Anonymous wrote:Mom is gone. In-laws rudely tell everyone they don’t want any more physical stuff and will return it if you give it to them. So I get them a restaurant gift card to a rotating list of 3 places near their house. Which they then forget to use. But whatever, I’m not wasting any more brain power on it and apparently neither is their son.

Why is that rude? Sounds straightforward, honest, and decreases needless consumption.

Zingermans gift set

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIL wants us to treat her to a house cleaning or a Book of the Month subscription.

House cleaning would be an amazing gift.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Mom is gone. In-laws rudely tell everyone they don’t want any more physical stuff and will return it if you give it to them. So I get them a restaurant gift card to a rotating list of 3 places near their house. Which they then forget to use. But whatever, I’m not wasting any more brain power on it and apparently neither is their son.

Maybe stop giving them gifts, then?

I’m giving monthly subscriptions to luxury cut roses.

We downsized my mother’s house this past year and more than 1/2 the gifts she received in the last decade were unused. Scarves, napkins, soaps, whatever. So this year will be books because that’s something she can use or pass on.

Seasonal throw pillows and blankets (she loves to switch them up).
Cozy jogger and sweater set.
House plants -- they always love the plant of the month or bouquet of the month through the winter.
I usually takes notes during Thanksgiving of whatever is inadequate in the kitchen and get that for Christmas - one year is was everyday glassware, one year it was silverware, one year it was table linens, one year it was knives, a new microwave, replaced the broken dishwasher. There is always something.
A new set of guest towels to cover the people who usually stay for the holidays.
A splurge purse
Something from Goldbelly that reminds them of their hometown or ours or a favorite vacation spot.

A Barefoot Dreams jacket was a big hit:

https://www.barefootdreams.com/collections/cardigans-jackets

I haven’t shopped this year, but often do nice soaps, lotions and candles or something cozy like a robe and slippers or scarf.

They receive a ton of consumable gifts from friends and other relatives and end up bringing a lot of them to our house.

A Christmas floral arrangement and a fir scented candle because she doesn’t have a tree set up and can’t decorate the way she would like to because of mobility issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIL wants us to treat her to a house cleaning or a Book of the Month subscription.

House cleaning would be an amazing gift.

I would love it! Maybe that is what I will give myself this year from the family!

A cozy sweatshirt

I send a Wolfermans breakfast basket to enjoy through the holidays. Also sending a car phone charger and a trunk organizer because she’s out and about a lot. Some bootie slippers that have more traction than her current slides (don’t need any falls!) A gift card to HomeGoods because she likes decorations. Tickets to the movies.

Flowers, nice water bottle, specialty food items, hat/gloves.

My mother is dead but was always difficult to buy for. One thing she loved was a calendar where each month had a different picture of the breed of dog we had.