Theme for Holiday Giving Gifts

[livinitup]

Sorry, wrong board - it won’t let me delete the post, so I guess it’s okay to share here.

I am resigned to the fact that my sister and parents insist on gift giving on Christmas Day. I’d prefer selecting a name among the adults to exchange one present each. Oh well, moving on and planning for next month.

Some years, I’ve done a “theme” and it’s made gift buying easy and exchanging a joy. Does anyone have gift giving ideas they can share?

I’ll start - last year, I bought Lands End totes (XL with zipper) for
my mother and sister with their initials. As beach goers, it was a hit. Bonus - around this time last year, I hit a 40% off sale.

[TR]

I did books for everyone one year. I love to read and picking out books I thought each person would really enjoy was fun for me.

I've also done different mixed boxes of Penzey's Spices.

Donation to a charity for each person to a cause they care about/are involved in.

[candreco]

One year my mom's family did "round" as the gift theme- people were surprisingly creative with it. I got everything from a set of jumper cables in a round zipper case to marble bookends shaped like a halves of a column to jars of spices. Even stocking stuffers like bath bombs, round tins of candy/gum, etc. It ended up being really fun.

ETA: I've also done "family fun night in" gifts with a couple of age-appropriate card/board games, fancy popcorn/candy, a DVD (or Netflix GC), fuzzy socks for everyone, stuff like that for my sister's/cousins' families.

[followyourarrow]

Everyone is getting a tumbler this year and I'm filling them with candy, lip balm, and a gift card. Each tumbler is customized to the person.

[Michelle]

I do a bit of theming for the gifts I give the employees who report to me. I have to keep it at about $20/each or below since I have ten of them.

I've done ideas mentioned above - books personalized to their tastes, personalized tumblers with filler, funny socks unique to their "favorites" and their favorite movie snacks.
I've done personalized notepads based on their favorites (e.g. cats, religious messaging, rainbows, cacti, etc.).

I love the penzies spice idea by TR above.

[turkletsmom]

I'm doing a travel theme for a relative this year:
Spinner suitcase
Scratch off US map to mark the states he's visited
neck pillow
fun luggage tag
maybe- pop socket, reading light, books, gum, magazine, etc

[macmars45]

One year about 15-20 years ago my family went through the giant pile of smaller river rocks out back and found ones in the general shape of some interest people in my extended paternal family had. Everyone got a rock that year with a special saying for each person. It was a hit. Everyone was laughing and showing off their rocks by the end. #nothelpful

[minzy]

I don’t know about a theme but this year everyone we know is getting a telescoping back scratcher (these things are legitimately clutch!) and some Girl Scout fall product candy as part of their gift. You’re welcome, husband’s random coworkers and cousin’s wife whose name I drew for extended family Secret Santa. Haha.

[Pom]

Well, funny you should ask. My sister had been living with us since before the start of the pandemic. She's settled back in Texas full time and just stirring up shit with her granddaughter and gd's BF. She invited them to live with her but she hates the BF and is making life miserable for everyone. Christmas will be at their place part of the time. Nieces and I were laughing today, that this year's theme is "Santa is passing out candy canes and ass whoopins, but he's all out of candy canes". This shit better be calmed down before the holidays. So childish.

For an actual answer, I am giving everyone a book, in case everyone needs a time out.
Also Michigan gifts (we like to support our beloved state) one of these: www.thatgayguycandlecompany.com/.
In addition, we will pack and take candy from
marshallsfudge.com/ The coconut clusters are a favorite and everyone fights over them, so this year, everyone is getting their own box. Doing my part to keep it peaceful.

[underwaterrhymes]

Pom - just a heads up, That Gay Guy Candle Company is awesome, but it takes FOREVER to get them. I ordered my mom a candle in April on the 14th and she didn’t get it until July 28th. They may have their shit together now since I know they went viral, but just a heads up.