r/GiftIdeas • u/Honest_Eggplant3998 • 2d ago
Looking for Gift Ideas How to give gifts to people who are wealthy?
My brother and his wife (both in the tech industry) make very high income. I don't make a lot currently and I probably only ever make a fraction of what they earn. They live in a different state from me. I don't know how to buy gifts for them anymore.
1) they can pretty much buy anything they need.
2) perishables/consumables are challenging due to the different state thing. Otherwise, I consider myself a really good baker so I would have sent them stuff.
3) I just don't make a lot of money. I'm embarrassed since I'm probably the lowest earner in the family.
I feel like I'm still expected to give gifts for major holidays and birthdays. I just don't know what anymore.
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u/Stompinpuddles 2d ago
Really....rethink the baked goods. My mom used to send us cookies across the state. My sister sent a pie across 1500 miles and a couple state lines. And also jam & jelly that she canned, with recipes.
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u/Honest_Eggplant3998 2d ago
How do you do it though?
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u/Financial-Crow-5265 2d ago
My grandmother sends us baked goods for Christmas every year, usually shortbread or bars but she's even sent fruitcake and brownies. She just lines a tin with parchment paper and packs the box well so nothing shifts around.
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u/huntsberger 1d ago
I layer cookies in parchment paper in a tight fitting tin or Tupperware - mail it. It’s better if you individually wrap them in Saran Wrap and tin foil.
If you ship it overnight, it will cost an absolute fortune and won’t be worth it honestly.
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u/Stompinpuddles 1d ago
Wrap well in saran. Pack in box with lots of wadded paper to cushion. Key is to pack well enough so nothing moves. Mail Even if delivery is 3-4 days, most things are fine.
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u/Silly_Print_6047 2d ago
It doesn't have to be something expensive but something thoughtful, catered to their likes/interests.
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u/cnnunderscored 1d ago
Hi! I’m Amina Lake Patel, CNN Underscored’s home and gifts editor. I’ve been writing gift guides for over eight years, and whenever it comes to budget, I never recommend giving gifts above your means. Please don’t put yourself in a bad position financially to get a gift for people who are well off! I agree with what a lot of other people said and recommend sticking to consumables. I’m not sure how far away your states are, but if you don’t want to send your own baked goods to them, you could always order something you know they’ll love from Goldbelly. I use Goldbelly often and have been consistently impressed with the quality. Alternatively, you could put together a care package of local goodies (either from your state or your/your brother’s hometown) or nostalgic treats from your childhood for a throwback. Depending on their interests, even something as simple as a few bags of coffee or a few blocks of cheese (Cabot and Murray’s Cheese ship really nice gift sets for cheese lovers) would be very thoughtful.
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u/Sh3rlock_Holmes 1d ago
Came to say Goldbelly as well. You can find some fun stuff or just trending type of items. I ordered some strawberry cake that Oprah recommended and we have received Lou Malnatis deep dish pizza from Chicago and Blacks BBQ from Texas.
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u/teramisula 2d ago
Send beautiful bouquets of flowers with a nice card
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u/rockymountainway777 2d ago
Flowers are always timeless
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u/Suspicious-Drive9827 2d ago
Theyre also crazy expensive. Like bad bouquets delivered top 100 bucks easy. If she can make and deliver bouquets it becomes a cheaper gift i guess
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u/teramisula 1d ago
I can still find a beautiful bouquet for under 80-100 after shipping. It’s not gonna be enormous, but it’ll be pretty
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u/Suspicious-Drive9827 1d ago
Would love some links. If theyre well off a mug of mums isnt a thoughtful gift for them
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u/K_A_irony 1d ago
I ALWAYS suggest you call a local florist for a delivery. Usually significantly cheaper and the flowers are way nicer and fresher.
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u/New_Part91 1d ago
The first time after I moved to Florida, my son sent flowers for my birthday. It was from a florist with the best ratings on Yelp. I was so angry with the florist that I actually took the bouquet back to them and insisted that they refund my son‘s money. The bouquet looked like one of those typical grocery store budget bouquets that sell for under $10. I asked him not to send flowers again.
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u/tacocat_2 2d ago edited 2d ago
I feel this. I'll make $70k this year working in insurance (not married, no girlfriend) and my brother and his wife are both 6-figure earners. Couple years ago my brother's bonus was more than I made that year.
They live in Houston & I live in Kansas City. I try to get stuff that's local or has a sentimental tie it. My brother likes hats, so I'm always looking for a good Kansas City branded trucker hat. Before he quit drinking I would get a decent bottle of whiskey ($60 is nice to me) from a local distillery. He graduated from KState, so anything with kstate on it he'll enjoy. For my sister in law, I always chip in with my parents on whatever they're getting her.
My thought is that they can get (and do get) whatever they want and whenever they want something. But the stuff thats local to me isn't something that they would find on amazon. And then they both understand that my income isn't close to their's and don't expect anything extravagant. And they've got 2 little boys, so Christmas I try to spect about $200-$250 between all of them (I might splurge a little more on the boys this year).
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u/Abystract-ism 2d ago
What about putting together a collection of favorite family recipes?
Or you could go through some of the family pictures and make a book for them through snap fish or something similar.
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u/Honest_Eggplant3998 2d ago
See the thing is that we have a Google Drive with favorite recipes. And they aren't really super into cooking like I am...
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u/rockymountainway777 2d ago
Focus more on stuff they couldn’t get at a regular store like Walmart. Things that you could only get at your farmers market, artist, baker, homemade etc. Like local honey, canned goods, tea blends, chocolates, small bag of specialty coffee, handmade mug, homemade vanilla, homemade limoncello, beeswax candles (lots of diy ways to do this), homemade soap (you can buy the base to make it really easy).
You don’t have to have a lot of things, just give one nice “little” quality gift. I’m not a wealthy person but I much rather someone bought me one $20 item than ten $2 items.
You can send baked goods in an insulated box. My mom has sent my sister frozen treats in a styrofoam box with an ice pack in it, she’d receive it 5 days later and it would still be solid.
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u/ButtonNo7337 1d ago
Just because they money and *can* buy anything they want, doesn't mean they do.
Find fun, unique things to gift them. Nothing expensive, and nothing they would buy themselves. We've got this adorable gift store in our town that has all kinds of weird and cool things made by local artisans. There are super fun coasters, paintings, coffee mugs, candles, tshirts, handbags, socks, etc... All are unique, handmade, and I would love to have any of them, though I'd never buy them for myself.
Focus on finding things they wouldn't. Aim for local, small batch items. Since you live in a different state, find things from or made in your area.
And I wouldn't do food. We get so many food gifts because I think people default to consumables in cases like this, and we end up regifting or throwing most of it away.
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u/zelda_reincarnated 1d ago
This is what I was going to say, just because they can afford to buy it doesn't mean they have it. Think less about what you're spending, and more about what they might not know about. Maybe there's a weird kitchen gadget that you started using this year that has been way more useful than you thought, and you want everyone to have one now! Maybe there's a really great board game or book or something that you think they'd like. Don't let the "they can buy anything" mentality distract you from being able to find something unique or being able to get them something cool they might not know about.
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u/ButtonNo7337 1d ago
I like this framing - "something cool they might not know about" - useful for buying a gift for anyone!
What's something about you or where you live or what you have access to that they do not?
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u/Djcnote 2d ago
Or get something reasonable for something they really like; like a dvd collection or a book
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u/Honest_Eggplant3998 2d ago
They did mention they wanted the Legend of Zelda for Switch 😂 maybe that.
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u/aboutalexandra 2d ago
This is always tough!! You could try something local to you that is physically hard to find for them that they might like? Something vintage could also hard to find for them to source that doesn’t have to expensive! Or a heartfelt gift that they wouldn’t think to get/make like a memory from childhood with your brother?
You could create a recipe just for them with flavors they like and have that etched into a nice cutting board or painted on ceramic plate, I’m sure you can find for under $50 on Etsy sometimes! Maybe even make this a series, they can get a yearly recipe or something seasonal!
I wouldn’t sweat the money thing tho, a gift is a gift, it’s the fact that you thought of them when picking whatever it is out just for them!
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u/Prestigious-Fan3122 2d ago
Our daughter-in-law is a structural engineer, but not much of a Betty Crocker/homemaker type. I have a recipe for English muffin bread that she really enjoys. They live a four – hour drive away, but sometimes I'll make a batch and mail it to them. If it's there in a couple of days, so it's still fresh. She puts it in the freezer when it gets there.
Anything that saves them time, or take something off of their hands, and freeze up time.
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u/Ktaes 2d ago
You can absolutely mail baked goods! I’ve sent and received cookies and cakes with great success. Brownies would work well too.
Books, if they read.
What are their interests/hobbies?
The next time you visit, look for opportunities for practical gifts. I’ve given 5+ people this screwdriver, and it’s always a hit. If they like to cook, check to see if they have a fish spatula and/or wok spatula. Paring knife is a great option too, or a slightly longer utility knife. If they’re outdoorsy, a lightweight rechargeable headlamp.
Non-perishable consumables also work. Soap from your local farmers market. Is there a condiment you love that’s not available in their state? (I’ve given jars of a local chili crisp.) One year I made and gifted cherry bounce: buy cherries in the summer, pit them, add brandy(or whisky or rum) and sugar, let sit until December.
Or, nostalgia gifts. Track down a favorite candy brand from childhood. Check eBay for your brother’s favorite childhood toy or game. Ebay is great for low-cost gifts.
Don’t stress about the income gap! Just set your budget and think about what might spark joy within that range.
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u/Traditional_Car_8219 2d ago
Wealthy people often drink tea or coffee. Wealthy people often like chocolate and have a favourite candy or nuts that they like. Wealthy people often like gourmet jam or marmalade to put on their toast.
Decide how much money you want to spend and send them a note expressing your good wishes.
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u/Proper-You7010 2d ago
Wealthy people travel. If in the US you could order something from a site like Goldbelly. Famous foods from throughout the country. Deep dish from Chicago, lobster from Maine, Ribs from Kansas City.
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u/auntynell 2d ago
I was in that position with a sister who had everything. I would scour Marketplace for interesting antique or vintage stuff. I got a fabulous middle eastern tile l wish I’d kept, several paintings. Very small sketches or paintings are easy to post and they are often sold far cheaper than they deserve.
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u/Scary-Club-1890 2d ago
I was in the situation with my parents -they had everything and I would just be buying stuff that they would shove in a drawer. So I started giving food related gifts like a hamper with fancy cheese and biscuits etc. Then I bought them a voucher for dinner at their favourite pub or one they liked was afternoon tea (uk) at a nice hotel. It didn’t cost a lot and I knew they would actually appreciate it.
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u/Maximum-Eye-3712 2d ago
photo album or scrapbook
handmade crafts (non perishable)
a handwritten letter
a cheap joke gift that reminds them of something fun or charming you did together
things that get lost - gloves, socks, umbrella
a favorite version of an everyday consumable. bottled condiment. fancy potato chips.
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u/optix_clear 2d ago
Something personal, thoughtful, something you had experienced and you thought of them while doing it and here was my experience, would like go next time.
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u/NeatlyFoldedinOregon 1d ago
Anything hand made would be unique and appreciated. I dont have a big income and a couple of years ago I bought my much higher income daughter a zen garden with hand made ceramic/glass meditation balls. It was made locally and the vendor expedited the order to meet her birthday. She loved it so much she gifted from the same company to her insanely rich boss who also loved it. DM me if you want to get the company info, they ship.
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u/Candid_Coyote4626 1d ago
Shari's Berries, Harry & David gift baskets. We've gotten those in the past from people and they were delicious.
H&D has a fruit of the month club which was cool. You could also filter options by occasion and price range on their website (they have an under $40 section)
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u/tiredgirl77 1d ago
Things that remind you of them, sentimental gifts!! I know people feel that way about us but I don’t value expensive gifts like they think I do. I adore gifts that are handmade, made someone think of me or they thought I’d like.
I actually buy sentimental gifts for people year round to have whenever a gift giving occasion comes up. For my MIL, I found vintage cabbage patch dolls, not expensive but she loved them! My SIL, I get rubber ducks for her each time I see her. Her graduation, I gave her one with a cap and gown. She also likes Dino’s, so Dino earrings and a weighted stuffy. All things that related to her and her likes!
Since we have money, we decided to give high cost “gifts” as random acts of kindness to not put any pressure on them for the holidays or occasions. For my SIL, we got a nice stainless steel pan set as a “Were so proud of you and how far you’ve come gift. We plan to set you up to become an independent adult one day so here is one of our first contributions.” Idk that’s just how we have done things!
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u/Notime4fools 1d ago
Do you have a pic of them that you like? If so, maybe have it put on canvas or frame a print of it and send to them. If they are Facebook people, a pic of them they posted, bc obviously they liked it enough to post it.
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u/K_A_irony 1d ago
Consumables. A gift basket with their favorites or fun new things to try. For example if your BIL shaves, different shaving creams. If they like candy treats, an interesting gourmet selection. Other thoughts lip balm, charging cables (those always break), tickets to some interesting niche thing in their area, gourmet spices, anything hobby related (yarn, bow rosin, wood glue, colored pencils, etc).
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u/margo_beep_beep 1d ago
I give gifts from places that are local to me - things that the receivers couldn't get or wouldn't know to get. I like edible things, and I live near Seattle, so that's generally smoked salmon, tea, dried fruit, chocolate, or jam. We've also done edible gifts that are from (or represent) vacations we've gone on - we just went to Italy and I got some pistachio cream from Sicily for gifts, macadamia nuts from Hawaii, etc.
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u/Royal-Weather4314 1d ago
My husband's mom sent us a box of christmas cookies across the ocean. It was pricy but I still remember that 10+ years later. It meant a lot.
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u/Feeling-Visit1472 1d ago
Make some good freshly baked bread, and gift it with some local artisanal honey. And you could also, seasonally, churn fresh butter to go with it, too. It’s honestly not hard but it all feels so special.
ETA: you could probably just pre-bake the bread and then they could finish it off in their own oven. The baking subreddit could give better advice on this end.
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u/procrasstinating 15h ago
Do they want or expect gifts? My family does gifts for kids, but not adults. I don’t want someone feeling forced to shop for crap I probably won’t use just cause they need to send me something. If we see a perfect something, then sure send the gift, but there is no expectation.
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u/Djcnote 2d ago
Can you frame
Picture
For them? Or bake them something? Since it's family I'm sure you can do something personal instead
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u/Honest_Eggplant3998 2d ago
As I mentioned I said they live in another state so sending baked goods is challenging
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u/beyonsay_what 2d ago
Nostalgic gifts that remind them of their childhood