Yet again, I’m buying gifts for people and need gift ideas. This crowd really came through last year and I’d love to try it again!
I don’t want to make rules, but I think we need a couple:
- Let’s at least cap them at $50ish. Telling people you want a DJI Drone, a Steam Deck or PS5 simply isn’t realistic. I’m not looking for ideas in that price range (even though I’d probably love all these, myself).
- Avoid intimate stuff. I’m not talking sex toys (though avoid those too - I’m not buying my sister-in-law a dildo), but more things that are really personal like jewellery, watches and stuff that you need to know the person’s tastes to get right.
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Look $10 outside the suggestion but the Kickass 5m Anderson extension lead for the camper or gold fossicker running a high banker in your life. The 2.5m falls in the price category.
I think I remember Xmas themed Chapsticks like Candy Cane/peppermint and Gingerbread if you’re after stocking stuffers
Fragrance discovery set.
To start things off this year, I’ll share how this awesome community helped me last year.
After last year’s thread, I bought:
- A Bug-a-salt for my brother-in-law, he loved it! (Thanks @CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone )
- Some nice towels for my sister (Thanks @Taleya@aussie.zone )
I got a Bluetooth transmitter (I had requested one) and it is awesome.
No worries Nath. Thanks for all your help this year. Merry Christmas to you & your family.
Bug-a-salt
Oh that’s what it’s called! A mate of mine got one of those this year and it is really cool.
I’m all about lego flowers this year.
Got the kids a harry potter phoenix and a ninja go dragon, and the gf a plum blossom
Lego is always a good present.
One that worked very well a few years back (although around the limit of your budget) was getting a picture of their record collection, with permission, then sending the list to a music-fan non-mutual friend and asking what else they’d probably like.
Easy simple ones are small soaps, food treats like cheeses (yes, especially for the lactose-free crowd, e.g. goats cheese). I think you can’t go too wrong with something that’s quick enough to go through and doesn’t end up cluttering someone’s space if they don’t use it if you give it to them each year and birthday.
But for close family, we openly just ask each other what we want unless we have an outstanding idea.
If you know someone who does some sort of hobby that requires consumables, find out what that consumable is and buy them some of that. Paint for a painter, wool for a knitter, etc. But only if you can find out the specific type of it they prefer/need. The wrong colour or type of paint is very unlikely to be appreciated, but something that’s a little more expensive than they’d normally buy themselves, but still within the style they’d like is great, if you know what that is. A voucher to a store that’s specific to their hobby is a good compromise if you don’t know and aren’t able to find out more specifics.
Loosely related, running shirts or cycling jerseys are good for people who run or ride. Not quite consumables, but things they probably own and/or need to own a few of, that can help express themselves within the hobby and probably don’t need to be in a really specific style. The fact that they’re likely to own multiple of them makes them more appropriate as a gift, IMO, because it’s less of a “commitment”. Whereas a running watch is probably something they only need one of, so even if it was priced in the appropriate range it wouldn’t work—they’ve already got the one and only one they need.
100% yes on checking brands/type for craft and art materials. You can go VERY wrong. Enlist a knowledgeable spy where possible.
I ask my sister and BIL what they want. They have a request, they get the request. No request? Cash.
Times is hard.
One sister wants cash towards a new motorcycle helmet. So yeah, she’s sorted. 😀
Another sister is all about the thoughtful gesture. It makes her super hard to buy for. She has loads more time than I do.
There was lots of Numbat talk in last year’s thread. If you need a numbat:
https://shop.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/products/numbat-soft-toyDammit! Don’t be goin showin me that! I’ve already got the kids too much!
Maybe they could get a present from Mrs Claus this year as well… hmm… i’m gona have no money in January at this rate.
I got the card game Bohnanza for secret Santa this year. The regular edition is around $20 and the special edition $35.
Keep your eyes open for stuff in Coles middle aisle. This year I picked up this little guy for $35.
He projects coloured moving nebula and stars onto the ceiling.
I also bought this little Bluetooth speaker for $16
- a set of whisky stones. You keep them in the freezer and then they chill your drink but don’t dilute it like ice when it melts. I found some at the newsagent, you might have to go looking
- Good quality sound blocking earplugs. I got some that reduce ambient noise by 27dB, at the local pharmacy
- staple free stapler. It cuts the paper and folds it a certain way to hold it together but comes apart easily when you want it to
- t-shirts with witty jokes or cultural references. Might be too late to order online
- those multi tool gadgets that go on your key ring. It’s always useful to have a bottle opener, small screwdriver, and something to open boxes with, as well as all the other doohickeys that they often have
I don’t know where to get either of these things any more, but I would replace them like-for-like if either died if possible:
The key multitool is never plan A. I’ll always reach for a better tool if possible. But I always have this on me, and it has saved my bacon more times than I can count.
It’s so small that you can get it through airport security.
I don’t know where to get either of these things any more
I have bought both on eBay, but probably too late now for Xmas
never plan A
No but all of these are good for stocking stuffers, if you’re into that sort of thing
Usb shaped keys are everywhere on ebay and temu. I’ve seen the multitools on mighty ape
Yep I know, but this thing is built like a nuclear bunker. Honestly: 11 years of daily carry, being knocked and crashed and squished about like a set of keys. Even Gotten wet a few times. I have doubts they make them on temu or eBay like this thing.
Lacie made the “rugged” range of disks and this is representative of their build quality. It’s only 32gb, and only usb2. I wish it were bigger and faster, but I’ll take its amazing toughness over those traits.
Not a key, but you can definitely still get lacie ruggeds on ebay :)
omg this is brilliant. I have had mini screwdriver sets taken from me at airports, so effing annoying. this is perfect and they appear to be from $2.50 if you want to wait to get it from China, or around $10 in AU on ebay, so possible to still get. what exactly is the usb (device?)
The utili-key looks like a regular key on your keyring, which is why I’ve never had it confiscated at airport security. Frankly if you can hijack a plane with one of these things, you can hijack a plane without one of these things.
The USB is a “Lacie imakey”. Lacie has since been assimilated into one of the big hard drive companies (Seagate I think). These USB keys are a victim of their success. You just buy the one, and never need another. This one is over ten years old.
And now I have 4 of the first and 1 of the second on their way to me. Thankyou!!
Re whisky stones: you can get stone and you can get ceramic cubes. The former look cooler, but the latter carry zero absorption
These are probably too personal… I was given a miniature greenhouse
I gave 2 shirts from jim will paint it and a plush capybara that I’m not immediately finding online
and the cats are getting this weirdo from the opshop 
I like that little Greenhouse thing. I am not sure who I’d get it for - possibly my sister, but I can’t see her actually sitting down and assembling it. My wife probably would, but I have her more than sorted. Maybe for her next birthday. 🙂
Gift mugs are a good cheap standby in case someone you don’t know well is unexpectedly coming and you didn’t have anything for them.
Buy a large mug, fill it with small food or cosmetic items that look nice together half sticking out and wrap it in cellophane.
Err… fill it with Hershey’s Kisses and give it to someone special?
Hershey’s kisses would be a perfect accompaniment to this specific mug.
