2015 Gift Idea Thread

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > 2015 Gift Idea Thread

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Bollock Monkey posted:

Who is your giftee: Partner
Budget: �30 (looking for something small to complete a gift made up of a few bits)
Giftee's age: 27
Known likes/interests: Fifa, cooking, worrying, surreal humour, music/instruments, unusual experiences (not like the paranormal - more like activities e.g. we did 2.8 hours later, which he really enjoyed)
Known hates/allergies: Aniseed, organising things. He also never manages to finish books lately, despite loving to read.
Type of gift you are looking for: As I said, something to add to a little collection of small gifts. Preferably something practical or that won't end up as clutter in our small flat.
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: A nice jumper, some spice sets/fancy oils. So far I have a beard grooming set, as he's bearded but has only recently been doing much to it other than the occasional trim when it's been unruly, a canvas tote bag (our country just started charging for plastic bags), and a silicone spoon rest.

See if you can find a nice burlap bag for shopping, and use that as a gift bag. They're much sturdier than canvas, I think.

# ¿ Nov 30, 2015 17:31

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 11:19

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Amara posted:

Who is your giftee: Relatively new BF
Budget: $30-$50, flexible
Giftee's age: 28
Known likes/interests: Oldies songs, a capella, Dogs (but dislikes cutesy things done to dogs), D&D (he's a GM), social dancing, baking
Known hates/allergies: Uh, anise and cumin
Type of gift you are looking for: I usually try to go for gifts that are either not easy to find online (mostly custom made) or else very useful. I'm just drawing a blank this time since I don't really know this guy well enough.
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: No prior gifts

I was in your situation years ago, and I did really well by just getting the girl (now my wife) a stocking. You can spend $2-6 on each item, while subtly saying "Hey, I know things about you!". Get an iTunes gift card, maybe some dice, a small simple cookbook, etc. You can also fill it out with candy and stuff, and something to remind him of you. This way, you're not putting all your eggs in one gift basket, so to speak.

Re: D&D - go to http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3647634, and ask for a suggestion on dice for a GM.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 15:52

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

sheri posted:

Who is your giftee:
My husband
Budget:
Unknown, could do one big gift or several smaller ones, no more than 200-300 in total
Giftee's age:
32
Known likes/interests:
Football, beer, video games, reading, star trek, outdoor activities, traveling, sleep, food
Known hates/allergies:
Type of gift you are looking for:
Practical, useful, something he will like. He's super hard to buy for. Everything he likes he buys for himself or is super expensive. I guess he could use new clothes, shoes, and socks but those seem pretty impersonal for Christmas. We also have a 2.5 year old son that sucks up most of our time.
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past:
He wants a new wallet, he does a lot of the cooking so maybe some nice kitchen stuff? He likes video games but he has very limited time to play them. Our lives are basically work, child rear, sleep, repeat son anything that would make our lives more exciting or easier would be good.

- What game systems does he own? If he has a Wii U, Mario Maker is easy to play for 10-15 minutes, and put down. If you don't own one, think about that - you can get a bundle at a good price, and the tablet controller means he can watch Netflix/Amazon Video or play games while you watch TV. But definitely do a little research - make sure he actually likes Mario/Nintendo.

- Get him a new wallet, and line it with a few gift cards - a playstation network gift card or x-box store card, amazon card, itunes gift card, best buy, restaurant gift card, etc.

- Does he have a favored brand of dress? If he has a certain style/pattern of dress shirt, for example, and mostly buys Brooks Brothers, find out the size, and get a new shirt for him. Put that in a gift box along with a tie suggested by a salesperson. Additional accessories (tie pin, tie clip, handkerchief, etc.) can go in there, too. May not seem very personal, but having an extra day's shirt of your 'thing' is a really nice luxury.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 21:33

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

moctopus posted:

Who is your giftee: Friend Guy
Budget: $50 give or take
Giftee's age: 29
Known likes/interests: Running, Soccer, Disc Golf, Board Games, and he is completely remodeling his bathroom from the ground up this year
Type of gift you are looking for: I'm not sure something he'll use and like
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: I got him yeast for brewing beer last year since he's done that a couple times, but he didn't seem too excited.

Get him the classic version of Carcasonne: http://www.amazon.com/Z-Man-Games-78000ZMG-Carcassonne-Classic/dp/B008ULAMSG/

Much better than Settlers of Cataan, in my opinion, and takes a bit more strategy, too. Get him a six-pack of his favorite beer to drink while you and he learn the game.

quote:

Who is your giftee: Friend Gal
Budget: $50 give or take
Giftee's age: 27
Known likes/interests: Arts and crafts, Owls, Being a teacher, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Germany.
Type of gift you are looking for: Again just something that will be used or enjoyed.
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Picture book of Owls? I'd also like to get her a book about philosophy (if that's the right word) for stuff like why are we here/why do we exist, but really light not in depth and avoids death as a theme.

Go to Etsy.com, and search for owl ornaments (or https://www.etsy.com/search?q=owl%20ornament). Get her a flock of owl ornaments. You can also find owl ornaments all over the place - Target, World Market, Wayfair, etc.

See if you can find a gift bag that's wood/tree-patterned, and line it with green tissue paper to simulate leaves.

(Being that it's Etsy, ensure you're buying an actual made product - not a pattern.)

Red fucked around with this message at 03:28 on Dec 3, 2015

# ¿ Dec 3, 2015 03:16

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Amoeba102 posted:

Who is your giftee: Girflfriend's male cousin - secret santa deal.
Budget: $A 50.
Giftee's age: About 25
Known likes/interests: Has traveled extensively, will be going to work in paris next year, has an Olympus camera, writes on their laptop. Fashion sense lies somewhere between trendy and surfer, doesn't surf as far as I'm aware of. No real helpful suggestions from family.
Known hates/allergies: Unknown
Type of gift you are looking for: Something they can take with them when they go overseas
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Liked an owl mug they got from a previous secret santa type deal. Think it was a yankee swap maybe.

How about a camping stool?: As an example - http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Rambler-TM-II-Stool/dp/B00339911O/, but there are tons out there.

It's light and folds up, and can be carried easily to the beach, as a utility seat while fixing things, or used as an extra seat for when you have too many people in your house. If he goes overseas, it should be easy enough to pack into a box being shipped over.

Edit: I added http://www.amazon.com/Byer-of-Maine-222P-Collection/dp/B001ECQ1HO/ to my wishlist.

Red fucked around with this message at 05:07 on Dec 7, 2015

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 05:04

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Iron Crowned posted:

This one is going to be a doozy, as my family doesn't like or do anything

Who is your giftee: Brother
Budget: ~100 or so, can be combined for bday/xmas
Giftee's age: 32
Known likes/interests: Final Fantasy MMOs, unflavored and overdone meats.
Known hates/allergies: Uh, probably going outside
Type of gift you are looking for: no loving clue
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: A Nirvana Tshirt when he was 14

A final fantasy shirt might be a safe bet. Try out redbubble with a search for Final Fantasy XIV.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/vargotha/works/15345452-final-fantasy-xiv-bard looks neat.

quote:

Who is your giftee: Father
Budget: ~50
Giftee's age: 61
Known likes/interests: Football, Star Trek, TV Procedurals, survivor, house hunting shows, unflavored and overdone meats, Star Craft.
Known hates/allergies: Flavor, effort in food, friends, all gifts ever
Type of gift you are looking for: no loving clue
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: A telescope 12 years ago that he never used

Hm, Star Trek offers plenty of options, but could still be a tough one.

Two ideas:

If he had any originals when he was younger, he might dig the retro Mego-like Star Trek figures: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Diamond-Select-Star-Trek-Captain-Kirk-Retro-Mego-Like-/262179578394

If not, maybe a Trek version of Settlers (board game): http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Catan-Board-Game/dp/B008MWWEJI/. You may have to bribe him with snacks to play, though.

If neither of those are appealing, does he still work? If so, get him a mug for his desk, along with a bunch of pens, sticky pads, etc. - and a bucket boss for the mug: http://www.amazon.com/Bucket-Boss-Brand-99981-Organizer/dp/B000037X0F. Then, get a loose Mego 3 3/4 Star Trek figure (based on the 79 film), and drop him in the mug. The little Star Trek guys are very easy to find on eBay.

quote:

Who is your giftee: Mother
Budget: ~50
Giftee's age: 62
Known likes/interests: TV Procedurals, Survivor, House hunting shows, unflavored and overdone meats, Cracker Barrel, hoarding food.
Known hates/allergies: Flavor, effort (especially in food), anything that has to be washed/sorted by hand/drycleaned/etc.
Type of gift you are looking for: no loving clue
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Jewelry from Uncommon Goods has worked pretty well in the past.

Get her an inexpensive necklace, and loop a Cracker Barrel gift card on to it.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 15:46

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

a friendly penguin posted:

Or since they seem to love TV, have you thought about just buying them a subscription to Netflix/Prime/Hulu/DirecTV/ChromeCast/insert endless TV possibilities here?

Did you ever watch Everybody Loves Raymond?

Get the USS Remote Boat.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 16:34

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Iron Crowned posted:

Unfortunately, they already have similar items, which is why they're so difficult to buy anything for. On a side note, I also rue the existence of vacuum sealers whenever I visit.

This is probably the only thing that will really work, I just don't know, I want to be able to put a little more effort into something. Then again I've gotten birthday cards before that weren't even signed, and the only reason I knew it was them was because of the return address.

Thanks for trying at least

I'm kind of in the same boat with my mom, to be honest - I feel your pain. I try to think practical, but I never know what to get.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 17:07

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

My parents are kind of similar - it's just how they are. Steak must be well done, otherwise it's underdone, prefer staying in when not going to comfortable chain restaurants.

Once you accept that they just want gift cards to IHOP/Olive Garden/Cracker Barrel, and give them the occasional tin of plain popcorn, you'll be happier.

Edit: Even tried to get the folks to watch Good Eats, which they thought was neat, but took nothing from it.

Red fucked around with this message at 18:38 on Dec 7, 2015

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 18:36

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Katyiah posted:

Who is your giftee: Female work colleague
Budget: $20
Giftee's age: 25
Known likes/interests: Cosmetic surgery (seriously), selfies, millionaires, cosmetics, stationery
Known hates/allergies: no idea
Type of gift you are looking for: secret Santa gift that is cheap but not tacky
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: something she won't bitch about

- Selfie stick? These are friggin' everywhere.
- iTunes gift card for $10-15, along with a little camera app shopping guide you make in Word or something - pick a few highly-rated camera/photo-editing apps.

quote:

Who is your giftee: partner's daughter
Budget: $50
Giftee's age: 7
Known likes/interests: cats, zombies, Minecraft, spiders
Known hates/allergies: roller coasters
Type of gift you are looking for: something a bit quirky and different from the stuff normal 7 year olds like
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: no idea

- Does she have any stuffed Minecraft characters? My nephew has gotten a ton, and loves them all. They even have zombies.

# ¿ Dec 8, 2015 15:06

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Katyiah posted:

Yeah she has the zombie plush, it's her favourite toy

The other plush animals are pretty well done. The toy aisle at Target has a ton of Minecraft stuff, including plastic and plush figures, swords, and on and on.

There are Legos, but they're very small (1x1 tiles) - not sure it's right for 7 years old.

Edit: gently caress me, they have normal sets now: http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Minecraft-Cave-21113-Playset/dp/B00NW2Q6ZG/

The ages listed are 8 and up - your discretion.

# ¿ Dec 8, 2015 21:35

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

Bloody Hedgehog posted:

Who is your giftee: Dad
Budget: $100
Giftee's age: 65
Known likes/interests: Literally nothing
Known hates/allergies: Literally nothing
Type of gift you are looking for: Literally anything
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Literally nothing

Is your dad a concept or feeling that vaguely exists in the ether?

If so, I'd get him a Pepperidge Farm Gift Basket, because holy poo poo, those things are actually great.

# ¿ Dec 9, 2015 15:10

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

powderific posted:

Maybe a really nice insulated mug? I have a Zojirushi one that's great.

This is a good idea, but go Stanley all the way. They may look a little utilitarian, but they last, and they're absolutely solid. Just check out the glowing reviews on Amazon.

Plus, Stanley makes all kinds of storage things, including pints (for beer, not hot stuff, duh): http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Classic-Vacuum-Pint/dp/B00RFII782/

Red fucked around with this message at 18:53 on Dec 9, 2015

# ¿ Dec 9, 2015 18:50

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

powderific posted:

The Zojirushi has more glowing reviews That said, she'd probably like the utilitarian aesthetics of Stanley.

you were warned, for camera equipment, what about a Gordy's camera strap? Depending on what kind of camera he has they can be fabulous. I love my leather wrist strap for small cameras. They're pretty luxurious so maybe a nice gift.

Blasphemy.

By the way, for your sister, re: produce - why not get her seed packets and some basic garden tools? That way, she can try growing some stuff in her backyard. Can't get much more fresh than that.

From personal experience, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, basil, and onions grow pretty easily in a lot of environments.

# ¿ Dec 9, 2015 19:07

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

powderific posted:

It's a bit of a wasteland in the winter so I'm not sure about getting her something she'd have to store till spring. And I assume she'd have to bring in topsoil and whatnot since the area was literally named for the fact that it's terrible soil where nothing will grow.

http://www.rd.com/home/gardening/9-vegetables-to-grow-indoors/

Get some small planters, son

# ¿ Dec 9, 2015 19:51

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

cuntvalet posted:

Sooo you guys did such an amazing job on when I asked about my mother in law, I come to you a second time. I feel like the only person left to really buy for is my Dad. I hope you guys can hit the nail on the head again!

Who is your giftee: My Dad
Budget: Around $50, but I would be willing to go a little bit higher.
Giftee's age: 75
Known likes/interests: Fishing, survival, Native American history, guns, camping
Known hates/allergies: Not very techy, prefers not to receive clothing (though part of his gift will involve fleece lined jeans because he's always cold)
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: CDs of a music group called Sacred Spirit, carving tools

My Dad is the type of guy who will literally tell you he wants nothing for Christmas, which makes it tough. He always spoils me (got me a sewing machine that I had been lusting over last year), and I really want to get him something he will love. I thought of going to this Native Craft Store and getting him a soap stone carving kit, but that's about it, idea wise. My boyfriend will also be trying to come up with ideas for him, probably in the $20 - $30 region, so any suggestions that way would be great too.

Thank you so much for your suggestions, they've always been very good!

In my camping experience, it can be a personal thing - you prefer your own methods and gear based upon how you were brought up. So some people can be pretty picky about that sorta thing.

I could suggest the following:

- Fox River socks. Tons of choices on Amazon, and they'll run about $10-25 a pair. Well worth it, and ultra-high quality. I have a pair that's lasted me for five years, and still looks like new. They're amazing. Absolutely fantastic for cold-weather hiking, and, well, wearing when it's really cold.

- A Double-Walled mug: http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Vessel-Insulated-Express-16-Ounce/dp/B00GC078B6/. This is ideal for both hot and cold drinks - pour a beer from the cooler, or keep a cup of coffee you bought that morning at 7-11 hot. Double-walled means he won't burn his mouth when he sips it.

- An outdoor chair can be used in the woods, back yard, ballgames, fishing, etc. - I really like the look of: http://www.amazon.com/Fashions-Talk-Portable-Ultralight-Carrying/dp/B00YBUKTUG/. If he's going to be sitting a while while fishing, having a back is a needed option.

- A headlamp is super handy at night while camping - your hands are free while you're fussing around: http://www.amazon.com/LuckLED-Flashlight-Headlight-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B010SMTWJ4/.

You could also just get him a collection of survival-type items in a gift basket:

- Signaling mirror
- Tinder kit
- LED lights on a hook: http://www.amazon.com/Evelots-Compact-Lights-LEDs-Magnetic-Design/dp/B00NABPYDY/
- Foldable shovel: http://www.amazon.com/SE-8791FSP-Emergency-Tri-Fold-Serrated/dp/B000XFOEHC/
- Pack of glow sticks
- Paracord bracelet: http://www.amazon.com/Prep-Trust-Adjustable-Paracord-Bracelet/dp/B00OP9AQ4M/
- Just a bunch of paracord (you can burn the ends and they make great rope)

And on and on and on.

Edit: If he's into woodworking, maybe look into a woodburning tool or kit. This is equipment meant to burn designs/shapes into carved wood. I would ask subtly if he knows anything about that sorta stuff first.

Red fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Dec 10, 2015

# ¿ Dec 10, 2015 03:53

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

spwrozek posted:

Just my opinion but smartwool makes better socks then fox river. Not that FR socks are bad it is just smartwool is where it is at.

Smartwool is great, too - they tend to be softer, I think. Fox River stuff, for me, is just insane in what the material does.

Under Armor isn't bad, but all of their socks tend to show their age fairly soon.

I'm kind of curious about Darn Tough, myself.

Also: Avoid any generic brands of hiking socks. They're stocked at K-Mart for a reason.

# ¿ Dec 10, 2015 16:08

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

you were warned posted:

I bought cheap non-merino wool hiking socks once and wore them exactly once. Oh, the itching...

I bought some off brand at K-Mart years ago, and they literally came apart at the seams after a month.

# ¿ Dec 10, 2015 21:04

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

m.hache posted:

Who is your giftee: My Niece
Budget: $75 CAD
Giftee's age: 3
Known likes/interests: Coloring, Megablocks, Disney Stuff
Known hates/allergies: N/A
Type of gift you are looking for: Hopefully educational and fun.
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: She loved the megablocks. We've also gotten her a customized story book based on her name

Target has these tiny plush Disney characters called Tsum Tsums. Google 'em - they have tons of the things for cheap. You could get her a pile of those.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2015 13:28

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

I need this thread!:

Who is your giftee: Father-in-Law
Budget:$100-200, Approximately
Giftee's age: 65-70
Known likes/interests: Handywork, trains, booze
Known hates/allergies: Dandiness
Type of gift you are looking for: A turntable that can easily burn a vinyl record to a CD
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Whiskey, various tools

Basically, what's the best possible turntable I can buy for someone who doesn't really want to fuss with a computer?

# ¿ Dec 12, 2015 23:41

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 11:19

Red: Apr 15, 2003; Yeah, great at getting us into Wawa.

a friendly penguin posted:

You've been so helpful in this thread that I really want to help with this query, but I have no idea about such things. So instead I offer you a link that you have probably already found: http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/what-s-the-simplest-way-i-can-convert-vinyl-records-to-mp3s-579712/

Goonspeed.

That's not a bad resource at all - the wife and her brother decided to go in on a $300 TEAC stereo that has a turntable and CD-RW drive built in, so I think they're set.

Rosalind posted:

Who is your giftee: Dad
Budget: $50-$75
Giftee's age: 60
Known likes/interests: Working at work, working at home, working in the yard, watching the episodes of NCIS that rerun on cable over-and-over, random tech gadgets that meet his arbitrary definition of "useful"
Known hates/allergies: Sugar, anything he can't easily return and buy whatever it is he wants instead, doesn't drink at all, Kindle, Chromecast, and every other tech doo-dad I can think of in my price range
Type of gift you are looking for: Anything
Ideas that you've had or gifts that have been enjoyed in the past: Sodastream

This is one of those times when you don't want to give someone a gift card, but... what else can you do? A Home Depot card in this device might be fun: http://www.amazon.com/Maze-Brainteaser-Puzzle-Unlocks-Compartment/dp/B004U6TIAI/ - make him work for the gift.

Another option might be a small mini-fridge. My dad has one he keeps in the garage so he can have cold bottled water/gatorade after mowing the lawn. If you go that route, buy him a six-pack of those old-timey looking classic glass-bottled Santa Claus-themed Coca Cola to go inside.

# ¿ Dec 14, 2015 18:17

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > 2015 Gift Idea Thread