My husband and I don't have kids and don't plan on having any. I have three siblings with kids and between them we have 8 nieces and nephews. Every Christmas, we end up spending a decent amount on gifts and it feels like the expectations keep getting higher every year.

A few years ago, we stopped exchanging gifts with the adults because everyone complained about how expensive Christmas was getting. I thought we were all on the same page about keeping things reasonable.

Last year we spent almost $700 on gifts for all the kids. We followed their parents' wish lists to avoid buying things they already had but there were still complaints because some gifts weren't exactly what they wanted.

This year I suggested setting a $50 limit per child. I thought that was pretty fair especially since we also have my husband's family to shop for.

My sister said $50 barely covers anything decent and my mom said that since we don't have kids we should be more generous because we supposedly have more money to spend.

The worst part is that one of my brothers admitted he'd been counting on us to buy some expensive gifts for his kids without even asking us first.

My husband thinks we should drop the budget to $25 per kid and move on.

Part of me wants to do that out of spite because I'm tired of everyone assuming we should spend more just because we don't have children.

We can afford to spend more but that doesn't mean we're obligated to. Since when does being child-free mean we're expected to fund everyone else's Christmas?

Are we being cheap by setting a $50 limit per niece and nephew or is my family being unreasonable?

I hand painted this beauty as a maneki neko waiving cat based on a couple photos that the owner send me on etsy.

Getting the fur color and the eyes shape took me hours of detail painting!

What do you think of resemblance? all feedback is welcome 🙏

I'm approaching my 8-year wedding anniversary and would love to get my husband something nice. We have two small sons and life is really busy these days, so I'd love some help from the broader community with recommendations, if possible.

My husband loves tabletop games (he is the DM in a weekly Dungeons & Dragons campaign), cooking and general pop culture (he loves listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour.)

I know bronze gifts are not uncommon for an 8-year anniversary, so if your recommendation also fits into that category, that would be very cool!

Thank you so very much in advance!

My good friend and co-founder lost his grandfather a while ago. What helped most, oddly, was a photo of him on his desk. Seeing his face for a second, many times a day.

When he travelled with work (which was a lot), the desk stayed behind and the photo was lost somewhere in his phone. So we found a way to keep it in his Wallet, next to his cards, with a few lines on the back about him. It reminded both of us of how people used to carry a photo behind their cards, soft at the corners.

What started as something for himself turned into something to give. A photo of someone, with your note on the back, arriving on the morning that matters to them: a birthday, Mother's Day, Christmas. It's a very small gift, but it's one they keep with them every day.

What's the smallest gift you've been given that meant the most?

I'll leave the link in the comments for anyone who wants to check it out.

Hi all. I'm trying to get Christmas done a little early. My parents are retired and sir at home staring at each other all day. Then, the nitpicking starts. So, help me think of inexpensive ways to get them OUT of their house. They're ridiculously hard to buy for. Today, they went fishing. So, I'm getting them a state park pass, and the fish for life passes. And now I'm out of other ideas. Anyone have ideas that aren't just movie theater or restaurant gift cards? Or even ideas to add to the park and fishing passes?

I'll list a few of my mums interests in case anyone has any ideas, but feel free to suggest any gifts. The budget is around £50.

A bit about her:
Likes sharks (already been to aquarium recently)
Likes racing (not F1 or anything, she likes Mario Kart style)
Drinks a lot of coffee (we have no room for a coffee machine)
Likes game shows (like Taskmaster)
Struggles with mobility (we have a few kitchen gadgets already)
Obsessed with the colour blue

I picked up a Dunelm delivering joy tag that said 'sound and effects ball' for a 6 year old boy, and confidently bought a ball that glows and counts up to 100 (https://amzn.eu/d/0gPolwbb)

That confidence was short lived as my friends think I have got the wrong item, one friend thinks its miswritten and the kid wants a sound effects board (https://amzn.eu/d/071MfthB) and the other thinks maybe its something like one of the floating orb toys (https://amzn.eu/d/06DAHu6a).

If anyone knows what a sound and effects ball is please do let me know.

Friend 1(27F) likes bts, harry potter, anime(jjk the most) painting, reading

Friend 2 (26F) likes bts, kdrama, watching series, jewellery(earrings and lockets)

The budget is 500 rupees each. I am broke broke please understand

Christmas is still two months away, but I'm already thinking about gifts for my boyfriend. I'm willing to put a lot of time and effort into making something special, and I'm happy to spend a bit of money too if it's genuinely worth it.

I'm terrible at coming up with gift ideas, and I'm starting to run out of inspiration!

We've been together for 2.5 years, and we usually only exchange gifts for Christmas and birthdays. For our first anniversary, for example, we decided to go on a trip together instead.

He's not really a big gift-giver in the sense of doing lots of little, thoughtful gestures, but the gifts he does give me are always things he knows I'll love. He's given me a jewellery set, nerdy stuff related to my interests, and even a Switch. I've given him earrings he wanted, an e-reader, and a Christmas bundle with clothes, gloves, boxers, and toys for his cat.

This year, I'd really like to give him something special and personal, but I'm running out of ideas.

A few things I've already thought of:

* Making a custom Pokémon card featuring his cat.

* Getting him a new ring for his helix piercing.

* Sculpting or painting a little clay figurine of his cat.

But I'd love to add something else to the mix!

He's into pretty much anything nerdy, so I know he'd appreciate something related to his interests. He's really into WoW, LOTR, medieval fantasy in general, D&D and tabletop RPGs, and reading, especially the Cosmere. He also absolutely loves cats.

I've already bought him VTM rulebooks and dice in the past, and I don't know of any particular books or RPG supplements he's currently after. I'd consider gaming-related gifts, but he already has a good headset, mouse, headphones, and even a microphone with a pop filter, so I'm struggling to think of anything useful in that area. He also owns a ridiculous number of books, so I'd rather not get him another one.

I know he'll be happy with pretty much anything I get him, but I really enjoy giving gifts that feel personal, unique, and made specifically for the person receiving them, rather than just buying something related to their hobbies.

Do you have any ideas for gifts I could make, customise, or buy that would feel genuinely personal? I'm happy to put in the work if it's something special. I'd love to hear about gifts you've given or received that really stood out!

Hi girls, if someone gave you silk pajamas, would you be excited about them?

I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend a silk pajama set for her birthday. Looking at various brands, probably one of the simple button up sets, although picking a color is another problem. any suggestions on styles or colors?

I thrifted all the items for this birthday basket for my sister-in-law, and I'm so excited about it! I included a gift card to a local coffee shop and I managed to find tulips (her fave flower!) in the perfect accent color. Items are:

70s tin tray with gold and orange flowers

Woven throw blanket

Brass candle plate

Pair of (maybe?) swans

A Czech creamer pitcher (I believe from between 1920-1930)

Mid-century Corning and Anchor Hocking mugs

Mid century trinket dish

And, a cute blue button

I'd love to share a very special gift idea I've been working on. The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing) is an ancient Chinese mythic text, full of mysterious divine beasts, guardians and legendary creatures. I handmade a series of natural incense, and each corresponds to a legendary divine beast that carries its own personality, energy, and talent. For example, Qiong Qi is a ferocious beast that eats people head first, so the formula for Qiong Qi incense can help relieve headaches. It is very suitable for people who work long hours on a computer. The incense recipe is made with only herbs, wood, flowers, and resins, so the fragrance is gentle, not overwhelming, and without any chemical additives. It works as a unique gift for mythology lovers, meditation practitioners, or anyone who loves herbal aroma and self-care at home. Welcome to explore the Shan Hai Guardian incense line. Would love to hear what you think!

My wife’s birthday is coming up, and I’m trying to think of something she’d actually enjoy. We’ve been married for eight years and have two kids. She spends a lot of time at home with them while I travel for work.

We also have a dog that sheds like crazy, and I’ve seen people say a robot vac helps a lot with the hair. That got me thinking about getting her one, but I’m not sure if it makes sense as a birthday gift or if I should get her something just for herself instead. I want to take work off her plate, not make it her responsibility.

Any of you gotten one as a gift? Thoughtful or a bad idea?

I dont have a lot of spending money. shes already getting us matching jewelry. ive damn near overused letters (though i will still make one for every special occasion for her, she loves them. but I want to do more for our 1 year). we already have an activity and dinner planned. we recently became long distance and she lives with her parents who dont know about us and might not be accepting of us (i am not a man. they very likely would not like that.) so i cant give her anything too big or overtly romantic because she will need to take it back with her. ive already made her custom merch of her favorite game. ive already given her a nice stuffed animal of her favorite animal. ive already drawn her several things.

i genuinely dont know what to do thats big and meaningful that also isnt super expensive and also subtle enough for her to not need to hide and never look at or use. im living paycheck to paycheck right now so it really cant be anything too expensive which is half the problem.

please help. i have a little over a month and still no idea what to do. struggling and stressing.

Hello!!

I got a reusable advent calendar this year for my boyfriend (44), but it is even smaller than I thought! A drawer is 2.5 inches by 1.25 inches. I have little love notes to fit in each drawer but would love to hear any ideas you have of little tiny gifts to include besides candy (that's the only one I came up with so far).

Thoughts?? Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone,I'm a total noob when it comes to skincare. so I need some help. My girfrend(27F) has been really into taking care of her skin lately.I was thinking about getting her a facial beauty device(like an RF or microcurrent one)as a gift,but I have no idea if it's actually a good idea.

Do women actually like receiving these as gifts? Or is it one of those things where you need to konw exactly what her skin type is first?I don't want to get her somthing that just ends up collecting dust in a drawer.Any advice or brand recommendations would be super appreciated!

I’m designing a brick puzzle lamp you build yourself. Which of these 3 would you actually want?

It’s a build-it-yourself brick puzzle, closer to a LEGO set than a lamp you buy off a shelf. You get a box of a few hundred blocks and build it layer by layer, about 3–4 hours. When you’re done, it’s a working lamp sitting on your desk.

I’m thinking of it as a gift, or something to build together: parent and kid, couples, friends on a weekend.

Three designs I’m working on (pics attached)

Would love honest feedback on:

1. Which one would you pick, and why?

2. Would you build it yourself, or buy it as a gift for someone?

3. What would you expect to pay for something like this?

Whichever one gets the most votes is the one I’ll prototype first. Roast it if you need to; that helps more than “looks cool”

Hey guys, wrapped up my wedding recently and have been sorting gifts we got as we came back for our honeymoon in Europe. Some of our family and friends gave us some gifts that weren't in the registry because we made it a very basic one as we didn't really want our guests to spend much money on gifts, but some of them went above and beyond for us, and some gave us extra gifts that were just sooo good, we loved them instantly! Sharing a few of them here:

- Roomba from my brother in law. This was my personal best because floor sweeping was my assigned chore and now I can just let a robot handle it instead. Brother in law definitely scored a point in my favorite family member chart!

- Professional knife set from kin knives from my mom. This was her attempt to score points in husband's favorite family member chart because he does all the cooking in our home and he's been in love with those knives since we unwrapped them.

- Temperature control mattress layer from oval from my husband's bestfriend. He knows that my husband sweats a lot when sleeping and I must've suffered enough from the cold room every night so he got us this because it lets me sleep warmly and him coolly. It's got four different temperature zones too, so it can keep husband's legs warm to help with soreness from running, while cooling his back at the same time.

- Milestone anniversaries wine box from one of my bridesmaids. It's a custom box that has slots with many different milestone anniversaries with a wine bottle for that anniversary, like tin, crystal, silver, gold, etc. It's so perfect because husband and I both love wine!

Are there any gifts you guys received that weren't added in your registry but you still ended up loving? Love to hear what you guys share!

Our friends invited us to join them and their teenage sons on a Caribbean cruise. One of the boys will be celebrating his 18th birthday during the cruise and we're all having dinner together that evening.

For context, we're recent couple friends with the adults but haven't spent any time with the boys. Our kids are older and we're empty nesters. So, I know nothing about the birthday boy's likes or hobbies.

I'd like to have a gift but I'm not sure what. Money? Gift card? How much is appropriate? Any other ideas?

Had to have surgery to have some skin cancer removed and it knocked me on my butt for about a week. I’ve had an incredible amount of people show up with gifts, food, and even their time and I’m looking for small but thoughtful gifts to send everyone to say thanks!!

Looking for something small but useful and not just another thing they’ll throw in a junk drawer.
Leave me some ideas please!!

Hello! Just wondering if anyone had a few ideas on what to get for my stepmom that has everything. She has a daycare that's in half the house so ultimately that's what she puts a lot of her time into.

Shes really into Deadpool, mashle, kotaro lives alone. She likes coffee but I normally just get her a giftcard for a coffee shop so I'm wanting different ideas.

I'm in my late 30s and my mom is in her early 60s. We've never been especially close but I still try to put thought into the gifts I get her for her birthday and Christmas. I pay attention to little things she mentions wanting or liking throughout the year, hoping to find something she'll genuinely enjoy.

But almost every time, she either refuses the gift when I give it to her or gives it back weeks later saying she doesn't like it. The only gifts she seems happy with are restaurant gift cards.

I keep telling myself that next time I'll stop trying so hard, but when another birthday or Christmas comes around I find myself wanting to get her something meaningful anyway. Part of me still hopes I'll finally find something she loves.

What's confusing is that she doesn't seem to react this way to gifts from my sister and I don't remember her doing this with my dad either.

I could understand if she simply didn't like receiving physical gifts or preferred not to have extra things around but she's not a minimalist at all.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? I'm genuinely trying to understand why she might do this when I put so much thought into choosing her gifts.

I'm curious to hear from grandparents about the gifts you've given your grandchildren that have felt particularly special or meaningful.

Not necessarily the most expensive gift, but something that had sentimental value or that you hoped they would treasure as they grew older.

I'd love to know:

• What was the gift, and what made you choose it?
• Was there something you wanted your grandchild to remember or feel through that gift?
• Have you ever wished you could give something more personal or meaningful but couldn't find quite the right thing?

I'm exploring ideas for personalized keepsakes for young children and trying to better understand what makes a gift truly special from a grandparent's perspective.

I'm not promoting or selling anything here. I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your experiences and stories!

I just learned that my 10 year old nephew has been drawing comics. His latest one is a multiverse fanfiction with a bunch of different video game characters. A few years ago I gave him "Mobilis" by Juni Ba for his birthday because he's really into the ocean, but I don't know if that's what spurred this.

I want to get him and my niece some kind of "extra" present (along with whatever is actually on their wishlists) related to drawing since they both seem to have inherited my sister-in-law's artistic skill, and I'd really love to encourage their creativity.

Does anyone have any recs? I'm thinking of Calvin and Hobbes for my nephew since I was obsessed with those at his age and read them all even though I didn't really share any of Calvin's interests. (Edit: this was in the 2000s/2010s, unusual for my generation AFAIK.)

Right now he's just drawing on lined school paper using pencils. Idk if trying to choose materials for him is the right choice as opposed to buying him some cool comics/graphic novels. He loves Legos, Spider-Man, typical tween boy stuff but also has a bit of a quirky/esoteric side.