What gift to get for that awkward family member

We have all received a few dodgy presents in our time. More often than not these fall into the ‘novelty’ category – and they are just that, a novelty; which soon wears off. I’m sure there are very few of us who would not admit to also having bought such a present. Not that these gifts are without their place, a gift is something designed to give its recipient pleasure, and if it makes them happy for even a few moments then it was probably worth it. It is after all, the thought that counts.

But many gifts are thoughtless, and are bought with no motivation other than a simple sense of obligation. These are often for family members we have little contact with at other times of the year- Christmas and birthdays, the last bastion of the extended family in the 21st century.  These are the presents that are bought with the least thought, or at least, the least information about what their recipient would like and therefore the least chance of getting a present they would enjoy for any significant period of time or find, dare I say it, useful.

And so in these situations we resort to the generic staples for the recipient’s age group. The very young will receive a toy (which, to be fair, they would probably be delighted with), but then it gets harder and harder- the teenagers receive the ubiquitous store credit vouchers, the young adults receive household knickknacks and ‘gift sets’ of cheap aftershave and shower gel, and before long we are buying grandma a box of chocolates.

Now obviously there are no simple answers to this conundrum as the problem by its very nature arises from everybody being different. And so we have to focus on unifying factors, universal truisms that can be applied to age groups.

So what can we say of adults? Everybody has their favourite tipple. In fact, I guarantee that if you discover what a person likes, and then buy them that favourite bottle of plonk every year, they would be nothing but grateful. An appreciated present is a good present.

For older people of say, middle age onwards, there is another unifying condition – aches and pains. Almost everybody has some kind of recurring complaint, and a gift that helps to relieve that really would be ‘a gift that keeps on giving’. Magnotherapy devices such as magnetic bracelets can help to treat many conditions from rheumatoid arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome to a bad back or any other joint or muscle pain. Besides the relief from symptoms they would enjoy every day, they would also be wearing your present every day- a daily reminder of your gift that will remind them of you for years to come.

Another appreciated and more unusual gift is a magazine subscription – especially if you know that they regularly buy the magazine for themselves anyway. And again, they will be reminded of you all year- it is like giving 12 gifts spread out over an entire year at once.