The problem of what to buy a loved one who seems to have everything they’d ever want is one many of us face each year, as is a desire to avoid spending beyond our means, or contributing to landfill. But there’s an alternative. If a person is hard to buy for, don’t buy them anything. Make something instead. What matters is the thought.
You might hear the words “make something instead” and think of spray-painted pasta necklaces and collages that contain more glue than shells; or of people who can actually knit things that other people actually want to wear. You might think you need to be either cute, or skilled, to pull this off. Think again.
One of my go-to gifts, for any number of occasions, is heart-shaped chocolate biscuits and a tag that reads “with love”. What better way to communicate affection than by making a gift that looks and tastes sweet? (Unless the person in question is on a diet, in which case it might communicate the opposite of love).
If you’re not a baker, the mere fact you tried will be impressive, regardless of the outcome. If something (or everything) goes wrong, simply document your failed attempt (genre options include comedy and horror) and give your loved one the story instead – or as well – as the actual product. It might not be edible, it will be entertaining.
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Speaking of entertainment, if the person you have in mind likes crosswords or quizzes, why not make them one? Brainstorm quirks and memories particular to them (pet peeves, proud moments, stories they tell repeatedly) with fellow friends or family members, then turn them into questions and answers. Mix it up with some multiple-choice and true-or-false questions, as well as some based on hypothetical scenarios with subjective answers. If you run out of ideas, your internet search history might offer unique inspiration.
Perhaps the person you have in mind isn’t into quizzes, or silliness. Do they love music, or eating out, or movies or books? Whatever it is, compile a list of recommended reading, or listening, or restaurants, tailored to their tastes. If you don’t share their passion, get tips from mutual friends or family members who do. The more detail (what to order at a restaurant, who recommended a certain book, why) the better. I accept that if it’s hard to think of one item a person might like to receive, coming up with five or 10 might sound harder still, but it’s just a list, they’re just ideas. The person is under no obligation to actually listen to, eat, watch or read any of your suggestions. It’s the thought that counts, and the thought is all they’re getting.
A series of photographs is another option. You could hunt down one from every year of your relationship and write a few words to accompany them. If you prefer ridiculous to sentimental, you could cut the heads out of an existing group photo and stick them on figures in another to make a more … unlikely scene. Or you could personalise a bottle of their favourite drink, or packet of their favourite food, with their, or your, grinning face.
A personalised video “card” is another option. When my grandfather turned 90 during the pandemic, members of our family met on a conference call and recorded ourselves singing, waving and blowing kisses to him. For extra points, don wigs and dress-up clothes, and follow “Happy Birthday” or “Merry Christmas”, with their favourite song.
There’s something sweet about picking a bunch of flowers versus buying one, and you don’t need a garden to do it. Ask a neighbour or two if they can spare any, or go for a walk and “prune” any overhanging plants. As with the baking, if it ends in disaster you’ll still have a gift: the story of your noble, if failed, quest.
Another option is a homemade voucher. The challenge is making sure the person redeems it, which is why I recommend terms and conditions that include a (playful!) threat. For example, if you offer to babysit a couple’s kids, you might make the consequence of failing to “redeem the offer” within six months, them having to babysit yours.
Some people will prefer a more traditional gift – will feel more or less loved based on whether more or less money has been spent on them – even if they do “have everything”. Others will appreciate a gift that has cost time just as much as a gift that has cost money, if not more.
The better you know someone, the less risky giving “outside the box” will be. The better you know someone, the easier it will be to know whether your shenanigans will make them think you’ve lost the plot; or laugh and know they are – uniquely – loved.
Emma Wilkins is a Tasmanian journalist and freelance writer
Not sure what to buy ‘the person who has everything’ for Christmas? Don’t buy them anything
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18.12.2023
The problem of what to buy a loved one who seems to have everything they’d ever want is one many of us face each year, as is a desire to avoid spending beyond our means, or contributing to landfill. But there’s an alternative. If a person is hard to buy for, don’t buy them anything. Make something instead. What matters is the thought.
You might hear the words “make something instead” and think of spray-painted pasta necklaces and collages that contain more glue than shells; or of people who can actually knit things that other people actually want to wear. You might think you need to be either cute, or skilled, to pull this off. Think again.
One of my go-to gifts, for any number of occasions, is heart-shaped chocolate biscuits and a tag that reads “with love”. What better way to communicate affection than by making a gift that looks and tastes sweet? (Unless the person in question is on a diet, in which case it might communicate the opposite of love).
If you’re not a baker, the mere fact you tried will be impressive, regardless of the outcome. If something (or everything) goes wrong, simply document your failed attempt (genre options include comedy and horror) and........
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