I just spent over 3 hours agonising over a gift when . . .

[DancingDonkey]

. . . I know that no matter what I buy this person will not like it!

I have a family member who is a real tight wad and resents the spending of money in any form.

I've suggested not exchanging gifts any more but for some reason this was shot down.

In the past 10 years or so I've bought fun and frivolous gifts. I've bought practical and useful gifts. I've bought 'experience' gifts. I've bought food and drink based gifts. Every time my gifts are criticised as being too costly/useless/silly.

I was pretty well prepared this Christmas and did most of my other gift shopping weeks ago, but I kept looking for this persons gift - hoping that I would find that perfect thing that they would finally be grateful for. I've spent another 3 hours doing this today. Why did I bother!

I have now plumped for something. I think it is both useful and has a sentimental side to it. I don't know why I try so hard to please when I know it's pointless!

surely this is exactly the type of person for whom a lump of coal would be ideal?

I would be sponsoring a rescue dog/cat/gerbil every year for this person.

There is a website called Sendacow gifts - basically charity gifts like a goat, or whatever. You can send Magic Muck (poo, in other words) or something called a Semen Straw - so an african cow farmer can use AI to breed his cows with non-local stock - this improves the breed, because there is often a lot of local interbreeding. Either of these would be a fantastic gift, in this difficult person's name.

Voucher for a pound shop

Second sdt's post if you know they won't like what ever you get send some money to a charity something like that you get a email or can give the website the persons email and they get one saying you have done

I done this a few times for my parents and they love it