Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gift idea? Are you stuck on what to get everyone on your Christmas list?
I can totally relate. As I type this article, I’m still confused as to what to get a few folks on my list.
We all know Christmas isn’t all about gifts and spending money but you don’t want to be remembered as a Scrooge either. Get someone you care about a Christmas gift that they’ll actually enjoy this year. It feels pretty cool to know that you gave someone a great Christmas gift.
What are Christmas gift ideas that don’t suck?
Cologne/perfume.
Every guy/girl wears cologne or perfume. If not then stay away from me at a party. I’m personally addicted to cologne.
Scents have become one of the top Christmas gift ideas over the years for a reason. Every guy I know loves to wear cologne but none of us are particularly great at picking out the right smell. This is where a female opinion is needed. If you’re a guy that plans on purchasing perfume for a girlfriend then please request some assistance from one of the store’s employees. Your intentions are thoughtful but your perspective may not be ideal (you don’t know what you’re doing). Scents will definitely make every top to Christmas gifts list because you can never go wrong with smelling great.
MMA gym membership.
A gym membership, specifically a MMA gym membership. One of the more unique Christmas gift ideas because every young guy talks about wanting to join an MMA gym but few get around to actually doing it. With the explosion in popularity of mixed martial arts, the gyms are slowly starting to creep up in communities all over North America. If you swing for a couples discount you can get a lower price and gym membership for the both of you.
Weekend getaway.
This is arguably one of the best Christmas gift ideas for Mom & Dad (if you have the money of course). It’s also one of the best Christmas gifts for the hard to buy for because everyone loves to relax. Not only do you give your parents a chance to relax for a weekend but you also get the place to yourself. You can get them a hotel downtown or you can send them away to a nice bed & breakfast a few hours away. This can be very thoughtful and unfortunately very pricey.
Liquor store gift card.
This gift is more valuable where I live because there are fewer liquor stores around. This is a practical Christmas gift idea for any twenty-something on your gift list because alcohol purchases can become pretty significant with Christmas and New Years Eve so close to each other. This will easily be one of the top selling Christmas gifts among 20-somethings during a time of the year that isn’t exactly known for sobriety.
Concert/show tickets.
Anyone that lives remotely close to a city of any size knows that there is always some sort of a show or concert happening. Just don’t get your boyfriend a Jonas Brothers concert tickets because I really doubt he will use them (unless he’s into their music, which would be rather interesting).
Sporting event tickets.
You can never go wrong with a Christmas gift that lets someone attend their favorite sport or to watch their favorite team. You can even argue this would be the perfect Christmas gift for Dad. If you can find a way to get some NFL or NHL tickets at this time of the year then I’m positive that it will make the sports fan on your gift list very happy. If you’re a millionaire you can buy someone Toronto Maple Leafs tickets (for those that don’t know- the tickets to a Leafs game are very expensive, unless you are willing to stand in nose bleed section).
Day spa services.
I usually get my Mom this every year for her birthday (not much of a surprise eh?). A nice relaxing day at the spa. This is the perfect Christmas gift idea for Mom because most Mothers wouldn’t pay for such a thing. Receiving it for free on the other hand is a luxury that they will not turn down. Another one of the perfect Christmas gifts for those hard to buy for.
Gift cards.
No, gift cards are not played out as a Christmas gift. A gift card to some one’s favorite retailer can be the ideal Christmas gift. This is usually an excellent cop out when you have no clue what to get a person. Hey at least you figured out what store to get the gift from. You deserve points for that. With a gift card you can’t go wrong since the gift receiver gets to decide what they purchase.
There you go. A list of Christmas gift ideas that don’t suck. Now I want to hear from you guys about what I missed on this list.
Ok, I have a question. What do you recommend for a 21-yr-old, male college student? He’s been dating my daughter for about 3 months, and I just don’t know him well enough to know what to get him. I know you recommended the liquor store gift card, and I know he drinks, but again he’s dating my daughter so that’s not really the route I want to take! Thanks.
Cyndi,
Im in exact same dilemma!!! I toooootally agree about the ‘alcohol gift’ !
What did you end up gifting? I dont have much money, and was thinking about some type of food gift.
Thanks for yer time and feedback.
Happy Holidays!Susie
Cyndi – it’s very nice of you to want to get your daughter’s boyfriend a gift. Honestly, unless he’s going to be at your house on Christmas when mass exchange of gifts is taking place, a gift for him doesn’t really seem necessary to me.
I’m a college student who has been going out with my boyfriend for over a year. My mom has met him on numerous occasions, and on top of that, she gets along really well with him. She’s not planning on getting anything for my boyfriend, and I don’t see a problem with that at all.
@Cyndi A great point was brought up by Sandy. However, the purchase of the gift is none of my business. I would personally recommend tickets to a sporting event of some sort. This of course depends on where you live and how expensive the tickets are. I’m sure you can find tickets to an NHL or NFL game at a reasonable price. Just make sure you get two tickets so he can drag your daughter along.
@Cyndi Another good idea would be to get him a restaraunt or food gift card. This way he can do a date night while not having to front the bill. It’s simple and shows a nice gesture on your part.
I actually really hate getting perfumes and things like that as a gift. A scent is a really personal thing, and I have years’ worth of lotions/sprays/perfumes sitting around unused because I’m just not interested in it. I shower and use deodorant but I’m very particular about fragrances, as are many people I know. That’s something where you have to be 100% sure about the recipient’s preferences, at least, if you want the gift to go to good use. Otherwise, knock yourself out, but seriously, every gift idea list says lotions/sprays/perfumes, and it drives me crazy because it’s really not a one-size-fits-all gift.
That’s interesting ck. I don’t get a gift as personal as cologne unless I know for a fact that the person wants it. For example, I remember a few years ago my brother fell in love with a new scent that we tried at the mall. He couldn’t get enough of it. I knew that would be the perfect gift.