Joint Christmas present ideas for a couple or a family.

[Pickypolly]

Instead of individual presents I want to buy joint to cover couples or a family.
Has anyone come across any great ideas or things?

Thanks x

Hamper?

What about a board game with snacks and drinks?

Photo frame
Picnic rug
Couple of throws or cushions
A tray with two or four mugs
Food hamper
Chocolate selection
A truckle of cheddar
A board game
A massive jigsaw
Bird-feeder and seed
Subscription to a magazine or newspaper or a monthly "box" they might all enjoy (could be food or a hobby) ?
Selection box of culinary spices? (Spice Mountain do gift sets.)
A selection of practical eco gifts like beeswax wraps, water bottles etc
Solar powered lamp or decorative solar powered lanterns for garden
Something decorative like a vase or an ornament or a framed print (have to know them well)
Materials so they can do something together like pasta machine, cider-, kimchi- or sushi-making etc
(We are a practical/outdoor family and someone gave us a huge , "serious" torch and a first aid kit one year and they have both been used again and again.)
Dart board or archery set

Great ideas thanks.

One couple are minimalist, I know that things I’ve bought will go to charity shop within a week or two, they won’t eat any food type things, they get a tonne of chocolate from people which they won’t eat so very difficult. Vouchers were my fall back, cinema or maybe Debenhams but of course they won’t be able to go to the cinema now.

If people are really that difficult to buy for why not have an honest conversation and agree to stop exchanging gifts ... Covid gives you the perfect reason this year. We did this some time ago and it was a massive relief, no one was offended and we all still enjoy a lovely Christmas.

Or a charity gift voucher?

I manage a charity shop - we are inundated with unwanted Christmas gifts every year in January ... there are even special posters produced reminding people to donate unwanted gifts.

Non food eating minimalists sound tricky Pickypolly, especially when you can't rely on tickets for events. An audio book maybe? Or a year round subscription to local National Trust garden or museum as I think many of them are still open? How about something they will use up daily like Occitane liquid hand soaps and shower gels? Do they garden? If so a voucher for a seed catalogue and some new gardening tools maybe a wheelbarrow, a gadget for making sowing pots, some Felco secateurs, depending on budget?

For the minimalist couple, I know you said a joint gift but what about a Molton Brown shower gel bauble or similar each? That way it gets used up and not something they have to find space for.

I'd either go for toiletries are these people your parents?

It's not easy to stop buying for your parents, so I'd think wine, beer or toiletries. We stopped buying siblings years ago and it certainly makes things a whole lot easier. I hate buying for adults who don't need anything. It doesn't help either that media CDs / DVDs are verging on a thing of the past.

Hedgehog house or other wildlife sanctuary for the garden
Bird feeders and seed

What about a cow or donkey? Buy one of those gifts that benefits someone in need. This year we are buying my father in law and partner gloves for the RNLI. They are both keen sailors and each year we get a list of what not to buy them so this is my solution. Might buy them a token gift to unwrap

For the minimalist couple - assuming they work somewhere and not just from home how about for her Aronatherapy Assiciates hand sanitiser - useful , more expensive but lovely £12 each or £38 for four

Interested to know what said couple but you ? Are they people you see often -if what do they buy each other - if they do alcohol decent bottle of red i wine/white wine depending on preference

If you know them well do they decorate their house in a minamilst way for Christmas - if so 1 decoration for tree beautifully wrapped

Depends on your budget obviously

For a family I would go for board games or if they don't have a echo dot or similar or maybe Netflix voucher type thing - you don't have to buy for whole year

Otherwise disown them - joking of course x

Magazine subscription for the couple?