Gifts for the parent that has it all
It was my father’s birthday yesterday, and when you are inching towards 60 years of age, it is quite difficult to think of something that you really and truly need. It is harder still for well meaning but self absorbed children (I have siblings; I am naturally not talking about myself) to think of gifts too.
So, if you need a gift idea for an adult who at this point in his or her life has got all that he or she needs or wants, here are some ideas:
Gift cards
Some have a real aversion to such a gift but a gift card to a favourite restaurant, especially one that the adult in your life has deemed “too expensive” is perfect. Another good thing is that older folks hate to see money wasted so if you’ve already paid for the gift card, you can be sure it will be used.
(Not so cheap) Alcohol
Again, choose a brand that is as rich or fine as your wallet will allow. This gift only works if your favourite adult is not an alcoholic (recovering or otherwise) and if they actually enjoy alcohol. If they cannot tell cooking sherry from an Australian reisling, you may want to pass on this idea.
Wearable memento
If the adult you wish to bestow a gift on wears jewelry, why not get him or her something special? A pendant engraved with his or her name and the birthday for which it was presented or the date on which he or she was born might be welcome. Or, you can add the birthstones of the children to a piece of jewelry, and present it as a group gift.
Visual memento
If you are creative and have access to pictures of your loved one’s life (before you, perhaps), why not make copies of these pictures and create a scrapbook or a photo album from the pictures. Bonus: get family members and friends to send a picture of them with the birthday boy or girl, and write a sentence or two about fond memories they have with the person and incorporate this into the scrapbook or album.
Spend that precious time with them
Your parent might not want a gift at all. All they want is to see their child more often than once a year. Why not take a week off and come and visit? Tell them you’ll do whatever they want to do while you’re there. All they may want is a listening ear. If so, you may want to take this time to record some of the memories and stories being shared. When aggravation begins to set in, think about what this person means to you and how quickly time flies and hopefully the aggravation will diminish…if not, escape for a few moments.
This last gift is truly the best gift you can give. Even if you find it a waste of your time, I guarantee that when your loved one has moved on and they are no longer in your life to drive you crazy, it will be that time spent with them that will stick out most clearly in your mind.
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