have no ideas I'm afraid but I'm so touched by all the obviously very caring children all your parents have. Be proud of yourselves and long may you be blessed to go on caring.


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## buckytom (Dec 19, 2007)

jeninga, et al, i feel your pain. i've been racking my brain about a gift for my parents in january.

for christmas i got my dad the soundtrack to the new ken burns documentary "the war", and i'm giving my mom a framed picture of herself sitting on the floor with her arms open as my son dives into them. it's a neat picture from this past summer. also, whatever little stuff i pick up in the malls tomorrow.

but in january, my family is having a huge party for their 60th wedding anniversary. relatives far and wide are coming for a surprise party in a restaurant. 
what the heck could i give them?


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## csalt (Dec 19, 2007)

Could you find a photo, a really good family photo to mark each of the  10 years x6 that shows the different generations of your family and set them up in a nice Album with appropriate quotaions  underneath?
60 years is a wonderful gift isn't it?


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## jeninga75 (Dec 19, 2007)

Thank you for all the awsome responses! I read in my OP that they didn't watch movies, I kinda meant the buying and collecting part more than watching in general.  They do in fact enjoy going to the movies 1 or 2 times a month, I just have to figure out what company runs the theatre they go to so I can get the proper gift card. They do rent something every Saturday, a Blockbuster card will take care of that. 

I guess I have to accept the fact that gift cards are indeed the gift to give these days. What's easier than getting a gift card for a place you frequent instead of getting some off the wall item that you will never use and will case nothing but a headache to return or exchange. 

The ironic thing about all this is when my mom asked me the other day "What do you want for Christmas?" I said, "Oh, I don't know, nothing really." LOL!

By the way... my mom never has a problem buying for the dog... Aspen usually gets more gifts than I do


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## sage™ (Dec 20, 2007)

One of those car wash details would be good..where they  shampoo all the seats, carpets and clean everything, or have a maid come a couple of times to do spring cleaning.


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## Rom (Dec 20, 2007)

Digital Picture frames with pictures from kids age to adult, even their wedding photos, kinda like a timeline thing


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## Rom (Dec 20, 2007)

i just read csalts post, thats a good idea!


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## miniman (Dec 20, 2007)

Something I have done is bought a theatre or dinner gift card so they can go choose when to go. These have gone done well. My grandmother I nearly always bought flowers for her birthday (just before Christams) to help her have a nice display up for Christams.

I have also gone the hamper route for all their favourite goodies or looked out for top of the line chocolates, wine or something similar.

This year, I had borrrowed my dad's photo albums and they got smoke damage in our house fire. My DW has re set all the photos in a new file and my sons designed spine labels for the files.


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## Claire (Dec 21, 2007)

I have the parent dillemna as well.  What I do is go to local stores and find local food products.  Be it a local company that makes sauces and pickles, Wisconsin cheese or maple syrup, whatever.  It makes a great package that the entire family enjoys.  I'm with all of you, at some point it is difficult to buy for those who buy what they want when they want it.  But I don't just "buy" a package, I choose the various sauces, relishes, and my dad's favorite that he cannot get in the south, cheese curds.  I don't know about you, but I have a hard time figuring out what I want and what I want to give to my husband.  I'm learning that even my younger relatives love the food packages I put together.  

One option, too, if your family is religion or charity oriented, is a gift to their favorite.  Two of my friends this year sent $$ or goods to my favorite charities, and believe me, hubby and I were happy!  

A bottle of wine from a local winery or hootch from a local distillery are also a good gift if your family is so inclined.


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## Dave Hutchins (Dec 21, 2007)

My sister ask me the other day what I wanted? I told her I have every cooking gadjet known to man so I told her I wanted a sack to put it in.  She told me they don't make em that big LOL. I bought myself a kirchen pot that doubles as a french fryer/ slow cooker/soup pot . My kitchen is so small I have to have multi tasking equipment. I think if you got mom and pop to a fancy restaurant or a B@B they would enjoy it


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## auntdot (Dec 21, 2007)

There is always something.

Give them a day of your time.

Start out with taking them to breakfast.

Then go do something they might like to do.

Then a lunch.

Then more stuff they might like to do and then dinner, out or at your place. Or take out.  

Whatever they might like.

Just a thought.


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## alexa (Dec 21, 2007)

why not give them a ticket for two to go to the place of their choice?.hmm let em see..ah!..how about hawaii?..or jamaica?..hey man!..lol...


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## letscook (Dec 21, 2007)

My parents - dad is 80 and mom is 75.  I go to the Gas and Electric company or Their cell phone or Reg phone co. and put money on their account, grocery store certicates, gas cards, Things that will help them out everyday. They don't need anymore nic knacks or gadgets. 
Last year they all kinds of deliveries of Honey Ham co. - Omaha steaks  and they panic.  thought they would never used the food up before it went bad - even tho they froze most,  It bothered them,  So the groceries store ones  work when they want the food.

They don't go to movies, yet they get certicates to the movies, They only go to a few resturants of the favorites but yet they get certicates to others.  So remember if getting certicates  go where they go.  


Happy Holidays


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## jeninga75 (Dec 21, 2007)

alexa said:


> why not give them a ticket for two to go to the place of their choice?.hmm let em see..ah!..how about hawaii?..or jamaica?..hey man!..lol...


 
Lol! If I could afford that I would be going!!!!  What's funny is when we were talking my mom said "send us on a cruise!"  I was like if I could afford that I'd be sending myself!!!  They've been on 2... I've never been...


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## Clienta (Dec 21, 2007)

Massage, facial, pedicure, manicure.

Tickets to a play, a concert, a sporting event.

Have a car detailing service come to their house & clean & detail their cars.

Pay for the season of snow removal or landscaping.

Magazine subscriptions.

A year of monthly gifts...fresh cut flowers, bulbs, cheese, wine, baked goods.

A year membership to a museum.

Personalized stationary & stamps.

Have their chimney cleaned, driveway repaved, house painted, rugs cleaned.....


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## buckytom (Dec 22, 2007)

wow, clienta. can i come live with you? been to all three; you're a lucky person. except i'd trade the east coast for the west coast in fla.. 

all good ideas, thanks. i think the car detailing might be a good idea, but i'm trying to think of something significant, or relating to 60 years of love and commitment. maybe a monthly gifty thing for 60 months?

csalt and rom, thanks, and it's a great idea but my sister is doing a picture thing.

auntdot, i've already offered/scheduled the annual carpet cleaning i do for my parents, but a surprise (-ish. you shouldn't upset the schedule of old folks all that much ) brunch or dinner might be nice.


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## *amy* (Dec 22, 2007)

jeninga75 said:


> I know you're thinking to yourself, whose easier to get presents for than parents! Well, you don't have mine.  Every year we go through this and it's driving me crazy. I refuse to get gift cards. Don't get me wrong, they're awsome for aquaintences, co-workers, secret Santa kinds of stuff and your mailman. They don't collect anything, have no hobbies, don't watch/collect movies/cds, or anything general I can think of. What would you do if you were in my shoes? Of course when I ask my mom says oh, you don't have to get anything... ya, right.
> 
> Cost isn't an issue if it's worth it but I generally don't spend more than 100-200$ for them. This is my only family so I don't mind splurging on them, I have no one else to get gifts for.
> 
> So hit me with ideas! What do you get 2 people who want nothing!!!!


 
I like the idea of spending time with them. i.e. Make a reservation (& join them) at their fave restaurant - or a new one they might enjoy.

A day of pampering i.e. a spa. Mom & Dad can relax, get massages, indoor jacuzzi or steam room, facials (men need to look good & take care of their skin too), manicures, pedicures, lunch.

It's too late for this year, but perhaps next year - If you have a family photo, there are certain artists that will make an oil painting/portrait from the pic. (Try a google or yellow pages.)

Happy Holidays.

ETA:  Didn't read thru all the responses, so, sorry if there are any duplicates.


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## giang (Jan 5, 2008)

I gave my father an account at myc4.com. This way he can help eradicate poverty in africa and at the same time make a little money in a fun way.


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