Gift ideas for people who are hard to buy for

March 10, 2013

There are some people we love whose birthdays are as expected as they are dreaded because it's so difficult to think of a gift they'd like! You know them well, they either already have everything they want, they have very uncommon hobbies/few hobbies or the things they like are way out of your budget. If it rings a bell, there you go, you have a hard-to-buy-for loved one that will give you some headaches before Christmas or a birthday.

There are always a few options to consider that you can tailor to anybody's personality and come up with something great. The only condition is to know their likes and dislikes or to have an inconspicuous way of getting this information out of them. Just put on your detective hat and get your magnifier.

TICKETS

So what if they like the Blue Man Group, they're awesome!

To an opera concert, a play, a music festival, anything they would enjoy. Do they love plays, but didn't get a chance to go in a long time? See what shows the local theaters have in the following weeks. Is there a band they love that they're dying to see, but didn't get a chance to get tickets or haven't yet heard the band's in town? Excellent, that's your cue to get your hands on those tickets. Or maybe they'd love to see a stand-up comedian, everything's game and if there's something going on and you think they'd love it, don't hesitate! It's different, it's meaningful, it means you listen to them and know what they enjoy. 

CUSTOMIZED OBJECTS

The Horrifying house-guest is our favorite man-eating guest.

It may sound clich?, but you can make it special by putting a lot of thought into it! What books do they love? Let's say it's Harry Potter, print them a pillow with a famous quote like "I solemnly swear I am up to no good". What TV shows or movies do they like? You can get them a mug with something iconic from the show for them to have coffee in or maybe even a printed T-shirt with, say, The Walking Dead or Breaking Bad - the possibilities are pretty much endless. Investigate and choose wisely - especially with customized pillow cases, nights are somewhat different with the above pillow close...

SOMETHING DELICIOUS

Nothing's better than homemade apple pie. Delicious photo source.

It's vague on purpose because everybody likes something different: your loved one might be a chocolate addict - which calls for a giant bag of chocolate bars or delicious home baked chocolatey goods; he might love chips just a little bit much - just begging to be drowned in bags of chips; or maybe he's just in love with Indian or Thai cuisine - making them the perfect candidate for a dinner out or a test subject to try your cooking. You know that love goes through the stomach and nobody can say no to their favorite food. Larger pants might be in order afterwards.

GIFT CARDS

You can't buy love, but you can buy a bit of a happiness.

They're not something trivial if you use them well - somebody with a passion for books is sure to love a 50$ gift card to use on Amazon or the local bookstore, a person who likes to dress well will like a gift card for an accessories shop, a gamer will be ecstatic if given a gift card at GameStop. Just be wary of the person's interests so you'll avoid mistakes like getting a make-up gift card for somebody who barely if ever uses make-up. It means you know what they enjoy and it gives them liberty to choose exactly the thing they want.

EXPERIENCES

For your sake, we hope they like knitting better. Photo source.

Last, but definitely not least. Is there a place they'd love to visit, is there an activity they wish they had done but didn't get the chance, is there a class they wanted to take but forgot all about? That's an experience you could offer them and it's unforgettable. Just think about it: would they like to go see an art display or a museum in a different city? Take them there. Were they considering playing paintball or bowling but didn't think it was for them? Prove them wrong. Maybe they wanted to take an art class but kept postponing it. Well, you got the idea. Experiences are valuable and you can join your loved one if you're up for it and have a great time together!

Yet when in doubt, you can always check out our Birthday, Christmas or Spontaneous gifts or test out our front page search form. We promise we always have cool stuff for every taste and interest.

Yours and up for adventure,

Corina