Every Holiday season, I get harassed by family members that I’m hard to shop for. You see, I tend to buy myself basically whatever I want. I’m a shopaholic. I don’t mean to be, but I am.
On the flip side, my husband is equally hard to shop for. He, too, tends to end up with everything he wants. So big, fancy gifts like new game consoles and things don’t make a splash because he already has it.
We are “the Person Who Has Everything”. And being both that person, and having to shop for that person, I know how hard it can be to come up with something that’s both exciting and meaningful for a gift. So, if you have your own “Person Who Has Everything” to shop for, maybe I can help.
1) Weighted Blanket
Oddly enough, I don’t have one of these. I DO, however, have anxiety. Weighted blankets are supposedly great for creating a calm, comforting feeling and easing anxiety. They’re also supposedly great for easing you into sleep. I sleep like a baby almost every night, but my husband struggles to get a good night’s rest.
If your “Person” likes to be cozy, or struggles with anxiety/sleep, what could be more meaningful than something to alleviate that?
If you’re looking for some options, you can find a bunch of weighted blankets on Amazon
2) Smart Plugs
I actually do have some of these. And they are great. My favorite is the TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug
I plan to get a few more for Christmastime – that way I can control all the lights in the house without having to think about it.
If your “Person” is even a little technically inclined, a few Smart Plugs can be a great, if novel, way to make their life a little easier.
3) Literally Anything from Etsy
Buying gifts from Etsy is the best of both worlds. You can find amazing items, that can often times be personalized for that little “extra touch”, but you don’t have to put on pants. When you give an Etsy gift, you’re saying “I wanted to support independent creators and give you something that’s meaningful. Also, pants are the worst.”
Plus, Etsy has everything. Video Games? Yup. Candles? Yup. Hand-carved chess boards? You betcha. If you have even a general idea of what your “Person” likes, odds are you can find them a gift on Etsy.
If you’re going to go this route, I’d recommend starting early. Especially with custom items, it can take a while for your order to ship. And, sometimes Etsy can be a little more expensive than big-box counterparts. But honestly, knowing you bought an amazing gift and you did it from your smartphone in bed is basically priceless.
4) Self-Care Aids
It’s 2018. Nobody has had a good night’s sleep (well, except me) since 2016. The world is a garbage fire and everyone is stressed the fuck out. Now, more than ever, it’s important to take a break and focus on self-care. And what could be better than giving a gift that says “I care about you, so I want you to care for you.”
But self-care can be tricky. Everyone likes different things, and takes care of themselves in different ways. For women, a lot of “self-care” items are things like Gratitude Journals, or Bath Bombs. And that’s cool, if that’s what your “Person” is into. Often for men it’s shaving tools (though, personally, I don’t think hygiene and self-care are the same thing) and… alcohol? Male “self-care” is weird.
My recommendation? What does your “Person” do to relax? Find something that compliments that. If they blow off steam by cooking, get something that’s cute and useful in the kitchen, like a cook book from that chef they love. If they blow off steam by meditating, maybe a few candles in relaxing scents. And if their idea of “relaxing” is hollering at their Xbox for hours, well, maybe a premium controller or game accessory is the way to go.
Bath bombs are also always great, btw.
5) Whatever They Ask You For
This one is… dicey. Some people (me, for example) live off the “surprise” factor of the Holidays. I hate when people know what I got them. Alternatively, I almost always know what I’m getting for Christmas. (Hubs has surprised me approximately once in my whole life – when he proposed.)
But, sometimes finding that “surprise” gift makes life difficult for everyone. And you just end up defaulting to a gift card because you don’t know what to get them. (Not that there’s anything wrong with gift cards, but then can feel impersonal.)
Sometimes, it’s okay to ask what a person wants. It’s even okay to buy them what they want! Nobody is going to get mad about getting a gift they asked for. And you shouldn’t feel bad for not knowing what to buy – some people are just hard to shop for!
Do you have any great gift ideas for “the Person Who Has Everything”? Share them in the comments!
