Gift Ideas for the Baby Boomer in Your Family

Do you struggle with what to give your parents or grandparents for Christmas? Well, it’s no struggle for my husband and me anymore. We are at the top (or bottom) of the food chain so to speak.

He and I have become the eldest in both our families……it feels very strange. With his mom dying last year and my oldest sister dying this year….that puts us up as the oldest. Seems like, with that milestone, something special should come about, but so far, no bells and whistles)) It is what it is and we’re both happy to be here.

Today is our anniversary by the way. Fifty-three years….my that’s a long time. We didn’t have a big celebration or anything, but we did get to have lunch with our granddaughter at a small “hole in the wall” restaurant in Amory, MS,)) Now, I don’t mean to disparage the restaurant, but it was one of those places that you probably would never stop at unless you knew how good the food was. And it was good just as expected. And we had dinner last night with Carrie, David, and the grandchildren. That’s enough celebration for me. Back to the gifting!

Gifts for the Baby Boomer

Disposable Gifts

Well, not actually disposable but what I mean is gifts that can be used up. Here are some ideas.

Fruit Baskets

Harry & David, need I say more?

The going thing. nowadays is a subscription group. There are subscription groups for anything you can imagine! Harry & David were pioneers with their Fruit of the Month Club. It’s been the butt of many jokes on TV and in movies, but I think it would be very nice to receive a box of fancy fruits every month.

Actually, now you can do a subscription for three months, six months, or a year. And they have way more delectable goodies to choose from than just fruit! For a one-time Harry & David gift basket, check out my Amazon link. They have so many gift baskets to choose from. Harry & David

Food Baskets

Another good option for a baby boomer gift is a food basket with staple-type foods. Foods that go in the pantry or even fresh foods like ham, turkey breast, etc. One of the most enjoyable gifts that Carrie and David ever gave us was a beef tenderloin! It sort of surprised us at first, but it was just perfect. We enjoyed filet mignon about six times after Christmas))

They also tucked in some special clover honey, some spicy nuts, and a few other things. The honey was delicious and at the time I thought, we’ll never use that much honey! But you know, we used it up and now I’m hoping we’ll get another jar this Christmas))

Fresh food gifts are best given a few days or a week before Christmas. Especially something like a turkey breast, ham, or tenderloin. Keep in mind the recipient needs to be able to store the meat in a freezer or refrigerator. Or they might want to prepare it for a Christmas meal. You don’t want to open gifts and have to run off to the kitchen to prepare a beef tenderloin to go in the freezer. Think storage.

By the way, here’s a link to a post that I did a while back showing to cut up and wrap filets for the freezer.

Ever since they gave us that first tenderloin, it’s the only kind of steak we buy now. In fact, I just cut one up a few minutes ago and put 12 steaks in the freezer. That’s enough for six steak dinners for us at about $25 a meal. Not bad for steaks at all. Terry has his special way of cooking them on the grill and it has spoiled us! We rarely order steak anymore when eating out. We like what he fixes at home))

Personal Items

Baby boomers, myself included, like to receive personal items such as perfume, lotions, bath salts, skin care products, and so forth. But you do have to be careful with scented items. If your person has a special scent that they like in a perfume, find out what it is and give them the lotion or hand cream that matches. Just because you like the smell of something, doesn’t mean they will. This might require some snooping, but in this case, it’s okay)))

The same goes for men. Find out the fragrance they like and build on it. Soap on a rope is always good along with shaving or showering accessories. A travel kit or bag is always useful if they don’t have one.

Clothing

Clothing for the baby boomer can be touchy unless you know the sizes and preferences. If you go with clothing, buy something locally so the gift can be returned or exchanged if necessary. Most of us baby boomers don’t want to fool with having to return an item that has been shipped.

When gifting clothing, at our age, the gift doesn’t have to be a surprise. Take us shopping! Let us pick out and try on a few things. That way everyone will be happy. No one gets their feelings hurt because a gift was returned, and no one has to be disappointed that they received a beautiful new pair of shoes that didn’t fit.

Coupons and Gift Certificates

I don’t know and maybe I’m wrong, but sometimes I think a gift certificate can be perceived as receiving a gift from someone who didn’t want to take the time and trouble to shop for a gift. Not always….but sometimes. That’s probably just the Grinch in me. I do like gift certificates though and many times it is on the top of someone’s list. A gift certificate or cash. I know cash is at the top of most teenagers’ lists)))

You may know a baby boomer too who had rather have, or need, a gift of cash. Fixed incomes are just that, fixed. So a little extra during the holiday might really be welcomed. If you give cash, you might want to give it early.

A gift certificate to a favorite boutique, local shop, or even a grocery store is nice. We have a Brooks grocery store in Tupelo that has so many fantastic homemade and specialty foods that one can spend a large portion of that fixed income in one trip!

An online gift certificate is nice if the boomer is tech-savvy. If you’ve heard someone talking about needing new towels or linens and they just haven’t gone shopping for them yet, then a gift certificate to Bed, Bath & Beyond would be welcomed! Or even a Walmart gift card. Got a crafter? Then a Hobby Lobby or Michael’s gift certificate would be great. Heck, even if you’re not a crafter, who doesn’t love a shopping trip at Hobby Lobby!

An avid gardener might love a gift card to a local nursery, Lowes, or Home Depot. It might be something they might not redeem for a few months, but if they love plants and flowers it would be right down their alley. You could make the gift special by putting it in a little basket with some new gloves, and garden tools maybe.

How many times have you given a gift certificate to a person and said, now get YOU something with this. And then they turn around and buy groceries or something for the kids etc. And there is nothing wrong with that, it all depends on what the person needs at the time of course.

Keep in mind, how many times have you let a gift certificate expire? It happens all the time. No one benefited that that gift other than the retailer.

Gift certificates and coupons for movies or favorite restaurants may have a higher chance of being utilized. When I polled some of my friends, movie and restaurant coupons were high on the list!

Joint Gifts

Movie and restaurant coupons and food baskets fall under joint gifts for sure, but other than that, be sure that a joint gift would please both parties. Some couples would love a new kitchen appliance, but if only one person is going to use it…well. But if you know they both would enjoy a particular item, go for it.

Have you seen those personal histories that people get done and give as gifts? Here’s a personal life history questionnaire that I did a while back. You might get parents or grandparents to answer the questions and turn them into a booklet of sorts.

Flowers & Plants

Fresh flowers are a great gift for baby boomers. Well, for most women anyway. A beautiful centerpiece with holiday foliage would be even more appreciated if gifted early so it could be on display during the holidays. We all like to show off our floral gifts to friends)))

House plants are great too. Just shop for a pretty pot to put it in so that it’s ready to just be put into position somewhere. Poinsettias are nice too. They are cheerful and brighten up almost any spot in the home. Put them in a pretty piece of pottery or a basket that can be used later.

The poinsettias I purchased last year, lasted until March! And they really were not dead then, I was just ready to move on to something for spring!

Baked Goods

I don’t think there is anything more special than receiving a gift of baked goods or homemade gifts of food. Whether it be jams, jellies, bread, cakes, pies, cookies, or candy, there is just something special in knowing that someone has spent time making something homemade for you.

Now, this may be something more like what a baby boomer would do and give to someone else, but it’s still nice to be on the receiving end.

Home Decor

I was hesitant to even list this category because, at our age, most baby boomers have enough things to sit around on a bookcase and enough casserole dishes. In fact, we’re already into downsizing and trying to get rid of things by passing them on to the younger generation if they will have them! So, we really don’t need anything new for the house, unless you have specifically heard about a particular want or need.

For instance, I always let Carrie know how much I’m going to need a new desk calendar. It’s something I use daily, and I’m always pleased when I receive one as a gift. It makes shopping easier for her, and we both benefit)))

But, comfy throws are always nice too, and you can never get too many I don’t think. Plus, if you get the really oversized ones they look nice on the foot of the bed.

As we age (insert eye roll here), we tend to get chilly just sitting around! Even in the summertime, you’ll find us at night watching TV with a throw. Are we the only ones who turn the air down, and cover up to watch tv? Admit it…

Candles

Candles are a good choice I think most of the time. Scented candles with light fragrances would be best. As we age (eye roll again), we can become more sensitive to overly heavy smells, so keep it light)) Also, nice battery candles that can be used safely are a good choice. If you go off and leave a battery candle on….the most that can happen is your drain a battery))) I just went to Bunco the other night with friends and we had to turn around and go back to check a candle…lol

Magazine Subscription & Books

I know, I know….everything is online. But baby boomers still like magazines and newspapers! A gift of a year’s subscription to a magazine is a wonderful gift. Just make sure, it won’t be a duplicate. This may call for snooping again.

Check out what kind of magazines you see laying around the house and go from there. You won’t find the shipping label on the magazine like in the days of old. Nowadays they come in a plastic bag, so there isn’t anything on the magazine itself to let you know. Just ask on this one. But I know it will be appreciated. I mean, who doesn’t love Southern Living! Or maybe The New Yorker!

Books are great for the baby boomer too. You just need to know if your recipient is a reader that likes to keep hardback books or one that reads paperbacks and is done with it. Do they use a Kindle? Or audiobooks? Coffee table books are beautiful, but they are hard to store once the new has rubbed off.

Electronics

Electronics are good, just know your recipient. There is no need to gift someone AirPods if they hardly use a smartphone. I love that commercial with the old folks using Alexa)))) It sort of reminded me of us the year we received ours. She has become part of our daily routine now, even if we’re only asking about the weather or asking her to set a timer)))

This isn’t an electronic, but it’s still a great gift idea! Security for a dead battery)))

If the boomer consistently uses a smartphone, laptop, or desktop but doesn’t have an iPad, that would be a great gift.

And if you’ve been thinking about PC or Apple…I made the move to Apple a while back and love it!

IOUs

If money is tight, or even if it’s not, IOUs are great gifts for the boomer. IOUs that we can cash in when needed. Examples could be mowing the lawn, weeding the flower bed, cleaning the baseboards, shopping trip to the mall, a car wash, a trip to the attic, or washing the windows. You notice I’m listing some things that I would like to receive…

Lastly…

Some things are more precious than tangible gifts. As baby boomers, we really may not need anything and ask you not to buy us gifts. What we do like is to see family! The gift of presence is a blessed gift. Just being with family is worth way more than any prettily wrapped package. And it’s inexpensive! It’s easy to do unless your family lives across the country. In that case, a plane ticket would be perfect!

More to Come!

I’ll keep adding to this list as I hear from my friends. I’m sure there are things I haven’t thought of and I would love to hear from you if you’re a baby boomer. What kind of gifts do you like? What do you NOT like? Drop me a comment and let me know. I’ll add it to the blog post))