What are your "Go To" Christmas presents to give?

[maymorganlondon]

I am a huge fan of giving gift experience vouchers to people, so they can choose a time, and venue that suits them. There are often reductions during the Black Friday promotions, so now is a good time to get them.

Other staple gifts I like to give are books. It's generally safer if you have an idea of the person's reading tastes if that's going to be what you buy.

I also like getting good quality scarves for people. This usually means something nice and cosy for the winter. I tend to avoid gloves, as you have to know what size their hands are.

I will buy toiletries, but I try not to just buy "smellies" as you never know if the scent will delight or disgust... so if I know someone uses a particular type of product, I will get that... I want to give a useful gift, that makes sense, rather than something that will go straight to the back of the cupboard... I'm also OK if they decide to re-gift (tastes change).

What I like about the type of gift I prefer to give is that you can set, and keep to, a budget per person.

What are your go to gifts at Christmas?

Do you set a budget for each person?

Or do you have a no-buy stance?

 

[Vienna]

This year I`ve had to be really well organised for my Christmas shopping. We don`t arrive home from holiday until a few days before Christmas and I`ll have 2 cases of dirty washing to tackle, plus house cleaning plus fresh food to buy. Consequently I`ve been buying presents as I`ve seen them and mainly in sales or with discount codes.
The grown up females will be receiving real leather toiletry bags from Osprey in either pink or pistachio colour. They were in their sale earlier this year plus I bagged an extra discount code on top. They ended up less than half price,will last a lifetime and arrived beautifully wrapped and gift boxed. Everybody needs a toiletry bag even if they only visit relatives or have weekends away and they are lovely quality.
For 2 couples I bought traditional picnic wicker baskets which came complete with plates,glasses, cutlery, napkins, blanket etc and the people I bought them for regularly go to the beach for the day or the lakes or who have Bar B Q`s. The baskets were also bought with a discount code.
I bought a gin fan a gin decanter with glasses and a book on gin cocktails, some smaller wine accessory kits for people I only give a token gift to but for the price of £7.99 they are lovely little gifts and ideal for wine drinkers.
Someone admired a sterling silver anklet I wore during the Summer so I bought her the same one which was in the Summer sale.
Plus along the way I picked up smaller bits and bobs to give to people, abook on 101 whiskies to try before you die for a whiskey fan, some Agent Provocateur perfumes which were 2 bottles for £16 and small stuff for my grand daughters who`se main gifts this year are giftcards but I like them to have a few things to open.

 

[Twilight]

Have you been looking at my gift list? I also like giving vouchers for events & experiences & have also given them for theatre & sporting tickets. Keen cooks & gardeners receive tools or gadgets, even small ones as additional gifts. I love books & love giving them especially to our grandchildren. Both our daughters have favourite perfumes so they are always a definite & I totally agree about scarves, probably because I love receiving them. I always have paperwhite narcissus bulbs in planted in bowls for standby gifts or added extras, I enjoy planting these up in the autumn & everyone who has ever had one has seemed really pleased. Several years ago I bought my Mr T what he called 'an Alfie Moon' shirt & along with a calendar for all his sports stuff this has become a automatic gift for him & mine from him is my Chelsea Flower Show ticket. We set a budget & stick to it.

 

[shopperholic]

Me and the husband splash out for Christmas, we always have, our eldest son (34) is in to exclusive football boots and footy gear/strips (he loves his footy) and a really good exclusive watch and our youngest son (31) is in to PS4 (PS4 Virtual Reality head set this year)and Xbox One games (for when he gets the time) and a mixture of presents and clothes. They’ve given up telling us not to spend too much years ago. We normally spend between £800-£1000 each (they always get the exact same amount spent on each other) on our sons and a couple of hundred each on the daughter in laws and grandkiddies till they grow up and can pick themselves (grandkiddies not the daughter-in-laws) I know it sounds a lot but if I could wrap the moon up with a big bow and give them that I would. They’re amazing sons, brothers, husbands and fathers who have high powered jobs so deserve the best. I know it sounds extravagant but I’ve been doing Park Love To Shop Vouchers for a long time and save monthly so the majority is paid for come Christmas so have the cash I would’ve spent to play with :mysmilie_3:

 

[maymorganlondon]

Me and the husband splash out for Christmas, we always have, our eldest son (34) is in to exclusive football boots and footy gear/strips(he loves his footy) and a really good exclusive watch and our youngest son (31) is in to PS4 (PS4 Virtual Reality head set this year)and Xbox One games (for when he gets the time) and a mixture of presents and clothes. They’ve given up telling us not to spend too much years ago. We normally spend between £800-£1000 each (they always get the exact same amount spent on each other) on our sons and a couple of hundred each on the daughter in laws and grandkiddies till they grow up and can pick themselves (grandkiddies not the daughter-in-laws) I know it sounds a lot but if I could wrap the moon up with a big bow and give them that I would. They’re amazing sons, brothers, husbands and fathers who have high powered jobs so deserve the best. I know it sounds extravagant but I’ve been doing Park Love To Shop Vouchers for a long time and save monthly so the majority is paid for come Christmas so have the cash I would’ve spent to play with :mysmilie_3:

Your boys are lucky, and you are so wise to spread the cost so it is affordable for you. Your name should be savvy shopper!!!:mysmilie_59:

 

[shopperholic]

Your boys are lucky, and you are so wise to spread the cost so it is affordable for you. Your name should be savvy shopper!!!:mysmilie_59:

We’re the lucky ones. :mysmilie_3:

“savvy shopper” thanks May I’ll take that. :mysmilie_12:

 

[merryone]

Great question, but don't really have "go to gifts" as such...Like you, I'd never buy a "generic toiletries gift set" for someone unless it was a particular brand/fragrance I know they love and therefore would use. I do tend to spend a little more on people's presents that I should, but I think to myself birthdays/xmas it's a special time of the year so I wouldn't just gift something that looks like I've just grabbed it off a supermarket shelf. Funnily enough I received an early birthday present from a really good mate today and I'd have to say I'm a bit disappointed as she blatantly spend less than a tenner...Yes she bought stuff she thought I'd like...ie a small bag of "posh hot chocolate" two vape liquids (poundland)..yes it's the brand I use, and a small cat calendar...I'd have been blown away if she'd bought me 10x vape liquids and the hot choc...Thought that counts...but you've gotta think...what does spending such a small amount on someone make you feel you're worth?!...especially since another mutual friend of ours celebrated a milestone birthday last week and she bought her a bottle of her fave perfume....£25, and pair of cordless headphones, and 30 euros spending money for her holiday!!! Ok mine's not a milestone birthday...but think she could've done better..sorry if that sounds harsh! I bought this mate a Radley canvas tote bag and a lovely scarf for her birthday back in the summer and she was thrilled with them!
To sum up...I give a lot of thought to who I'm buying for, and if the brand, item they like is inexpensive I'll buy them plenty so they've got a decent gift!

For family I don't really have a budget..and can be quite extravagant..other friends...Kinda set the budget to between £15 -£20 each, and if it's a significant I'll push the boat out a bit more. I make the most of sales and staff discount, so everyone gets a pretty decent gift!

I do have one mate who has a no gift policy...but I usually buy her something cause she has open house at hers quite a lot, provides drinks and nibbles and arranges days out and picnics and makes a huge effort with her friends. This year I spent £12 on her... and I bought her two coloured mascaras from Kiko...I know she loves coloured mascaras and I've tried the brand and it's excellent..so you can get good stuff without breaking the bank....

So in all..my policy is to put a lot of thought into the present! Don't just give 'em any old thing!

 

[mediastar]

I like to put thought into present buying. One year i went with my very good friend to a particular concert and she loved it. I bought the poster, put it in a clip frame, as she was over the moon. This year we went to an early christmas dinner with a friend last weekend and agreed an£8 budget for a table gift. She has decided she would like a weimaraner pup one day, so I got her the 2020 calendar, she knew and is delighted. I like people to have things they want and will use. I have another friend who likes hot chocolate that comes on a disposable spoon,so I usually get her some of those and something gingery. My sisinlaw loves art so that is easy. My brother it was Bob dylan, but I think he's probably got everything now so will have to ask for hints. Nephew's children get gift vouchers from amazon. I don't need things so events or times together are my favourite. My cousin my favourite person gets an archers (radio program, not schnapps) calendar+ something else lol.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I think the days when presents were something you couldn’t afford yourself (or thought it was too extravagant for yourself) are gone as we just seem to buy when and what we want,

That’s why thoughtful gifts are really appreciated, thinking of an interest and trying to get something associated which has just has that bit different slant on it.

I hated what I called “cheque book presents” - going into any old shop and buying the most expensive item you can afford without any thought whatsoever. A case of just throwing money at it as an easy way out.

Mind you it can be a bit disheartening why you know how much effort you put into something and it isn’t accepted with quite the same enthusiasm.

 

[stratobuddy]

I posted this elsewhere, but think that this is a better place for it, ordering it for my partner ASAP.

 

[merryone]

Not bad pressies this year, friend who got me such insultingly cheap birthday pressies this year excelled herself with what she got me for xmas...which was a pack of 6 trainer/boot socks with unicorns on which I will most certainly get lots of use out of, and a teapot for one with a cup attached....It was absolutely beautiful. All the other stuff I got was fabulous too. Only disappointing thing was a pack of cheap bath bombs and a set of lip glosses...I have already donated these, plus a hat and scarf that was well meaning but the hat was too small, and a neck warmer which again just felt a bit tight and uncomfortable so got shot of that too. Another mate gave a me a beautiful wine glass inscribed with my name...and "a wonderful friend"...seriously I was so touched by that...So given me food for thought...and even though I do really make a huge effort anyway to buy people things I know they'll like/use/appreciate - I'll think even harder....How will this present make the recipient feel...and if the answer is that you actually care about them...then it's the right present!
After I'd dropped off the charity donation bag, I had a look around and the amount of generic toiletries gift sets that were on sale was nobody's business! ...but hey all over for another year eh folks?!