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35 Underrated Christmas Gifts That Definitely Deserve More Hype, As Shared By People In This Thread
Growing up, I remember every movie and TV show seemed to portray a few things as the worst possible Christmas presents you could receive: socks, underwear, pajamas and money (as opposed to something more personal). However, as an adult, I have realized that I cherish high quality socks, comfy pajamas are a godsend, and money is a much more practical gift than something I may never use or have to find space in my home for. So to help relieve some of the stress you pandas might be feeling to pick the perfect gifts for your loved ones this holiday season, today we’re talking about underrated Christmas presents.
One curious Reddit user recently sparked a conversation asking people to share their ideas of Christmas gifts that deserve more hype, and people did not disappoint in the replies. From toiletries to groceries, we’ve gathered some of the best underrated gifts down below to help you decide what to hand out this December. Be sure to upvote the ideas you find most brilliant or that you would be thrilled to find under your tree, and then if you’re not quite done channeling your inner Santa Claus, be sure to check out this Bored Panda article featuring even more gift ideas next!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Every year my grandma would get everyone toilet paper, deodorant, toothpaste, Q-tips….didn’t realize how great it was until she was gone
Grandma didn’t have a lot of money so she would shop at krogers and however much she saved, she would use towards Christmas toiletries
Natalie Bohrteller 3 years ago (edited)
Apart from grandma being unbelievably wholesome, it's also a very useful gift, compared to much of the nonsense that people buy.
Marilyn J. Leger 3 years ago
Wholesome like socks & underwear -- and the Christmas pajamas
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PandaPops 3 years ago
My Granny does this. We call it a personal care present. She buys your dry shampoo, shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving foam, body wash, moisturisers, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, make up removal wipes, hairbands and always a pair of Christmas socks. She buys enough for 4-6months. She does this for 18 people (her kids, grandkids and great grandkids) she starts in January and buys it all in the sales. I love it so much
Billie Templeton 3 years ago
Things grandma probably valued cause she had to do without them at some point, bc of finances
Gen McGlothlin Peterson 3 years ago
My mother did a "goody box" every year as part of my Christmas. (She made other gifts as well). The box was full of luxury items that she bought ion sale all year long. The best most expensive TP, lotion, real vanilla extract, real maple syrup, special luxury soaps she'd find during her travels, just a huge box of special things. And always a box of the finest blueberry muffin mix, Duncan Hines, fur our Christmas morning tradition of muffins and coffee at the tree before opening gifts. She started this the 1st Christmas I was married . It continued until her death. Such a fantastic gift.
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
My Aunt used to ask me to buy her bars of Caress soap for Christmas. I always felt so cheap doing that, but she explained that it was the only soap she’d found that kept her skin from cracking as she got older. So, Caress it was.
Amaranthim Talon 3 years ago
Blessings upon grannie- we never know what we have until they are gone ♥
Lee Stanley 3 years ago
Socks every year for my birthday and Christmas. I didn't have to buy my own sock until i was almost 30. Man i miss her..
RELATED:
#2
Last year my Dad got me a box of snacks. But they were all things from my childhood he would get me if I was emotional in any way. It was just filled with so much love and happy memories.
Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
My dad wouldn't have a clue what snacks I like. Nor do I have a clue what he likes.
TurquoiseTzarina 3 years ago
Is it possible for y'all to get acquainted...
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Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
Somehow, snacks are the most wholesome gift. I would get so elated/emotional when my dad would send me snacks while I was away at college.
Izzy_ 3 years ago
Awesome!!!! I'd be over the moon if people gave me a basket full of my favorite goodies. It shows they actually know you. I love thoughtful gifts. Means soooo much more!! Instead of all the random stuff they get when they don't know what to get you lol so they grab anything last minute XD
Lara Verne 3 years ago (edited)
I know family that give their friends box of non-perishable foods for Christmas. Like rice, pasta, various canned food, coffee...
#3
One time at work, we were doing this white elephant thing (I don't remember the exact rules, but essentially, everybody brings a gift and everybody leaves with a different gift). The plan was to buy goofy, funny things, like the non-risque stuff you see at Spencer's or something. When I opened mine, it was a 124 pack of toilet paper. Everybody laughed and thought it was funny, but I've never even come close to receiving a gift as amazing as that, I have no idea why nobody tried to take it from me unless they somehow knew I'd physically fight them over it.
SarDemMin 3 years ago
Hope it was a 2019 Christmas present. Probably made them appreciate the gift even more!
Alex Boyd 3 years ago
I was thinking the same thing...if it was 2019, everyone would've been kicking themselves a couple of months later that they didn't snag that gift!
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ShaZam Beaubien 3 years ago
once I received batteries for a white elephant gift ... that was awesome!
Mrs Irish Mom 3 years ago
124 pack of toilet roll, wow id love that, bought 24 last week and had a pile neatly stocked up in my bathroom, thought i was great and visitors asked where i got them, how much
Kate Jones 3 years ago
Seriously. The money you'll save over the year. Even if it's low quality you can use more and still not be paying for a long time. An 18 pack is like 22 dollars where I live so that's a huge savings!
#4
My grandmother paid my gas bill one Christmas. I thought that was a nice present.
Scrapiechick 3 years ago
Aparently I'm a pain to shop for so my parentals pay for my Internet as a combined crimbo and birthday, its a couple of hundred quid they know I will make full use of save me a bill. Bills are a great gift
Lauren S 3 years ago
I had to look up what crimbo was. I was trying to figure out what two things it was a mix of like christmakah. Nope! Lol. For those that don’t know, it’s just Christmas. “Especially the more secular and commercial aspects”.
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LynzCatastrophe 3 years ago
Wanna pay my gas bill?! It's gone up since last year and I'm considering shutting off gas in favour of portable space heaters after I got my last bill!!
Kitten Dog Mom 3 years ago
My grandmother would roll up doller bills (10's, 20's etc) into tight rolls smaller than a straw in the center and the size of a half dollar in diameter and give each of us a roll of "ones" .(there were a few ones on the outer edge of the roll. We usually got about $150 each there was 4 of us)
Lara Verne 3 years ago
My grandma does not pay my bills, but every year, I receive either some money, or voucher.
#5
Grandma told us every year, "Just get me something I can smoke, drink, or eat."
Luna Crow 3 years ago
That's essentially what I put on my wishlist for my secret Santa every year, which is the only gift exchange I participate in anymore. Who needs more frivolous c**p? Give me something I'd be buying anyway, I can use the money saved to put in the gas tank
Load More Replies... Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
My mom would complain her mother had everything. When I was seven or eight, I was paging through a gift catalog, and saw a belly button brush. It was about the same as a mascara brush, but with smaller bristles. The ad said it was for the person who had everything. I showed it to Mom, and told her to get one for Grandma. It was many years before I understood why she snorted.
sturmwesen 3 years ago
I am a fan of gifts that you consume. Mid covid I made a spanish food basket with tapas and wine to make the not-traveling easier on my sister. She loved it.
Alexander Izzo 3 years ago
hmm she want some cigarettes, Whiskey, and a nice big fat medium rare steak.....
Auntriarch 3 years ago
I used to buy my grandmother meat for her freezer. she enjoyed it, and it was a present she wouldn't have to dust 😂
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#6
Premium subscription to something the person already uses the free version of.
They're guaranteed to use it, and it's already something they've decided that they weren't going to splurge on themselves for. So as a gift, it's both a necessity and a luxury.
I did this for my wife last year and she still talks about what a great gift it was.
Kate Jones 3 years ago
That's actually a great idea I hadn't thought of. My elderly parents need for nothing really. It's super hard to shop for them. I could get them a subscription to a streaming service or something. They're always complaining there's nothing on. Thanks for the idea!
Clementine Smith 3 years ago
Love this. I got my husband the upgraded subscription to You Tube. Well worth the 15.00/month as it is our primary source of tv.
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
my hubby bought me 3 years of sirius XM radio and I still rave about it. It's been almost a year. It has been the best gift!!!!
#7
One year when I was pretty broke someone gave me a nice tote filled with non perishables. I suddenly had a nice stockpile of stuff like soup, crackers, and cookies and on top of that had a tote to store stuff in when I emptied it!
It was way more useful to me than a soap set or something else like that that they could have potentially given me.
Agent of Karma 2 years ago (edited)
Give me dried beans and rice. I don't eat canned soup, crackers, and I bake cookies when I want them. The sodium and other things I've been told to stay away from in those products is insane. My sweetie would like them though.
Laura Mortensen 3 years ago
My aunt and uncle have a small house, so I get them a basket of interesting food every year. They say they enjoy it.
#8
My mom always gives me a “care package” that includes: Toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, laundry detergent and trash bags from Costco. I look forward to that s**t every year. I don’t have to worry about buying that stuff for a couple months.
DennyS (denzoren) 3 years ago
That would be an awesome gift....and you have use for all of it.
Sasy 3 years ago
My Mum got a card for Campbells, the Aussie version of something like Costco, but you had to have a business to shop there etc. She was buying stuff for her business and came home and gave me a package of monthly products, a whole slab of them, did not have to buy them for nearly two years, it was an incredible buy.
Erla Zwingle 2 years ago
This is the truth: I have never once in my 75 years ever heard or thought of or even imagined giving or receiving toilet paper as a gift. Not even when I was broke. Maybe as some weird gag gift, okay, but something I'd thank somebody for? Is this really a thing???
Spittnimage 3 years ago
I had a friend that bought household essentials for her grown kids for Christmas.
#9
A blanket. I don’t care how many f*****g blankets I have, I’ll always appreciate another one.
Rabbit Of ill Portent 3 years ago
I can bake any kind of dessert you want if it'll gain me entry.
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Florence O'Grady 3 years ago
TIL something. I have never thought of blankets and pillows as you described them. I now understand. From now on this is how I will see them.
Load More Replies... Alexander Izzo 3 years ago
the amount of blankets my fam has is insane. when we were little we made a whole fort from our living room to our dining room
Elspeth Marple 3 years ago
Ditto that, the hardest part is finding a place for them all.......
Katy McMouse 3 years ago
That's my youngest. His favorite was a king sized blanket that he always wore like a cape whenever he got out of bed. I always thought he looked like a pint-sized Ceasar as he trudged out of his bedroom and straight to the couch.
Angela B 3 years ago
The Mum of a very good friend of mine (who has passed away, may she rest in Peace) would make a quilt for anyone she knew was expecting a baby and give it when the baby was born. They were always beautiful (my son's was Noah and the animals on the Ark). I still have it and my son wants me to keep it until he has a child of his own. So yes, a blanket or quilt is an amazing gift.
#10
New bedding. That s**t is so expensive.
Kika González 3 years ago
Yes it is! I still have not gotten my bed or sheets because I'm paying off the frame I wanted
Kitten Dog Mom 3 years ago
Selpt on the floor on the mattress until we were able to get a frame for it.
#11
Quality Coffee
Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
*laps up the spilt coffee in the saucer* Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! *pounces everyone and everything*
Eris Kallisti 3 years ago
As a roaster I would love to give this to everyone I know but so many people are like "I just have a Keurig" and I just cringe and get them something else
Happy Blue Panda 2 years ago
I gave my husband coffee of the month and doing the same this year. He says they have all been great.
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
Ohh, yesss! A dear friend of mine always gives me superb coffee for Christmas. Always looking forward to it!
#12
A really good version of something that’s usually inexpensive. A nice pen, great tea or coffee, good leather bound notebooks. Even a nice version of most of those things is going to be under $50 but is still really luxurious.
Katy McMouse 3 years ago (edited)
Looking at this picture reminds me of how much I loved getting a nice pair of crisp pajamas. I can't think of the name of that type of material, but that's the type pictured above. What was even better was if they came with a nice, soft set of socks.
Frijke Broos 3 years ago
I love this. Give me good thee, coffee or a small box with just a couple of luxury bonbons and I am a really happy girl 😊
Phoebe Bean 3 years ago
Books, pen, notebooks, stationery. I gift myself one of these every year!
#13
My MIL always gets my husband and I and BIL and his girlfriend a HUGE box of everyday household items for Christmas. Laundry detergent, paper towels, dog treats, lysol, dish soap, bounce sheets, kleenex, etc. BIL once had a girlfriend who complained and said she never wanted to receive that again. I think it's the best gift ever. Totally underrated and totally useful!
April Stephens 3 years ago
Maybe the ex girlfriend preferred her own favorite brands. For example, I have such sensitive skin that some brands of laundry detergent make me break out into a rash. Still, I would just donate it. It's very rude to complain about a gift.
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
I'd also not like to get that, since I've got a very regular shopping rhythm so I don't have to stuff extra bottles and boxes somewhere in our too-small kitchen. I'd never complain, though.
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Natalie Bohrteller 3 years ago (edited)
Also, it's a gift and one that's perfectly useful and thought through. How about saying thanks? Edit: I mean the ex girlfriend.
Bill Clinton 2 years ago
Here’s a grammatical gift: “…gets my husband & ME…” hope you can and will always use it
#14
Pet toys. I love when people remember my kitties.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Our pets always have one or two presents (usually toys) under the tree, as well as their own stockings stuffed with little things for them. Sometimes there’s also a bigger present for all of them (like a cat tree they can all use). They’re family, so deserve to be remembered at Christmas too. In fact, they start getting excited when they see us put up the tree, and check out—-but don’t rip open—-all the presents when we put them under the tree. They have the uncanny ability to find their own presents too. Christmas morning is always a happy time for them. They’re all rescues, straight off the street or yard, so they had difficult starts in life. Because we love them, take good care of them, and make them feel safe and happy, maybe for the only time in their lives, they’re always so affectionate toward us. But seeing their absolute joy when we open their presents for them is just the sweetest thing of all.
#15
Nice sheets or towels. Everybody enjoys them but no one i know can ever justify spending good money on sheets or towels. I have gifted a bunch and are always well received.
Firstname Lastname 3 years ago
I will never pay for an overpriced towel, but if someone gifted me one, I'd probably never get dressed after my shower. I'd just towel cocoon myself.
Literallyaeasybakeoven 3 years ago
Family friend got us nice towels, and they are the best things to ever enter my life. They’re soft and dry quickly, and they are surprisingly large as well. This is your sign to get the good towels. Now.
Agent of Karma 2 years ago
I had to stop myself from buying new sheets until the old ones wear out. Had to buy whole new sets of flannel sheets year before last. Some how my sweetie's body chemistry at through the bottom sheet, and he showers every day.
Jennifer Johnson 2 years ago
my husband got me 4 large green fluffy soft towels for christmas. i love them!
#16
Experiences. Like when someone gives you a coupon or something and it's good for going to the movies with them.
Mad Dragon 3 years ago
I showed my dad a video from Jaime Farr of M*A*S*H* fame personally singing him Happy Birthday on his 70th birthday and he still talks about it 4 years later. He said at his age he didn't need more "stuff" and would rather get memories and experiences.
AK to LV 3 years ago
My Dad is so hard to shop for. He doesn't want anymore tools because he doesn't want to fix any more stuff.
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Kitten Dog Mom 3 years ago
I would get my elderly mother-in-law a small stuffed Christmas bear.. she loves them. I put the last one she got under our Christmas tree so she can be with us.
Dorothy Stovall 3 years ago
My husband does this. I never realized (until him) what a great gift an "experience" really is.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
Probably less of a coupon, more of a voucher, so you've already paid for it
Load More Replies... #17
One year when I didn't have much money but a lot of wrapping paper, I bought random groceries and wrapped them. No one complained. People called when they used the box of pasta/cake mix/pancakes months later.
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
I once baked Christmas cookies for my sisters' birthdays (one day apart in December), and decorated them very nicely. They both loved it.
Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
My nephew left a pumpkin at my house around Halloween so I wrapped it and gave it to him for Christmas. He loved it!
Queen Boudicca 3 years ago
You have never been hungry. Days without food hungry.
Load More Replies... #18
Restaurant gift cards, especially for local, non-chain restaurants. You give them a reason to go eat out with their SO, its thoughtful and usually will bring them a lot of joy.
D-m Keilman 3 years ago
YES! This is my gift to my family every year. Hubby and I choose a mom & pop/family owned business (usually a restaurant) and get each family a $25 or $50 gift card. This year we are doing a family butcher shop. They have the best meats but ooh they are pricey.
Mrs S 3 years ago
We started buying our meat from the butcher, as opposed to the grocery store. Better quality, freshness and flavor!
Load More Replies... Chintan Shah 3 years ago
Personally I disagree with this. I have specific food preferences and some allergies. I tend not to explore too much and don't prefer to so this would be a very useless gift for me. Also, not everyone has a significant other
Michael Largey 3 years ago
Be careful! I was once given a restaurant gift card that was sold locally. There is no branch of that restaurant to use it in within 150 miles.
Mental Liberals 3 years ago
$Millions (if not more) of gift cards go unused each year. And not sure if in the US it's federal, but they used to have expiration dates!
#19
A massage. I believe the only people who don't need a massage today are the people who got one yesterday. So many people who have never had one don't realize the benefit of getting one and it can be life-changing for people who've been living with some kinds of pain.
SarDemMin 3 years ago
Yes! My partner got his first massage after I pushed him to go after his back gave out a couple of times. Now he goes more than I do! Still trying to convince him to try simple mani pedi once in a while as a treat
Lauren S 3 years ago
My husband regularly gets pedicures! Very normal for men now a days.
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Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
My husband did this for me one year, after I sought help for my depression. The meds started off giving me body aches, so he bought me a massage certificate for a whole body massage. I almost cried.
Frijke Broos 3 years ago
I just got one. I really good friend off mind who is amazing at giving massages came to my home and gave me one. It was so sweet because after long covid relapse I am not able to go my regular massage salon.
NotTodaySatan!! 3 years ago
Well that would be just horrible for me. I have a blood clotting disorder where I constantly create DVTs. No matter how much you'd like to, they shouldn't be rubbed. Doing so could break a piece loose and it could travel to my lungs, brain, heart... bad deal. So, no thank you. :-)
Justina Palinavičiūtė 3 years ago
I hate massage - that would be the worst first for me. Same with SPA's
Elladine DesIsles 3 years ago
Not all kinds of pain, though. A massage for me would trigger massive amounts of new pain and leave me unable to function for days, if not weeks. Could be a great gift for many, many people, but don't assume you are going to ease somebody's pain if you don't understand their condition.
ThreeAngryLlamas 3 years ago
100%. Came here to say this. Last time I got a massage, the masseuse who worked with my physiotherapist insisted it would help and kept pushing me to go longer. I was in a wheelchair for two weeks after that, which I generally wasn't, at the time.
Load More Replies... Miss Frankfurter 3 years ago
We had a very small spa not far from us that had amazing spa services and also had a small number of guest rooms, which were so luxurious and comfy. Cordon Bleu chef. They had put postcard advertisements in the mail around Christmas. Since my job was incredibly physical and stressful (nurse), my mom bought me a 3 day visit at the spa. Best gift ever! I went back again and again over the years. Got to know the owner and her daughter well. A gift that kept on giving.
#20
Socks!
Auntriarch 3 years ago (edited)
Oh yes, and if they are the expensive ones with no bulky seam over the toes, I'm eternally grateful
Load More Replies... Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
I'm getting socks, and the friend who's giving them to me is also giving Bouche some baby socks to kill.
Headless Roach 3 years ago
Yes, best gift ever for me. Just remember I need 3 pairs at a time.
Tamra 3 years ago
Can they all be different patterns, or do you prefer all six matching?
Load More Replies... digitalin 3 years ago
My sister used to wear fun socks. I started giving her fun socks, and then started putting fun socks in everyone's stockings (ha! See what I did there?) And I found out recently that she and her wife 100% do not want fun socks any more but have been too polite to say anything because it's been "my thing". And she completely forgot/didn't realize it was because of her that I started!
Alexander Izzo 3 years ago
My mom is obsessed with slippers and socks for Christmas. I go, Hey Mom what do you want for Christmas? she goes, Oh I want socks and mystery books. oh. ok. same thing every year
Karen Fernley 3 years ago
I havent had socks for christmas, but my mum gave me three pairs for my birthday, rolled up in a cup 😁
Sylvia_SilverVampire 2 years ago
I got so many pairs of fluffy, warm socks this christmas. And I love them! I'm weird and dislike slippers, and when I am at home I literally always wear fluffy socks. Some of the best presents!
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
I have friends who kind of took me in after my husband died and I’ve spent most major holidays with them since. Last year they gave me socks for Christmas. They really *do* think of me as family.😃
#21
I don't think I have ever bought pajamas for myself once in my life. Gift pajamas feel more comfy somehow too.
Full of Giggles 3 years ago
It’s become tradition for my husband and I to gift matching pajamas to our immediate family. Then, each household takes a picture of everyone in their pjs in front of the Christmas tree. We frame each picture and hang them all on our walls during Christmas.
digitalin 3 years ago
That is so fun and cute, but I would get so confused on laundry day.
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Catman (He/Him) 3 years ago
My father gives us pajamas on Christmas eve so we can sleep better waiting for Santa.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
New jammies that we got to open on Christmas Eve has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My husband buys me a new pair every year and I know my kids do it as well.
#22
Grocery or gas gift cards.
sturmwesen 3 years ago
That's why I buy a small personal gift i.e. handwarmer, favourit drink, and a voucher for all this year.
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Robert T 3 years ago
We have a supermarket chain here that sells decent clothes. We often give gift cards for there to people. If there is nothing in the clothes department, you can always spend it on food.
AK to LV 3 years ago
I used to love Fred Meyer gift cards in Alaska. It's like a Walmart Supercenter but with better quality clothes.
Load More Replies... Nichole Harris 3 years ago
My papa sends me Wal-Mart gift cards....I LOVE them... I mean its Wal-Mart so I can get groceries or gas or whatever!!
#23
Lego
Robert T 3 years ago
Still love Lego. Bought some for my nephew and was thrilled when I got to built it with him. :D
Lauren S 3 years ago
Same! I buy my kid legos because I can build them with him! 🥰
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Teresa Thomas 3 years ago (edited)
Everyone who knows me, knows I love LEGO. I never get LEGO gifts though :(
Graham Berry 2 years ago
I have two kids and a spouse who do not pick up after themselves. I will kill the next person who gives my family these for presents 🤣.
enigmatic crab 3 years ago
damn im glad i know this because lego always a bop
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Jill Bussey 3 years ago
But they are so expensive. I personally don't get the attraction, but each to their own.
MrsWelton 3 years ago
Yes, they are expensive...they're high quality, so you get what you pay for. My attraction is that I get to hang with my family, and build cute $hit.
Load More Replies... #24
As a cat owner: catfood and cat litter for my cat (or a gift card for the respective shops). It’s something that is always needed and very much appreciated at any time of the year.
Basically: if unsure- everything for the cat.
Bored Retsuko 3 years ago
Not sure about this one... many people have a brand they swear by, and won't experiment with their pet's food, so unless you buy the very same product, they'll end up not using it.
Biliegh they/them 3 years ago
Or like op said, get a gift card to like pets mart, chewy .com etc catfood is extremely higher than it was even a couple months ago. I feed feral cats and have to get donations for catfood. So yea, this would be a good gift.
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Aisling Raye 3 years ago
My mom ordered me a subscription delivery of the cat food my cats love. It comes every month and I don't have to go hunting for it at the local pet shops. It's a high end food and it's often hit or miss in the pet store near me, especially with the supply chain issues lately. Not having to worry about that little thing is such a wonderfully thoughtful present.
Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
Bouche supports this suggestion. Even if she won't eat the food, she'll climb in the empty bag.
Alaina Bleakley 3 years ago
My cat is too picky for someone else to buy her food/treats. Plus I'm picky about what I feed her. Toys, litter, and catnip can be a good gift thought.
#25
Cash
Upstaged75 2 years ago
My dad gives me $100 cash every year. I have a box on my desk that is now full of $100 bills. I'm saving them for something special - I just don't know what yet. :)
Poppy 3 years ago
Every year I ask my mum for cash for Xmas (when she asks me what I want for Xmas). She usually says 'But I want to see you open something' so I usually just ask for bubble bath. I have a flat full of knick knacks and ornaments and shite I don't use. I usually ask for consumables, things I will use up. I use a lot of bubble bath as I like taking long baths.
Timmy Pillinger 3 years ago
After HMV went bust and didn't honour their vouchers I've tended to prefer Bank of England tokens
Michael Largey 3 years ago
Some people interpret cash as "I couldn't be bothered to look for a gift for you." And sometimes they're right.
#26
A well-built multi-tool, like a Leatherman or Victorinox. Finding one portable enough that someone can keep it in a pocket/car/purse means they’re more likely to use it. And a good multi-tool comes in handy much more often than people who don’t have one realize.
Nadine Debard 3 years ago
Bought one for my now husband 20 years ago, I was a broke student and I saved money during a full year. One of his more precious belongings and still very useful
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
I did the same for my husband when we were first married. He has gotten SO much use out of it, for the last twenty years. He takes really good care of it too, so it still looks nearly new.
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RAM31280 3 years ago
Yes, Leatherman is great, I use mine every day, I've carried one on me every day for over 25 years
Nikki Gross 2 years ago
My brother bought me a Leatherman for my 18th birthday and I've carried it everywhere since. That is the one thing that goes into every purse or bag that I have carried. I'm 45 years old and that is by far the most useful gift anyone has ever given me. Owning one has saved my a*s more times than I can count.
Load More Replies... Boggitha Johns 3 years ago
This really is a great gift. I bought one for myself to keep in my purse and I use it all the time
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
Buy a SOG instead! You will not be disappointed!
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Roadkill The Brave 3 years ago
I bought myself a pair of Keychain screw drivers, Phillips head and flat head. Those things get used all the time especially at work.
Barbara Maloney 3 years ago
My husband has one. Was going to the airport, forgot he had it with him. Went outside the airport, buried it in the ground (didn't have time to go back to the parked car). Came home, unburied it and still has it.
Daniel Atkins 3 years ago
Leathermans are awesome I have had mine for around 20 years. It was a gift from my parents.
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
Try SOG. They make an amazing quality tool.
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#27
Extra long charging cables and a multi port fast charger. Go to the Anker website load up. Show up on Xmas with a bag and say lighting or usb c and hand them out or be god tier and give everyone one of each that’s 6ft long with a fast charger. Everyone needs more cables, not enough people think to go extra long or they just use the charger that came with the device.
Alexandra Davis 3 years ago
The wire is longer than normal, so it reaches across the room more so if you need to charge and use at the same time, you can sit on the sofa or your bed more comfily. I have a 4m one for when I'm hospital as the plug sockets are behind the bed and so a pain to reach (impossible for me as I can't stand, so have to ask a HCA/ nurse to help all the time) but my 4m one is plenty long
Load More Replies... Ursula Johnson 2 years ago
A power bank, especially one with multiple cables attached or the mini portable ones that plug into the device. Both go anywhere.
SarahBee 3 years ago
My favorite charging cables are long, and have their connectors at 90 degrees.(|-). This way, if the phone is resting on your stomach, it doesn't put stress on the connection. Not sure if this is the best brand, but something like this: APFEN 90 Degree [3-Pack] 10FT/3M Heavy Duty iPhone Gaming Charger Cable Compatible with iPhone Xs Max/XS/XR/7/7Plus/X/8/8Plus/6S/6S Plus/SE (Black Red, 10FT) https://a.co/2HJFSgz
Bobby 3 years ago
My bedroom only has one outlet. It's clearly not built to modern standards, but because of that I need a 10 ft cable to reach my night stand. If someone got me a new one they would be my hero
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I have a similar situation. My house is both old, and designed by a "junior architect." There is one outlet per wall, always in the center of that wall. This guarantees that the outlet you want to use for that stuff is right smack in the center of the bed (or right under a window). They could have been put in the corners of the room where they would be much more useful, but no.
Load More Replies... #28
Wiper blades. Stop pretending they're "fine", you can't f*****g see!
DennyS (denzoren) 3 years ago
This is weird because just this week I was like....damn okay it's time to change these, I can barely see. Lol
Tim Douglass 2 years ago
Spend the extra money and get quality silicone wipers. I'm still using the same set I bought almost 5 years ago - and that's in Oregon's Willamette valley where they get a lot of use.
Richard Anderson 2 years ago (edited)
What brand do you use and where do you get them? I had been in the habit of changing them out every year at the end of the sunny season because the heat would cook them in Central Oregon, but if I can get away from that now that I am in the valley it would be fantastic.
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PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago (edited)
This pic is one crazy wiper sweep! Never seen anything like it! Wtf kind of vehicle is this on?!
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Also, try and do the environment a favor and just change the rubber insert rather than replacing the whole wiper bar. The original equipment wiper bar will always work (and look) significantly better than a replacement one, and the rubber inserts will cost much less.
Csilla Kaszas 3 years ago
It's still good, no biggie! I just have to bend over and there is that clear spot, no problem...
#29
A one-time Mobile Detail or Landscaping Service.
Got one of each once. Life-changing. Such a small but positive thing to motivate you to keep things that may have gotten out of hand clean.
RL R 2 years ago
"Hello sir, I received this landscaping gift certificate. Should I remove my pants and underwear now? Gets kind of itchy down here so I would appreciate the landscaping and....what? OOOOOOOHHHHHH the landscaping was for my lawn....ooh, how awkward...let me lift my pants from the ground..."
Kate Jones 3 years ago
I'd add a maid service/cleaning service. They aren't as expensive as you'd think and you can surprise your family member with lots of kids or a generally messy house with an opportunity to get it cleaned top to bottom. Especially if they are overwhelmed, like some elderly people are because it's hard for them to bend down or physically clean up. Even a gift card for a pickup dry cleaner so they can get their laundry done and delivered back right to their homes. I know so many elderly people who still lug their laundry up and down a flight-or-two- of stairs. Give them a week or two off. It'll be more appreciated than the pricey electronics or clothes you might buy them.
#30
As a kid I used to pity my uncles for getting socks for Christmas. As an adult I look forward to it and its almost always one of my most appreciated gifts.
Jill Bussey 3 years ago
I blew my grandson's mind when I told him I have socks older than he is!
DennyS (denzoren) 3 years ago
Oh yeah. My mom used to basically do a bag filled with clothes items and that was the absolute best.
Richard Anderson 2 years ago
From my late teens on, socks have been my favorite present. I love the feel of brand new, never before worn socks.
#31
Slippers!
Dani M 3 years ago
Honestly, I bought cosy slippers a few weeks ago and its life changing - haven´t started heating yet and I am no longer cold! Warm feet!
Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
Keep your feet warm during the winter, and you'll stay healthier.
Load More Replies... Elladine DesIsles 3 years ago
I despise slippers! I hate footwear of all kinds, but I live downtown in a major city so of course it is a given outdoors, except in the garden. But I cannot fathom why I would want to be anything other than barefoot (or sock-footed in the cold) indoors.
#32
Jerky.
That stuff is too expensive to buy for yourself, like $100/kg, and everybody loves jerky. My cousin got a huge jar of jerky one year, and we were all sitting there gobbling it up around the Christmas tree.
Alexandra Davis 3 years ago
I wouldn't say everyone loves jerky, but I imagine it's a nice present for those who do like it!
Rumina Io 3 years ago
For the vegan cousin- Chinese supermarkets stock tofu strips which are similar to jerky. A bit softer but still tasty
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Randy Sanders 3 years ago
I make my own and give it to those that like it. Cant get my recipe anywhere else.
Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
My sister said she knew she was in love with her now husband when she was willing to share her jerky with him during their lean college years.
ShaZam Beaubien 3 years ago
Jerky is expensive ... it used to be the poor man's food. Not anymore.
Graham Berry 2 years ago
I would love to get this as a present. It really does just cost to much to buy as anything other than a rare treat.
patricia patricia 3 years ago
I don't know what it is, I've never heard of it, but it looks disgusting. Is it dry meat or something like that?
Luna Crow 3 years ago
Yes, seasoned dried meat. I'm not a fan, but there are plenty of folks who are. More for them, I guess
Load More Replies... #33
A hoodie.
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
This is literally the only thing I've asked for this year. A soft, oversized hoodie is always a treat. They're somehow more special as gifts because they feel like a warm hug in the middle of winter. Someone on this list mentioned pajamas but IMHO a hoodie is better since you can wear it out around town.
patricia patricia 3 years ago
The older I get, the more I appreciate warm, comfortable clothes
Nikki Angulo 2 years ago
I hate pullovers too! They mess your hair up, and they are a pain if you wear glasses!
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Zhaneel Rashkae 3 years ago
I bought my teen daughter one for this year and I'm as bad waiting for Xmas to give it to her as I was to open my own gifts as a kid XD
Load More Replies... #34
A bidet, better than sliced bread
Groaver Andout 3 years ago
Butter doesn't spread so easily on it "Nutella" however is a completely different matter..
Mary Jeffries 3 years ago
It was a great gift just before Covid hit and we ran out of toilet paper.
Frank Hayes 2 years ago
We bought one as a gift for a family member one Christmas. They were overwhelmed with our generosity and asked ‘how did you know I wanted one?’ Well, that expression you had when you used our bath and came out glowing for one!
#35
Extra phone chargers and wire organizers. I'll be damn glad I have an extra charger if mine goes missing/breaks. It's something I'd probably not think about until it happens, and then I'm scrambling to find a charger before my phone dies.
Wire/cord organizers are just great year-round.
Mat Hall 3 years ago
Don't most people already have a bunch of chargers kicking around? I have so many I'd swear the darned things are multiplying!
Talon 3 years ago
Yes! I have an IT dad so we tend to have multiple of some kinds of cords and I always bring my battery and some charge cords with me wherever I go in case a friend needs one, because there's always that one friend that forgot to plug in their phone or forgot to bring a cord and their phone is about to die
#36
My best friend from college buys me fancy panties every year for Christmas and I love it so much.
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 3 years ago
Plot twist ... They're married to each other 😉
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What do you think ?
DrBronxx 3 years ago
A couple of years ago my dad sent me a wonderful gift out of the blue - it was a graphic novel version of my favourite book growing up - To Kill A Mockingbird. He put a card in it and wrote "I saw this online and thought of you". This is really strange, but it was so random, and so incredibly heartfelt that I sobbed when I realised what it was. I'm tearing up now just typing this.
Tamra 3 years ago (edited)
Sometimes, just knowing that someone was thinking about us is the best part of a gift.
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VonBlade 3 years ago
Train tickets to the nearest big city. At this end of the rich/poor spectrum (relatively) I can either afford to get there, or do something when there, not both. Being able to get there for "free" means a rare day out, and as we all know a change of view is sometimes all we need.
MellonCollie 3 years ago
My mother gets my sister and me a big basket of non-perishable food items that she knows we like, every year. She puts in something for our whole families, some treats for our children, a bottle of wine we can share with our husbands... It's always very thoughtful. She also puts in a gift voucher for a weekend away. The gift basket started out as a way of not just giving the voucher on its own, but to give us a nice gift and not just a sterile, lonely voucher. I like basket with the food&treats almost more than the voucher, it's so nice to pick something from 'grandma's basket' when we want to treat ourselves!
Deborah B 3 years ago
1) Snacks/junk food from our home country. There are childhood favourites that aren't sold in the UK, except at one specialty import shop. 2) Exotic fruit box - or just a fruit basket of good out of season fruit, that they won't buy for themselves due to price, big win for fruit lovers.
Auntriarch 3 years ago
Yes, I get a load of goodies for my South African friends, as I randomly have a very good shop near me
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Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
I love the ideas for things we need every day. Food, toileteries, etc. Like my grandma before me, I ask for birdseed, b/c I like to watch them at the feeders. Things like that.
The Other Guest 3 years ago
My dad owned a cabin in the mountains, and when I was 18 or so I started going up there by myself pretty much every other weekend. That year for Christmas he bought me jumper cables and snow chains. Not only were they extremely useful, but I knew it was his way of saying, "I love you and want you to be safe."
CarpeDentum 3 years ago
When I turned 30 (yeah yeah, not Christmas, whatever) my wife gave me the money I owed her. We have separate economies since I was an irresponsible young adult and still have to pay for the sins I committed back then. I couldn't and still can't pay back much at the time, so she gave me exactly what I still owed and I could push that thought out of my min. Best gift that year.
DrBronxx 3 years ago
A couple of years ago my dad sent me a wonderful gift out of the blue - it was a graphic novel version of my favourite book growing up - To Kill A Mockingbird. He put a card in it and wrote "I saw this online and thought of you". This is really strange, but it was so random, and so incredibly heartfelt that I sobbed when I realised what it was. I'm tearing up now just typing this.
Tamra 3 years ago (edited)
Sometimes, just knowing that someone was thinking about us is the best part of a gift.
Load More Replies... VonBlade 3 years ago
Train tickets to the nearest big city. At this end of the rich/poor spectrum (relatively) I can either afford to get there, or do something when there, not both. Being able to get there for "free" means a rare day out, and as we all know a change of view is sometimes all we need.
MellonCollie 3 years ago
My mother gets my sister and me a big basket of non-perishable food items that she knows we like, every year. She puts in something for our whole families, some treats for our children, a bottle of wine we can share with our husbands... It's always very thoughtful. She also puts in a gift voucher for a weekend away. The gift basket started out as a way of not just giving the voucher on its own, but to give us a nice gift and not just a sterile, lonely voucher. I like basket with the food&treats almost more than the voucher, it's so nice to pick something from 'grandma's basket' when we want to treat ourselves!
Deborah B 3 years ago
1) Snacks/junk food from our home country. There are childhood favourites that aren't sold in the UK, except at one specialty import shop. 2) Exotic fruit box - or just a fruit basket of good out of season fruit, that they won't buy for themselves due to price, big win for fruit lovers.
Auntriarch 3 years ago
Yes, I get a load of goodies for my South African friends, as I randomly have a very good shop near me
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
I love the ideas for things we need every day. Food, toileteries, etc. Like my grandma before me, I ask for birdseed, b/c I like to watch them at the feeders. Things like that.
The Other Guest 3 years ago
My dad owned a cabin in the mountains, and when I was 18 or so I started going up there by myself pretty much every other weekend. That year for Christmas he bought me jumper cables and snow chains. Not only were they extremely useful, but I knew it was his way of saying, "I love you and want you to be safe."
CarpeDentum 3 years ago
When I turned 30 (yeah yeah, not Christmas, whatever) my wife gave me the money I owed her. We have separate economies since I was an irresponsible young adult and still have to pay for the sins I committed back then. I couldn't and still can't pay back much at the time, so she gave me exactly what I still owed and I could push that thought out of my min. Best gift that year.
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