Anonymous wrote:My 77 year old dad weirdly LOVES the Dyson cordless vacuum we gave him one year -- repeatedly expresses how great it is!

My Dad too! And, my MIL loves the bird book we gave her to identify all of the birds that flock to her multiple feeders.

I mailed both my parents a pair of expensive US-brand ski mittens that cannot be found in their home country. They suffer from the cold in the winter and have tried various gloves to no avail.

Crab cakes. My father loves but would never buy good ones for himself. My mother is impossible to buy for, but always appreciates flowers (since my father is too cheap to buy them for her).

Anonymous wrote:Last Christmas I gave my impossible to shop for dad a bird feeder that attaches to the window. He has never expressed any interest in birds. He LOVES it.

I would love this too!

Successful gifts to 2 mothers in their mid 80s.
-soft "jogging suit" that has pockets in both the pants and the top. Top that snaps closed, no zippers or buttons and has embroidery so it looks "nice" Coordinating long sleeve tops that have a neckline that isn't "too" big. All ordered from Blair.
-rolling side table that has shelves for everything that needs to be near mom no matter what chair she is in.
-lightweight large mug for soup at the table or snacks on the couch. It has a lid in case she wants to save her snack for later.
-statue of Mary for her garden
-magnet pictures of grandkids

We have stopped trying to do extravagant gifts. Our moms are both at the point where their day to day needs are challenging and the little things like pockets bring them more joy that anything else.

Stonewall kitchen selection--jams, mustards, sauces
Bird feeder shaped like a wreath
Perfume
Wine of the month
Fruit of the month
Gift certificate to favorite restaurant
Gift certificate to Kennedy Center

A rechargeable power scrubber brush with different brush heads, particularly one with a longer handle. Especially helpful for those with arthritis. Used to clean bathrooms, cars, hard-to-reach corners, etc.

My 77 year old dad weirdly LOVES the Dyson cordless vacuum we gave him one year -- repeatedly expresses how great it is!

They’ve all been super happy with Ember mugs (the kind that keep your coffee/tea at exactly whatever temperature you want).

Good quality battery candles such as Uyuni, skin lotions, small edible treats.

Inspired by the bird feeder mention above, a bird house. Hang it on a shepherd's hook, outside a window, close to the house. Make sure it's good quality and isn't built as only a decorative item (that falls apart because it's suppose to be inside)

Forever stamps in themes they will like.

Bagels from Essa-Bagel.
Golden pears from Harry & David
Cookies from Circo's

And honestly, I gave my 70+ dad Scrub Daddy sponges for Father's Day last year and he's mentioned using them twice.

Box of premium oranges.

Flowering amaryllis in a basket.

Last Christmas I gave my impossible to shop for dad a bird feeder that attaches to the window. He has never expressed any interest in birds. He LOVES it.

Post holiday assessment… what gifts did you give older relatives (65+) who “have it all” that were well received/hits?

I’m looking for January MIL bday gift inspiration… we’ve done gift cards, sweaters, electronic photo frames…

Also thought this thread could be a good resource for future gift inspiration if a bunch of people chime in with great ideas.