How to Buy the Perfect Gift + In-Law Christmas Gift Ideas
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When I finished creating all of my gift guides, I polled yāall to see if there was anything you still needed. I received a myriad of requests for in-laws. I was surprised because I thought I had it covered in my Gift Guide for Him, Gift Guide for Her and Cruelty-Free and Nontoxic Beauty Gift Guide; however, 60% of yāall said you donāt use these kinds of gift guides for in-laws. At this point I realized a couple of things.
1) I make my gift guides a little different than others - only a couple things are over $100 and most are realistic not random āstuffā so Iād get why you wouldnāt think to use my regular ones
2) I donāt actually use gift guides at all
3) The art of gift giving has kind of been lost
I love giving gifts. Of course I like to receive them too, but Iād much rather be on the giving end, because my reactions arenāt always great. Not that I hate it, but that I may not be āExcited enoughā even if I really like something. But then again, if I hate something, that usually shows on my face too. What can I say? I donāt have a very good poker face.
The fact of the matter is that gift giving is very personal. I can give you ideas until Iām blue in the face, but the gift may not land because it doesnāt match up with the person. SO I decided to tell you how I go about shopping for gift to try and help you this Christmas or really any time you want to give a gift!
Always Listen. Keep your ears peeled if someone says they like something would love to have something. This is easier when youāre in person with the said human, so I know itās not always possible, but listen when you can! Sometime these are things the person would never actually ask for or forget by the time you ask them what theyād like. I have note section in my phone where I write down whenever Nick mentions something like this. It makes shopping so much easier!
Find Favorites. My mom loves the color blue and the shape of hearts. Nick loves coffee and wine. My sister-in-law Sophie loves sloths. My Aunt Lisa loves London and anything Royal related. My friend Kami love cats. My Mimi loves pineapples and the color purple. I CAN GO ON AND ON. All of these things are top of mind when Iām shopping for gifts -and even when Iām not shopping for gifts! If I see something I think theyāll like because it reminds me of them, more often than not Iāll pick it up and save it for later for them. These facts also help me when Iām not sure what to get.
Shop Year Round. If you find something and can budget to buy it now do so! It will take the stress out of last minute gifts and they are usually more thoughtful too!
Okay so I know your next questionā¦ how can you shop for someone you just met or some extenuating circumstance? Do they have social media? Creep on that and see if you can get some ideas from that. Also, gift cards arenāt horrible, just make sure they make sense! We usually get my sister-in-law a Soul Cycle gift card for Christmas. Itās what she wants and she enjoys it! Also flowers, wine, and candles are also good ideas pending the person. To be honest ANY GESTURE is better than no gesture. Donāt stress!
SO with that being said, here are some ideas for your in-laws. They are some unique ideas that just might be perfect for the folks you have in mind. Everything but the wine and frame are linked in the collage - just click on an image and it will take you to the direct link. Everything is also linked below the collage in paragraph format. Enjoy!
1) Base Camp Love Seat. I actually had to include this in here because I saw this and immediately thought of my parents! A fun little seat for the outdoorsy couple, or maybe for a soccer mom who also has a seat for her handbag!
2) Neck Pillow. Iām almost 30 and am looking to invest in a good neck pillow, so if your in-laws donāt have it, get them one! Maybe you gift it with travel snacks or something cute like that1
3) Texas wine cork holder. This is great for the wino - they have them in all the states! They also make a beer cap holder one too! Would be great even for someone who doesnāt drink alcohol. Maybe they love glass Dr. Pepperās and could fill out the whole Texas in DP bottle caps!
4) Personalized Golf Balls. Really you could do this with any of their favorite sports balls! I gave nick a football with a ācardā written on it as part of our first anniversary. I also got him a personalized Cowboys jersey.
5) Salt Block. These are way cool to cook on! We donāt have one, but Nick has been eyeing them for years. Plus they are pretty enough to keep out. They also make salt block shot glasses!
6) Leather Money Clip. A classy gift idea that doesnāt break the bank AND helps you keep it organized ;)
7) The Chameleon. We recently played this game with friends, then went and purchased it over Thanksgiving to play with Nickās family. Itās a fun and entertaining game so you canāt go wrong with it.
8) Quiddler. My family looooves to play games and this is one of their favorites. Games are a good gift to give, because it allows you to spend time together doing something and forces you to get off your phone ;)
9) Set. Another one of my familyās favorites1
10) Shop O Key Ring. Iāve been sharing these for a while now. They are SO GOOD. I have the gold leather one, but they have all different styles and price points. They keep your hands free while still holding your keys!
11) Crystal Wine Stoppers. We donāt usually use wine stoppers, but they are great for putting in a keepsake bottle or just to have out since they are so dang pretty1
12) Sea Stone Oven to Table Platter. Great for the host! Keep items warm, while they are out and ready to enjoy.
13) Personalized Wine. I havenāt used this, but i have received wine from PeronsalWine.com. You can add stuff to the label or even engrave a not onto the bottle of your choosing! Nickās cousin gifted him one after he officiated her wedding. Itās a fun memorable āthank youā that you can keep forever and enjoy!
14) Texas Tea Towel. A cute and useful dish towel is always a good idea! This one comes in all of the states and would be great as decoration or put to use.
15) Framebridge Photos. Whatās better than a memorable photo? Pictures are always a good idea!! You can get them framed and such here.
Do you have any gift ideas for in-laws?
Side note - I will say I have this thing I call ā the halloween candy theoryā. During Halloween you have the people who buy the crap candy (I get it! Candy is expensive) and then you have those who buy nicer/brand name candy. Yes in the end, the brand name candy cost more, but it is actually more cost effective, because the people who get the jawbreakers and those other cheap pieces of candy often end up throwing it away. My point? Itās often times worth it to spend a little more and get something someone will actually use/not just shove it in the back of their closet or the bottom of their trash bin. For the most part, if you are questioning the gift, you can ask yourself āwould I like this gift?ā and it should work. Good luck Christmas shopping -you have a little over 2 weeks left!
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