Present ideas for parents who have everything?

[justwinginglife1]

As the title says really.
They enjoy socialising with friends and spending time with the grandchildren etc. Dad likes football and rugby. No other hobbies - both always busy with work and taking care of elderly relatives. Don't think they would be interested in a spa day or anything like that. I'm am literally out of ideas on what to get them.

Their birthdays were last month and I got dad a football shirt and made mum a memory book of her adventures with DC since they were babies which she loved.

They get endless amounts of flowers, candles, alcohol, sweets etc from other people anyway so I don't want to be getting them more of that.

I usually look at getting tickets or vouchers but because of the uncertainty with everything going on at the moment I don't really want to do that this year. I feel like they have everything they want or need and I have already used up every other idea possible over the past years.

If I ask them I just get the 'we don't want anything, just spending time with you all is enough' but I couldn't not get them anything.

What would you get them?

I got my dad a year's spectator subscription recently. Best response to a present for a while!

It's so hard to think of things for them.

What about something nostalgic from your childhood? My husband bought my father in law (his dad obviously!) some posh beef dripping because they used to eat it together when my husband was a child.

I'd get something practical but a level up in terms of luxury. Eg if they use own brand shampoo & shower gel get them some Crabtree & Evelyn or Molton Brown. If they already use Molton Brown, get them Penhaligon's.

Repeat for biscuits, chocolates.

Failing that I always like small leather things such as a bound notebook.

My DM doesn’t need or want anything and we’ve decided that she will have an IOU as her main present - I’m going to make something on the computer and print it on card then wrap it up - and she has promised she will use it.

She also has some little presents - calendar of the DC (all grandparents have one every year, I tried to stop one year and they all insisted I continue to do them!) socks and a bobble hat - which the DC saw and chose for her.

Sponsor an animal for them with the WWF.

Bird box with a wifi camera in. Best present I ever gave my folks. They loved watching the birds build nests and feed their young. Fascinating to watch

How about a photo shoot with them and kids/grandkids and then you order a nice print?

Some good ideas here op.
Magazine subscription? Good housekeeping etc

I've got my mum a Ring doorbell because she hates answering the door especially in winter.

When they tell you what they want, why don't you listen?

They have everything, they are really happy. If you must get something, because you can't get nothing, why not some food/alcohol you know they like so it won't be wasted and neither will it be yet more stuff which nobody needs.

A visit or an invitation for them to visit you.
Covid permitting, perhaps a meal out with you.

What they want is time with you.

I say the same thing to people & get random things I almost always don't want or like instead.

I'd rather have an hour with my sister (who lives hundreds of miles away) than a thousand pounds worth of gifts any day.

How about a national trust membership?

Some good suggestions.

I usually do a photo calendar for my nana so I could do that for them also.
I think the photo shoot idea with the children would be nice and I would also get some copies to keep. I'll have a look into that one

Re the suggestion of just listening to them about not wanting anything - we always give presents, always have and I just wouldn't want to give nothing. It doesn't have to be of significant value, just something they would like.

I agree time together is more important, however they live around the corner from me and we see each other almost daily and do lots of family things together already

I agree with @LizzieMacQueen on getting something a level of luxury above. I think I’m going to go big on Fortnum & Mason this year: small hampers of tea, biscuits, chutney etc should go down well.

The other food idea I’ve had from here is a Readly gift card?

Subscription boxes? My mum loved Bloom and Wild flowers being delivered monthly. Spicery do a great curry spices and recipe box.

I like the subscription idea a PP suggested.

A bit out there but meminio do lovely memory cases and albums. I'm getting one for my parents' ruby anniversary.

I bought something years ago but I know they're still available.

It was a book about his favourite football team with all the news paper reports. Sounds a bit naff now I've written it down but it was well bound, personalised and well received.

www.fortnumandmason.com/hampers/all-hampers. Cheaper alternatives are available!

Ddad, before he died ☹️, used to treat us grown up children to a hamper every Christmas and then we all shared it together at Christmas time. He knew we didn't want/ need more stuff.

Or, you can put together your own.

A hamper from Fortnum & Mason?

OP I have a similar problem but my parents live abroad so it's doubly difficult!
Sometimes the delivery costs as much as the gifts too!
Plus they live in an area where they have postboxes out on the nearest main road and anything that doesn't fit has to be collected from the local post office 30 minutes drive away.
I've tried using couriers in the past but it's massively expensive and they always have trouble finding the house so it's always a drama
I always make sure I send really lovely cards to them and I've sent advent calendars, photo calendars etc but it gets more difficult each year.

Spectator or The Athletic subscription for your dad. If he supports a club, an iFollow subscription so he can watch or listen to the games.

What about buying them a toilet 'in loo' of a present? www.toilettwinning.org or something I have bought recently and can highly recommend www.prettywitty.co.uk. Very unusual and niche gifts for the person/people who have everything.

Just thought of something else I have done for someone recently-got them a champagne afternoon tea delivered (with all the fancy china) and you could zoom them at the same time? I can't remember the name of the company I used-vintage something?

Good luck.

The blizzard is good for football fans, you can do a subscription or buy a bundle of back issues.

Re photo gifts, I have just ordered a jigsaw each for my mum & FIL with a family photo on it from photo box- they are ravensburger jigsaws so hopefully nice quality & you can choose the size up to 2000 pieces. There’s also a discount code on the site at present so I got 50% off

For your dad- books by footballers/managers? I think Harry Redknapp is quite a good one , most of the older players have written one.
2 things that you might not get now but hood idea for the future - a tour round your dad’s favourite football club or look out for Legends tours (ex sportsmen, usually in a theatre telling stories from their career) I sent my Dad on a Tottenham stadium tour with an ex player & it was the best gift he ever had!

We made PIL a hamper last Christmas full of food they like but wouldn't usually buy.
It included jam, pickles, condiments, crisps, crackers, chocolates and drinks.

We ordered from Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Sauce Shop, and others and just bought a basket for them all to go in. FIL regularly mentions how much he loved it!