Gift ideas for MIL, FIL with everything

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What do you get for in-laws who have all that they need? MIL plays tennis, sews like a mad-woman, cooks, and all the domestic stuff. She likes to make all occasion cards on the computer, maybe a supplement to that?
Nothing utilitarian 'cuz I’m sure they buy what they need when they need it. Maybe engraved keepsakes that somehow hit on one of these hobbies?
Christmas can be so frustrating!
 
I’m sooo moving toward consumables when it comes to gift giving time. I know I have too much “stuff” and do not need more of it!

How about a case of her favorite tennis balls?

She sews - fill a pretty bag with thread and needles and other “notions”.

Paper and ink for her printing.

Look in her bathroom, what is her favorite shampoo - get her a bunch of it.

A case of wine. Food - go to a gourmet shop or spice shop and get condiments and spices. A good meat/butcher shop and get some prime steaks.

Think consumable.
 
I have a dear uncle who has millions and millions of dollars to his name, and I’m making him some cookies that are impossible to find in stores, due to their delicate nature. 👍
 
Pictures of your family. One year I made fireweed jelly. consumables is a great idea.
 
Yep, you’re all right about consumable/disposable, so I need your help with unique ideas in that vein.
I just don’t want to fall back on Hickory Farms.
 
Oh, going off the picture idea… 😃 (Thanks, Jodi!)

Have you ever made a personalized calendar? I used to work for a national office supply retailer, and we would make tons of calendars for folks every Christmas. All you have to do is submit 13 photos (either printed or on a disk), choose which photos you want for the cover and specific months, and the copy/print shop does the rest! You can have your calendar laminated, too, so it lasts longer.

When I was working, a laminated, bound, full-color calendar ran about $20-$25.

Now, of course, if you have your own graphics software and digital photos, you can make your own calendar at home (this is what I’m thinking of doing for my parents and DILs), and then take it to a copy/print shop to have it bound and laminated.
 
I like the idea of theme baskets–but ones you put together yourself. The most sucessful we’ve done have been a dvd or two and plenty of snack items in a big bowl (for the pop-corn). So maybe a tote bag with tennis balls, a neat water bottle (reusable), sweat bands, etc for tennis. Or sewing notions. Pampering bath stuff is alwyas welcome. You could have the kids put it all together.
 
A wonderful idea we started a couple years ago was making donations in the family members name. If you go to Food for the poor or catholic relief services you can actually pick what you want your money to go to. You can buy baby chicks to be donated to a family so they can have eggs, you can support a family or child for a month/year, you can buy fruit trees, pigs, school supplies and other neccessities up to a new home. What a wonderful way to show your love rather than another tie or something they won’t want and will collect dust.

We still buy gifts (and I second the calendar/family picture idea)but for those with everything, this is a wonderful surprise. It also gets people thinking.

Best of luck!
 
kiva.org/

I LOVE this idea for gifts. It is the perfect gift for those who have everything. It’s not charity, it’s helping other’s around the world lift themselves out of poverty! They pay back the money, and you in turn take your money that’s been paid back and pay it forward to someone else. They in turn pay that back, and you can give it to yet another “someone else.” Meanwhile, your loved one’s get to watch business develop and hopefully thrive! The people who receive the loans update on their success’ so you watch it all happen, and can communicate with them!

There is a link to buying gift certificates right on the front page of the website. My dad (who has everything he needs) is a world traveller and so guess what he’s getting? That’s right – KIVA gift certificate! 👍
 
If you have a mac, I highly recommend using their iphoto program to make calendars, cards, and albums. This year for my parents and my husbands parents, we made a beautiful hardcover album. The photos are printed directly on the pages, and you can add words if you’d like. I just got it in the mail and it looks soooo good! I will definitely do it again. It cost me about $40 for a 30 page album. They’re super easy to make - just drag and drop the photos where you want them!
 
Fireweed is a naturally growing flower here in Juneau it is bright purple and produces an amazing colored jelly. You just collect the flowers and make your jelly from them. Totally legal but only made where the fireweed blooms. When the fireweed goes to seed summer is over.
 
exiled said:
What do you get for in-laws who have all that they need? MIL plays tennis, sews like a mad-woman, cooks, and all the domestic stuff. She likes to make all occasion cards on the computer, maybe a supplement to that?
Nothing utilitarian 'cuz I’m sure they buy what they need when they need it. Maybe engraved keepsakes that somehow hit on one of these hobbies?
Christmas can be so frustrating!
Click to expand...
Here are some things–might help?
  • year subscription to a popular sewing magazine
  • unique kitchen utensils, and/or cookware
  • Emeril’s cookbook with maybe his cookware (depending on what you wanna spend…his stuff is expensive)
  • Rachel Ray’s cookbook …again same idea above
  • Nice tasteful tennis outfit
 
Are they Catholic? Maybe a part of your gift could be having a Mass said for them.

Thats what my future MIL got me before.🤷
 
Are they Catholic?

You could always have a Mass said for them, or a bunch. It always adds a special touch to gift I think.
 
Paula Dean cookbook, what about a gift card from her favorite craft store, what about gift cards to favorite resturants. Do they have statues or pictures of Jesus, Mary and Saints? Picture frames always make nice gifts. Nativity scene or ornament. Candles?
 
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