You could make up a gift basket with a theme. For example, if they’re coffee drinkers, you could do various coffees (or teas) with a fancy or funny mug, or teapot and various teas and a tea ball.

If they like chocolate or other candy, you could do something like that – various types of chocolate, fudge, candy, whatever.

You could do something similar with lottery tickets. Another idea is a bunch of lottery tickets, a calendar, various miscellaneous items.

You could put it in a basket, put some celophane on it and a pretty ribbon, make it look “professional.”

Gift basket is a great idea. Thing is, we don’t know who it’s going to.

Everyone in my family loves coffee, beer and vino, though. That could work. Just have to pick one.

We’re the practical joke family. My hubby just got his brother a dashboard Jesus statue. I’m not sure if it was a bobble head or not. He is including some of his brother’s favorite expensive beer too.

Bouncing off the drink theme, you could do a day-to-night drink basket: a sampler of coffee and tea for the morning, a good reusable water bottle for the day, and either beer or wine for the evening.

Great ideas!!!

A box of Godiva chocolates always works for me.

One of theLeatherman multi-tools is always handy and a practical gift as well ,
Happy Holidays to all !
=)

I make a really great soap/salt scrub gift set. Make it a unisex scent like Lavender/Patchouli and you have a winner.

I may include this in the basket: RumChata. I’m pretty sure that no one in my family has tried this. It tastes like Christmas!

I go with Hickory Farms food boxes: cheese, meats, crackers, jellies. They come in all sizes and shapes – and are delicious.

I always go for a unique gift basket. For retirement I put in a couple champagne glasses with a bottle of non-alcoholic wine; a romance book (for women), or a how to book (for men); maybe a movie or chocolate. In my next life, I want to have that as a second career. I love to create baskets.

I hate non-alcoholic wine. That is rubbish. I would rather have a bottle or really good juice instead.

@cazzie The items depend on who the basket is for. Perhaps a bottle of Asti Spumante for you?

booze. Almost always appreciated.

My favourite liquor store sells craft and unique beers by the bottle, and you can get “build your own” case of a dozen for about $20.

How about a beer tasting in a box?

So, 12 random beers, a couple of mugs, a bottle opener, maybe a couple of DVDs (Strange Brew and Beerfest, perhaps?) and a packet of Goody’s Headache Powder for the next morning, and plop it all in a box.

^^Beauty, eh?

Hoser

A Canadian staple!

You could do a movie basket with a few DVD’s, some popcorn, some candy, stuff like that.

Sex toy basket! How about that? Some lube, some toys, some porn. :)

Yeah…this is immediate family, so, no! ;-) ^^

That’s a lot of PEZ dispensers! I would suggest the Star Trek box set as it’s not too expensive. Also, a couple nice pairs of woolen socks would be simply lovely.

A bottle of Crown Royal makes a wonderful gift.

^^All dressed in purple velvety swag!

I like the gift basket also. I was just thinking of doing one for my SIL earlier today. $50 for a basket can get used up fast. You can make a nice basket just going to the supermarket. Coffee, biscotti, macaroons; or, pastas, sauces, infused oils, and bread sticks; another is pancake mix, real maple syrup in two shades, cc bits, and hot chocolate mix, there are all sorts of themes you can do.

If your family drinks wine I think the nicer wine bottle opener decorker thingies is around $50. They are supposed to work really well.

I love wine rings so people know whose glass is whose. They go around the stem of the glass if you have never seen them. You put it on like a hoop earning and they come in various themes. Sometimes it is a wine theme. Grapes, wine bottle, wine glass, etc, and you know which one you have for the night so glasses don’t get confused. I have bought them with golf themes, flower themes, all sorts. Perfect for parties.

Binoculars.

toolkit of some sort.

If they all live in the frozen tundra (like you) and experience power outages, the best gift is a headlamp (also useful for night joggers): http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/76207?feat=73748-ppxs&dds=y Mine is among my most treasured possessions…it leaves my hands free when I have no power at night.

Also the 6-volt heavy duty LED flashlight with an extra battery, such as this.

@gailcalled I may pick up one of those for myself. Would be great for late night beach walks.

Several years ago, I got one for everyone I care about around here. It would be perfect for late night beach walks, leaving your hands free for other interesting activities (NSFW).

Another useful idea is the Yaktrax ice traction devices that pull on over the bottom of your sneaks or shoes for navigating slippery sidewalks or snowy trails etc.

Along the lines of @gailcalled‘s suggestion, I love love my crank radio and flashlight combo. No batteries needed, always works. Just wind it up and you have light and news or music.

@gailcalled Ah, wonderful! N is moving down the road from where she’s at now, and she’ll be about 20 feet from the State Park. Snowy trails here we come! Great idea!

@JLeslie That’s good, too!

We’d be easy to buy for. Liquor, some sort of food gift basket, camping gear, outdoor wintery gear…

@Mama_Cakes: As a bonus,pulling the Yaktrax on is also a small but serious strengthening exercise.

Thanks for putting up those links. We both love outdoor activities, yet tend to hibernate during the winter (Netflix and Peanut Butter Cups!). This will help get our arses out the door.

Thought about snowshoes or cross country skis, but the Yaktaks would work just fine. Especially on the beach where it tends to get slippery with the snow and ice!

YT’s are much easier on the thighs than snowshoes or x country skis, and you fall a lot less.

@Blondesjon and jonsblond would be easy to buy for. Maybe a bottle of Crown Royal for the jon and stuff on the Great Lakes for the blond. My partner’s Mom has this hanging up at their cabin.

Milo here:^^ They’re on your list and I’m not?

A framed Glamour Shot each from Frank, Blue, Butterbean. :)

Milo here: Autographed?

A donation to the local food bank in their name?

I think “pez dispensers and socks” have already been decided upon but there’s money left over.

No Asti, either. I’d rather have a nice bottle of juice. If you want to buy me some bubbles, make sure it is the real French stuff. This is a favourite: http://charlesheidsieck.com/en/home/diaporama/

Going with a liquor theme. It’ll fun and easy to put together.

Going with the liquor theme, maybe some of those little bottles that you can get on airplanes.
Something new for the person to try.