Presents for parents

[StrengthMaker]

I know this is the over 35 section and Im 20 but I think this is the most relevant place to put this

I need a little help thinking of gifts for my parents, I want to give them meaningful things, not just a toaster or drill.

A little backstory, my parents are broken up, and Im away at college. I live about an hour away from my dad, I get to see him a couple times a month. My mother on the other hand lives in Arizona and I only get to see her once or twice a year.

I dont have a lot of money for gifts because of the whole college thing.

Basically what would you guys like to recieve or have recieved that were meaningful gifts from your children for those who have them?

thanks in advance

[Jules Verne]

My guess is that if you could somehow (though a friend or someone) find out what there current interest(s) are - or something small that they need or need to replace, that would be huge.

For instance, if they just broke a putter (golf - or were putting particularly poorly) or lost a scarf or something. It really wouldn't matter whether you bought them the right thing, but would show them you are still interested in them and their lives.

Of course I don't really know what kind of relationship you have, but the fact that you are asking this question suggests you care about both of them.

[StrengthMaker]

anyone else?

[someday]

are they paying for your school? even if they aren't, i'd say bring them home straight A's.....what parent wouldn't love that!

[Rhinoclan]

Originally Posted by Jules Verne

My guess is that if you could somehow (though a friend or someone) find out what there current interest(s) are - or something small that they need or need to replace, that would be huge.

For instance, if they just broke a putter (golf - or were putting particularly poorly) or lost a scarf or something. It really wouldn't matter whether you bought them the right thing, but would show them you are still interested in them and their lives.

Of course I don't really know what kind of relationship you have, but the fact that you are asking this question suggests you care about both of them.

If they are putting poorly, chances are the putter got broke/wrapped around a tree a long time ago

Seriously though, some of the things I did for my parents when I was your age, was personal services type stuff. Clean out their garage/basement, do their yardwork, come over and make them dinner, clean the gutters, that kind of thing. You could make them a gift certificate for hours of service type thing.

[StrengthMaker]

Originally Posted by Rhinoclan

If they are putting poorly, chances are the putter got broke/wrapped around a tree a long time ago

Seriously though, some of the things I did for my parents when I was your age, was personal services type stuff. Clean out their garage/basement, do their yardwork, come over and make them dinner, clean the gutters, that kind of thing. You could make them a gift certificate for hours of service type thing.

thats a good idea but I cant because of the distance thing

and no they cant afford to pay for my schooling, working class joes. Im the first in my immediate family to get an Associates, and Ill be the first to get my bach. but Im doing as well as I can on my grades as I can a's and b's.

[greenamphibious]

send pops a stripper and mom a maid! You'll be golden and get a bigger chunk of the inheritance!

[StrengthMaker]

Originally Posted by greenamphibious

send pops a stripper and mom a maid! You'll be golden and get a bigger chunk of the inheritance!

rofl

[ChocoChick]

Originally Posted by someday

are they paying for your school? even if they aren't, i'd say bring them home straight A's.....what parent wouldn't love that!

You missed this one. It's a goodie.

[Whiskeyjack]

One thing I always thought was kind of neat was what my sister did when she was in college - create a personalized photo montage. You just take a bunch of really strong character pictures of yourself and friends and your collegiate experience and cut and paste them in colourful ways onto a large poster-sized sheet of cardboard for hanging. It's cheap, gutsy, definitely original, and represents a form of very intimate sharing. It in fact represents a time capsule. Just a thought.

[StrengthMaker]

Originally Posted by ChocolateGirl

You missed this one. It's a goodie.

Ive been workin on that all semester, but I dont think Ill pull out with straight A's. Finals week is next week. As of right now Im gunna have 3 A's and 2 B's. Unless I do stellar on finals

[StrengthMaker]

Originally Posted by Whiskeyjack

One thing I always thought was kind of neat was what my sister did when she was in college - create a personalized photo montage. You just take a bunch of really strong character pictures of yourself and friends and your collegiate experience and cut and paste them in colourful ways onto a large poster-sized sheet of cardboard for hanging. It's cheap, gutsy, definitely original, and represents a form of very intimate sharing. It in fact represents a time capsule. Just a thought.

NICE IDEA! right now Ive given out too many reps, but Ill getcha

[jtroster]

My wife and I have lots of stuff. So we like gifts that are consumable - fine wine, chocolates, single malt wiskey, etc.

[Wooly_Ace]

My sister, while in college, used to make our gifts. They were extremely inexpensive to do so, but did take time to make. Some of the things were :

blanket (got fabric in bulk and sewed away)

picture frame (bought generic wood frames and decorated the face)

candle holders (empty wine bottles or any unique shaped bottle and decorated it)

stained glass (there were kits she bought really cheap)

just to name a few.

[Ingersoll]

Originally Posted by Whiskeyjack

One thing I always thought was kind of neat was what my sister did when she was in college - create a personalized photo montage. You just take a bunch of really strong character pictures of yourself and friends and your collegiate experience and cut and paste them in colourful ways onto a large poster-sized sheet of cardboard for hanging. It's cheap, gutsy, definitely original, and represents a form of very intimate sharing. It in fact represents a time capsule. Just a thought.

Awesome idea.

It's inexpensive and it means more to parents than any material gift you could give them.

My absolute favorite gift that I ever got from one of my kids was when my 14 year old (at the time she was 14) took a really neat black and white photo of me and my youngest, who was 6 at the time, when we were running down a dirt path in the foothills. I didn't know she'd taken the picture. It was and still is so neat. Every time I see it, it makes me smile.

A lot of times, kids don't understand just how much they mean to their parents.

[giantfan43]

Originally Posted by Whiskeyjack

One thing I always thought was kind of neat was what my sister did when she was in college - create a personalized photo montage. You just take a bunch of really strong character pictures of yourself and friends and your collegiate experience and cut and paste them in colourful ways onto a large poster-sized sheet of cardboard for hanging. It's cheap, gutsy, definitely original, and represents a form of very intimate sharing. It in fact represents a time capsule. Just a thought.

That's a great idea .. I just did a picture calendar for my wife at snapfish .. it cost 20 bucks and every month has a different set of pics of our kids .. she's gonna love it and I know as a parent, if my kid did something like that, it would be great !

[IR45N]

Hard to top the photo montague for your mom. One other thing to keep a little more contact with her; Plain ol' postcards; faster to do than a snailmail letter & pretty cheap & at the very least, you can say 'no reason, just thinking of you' etc. Maybe a couple a week; always nice to get somethng like that in the mail.

For your dad, is there a town 1/2 way for each of you to just meet & have lunch? Gotta watch the weather this time of year in KS but that'd be something extra you could do.

[Joog]

I've got a similar problem, my parents are in their 70's, so they have got virtually everything they "want"
So for gifts, I look for things they wouldn't usually treat themselves to.
This Christmas, Mum gets a voucher for a massage at a day spa, Dad gets a subscription to Australian Golf magazine.

I did the photo montage thing a few years ago, they still love that!

[GnomusMaximus]

Hope no one minds a quick story from a new person. Although I am 41 I have 2 young children ages 4 and 18 months. I am the Psychologist and Special Education Director for a small school. My son attends the Pre K program. Yesterday they had a Santas' woorkshop kind of thing where the kids could buy little inexpensive things for their families. I took the chance to walk my boy down and he bought my present and had it wrapped by some of my High School kids while I was with him. The best part is that he was so happy that I would be "suprized" to find out what he got me for Christmas despite me being there when he picked it out and had it wrapped. I just love the way their little minds work. they do things just for the pure excitement in it.

[Bando]

I like the idea of pictures maybe with a story? My wife would do a scrapbook, but since I'm a guy I would do a dvd with shots or video clips of my dorm room, gym, classrooms, dining hall etc.. with a running commentary going. At the college I work at you can borrow a camera and they have all the technology to make a dvd in the library. Something they can show off to friends. Cheap, just takes some time. I was the first in our family to earn a BS and my Mom loved the framed photo of me in cap and gown

[bbbom]

The picture montage is great, or an old picture of you and your mom blown up & put in a nice frame (you can get inexpensive ones that look nice at discount stores) for her and one of you & your dad for him.

GnomusMaximus, my two are 12 & 15 and they still love to surprise me with gifts that they pick out, buy and wrap themselves or with some help from Grandma.

I was also the first in our family, even my extended family to earn a BS and till the only one so far. Both of my kids are planning on going to college too though, we'll see if they follow through or find something else that suits them without school.

[Mr. Someday]

A promise that you won't be moving back in when school wraps up.

[jgreystoke]

One of my daughters recently took me on a little holiday to Germany. That was wonderful.

Ok, you're a broke student.

Some of my kids are more broke than me. I don't expect any presents from them. I get plenty of love instead. Think long discussions about life, the universe, and everything, over endless cops of tea, long into the night.

I consider myself luckier than all the guys who get physical objects as a substitute for spending time together.

I'd defy anyone to buy me a present, anyway. I have most of what I need, and a lot of what I want. And I'm working on the balance. And if someone wanted to give me something, they'd really have to ask.

Christmas(if that's what you are talking about) used to be about the idea that mankind is worth saving. Lots of great family get togethers in there, as well.

But the awful frenzy of people buying useless stuff they can't afford, to give it to people who don't want it, is really pathetic. Very little joy to the world in that.

I'm sure you're not on that debt treadmill, and really want to please your parents. I really think they'll value your company more than anything else.

One thing I DO like to get is HOMEMADE Christmas cards, however homely, made with love.

Store bought cards are just not worth the paper they are printed on, imo. Hell I often get them from people I don't even know.