SOS! Gift ideas for relatives

[lsdesign]

I am in a doldrum over buying gifts for my husband's brother and family. They have two teenagers, are in a different state, never see or talk to them and don't have much in common.
I hate to go out and just get any old thing, they do that. I have thought about a gift basket with food, but I don't even know what they like to eat! Help.

[alli]

I recommend the food basket with an assortment of sweets, salt items etc.. Most people I know, including the hard to buy fors love an assortment of food. If you do a combination of sweet and salt you should be just fine. (cookies, nice crackers, nuts, sweet breads) Especially the teens should enjoy it! Go for it and good luck, I know the feeling-you want to send something that will be appreciated.

[Jessica]

You can also send a pasta basket, with fancy noodles and sauce. One of those ship-and-mail places can pack it for you.
Also, have you considered a charitable donation in honor of the family? We have given similar gifts in the past and they are always appreciated.

[Peggy]

I have a lot of relatives on the East Coast that we buy for so I have faced this dilemna many times.

Over the year I have resorted to gift certificates and different kinds of tickets. With the internet it is SOOOOO easy to log onto distant cities and see what is going on there. If they live in or by a major city there are usually plays, concerts or sporting events that you can purchase tickets for on-line.

Another big hit has been books of "movie dollars". Go to the websites of the major movie theatre chains and locate a theater nearby and then buy their promotion booklets. They usually sell $10, $25, and $50 dollar booklets with $5 and $1 individual movie dollars inside. They also usually include coupons for popcorn and other snack bar favorites. Sometimes they also have a free ticket in the packet. I don't know any teenager that don't enjoy going to the movies. The alternative is video rental gift certificates...Blockbuster etc.

Other gift certificates ideas: Barnes and Noble, major clothing store chains, restaurants (many have their own websites.

This way they get exactly what they want and it is less guessing and hassle for you!

Good Luck!

Peggy

[Vanessa]

Hi. Yes its hard to buy for people you don't know. The food basket for in laws seems a good choice. Also for teens a gift certificate from Best Buy or music, video store. Kids like music, computer software , videos so they can use gift certificates & get what they want. If you cannot get the gift certificates buy those Xmas cards in which you can put money in and send it to the teens. Kids enjoy having extra cash for movies, food etc specially at Xmas.
Since its your husband's brother he should have an idea of what he likes. You can buy a gift for the couple, a magazine subscription perphaps of a hobbie they enjoy? then the certificates for the kids.

[HARRYET]

I agree with Peggy on her suggestions. one i'd like to add, a few years ago i sent my sister and her husband a large popcorn bowl from crate and barrel and inside it i packed to recently release videos (she doesn't get to the movies much, as she has 7 children) and some microwave popcorn. this is something the entire family can enjoy.

good luck Ann

[This message has been edited by HARRYET (edited 12-04-2000).]

[A R Price]

We have a similar situation. I normally pack a basket of foods produced in Oregon with an appropriate serving piece or useful seasonal table decoration...jams/jellies and china jam jar, ice cream toppings w/ ice cream scoop, smoked salmon/Tillamook cheese w/ serving forks and knives, hazelnut goodies w/ candy bowl, and this year a selection of hot cereals from a local mill (don't have the serving piece part picked out yet).

[venus]

There was a segment on the Food Network all about gift baskets and different possibilities. They showed ones that included a wok, recipe and all the packaged ingredients to make things like Pad Thai, or other cooking utensils and ingredients to make a pasta dinner, etc. It looked like a very unique and edible dish that would be appreciated. Try looking at www.foodtv.com (http://www.foodtv.com)

There are companies around here that will ship baskets full of chocolates and the most incredible tropical fruit. They look like something out of a cruise brochure.

Your brother can probably find out if they like wine...you can get them a wine-of-the-month club from www.wine.com. (http://www.wine.com.)

I hope this helps.

[Laura B]

I think all of the ideas here are really great. The teenagers would definitely love gift certificates to movie theatres or blockbuster. So often when I was younger my distant relatives would try to buy me something and it would go unused and generally unappreciated (because, let's face it, teenagers don't usually appreciate the sentiment behind "it's the thought that counts"). Something like a gift certificate or even cash in a nice xmas card would be the best bets unless you know the kids well.

Along the line of gift baskets, you should check out www.southernseason.com (http://www.southernseason.com) as mentioned in another thread. They have wonderful gift baskets ranging in price from 20 dollars to over 100 dollars.

The idea of donating to a charity in their names is also nice. I discovered a great charity recently when I got their catalog in the mail. They have a website at www.heifer.org (http://www.heifer.org) . It is a group that buys farm animals for needy families and teaches them how to take care of them and the family has to promise to pass along the female offspring to other families. The gift really benefits an entire community. There is a wide variety of animals to buy. The cheapest one is a flock of chicks for 20 dollars. Anyway, I was very impressed with this and am thinking of donating something.

[Beth]

Good ideas already, but thought I would add that I have paired Blockbuster or other movie gift cards with a big tin of popcorn or a big box of micro popcorn. A gift certificate for a delivered pizza (or other meal) and a video or video rental certificate is a good combo. Movies and music for teens sound hard to beat.

For the whole family, Harry and David has nice selections. The pears are the best IMHO. Wolferman's has huge English muffins and crumpets in a variety of flavors, and they send gift packs (with coffee, spreads and such) or assortments. I have also ordered grapefruits and oranges from an Indian River grower that were wonderful. I'll post the name if I can remember it.

[Jessica]

Funny you should mention the Heifer Project, LauraB. We got gifts for my husband's grandparents from the Heifer Project, and then emailed his sister to tell her about the gift. She wrote back to say she and her husband had also bought Heifer Project gifts for the grandparents!!!
Other good, non-controversial charities are food shelves and holiday toys for kids programs.

[BethR]

I did a donation to Heifer Project in my father's name one year -- it actually brought tears to his eyes! If you will be buying separate gifts for the teenagers, consider online gift certificates. We've been buying CDNOW or Amazon online gift certificates for our 16-year-old nephew for several years now. He seems to love them -- he can pick out whatever music he happens to be into at the time.

[BarbaraL]

Blockbuster gift certificates are great -- everyone loves movies, plus my daughter loves renting games for her Nintendo64. Gift certificates to bookstores (especially bookstores with CD sections like Borders and some Barnes and Nobles) are good, too.

Something that's also worked for me in this situation -- I ask my husband for suggestions for HIS brother; if he has none, I make him TALK to his brother and ASK for suggestions. He hates this, but he grew up with his brother, I didn't. If nothing else, they actually talk to each other. No offense to you or your husband if the above doesn't apply to you -- just my in-law situation.

[lsdesign]

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. Yesterday I was discouraged and miffed, today I have gone to giftcertificates.com and ordered up movie certs. for a reasonable cost with an ultra low ship cost. This site even provided the names of theaters in their area!
I don't have to wrap and I am happy. I knew I could count on my fellow CL lovers.