Should gifts be indulgent or practical

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

I love indulgence, something I wouldn't buy for myself. Not necessarily expensive but something frivolous. Some of the family are very practical and turn up their noses at frivolous gifts and wouldn't even appreciate the value of certain brands, e.g. White Company smellies would be akin to Asda to them. I like nicely wrapped gifts and appreciate the effort, other just plonk things in a gift bag. What do you like to give and receive?

Depends on the person surely?
Mum would rather one Diptyque candle than lots of Yankee candles, SIL would prefer £40 worth of Yankee candles.

I'm on a indulgent but practical side- so I'd rather high quality food gifts than massive amounts of cheap chocolate. I'm not a fan of random toiletry gift sets or plastic tat.

Sorry for the errant a

I like things that are practical but a bit luxurious that I wouldn’t buy for myself so things like posh shower gels (but not so much moisturiser as I never get round to using it), posh chocolates, pretty make up brushes that I’d never pay that much for

Yes for me I love practical items that are luxurious enough I wouldn't justify them for myself - this year I know I'm getting a gravity blanket to help me sleep and some joules welly clogs I want as gardening shoes for example!

Depends on the person! My Dad puts absolutely worth on ‘luxury’, I bought him a set of tiny screwdrivers for his glasses 20+ years ago and they’re still one of his most treasured possessions. My mum loves a bit of Jo Malone and cashmere! I definitely lean more towards the luxury end but would also really like a new garden gate for Christmas so 🤷🏼‍♀️

It really depends on the person. My husband is relentlessly practical and will ask for things like 'some new trainers for work'. I don't mind getting him stuff like that if it's what he really wants, but I will buy him some things just for fun too. He says we should get each other things we need, whereas I think it should be what we WANT. Whatever that might be. For me it's stuff I'd like but wouldn't necessarily buy for myself.

Having said that, I've never understood why Molten Brown shower gel gets suggested so often on threads on here. I genuinely could not get excited about shower gel any more than that I would toothpaste.

Ooh I love a posh shower gel. It's generally the only toilettry item I would use so Molton Brown, Philosophy etc are amazing gifts for me

Practical for me. Not shower gel or such like but things I will use throughout the year. Like a pp dad's screwdrivers. Good quality is a must though.

It depends: pretty scarf, Echo dot, Moleskine book, necklace, books, cardholder (for handbag). Which of those would you consider practical and which frivolous?

I hate smellies, candles, ornaments and beauty products., they get donated to chairty or friends.

I'd actually like 5metres of an expensive fabric so i can recover my Poang chair, so very practial.

Frivolous gifts i've had in the past include cocktail shaker kit, set of mini drawers for jewellery with a frightful rose pattern on, manicure set... frivolous to me says useless.

My DH always just wants new joggers for Christmas. I don't think they fall into either category! 😂

Practical every time. I have a small house, I want very little, I can't bear clutter and I loathe pretending you like something just because someone bought it for you. I enjoy choosing my own gifts so a voucher and a box of chocolates is perfect. (Or no gift at all, happy to go without. )

@Jigglypuffler Sounds like mine.

@CeeceeBloomingdale That's what I mean really, we all have such different ideas of what's practical/indulgent. Shower gel for me is strictly a utility item. 😂

Something I wouldn’t usually buy myself so practical but indulgent works well but I don’t tend to appreciate really expensive versions enough to be worth buying. So buy me a £5 shower gel rather than my usual £1 type but I don’t tend to like the £20 ones. Or I appreciate kitchen equipment that I don’t need but would like - so say a mandolins when I could just use a knife or a set of colourful mixing bowls when I could just keep using my mismatched bowls.

The exceptions are chocolate and shortbread - as long as it’s not mint or some strange floral taste I will happily have any type. Expensive probably a better idea for my waistline though as you usually get less!

It's usually stuff I can't justify buying myself but would really like.
Last year was a cheap Bluetooth converter thing that you plug into the car. It's amazing we use it every day.

I find this all SO interesting and it seems to say something about us that I haven't really heard expressed. Like some people I know would genuinely rather have the £30 box of 5 biscuits from Biscuiteers currently being advertised (for me at least) on this site. Whereas others would feel disappointed and think you could have got me a top for £30. It's not about money, necessarily. DH and I share accounts and have the same access to money, but would spend it very differently on gifts, and also want something different from the gifts we receive.

@mogloveseggs what Bluetooth converter do you have? I need one but I'm a bit of a technophobe so get lost as soon as I start looking!

I enjoy a mix of both. I love indulgent things I would never usually buy like jewellery or posh chocolates or fancy make up (I don't wear make up a lot so it does feel indulgent to me). I also have had some practical presents that have been great and I use them every day. Especially if they are practical but slightly nicer than what I'd buy for myself!

I like nice things I wouldn't necessarily treat myself too like posh shower gels.

I may buy someone Clarins handcream, l'occitaine or Elemis

Also bought some turtle dove cashmere presents for my family this year.

I am trying to minimise packaging and have bought some posh refills for gifts from QVC

@mogloveseggs

It's usually stuff I can't justify buying myself but would really like. Last year was a cheap Bluetooth converter thing that you plug into the car. It's amazing we use it every day.

This sounds good, what is it please

@Jigglypuffler @woodhill it's this one
Biy crackly when it's loud but it does work. The dc thought it was hilarious when we first got it and people sounded like they were in the dashboard

Forgot to put- this years list is a tile mate keyring as I'm always misplacing my keys and silicone spatulas for baking.

Practical for me! Some of the things mentioned upthread (candle, posh shower gel) would be wasted on me.

For me I like a bit of both. Basically it's anything which I wouldnt buy for myself, either because its frivilous/luxurious (e.g. chocolates and nice face masks) or because it's something practical that I don't necessarily need but would be nice to have (e.g. a kitchen gadget or nice jumper)

I think I'm in between the two. Although I enjoy a bit luxury, I like what I like, so it becomes practical. I'd much rather someone buy my favourite product than a £££ version that I may not like as much.

When buying gifts for people, I think you have to tailor the gift to the individual. I know that my Mum likes luxury and so would prefer one decent item. MIL would be horrified if I spent £££ on one item, so I buy her a few cheaper items.

Agree it depends on the person. My dad appreciated the expensive sheepskin slippers I bought him as they are warm, long lasting and practical. However, he wouldn't appreciate a £100 jumper, he'd be happier with an £10 jumper as a jumper is a jumper in his view, a £100 jumper isn't significantly better.

As a present I'd prefer luxury, I wouldn't buy myself a white company candle so that would be nice for me .