My inlaws are wonderful and are such generous people. They are also the type of people that never really want anything! I have tried gift cards but they don't seem to use them, so I am wondering if anyone has any creative ideas on what to get for parents who don't really seem to want anything. Thanks!
Last year, my son and his wife accumulated photos (on the computer) representing each month and then, at the end of the year,
had a wall calendar made.
Each month had a seasonally appropriate photo of their son . . .
in July in the water in a little floaty device held by a parent,
in October in a pumpkin patch,
in December next to the Xmas tree,
etc.
Most grandparents love this kind of thing.
.
Something we do (not EVERY year, but... a few times) is to have a nice family picture made. Then frame one of the 8x10s and gift wrap it. It's something they could NEVER buy for themselves, it is personal, it's a keepsake, and it's something all parents/grandparents want anyway!
I should clarify: my hubby, myself, and our 2 kids are in the picture ... not the grandparents also. We also give similar photos in frames to other extended family sometimes. Our grown siblings, and aunts/uncles. Usually the actual parental units get a larger picture. :)
My in-laws are the same way. My husband and I generally give them a home made "gift certificate" for us treating them to a double date. Then, we go to a restaurant of their choice and have a blast.
My husbands Grandparents received Omaha Steaks and they raved about them. Otherwise tickets to a play or musical.
With your kids, in your own hand... write them a poem. Doesn't have to be all perfect or professional. Just sentimental thoughts, on them and how you care about them or appreciate them.
Then, write it on whatever paper you want... and frame it.
That to me, is a one of a kind and irreplaceable, treasure.
All the best,
Susan
I have the same issue. My children are grown now so it is even more difficult. If I had little ones I would maybe put a slideshow keepsake together for them, or a scrapbook of family photos. Something sentimental always seems to work. Do they have any hobbies? My dad has everything and so does my stepmom so I go crazy every year trying to think of gifts so I am curious to the responses you will get.
What about tickets to a show, play or musical event?
When I have people to buy for that have everything they want, I tend to go for an event or experience. Chances are tickets for a specific date will be used!
I was just going to say Shutterfly, or similar - you can make photobooks, calenders, etc.
Once for my parents anniversary I sent them a lobster clambake dinner from Legal Seafoods (awesome restaurant in Boston) - it came complete with live lobsters, a pot, chowder, and a bunch of sides. They loved it!
I am making mine a photobook of my kids at costco. There are several other places that do hardbound books like this. It is so immaterial but so precious to them.
Last year for both my in-laws I collected digital pictures of all their grandchildren (both my kids, and my SIL's) and uploaded them to Snapfish. Then I made a very high quality wall calendar using those pictures. The Snapfish calendars are really quite fantastic. You can put multiple pictures on each month, as well as pictures in the square for significant days. So, I have pics of my in-laws with their grandkids scattered throughout the calendar, as well as pics of just the kids. For each kid's birthday I put a picture taken at the hospital. For wedding anniversaries I put little wedding pics. For special holidays like Easter and Halloween I have pics of the kids doing egg hunts or in their costumes.
I also made the calendar for my own parents and grandmother, as well as for all my siblings. I can't tell you how much they all raved about them. My grandmother is always very difficult to shop for, as she has very refined tastes, lives in a small assisted-living apartment, and has no room for little trinkets and knick-knacks. She LOVED it and has been hinting all this year that she is looking forward to her Christmas gift this year.
To top it all off, they were only like $28 for a very high quality calendar.
This will become my standard gift for parents, in-laws and grandparents.
We always get our parents something home-made from the grandkids or something sentimental about the grandkids :) They love it! Photobooks, calendars, canvas prints, mugs, christmas ornaments - pretty much anything with their grandkids on it!
A friend of mine does these photobooks on shutterfly. She uses digital photos of the kids and types of quotes and saying they say and puts it on a page with a photo. It is sooo cute!
probably everyone else responding said something like this but pictures of the kids! I don't give pics out for about 6 months before the holidays so everyone is ready for them. I have done calendars, books, mousepads, coffee mugs, ties...kinda tacky but i don't know a grandparent who doesn't like to show off the kiddos! last christmas my sil and i found a handprint poem online and framed it with handprints of all the grandkids...it looks great!
Get a lovely calendar and fill it in with everybody's birthdays, anniversaries, and special days. If you are real creative (and have extra time) include a card for an event or holiday for each month.
Those homemade calendars that Sarah E. mentioned are usually a huge hit. You can do them on most picture websites (Snapfish and Shutterfly are my faves) plus Walgreens and CVS. You could even print off a few more for other family members or yourselves! Sometimes I find those picture gifts kind of cheesy, but they can be cute...just do some exploring! You could also have your kids make them some painted pottery at one of those types of places. If they are coffee drinkers you could do mugs or a sugar/creamer set. Or they could do a Christmas cookie plate or whatever...there are lots of options.
You mean besides pictures of the grandchildren? They can never have too many of those! One year I gave my mother a calendar featuring pictures of her grandchildren, pictures of her children as babies, and even pictures of herself as a baby. She loved it. I had it made at a copy store.
We sometimes sent my in-laws fresh fruit and/or veggies through a catalogue store. They wouldn't have eaten the ubiquitous candy or nut offerings the company had, but they did like the veggies and the fruit, and were happy with the quality of what they received.
Another thought, if they really don't want anything, might be to make a donation to their favorite charity in their name. Only you know whether that would be a good idea or not for them.
