Gift ideas
Contents
- 1 About
- 2 List of Gift Ideas
- 2.1 Safe Generic Gifts
- 2.2 Common Sensory Gifts
- 2.3 Common Practical Gifts
- 2.4 For Kids
- 2.5 Creative Gift Ideas
- 2.6 Electronics
- 2.7 Home
- 2.8 Outside Gifts
- 2.9 Outdoor Adventure Gifts
- 2.10 Hiking
- 2.11 Car Related Gifts
- 2.12 Active Gifts
- 2.13 Food Gifts
- 2.14 Plants and Animals
- 2.15 Safety Gifts
- 2.16 Assistance Gifts
- 2.17 Experience Gifts
- 2.18 Visit Gifts
- 2.19 Virtual Greetings
- 2.20 Environmentally Conscious Gifts
- 2.21 Funny / Novelty Gifts
- 2.22 Special Occasion Gifts
- 2.23 Group-Effort Gifts
- 2.24 Cop-out
- 3 Noske's Gift Buying Advice
- 4 To Add
- 5 See Also
- 6 Links
About
I always struggle to think of good present ideas when someone's birthday comes around. Below is a list of good ideas/suggestions I've had in the past (because if I don't write them down I'll probably forget them).
List of Gift Ideas
Safe Generic Gifts
These are some of the go-to gifts people buy for each other, even if they never use them.
- Wine ... (so long as they drink, and some people prefer white to red, but I always keep a stock at home specifically for when I'm invited to dinner)
- Chocolates ... (pretty cliche, but better than being empty-handed)
- Books ... (novelty & comedy works best)
- joke books, cookbooks, travel guides, gardening books, magic eye, dating books, learning magic, music books, etc
- serious: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus, Karma Sutra, Lonely Planet
- funny: Far Side comics, Molvania, Hot Guys and Baby Animals, Porn for Women, All My Friends are Dead, Strange Planet
- Mind puzzles/jigsaw puzzles
- Board games
- twister, cranium, scrabble, chess, taboo, settlers of catan, bananagrams, cards against humanity
- Photo frame
Common Sensory Gifts
Sensory style gifts can be really sweet to buy someone you are dating or a close friend. Some of these gifts might be considered feminine, but don't be afraid to challenge gender stereotypes, like buying a plush toy for a grown man. He will probably love it!
- Flowers ... (especially home delivered!)
- Lavender products ... (see lavenderfeelsforever)
- Soft toys ... (something funny can be great)
- Jewelry ... (tips: most girls prefer either gold or silver and subtle over bulky)
- Name-on-rice necklace ... (something special and different)
- Charm bracelet ... (you can add pieces over multiple special days)
- Glass pendant ... (you can specially order a pendant as something extra sweet)
- Perfume ... (risky)
- Soaps / pamper pack/massage tools
- NOTE: I highly recommend the Body Shop!
Common Practical Gifts
Some of these so-called "practical" gifts might be considered masculine, but we challenge you to think outside of gender boxes.
- Car accessories / tools ... (there is a car section later on)
- Power tool set ... (I recommend the Ryobi One cordless set)
- Shaving set ... (only if they don't have one already)
- A nice shirt
- Alcohol
For Kids
We often buy different types of gifts for boys versus girls, but maybe we shouldn't. Not everyone conforms to gender stereotypes. Don't be afraid to buy a girl a remote control helicopter if she wants one!
- Dolls ... (lammily the realistic barbie doll)
- Trinkets ... (lucky charms etc)
- Lego ... (Lego or GI Joe is great for any age)
- Balloon ... (the type that says "Happy Birthday" and is for sale in many US stores)
- Remote control helicopter ... (you can get the baby helicopters cheap)
- Remote-controlled car ... (some of these are pretty cool but batteries are an issue)
- Remote-controlled boat or submarine ... (for kids that love boast)
- Nerf guns ... (great fun, try the 'blaster' for ~$9 - nerf technology has come far!)
- Dart board ... (can be surprisingly cheap, and if you don't like the pointy dards they have velcro)
- Football / vortex / badminton set ... (there are lots of little sports games)
- Model kit ... (boats, planes, cars, tanks, submarines - you name it there's a model kit for it - many of which require you to paint it yourself)
- Skateboard ... (maybe throw in some safety helmet too)
Creative Gift Ideas
- CD / DVD compilation ** ... (music/tv shows/pictures)
- Photos of them ... (printed on photo paper)
- Painting or drawing ... (takes time!)
- Custom mug ... (most graphics design places will put an image from USB onto a mug for <$30)
- Custom photo calendar / album / keyring / coaster/puzzle ... (try Big W photos)
- Custom shower curtains ... (maybe a picture of your family pet, try shutterfly)
- Custom shirt ... (iron-on t-shirt transfers are ~$5 per page + ~$15 for a plain white shirt, or try big frog for the same price & quick turnaround)
- Funny shirt ... (for great designs try: threadless.com, woot or noisebot)
- Custom 3D print / jewelry ... (see: Shapeways.com here - if you know 3D design you can put their name on something)
- Custom backpack / satchel ...(see: spreadshirt messenger bags giftsforyounow.com)
- Travel photo bingo ... (see Travel photo bingo)
- Custom pillow ... (put your face/their face on a custom photo pillow... I really love the 16x16 inch pillow by zazzle.com) **
- Custom blanket ... (a blanket or a blanket rack if you are hardcore)
- Clicking ring counter ... (neat idea to count pool laps or drinks Clicking Life Counter Ring)
Electronics
- Digital thermometer / weather station * ... (try national geographic)
- Clock
- oven timer, waterproof shower clock, alarm clock or fancy digital wall clock
- Movie DVDs / BlueRay ... (only if they are already collecting)
- Music DVDs / CDs. ... (only if they are already collecting)
- MP3 player & accessories ... (eg: iPod case... can be expensive)
- Mouse pad / wrist support ... (a novelty mouse pad is fun)
- Digital TV recording device ... (eg: te-vo etc)
- Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) ... (can be costly, but useful if blackouts/brownouts are common)
- WiFi Switch ... (switch to help towards a smart home)
Electronic Gaming
- VR headset ... (the new school gift that may hurt your eyes just a little)
- Game console ... (Wii, Playstation, etc)
- Game console accessory: guitar hero guitar etc
- Computer game
Home
When running low on gift ideas, one fun exercise is to think of each room of their home, one at a time. Their kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom - each room lends itself to unique gift ideas.
Living Room
- Zen garden
- Virtual assistant ... (so think Google Home or Amazon Alexa)
- Buddha board (a art board with water than evaporates)
- Push pin world map ... (some amazing options from conquestmaps.com)
- Vinyl record player or records ... (if your friend is a hipster they probably own one and love building their collection of the classics)
- Karaoke system ... (belt out some songs!)
Kitchen
- Electrical appliances: ... (if they are missing something or need a new one)
- rice cooker, 4 slice toaster, sandwich press, coffee machine, popcorn maker, air fryer
- Kitchen accessories:
- kitchen clips ... (amazing for opened packages, every kitchen should have some clips) **
- egg timer ... (they also have a fancy one that goes in the water)
- wine bottle opener ... (they have very, very fancy ones)
- veggetti ... (veggetti cuts vegetables into pasta shape)
- Fridge accessories:
- fridge magnets ... (best if gifted along with a couple of photos to attach to the fridge)
- fridge letters ... (fun to spell out words)
- fridge whiteboard ... (a little whiteboard stuck to your fridge is a great place to write down what groceries you need to buy)
- Cutlery/Crockery:
- tea/coffee pot, dining set ... (popular wedding gifts)
- Utensils:
- chop sticks ... (a fancy set of chop sticks)
- any nice utensil set ... (not just cultery, but spatulas etc)
- knife set ...(a voodoo knife block is fun)
- Food:
- spice set ... (they have some lovely fancy sets, and some even magnetcially attach to the fridge)
- bread bin ... (if they have space)
- Drink:
- cocktail shaker set ... (cocktail shaker kits are sets with pieces and often a cocktail book and measuring cups)
Bedroom
- Nice lamp
- Vase / sculpture / earring box
- Globe
- New quilt set
- Dream catcher
- Full body pillow
- Personalized wooden box ... (etsy)
- Plush toy ... (try a squishmallow or massive teddy bear)
Bathroom
- Bath pillow ... (get one from world market or amazon)
- Electric toothbrush ... (I've even written my own wiki about electric toothbrushes)
- Dental water jet ... (water flossers can help floss quickly, I own cordless waterpik and quite like it)
- Weekly pill organizer tray ... (good gag gift, but useful too)
- Potty squatty ... (potty squatty helps for better poop see video - great for a friend with a sense of humor and/or constipation)
- Bidet .... (you can buy detachable ones that fit under the toilet seat or heated fancy versions like the toto)
Home Office
- Custom stamp ... (useful to mark all your books as "library of ted")
- Laptop stand ... (good for ergonomics)
- Organization container ... (fancy ones)
- Light therapy lamp ... (mimics full spectrum of light from daylight to helps to boost energy and mood)
Any Room
Some gifts can be placed or kept in any room.
- Robotic vacuum cleaner ... (like the roomba)
- Posters *
- movie / hot person / tv / sports / kittens / wildlife - try k-mart and national geographic
- world map - where they can use pin pins where they have been
- Magna doodle ... (like the roomba)
- Art easel ... (they have a great standing art easels that have a whiteboard/blackboard/paper roll combo)
- Palo santo ... (you can buy sage smudge sticks or palo santo wood for hippy friends to cleanse the energy in any room)
Closet Space
The closet in the living room is often where people keep fun things like beach umbrellas, board games and so on.
- Party bubbles
- Battery organizer case/tester
Home Entrance
The closet in the living room is often where people keep fun things like beach umbrellas, board games and so on.
- Welcome matt ... (they have cute ones with funny expressions like "domestic AF")
- Doorbell / ringer ... (instead of electronic what about a bird)
- Google nest doorbell ... (a nest doorbell to see who is ringing, a nice security feature)
- Coat rack / umbrella rack ... (depending on the climate)
- Shoe related:
- Shoe rack ... (for storing shoes just inside or outside)
- Shoe horn ... (the long ones are amazing, leave it by your shoe rack)
- Shoe stool ... (a little stool for sitting down to put on your shoes - to heck with your friends, buy one for yourself)
Outside Gifts
For gifts that belong outside the house, such as your backyard.
Backyard
- Garden tools:
- rake, gloves, shovel, hedge trimmer, fertilizing hose nozzle (go to bunnings for ideas)
- pressure washer
- retractable hose
- Work tools:
- jigsaw, cordless drill, tool-box set... (so long as they don't already have one)
- Plants, herbs, orchids or pots
- Sundial, solar light, outdoor torches, sculptures, bird feeder, bird bath, tree faces decor (put a funny face on your trees)
- BBQ set ... (if space is limited do a "Terracotta Pig Grill")
- Hammock ... (hammocks are great for the balcony or between trees... some come with a stand too) **
- Trampoline
- Blanket ... (twister blanket especially)
- Outdoor sports:
- bocce ball set etc.
Pool
- Inflatable pool ... (for people without one)
- Pool toys: ... (very diverse these days - just google image search)
- water gun, inflatable starfighter, banana, diving toys, slide
- Deck chair
- Fancy towel
- Sarong
Outside games
- Pool table
- Ping pong table
- Badminton set
- Soccer nets ... (as in the miniature size)
- Football / volleyball / etc.
Outdoor Adventure Gifts
Picnic
- Picnic table
- Picnic blanket
- Picnic dining set
Hiking
- Hiking pack ... (some have camelpack water built in)
- Drone ... (see my Drones page - some camera drones are under <$500 and racing ones cheaper)
Beach
- Beer cooler ... (best way to do the beach)
- Beach umbrella ... (range in price but the cheapest don't handle any wind, so don't go too cheap)
- Beach volleyball ... (a ball is only $20, and a net more like $100)
- Beach wagon ... (fantastic if you live near the beach and have a lot of stuff)
- Snorkle set ... (there are cheap sets, but you might want to do a good googles, and include fins or dive shoes)
- Spikeball set ... (has become a very popular game at the beach)
Boating
- Water crafts:
- Stand up paddleboard ... (often in blow up form, don't forget the paddle)
- Kayak / canoe ... (also can come in in blow up form)
- Surfboard ... (if they are a fan)
- River tube ... (fun to float or pull behind a boat)
Fishing
- Fishing products:
- Fishing rod
- Hand reel
- Misc:
- lures, net, knife
- Obscure:
- spear fishing gear
Camping
- Tent
- Sleeping bags
- Camping chairs
- A cooler on wheels
- Survival kit ... (most come with a knife, paracord, compass and other badass stuff)
- Camping mugs
- Huge hiking backpack ... (for big overnight hiking adventures you might want at least an 80L bag, and this is a good size for a plane too)
- Portable hammock ... (some prefer this to a tent)
- LED headlamp ... (hand for more than just camping, good to keep in your car)
- Camping cookware set
- Portable stove
- Misc:
- compass, water filters systems (pumps or straws), inflatable light, microfibre towels, insect deterrants, screwdriever set bracelet, mini first aid kit
Car Related Gifts
- Car first aid ... (every car should have one - many don't)
- Car roadside kit ... (the top gear one is good - make sure has jumper cables and bandaids etc) **
- Breathalyzer ... (for moments when unsure) *
- Flashlight ... (see also: Household_ideas > Ideas_for_your_Car)
- Car seat gap filler ... (only $10 and a great idea)
- Portable tire inflater ... (plugs into your cigarette lighter)
- Car back support ... (for anyone with back pain, this did me wonders)
- Car caddy ... (including a car caddy for between seats or the back of a seat)
Active Gifts
Exercise / Workout
- Workout tracker ... (think fitbit or similar)
- Camelpack ... ($30 for a little one and good for running or short hikes outdoor)
- Weight set ... (start at ~$50 so relatively affordable)
- Cardio exercise machines:
- exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, stairs
- Strength training equipment:
- power rack or half rack (for lifting), weight bench, bench press, leg curl, doorway pull up bars, suspension trainer.
Yoga / Meditation
- Singing bowl ... (starting ~$20 for a little Tibetan bowl or hundreds for a big good crystal bowl for deep meditation)
- Yoga matt ... (often just $10 at a place like Ross)
- Exercise ball ... (usually only $20 or so and versatile, can use as a chair)
Extreme Sports
- Skiing equipment ... (gets expensive)
- Skateboard ... (for young boys)
Food Gifts
- Liquor chocolate! ... (incredible chocolates filled with liquid alcohol, popular in Europe, but can order on amazon: brandy)
- Custom cake! ... (probably the funniest gift I ever got was a pe-nis cake, but maybe you'll want a more tame or creative cake idea!) *
- Food delivery:
- Love with food - sends snack to door every month for a year.
- Element bars - custom design your own organic food bar (nuts, grain etc) and your own label.
- Edible arrangements - great gift for someone special!
- Shari's Berries - similar to above.
Plants and Animals
- Plant kit ... ("dunecraft" and many other companies set semi-educational kits where kids can grow unusual plant. They also have beans you can grow which say 'I love you')
- Orchid ... (only if the person loves orchids)
- Bonsai Tree ... (Bonsais are not hard hard to look after (see here), but good ones can be quite pricey!)
- Ant farm ... (great fun for kids)
- Worm farm ... (for someone with a green thumb)
- Sea monkeys ... (brine shrimp or "sea monkey kits" also fun for kids)
- Fish ... (fish are MINIMAL commitment animal - you can buy small tank quite cheap and doesn't matter much if fish dies)
- Siamese fighting fish, outdoor goldfish, freshwater shrimp, etc.
- Saltwater fish, octopus, baby ray, jellyfish, coral. ... (be warned that saltwater fish are much hard to keep and not for novices)
- Reptiles ... (reptiles are a MEDIUM commitment)
- Lizard ... (most need live mealworms to survive)
- Snake ... (most need to be fed live mice once every couple of weeks)
- Turtle ... (very cute and can be fed live worms)
- Dog ... (a VERY HIGH commitment animal: expensive, require heaps of attention, daily walks and won't always be a cute little puppy)
- Cat ... (a HIGH commitment animal: I'm not a cat person myself - not loyal creatures,but they are less maintenance than dogs)
Safety Gifts
- Home security:
- Home security system
- Personal safety:
- Pepper spray ... (a good gift for any woman in a city, about $10 on Amazon and keep it in your purse)
- Personal safety alarm ... (these come as keyrings for about $5 on Amazon and are easier to use than pepper spray)
- Injury safety:
- Home first aid kit ... (everyone should have a good on in their bathroom and one in their car)
- Compact travel first aid kit ... (the small ones and good for backpacking)
- Emergency blanket ... (maybe keep in the car)
Assistance Gifts
- Fancy hands - a service where you can outsource life tasks.
Experience Gifts
For the person who has everything, there is almost always something they've never tried or would love to try again. Experience gifts are often way cooler than any physical gift you can think of as they encourage/force the person to try something new and exciting. Thanks to sites like google offers, groupon and living social in the US, "experience" gifts are now cheaper and more popular than ever. I recommend signing up to some of these sites for inspiration - most of their offers are 20-50% off and give you several months to use them.
- movie tickets: movie vouchers, special cinemas, regular tickets, outdoor cinema, 3D movie or tickets to a premier.
- sport: football tickets... or any other sport: baseball, soccer, roller derby, ice hockey etc - all easy to visit a website and book.
- music: band/concert tickets, opera tickets.
- shows: magician, festival, speakeasy, burlesque, ladyboy show.
- overseas getaway: plane tickets to Vanuatu/Cabo/Africa/wherever, ski trip, remote cabin or anything else you might find on living social escapes, and depending on the location:
- tropical vacation: snorkeling/diving trip, dolphin experience, ATV ride (not a dangerous one), zip-lining, etc.
- city vacation: art tour, photography tour, city bus tour.
- pretentious vacation: golf pass (boring), wine tasting tour.
- pamper: spa vouchers, pamper vouchers, nail and hair.
- body work: hot stone massage, full body massage, acupuncture, watsu massage. *
- heath: gym membership, yoga, martial art, tooth whitening.
- indoor classes: dance classes, cooking classes, art classes, indoor shooting.
- at sea / water: kayaking*, paddle boarding, scuba diving, jet-ski, parasailing, fishing adventure, white water rafting.
- up high: bridge climbing, rock climbing abseiling/rappelling, skydiving, bungee jumping, ropes course, hot air balloon ride. **
- indoor active: arcade games, laser tag, bowling, ice-skating, curling, pub crawl, trampoline park.
- outdoor active: lawn bowling, amusement park, water park, horse riding, paintball, shooting, hiking trip.
- outdoor experiences: zoo, aquarium, helicopter ride, scenic flight, etc. (see here)
- woo woo: sound bath, tantra workshop, family constellation, fire dancing lessons.
Presentation is important here... you could just have a little card with a Groupon print-out / voucher inside... but it's more fun if it's a clue... like for a guided canoe trip to see otters or Book of Mormon musical you might wrap up a nice $30 pair of binoculars as a clue. Likewise, a swim suit for a trip to a water park, camping gear for camping trip, toy horse for horse-riding and so on. For not a lot extra it enhances the experience of just getting a little envelope.
Visit Gifts
Because visiting a loved one far away is the best gift!
I decided to give this it's own section because it's such a special gift. I had my uncle visit me from Sydney to Cairns for my graduation and it was a really special surprise. Opening the door and seeing someone special that you didn't expect to see... well that's always a wonderful feeling! I also heard and amazing story of a girl who unwrapped a birthday gift box which was a phone/Facetime of her best friend, with the notice that her parents were going to fly her out for a visit, and they both cried they were so excited. So think about it!
- A surprise visit of a loved one.
- Surprise trip for them to visit one of their friends!
Virtual Greetings
COVID has been nasty, because you can't necessarily get to the ones you love because of travel restrictions and covid concern.
- A online group birthday card ... (try: www.groupgreeting.com)
- YouTube song for them ... (like this one: Taylors birthday (youtube))
Environmentally Conscious Gifts
Sometimes the sweetest gift you can give helps other people and/or are environmentally conscious.
- Compost bin
- Recycled toilet paper subscriptions ... (like the: "who gives a crap" brand in Australia)
Funny / Novelty Gifts
- Piñata ... (k-mart sometimes sells them)
- Novelty hat ... (drinking hat, sombrero or with text)
- Blow up toy ... (inflatable animals ~$30)
- Funny mug / glass ... (like these)
- Naughty magazine ... (funny to give to single people)
- Strip mug ... (like this one)
- Glow-in-the-dark hand cuffs or dice (~$10)
- NOTE: There are lots of other interesting and funny gifts at sex shops like Naughty but Nice or Adam and Eve
- Custom t-shirt ... (toctopus I used once, took 3 weeks and bit blurry, but good interface and only $30)
- Justin Bieber accessories ... (I recommend the singing toothbrush) *
- A framed and signed photo of you ... (my friend Adam made the whole table burst out laughing when I unwrapped a signed photo of him to "keep beside my bed")
- Boyfriend / girlfriend pillow ... (has an arm to sleep on)
- Weener Kleener Soap ... (here and other novelty items like wiener warmers - great laugh)
- Toilet mug ... (here)
- Custom bobblehead ... (some companies take a few photos and handcraft a bobblehead)
- Bubble guns ... (so bubble guns are amazing to take to a concert or party - great gift!) *
- Out there:
- Sperm fertility test kit ... (a [male fertility kit https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sperm+fertility+testing+kit] for those with warped humor)
Funny Gifts for Getting Old
On a 40 or 50th birthday here are some (potentially) humorous gifts. Some are riskier than others, so hopefully you know this person well!
- Old person pastimes: knitting set, bowling, pipe, painting
- Old person clothes: slippers, pajamas, suspenders, granny undies, toupee
- Walking cane
- Pick up gripper ... (actually can be useful - can help save anyone with a bad back)
- Pill container ... (or some kind of reminder book... actually any funny book about aging is gold)
- Hospital alert system ... (this one could be a serious gift too)
- Ear trumpet ... (even on ebay hearing aids are hundreds, but you might track down a great ear trumpet)
- Adult diapers
- Dentures
- Brochures: cruise ship, nursing home, funeral home. ... (the last two only if you're really daring)
- Urn ... (and I'll stop here before I get into trouble)
Special Occasion Gifts
On certain special occasions (18/21/40/50th birthday, graduation, 10/50 year anniversary, becoming a man) "extra special" gifts may be called for...
- Engraved watch or pen ... (can be very touching)
- Swiss army knife ... (a 'Leatherman' is also a good one)
- Cufflinks ... (some people believe a man should own at least one pair, even though they are rarely worn)
- Silver flask ... (another old-fashion gift)
- Yard glass ... (personally I think "expensive, pointless and used only once", but some consider it traditional 21st present)
- Walking cane ... (funny on a man's 50th or 60th b'day)
- Personalized plates ... (personalized plates can cost 100s but can keep through life and is option to buy vouchers - you'd hate to get it wrong!)
- Quilt ... (sometimes done for weddings, but requires sewing skills and/or others to contribute fabric pieces or photos for a service like fabricondemand.com)
- Massage table ... (the base level Sierra Comfort is an amazing table that folds away and really cheap - spoilt the person or friends you love!)
- Massage oil ... (might come with the promise of a massage... or coconut butter is great)
- Massage gun or car buffer ... (a base level massage gun is an incredible gift for under $50, these got very popular)
Baby Showers / Baby Gifts
- Baby rocker
- Baby animal onesies
- Baby radio
- Personalized baby bibs ... (design online or buy plain ones and special markers to draw funny designs)
- Books: useful or amusing ... ("How to Traumatize Your Children")
- Baby shaped food ... (watermellon baby, cake, etc)
Christmas Gifts / Stocking Stuffers
- Calendar ... (animals / nature safe bet)
- Fancy stationary
- Xmas tree
- Xmas lights
Romantic Gifts / Valentine's Day
On valentine's day, stores are already full of romantic gifts - trying to capitalize on your money of course! But hey, the old flowers / chocolates / balloons are fun. It doesn't have to be valentines day to be romantic though! Flower any day are amazing. More importantly, I hope you've noticed that lots of the gift suggestions so far can be romantic, especially if wrapped the right way. Here's a few extra romantic ideas though.
- Flowers etc (see For a Lady section)
- An edible arrangement ... (a website like ediblearrangement.com or make your own!)
- Wooden heart ... (a custom photo on a wooden heart is touching)
Group-Effort Gifts
Often it makes sense to combine forces to buy something you couldn't afford alone. A lot of the items above could be group gifts, other suggestions include:
- GHD hair straightener ... (GHD is the 'Rolls Royce of hair straightener', most girls want one!)
- iPod ... (a novelty that works and great for people who commute on trains/bus)
- GPS ... (brilliant for people who hate navigating)
- Digital camera ... (some people refuse to buy one for themselves!)
- Something else you know this person is missing or needs fixing - the best gifts are personal.
- Pool table ... (or some other big ticket sports related thing they maybe wanted for years)
- Bicycle ... (unless your the parents and/or wealthy maybe a new bike is more in your group's price range!)
- Plane and/or accommodation tickets ... (somewhere they've always wanted to go - cleverly making sure they have time off work etc)
- Gardening voucher ... (if they in dire needs of a man to come out and clean it up!)
Cop-out
- Most gift vouchers ... (unless it's for a spa and papering, or maybe special ice-cream)
- Hankies or socks ... (unless they are way cool colored socks or toe socks) :-)
Noske's Gift Buying Advice
- Gifts don't have to be physical - some of the best gifts are too cook someone a big breakfast or take them too a restaurant and/or movie (yes, the idea is for you to pay!).
- I always like to buy gifts WELL ahead of time.
- Gifts don't have to be expensive if they are thoughtful and/or creative.
- Reading through product catalogs often helps.
- Program all birthday into your phone (or birthday alarm website) so you never miss one!
- Stockpile some nice gift paper at least three rolls - one plain, one for birthdays & one for Christmas - plus some ribbon in a cupboard.
- If you strike on a good gift, buy two - keep the second one for someone else (or yourself)
- I keep a small stockpile of DVDs, chocolate and jewelry for birthdays that creep up on me!
- Cards are usually expensive (sometimes more expensive than the gift) - buying in bulk is cheaper.
- I like to print my own cards - I have a template set up and can easily type a personal message, and copy in a nice photo of the person (for a personal touch) and some cartoons (for humor).
- Buying gifts for someone in a different city is tricky. Small items like CDs, photos and jewelry can fit into an envelope, but most other gifts will cost a small fortune in postage.
- Novelty items are often only worn/used once, so don't buy anything too outrageous.
To Add
Items to add properly later:
- Glow toys or fire props ... (fire props are specific to fire dancing, glow toys like poi and fingers are fun at any festival)
- Art ... (very general - warrents its own section)
- String lights ... (light up your bedroom or outdoors)
- Stinger treatment ... (for jellyfish stings on ocean goers)
- Manscaper ... (for shaving the hair downstairs)
- Musical instrument
- ukulele, tambarine, bongo drums, pan flute, didgeridoo, etc
See Also
Links
- Amazon gift central
- Target gift finder
- FindGift.com
- Think Geek site - great gifts for nerds with themes like zombies, iPhone, bacon and (of course) star wars.
- Woot.com - for daily technology deals, but also has deals for sports, kids, shirts and so on.
- Ebay - needs no explanation
- Red Balloon days - offer adventure vouchers like sky diving
- Big W Photos - allows you to upload photos and custom design mugs (from $17), shirt, keyrings and much more... quite cheap and takes just a few days after order to pickup from nearest big W or for ~$5 more will send anywhere in Australia. There are many similar services (eg: Ted's photo lounge), so it's worth browsing for specials, but almost all of them seem to use the same place in Sydney to actually print, most of them have a similar design interface, and can take take 10-14 business days turn-around-time! Apple seems to have surprisingly competitive prices on photo books see here, but requires you to have a Mac with iPhoto installed.
- PhotoMax.com.au - used these guys to do a few nice A4 photo books. Although it didn't print to the edge, the biggest benefit was they have a fast turn around time (I ordered Wed night Express post $10 and got Fri morning) than the other places, very nice interface.
Acknowledgements: Adam Lasnik for the food suggestions! |