(BPT) – Holiday shopping can be challenging, but it’s even harder when someone who’s hard to please is on your list, or when you feel like you’re out of ideas. To put a smile on the face of a friend or family member who may be hard to buy for, it helps to think outside the box – and imagine what could be fun, comfortable or practical presents to show how much you care.
Here are some ideas to get you started on your quest for the ideal gifts for everyone in your life, even those who seem to have everything:
1. Give the gift of an experience
What does your loved one like to do? Whether your gift is a ‘coupon’ for a homemade dinner delivered to their home, a class or workshop you think they may enjoy or a ticket to a special event you know they would love, an ‘experience’ can be a far more memorable gift than any object or item. Just don’t forget to include yourself, so you can join them!
Pro tip: If you’re giving a coupon or ticket, wrap it up in a frilly gift bag or pretty box bedecked with bows and ribbons so it’s exciting to open.
2. Give the gift of comfort
Turn up the heat on holiday gift giving! This is the kind of gift you may not know you always needed until you have it – the comfort you’ll get from Bemis’s Radiance heated toilet seat. No more chilly late-night visits to the bathroom or early morning shocks during the wintertime with three choices of heat settings, for the perfect level of soothing warmth. Even better, the seat offers a built-in LED night light with a soft blue glow to minimize sleep disruption – plus a slow-close feature so you can say goodbye to slamming.
Pro tip: Confirm with family which style of toilet is used nearest the recipient’s bedroom. These heated toilet seats come in either round or elongated, so you’ll want to be sure to get the correct shape. You’ll also need a standard GFCI outlet nearby.
3. Give something practical
Think about something everyone could use in their everyday life. For example, most people would use a wireless charger daily if they had one, so why do so few people actually have them? This is a great gift option that’s widely available, and at affordable price points. Anyone who owns a cell phone (and that’s most people) will get a lot of use out of this item – and may never have to search for an outlet again.
Pro tip: Doublecheck the recipient’s type of smartphone with their closest loved ones to ensure that the charger you purchase is compatible with their phone.
4. Give tasty treats
You can’t go wrong with edible gifts. Whether you make or buy something delicious, most people welcome gifts they can eat – or that they can use to serve at their own holiday gatherings. When in doubt about someone’s specific tastes, go for a basket or sample pack type of gift that provides a variety of different sweet and savory bites so there’s bound to be something they love.
Pro tip: If you bake the gift yourself, use decorative baskets, jars, tins or boxes to present your homemade offerings in an attractive manner – and that the recipient can reuse!
5. Give the gift of nostalgia
Most people love to receive framed photographs as gifts, as they help them remember special times in their life, or the friends and loved ones they care most about. Fortunately, you can often find great photos from your friends’ or family members’ social media accounts to choose from, or contact their closest family members to get more ideas.
Pro tip: If you’re the creative type, consider making a photo collage or scrapbook-type page that combines photos and memorabilia from events you’ve shared together.
Don’t fret holiday shopping this year, no matter who you’re shopping for. These tips should help you make the holidays jollier than ever.
