8 Thoughtful Gifts for Those Hard to Buy for People

Everyone knows people who are hard to buy gifts for. The reasons a person's gift might be difficult to choose vary tremendously.

If you care about giving thoughtful gifts that have a good chance of pleasing the person receiving them, then it's helpful to...well, think about it first.

Lots of Reasons for It

Someone who lives in a tiny space, maybe an apartment, a dorm room, or a house already stuffed to the rafters may not have the room to display or store any more objects. Thoughtful gifts would be things that don't enhance this situation.

Often mature or settled people have already acquired all the physical things they need. Thoughtful gifts would be items that make life easier and don't require dusting.

Then there's the people seeking to simplify their lives (that would be me). I have worked hard over the last several years to de-clutter my house and life. It's something I'm still working on, so I'm somewhat stressed to receive a gift that will make this process that much harder. It's a fact that even something I like may not belong in my home. Thoughtful gifts would be choices that are in line with this lifestyle.

There are other people who have been financially successful in their lives. The people who look like they have everything. They can afford to go out and buy anything they want. How on earth do you choose a gift for someone like that? Thoughtful gifts for these people could include things they either can't go out and buy or perhaps don't know about.

There are other issues, too, such as not being sure how much is appropriate to spend. It can be awkward to give a trifle and receive something elaborate in return. In this article I'll leave it up to you to decide how much you think is appropriate to spend.

Thoughtfulness Takes Some Thought

I believe there are thoughtful gifts for even the most difficult buying decisions. Let me tell you some that occur to me. Perhaps it will stir your creative genius and you'll be able to expand the list of thoughtful gifts to meet your own unique challenges.

Giving thoughtful gifts will, however, require you to put some effort into the process. It doesn't need to be painful or take a huge amount of time. It just needs to happen before you pull out your wallet.

Be a Detective

Each of the items in the list below will have even better results if you can enlist some help. When you're trying to figure out what would please someone, ask others who know them well. Ask their spouse, their parent, or their friends what this person might like to receive.

Think of things you've heard them talk about, seen them do, and what they like to read about or spend money on. These will all give you clues about what they're interested in and lead you to ideas for thoughtful gifts for that person.

If you're in their house or office, look around and see what kind of things they display. These can also be valuable clues as to what's important to them.

The List

1. Gift Certificates
Does the person have a favorite hobby or past-time? A gift certificate to a store that sells things related to their interests is sure to please. If you think that's not personal enough, I have a couple of suggestions. First, make sure it's a location that's tied to something they love. Taking the trouble to make sure this condition is met definitely makes the gift feel special to the recipient, especially if they have a somewhat unusual interest. Second, if it's someone you like to spend time with, consider giving the certificate with a request to accompany them when they use it. For my last birthday, my sister gave me a gift certificate to my favorite tropical fish store (she'd paid attention and knew which store that was). She gave it with the condition that she accompany me to the store. I've been a fish addict for decades but I've never before had anyone who wasn't also a fish nut want to share in the shopping experience. It was incredibly fun!

2. Personalized Coupons
These are not the kind you use at a store. These are ones you make up yourself and they can offer any kind of personal service you want to give. There could be a coupon for raking their yard, for washing their car, for babysitting their kids, for bathing their dog, for baking them a cake, etc. The possibilities are endless. Again, the personal touch comes in carefully choosing something you know they would appreciate help with. If they always take their car to the car wash, then a coupon for a car wash is not as special. But if they hate to cook and get tired of meals out, thoughtful gifts could include offering to prepare a home-cooked meal or a special dessert. In our house we are particularly fond of coupons that offer to do a chore for the other person.

3. Consumables
This can be something obvious, like food. It can be fun to give something unusual that they haven't tried before. Be sure it's something you think they'll enjoy. Snails are probably not a good idea. It doesn't have to be food. If they have a hobby, such as drawing or painting, you might be able to restock some supply they run through quickly. Thoughtful gifts might be paints or watercolor paper.

4. Upgrade Something
This category of thoughtful gifts means get them something you know they would buy for themselves, only buy them a nicer, more luxurious version of it. It might be a fancier writing pen than they would choose, a tie or scarf made of real silk, or gorgeous new hand towels for the kitchen.

5. Get Something for Their Pet
This one works for people who are crazy about their pet and consider him or her to be part of the family. There are lots of us out there. We are absolutely thrilled to receive something for our beloved animal! Thoughtful gifts could take the form of treats or chews, new toys, bedding, whatever!

6. Share Your Talent
If you have a special talent, thoughtful gifts could be offering to share it with the giftee. If you are a photographer, offer to do a portrait of them (or their pet). If you write children's books, offer to write a personalized story for their child. If you fly airplanes, offer to take them up for a ride. This is a double-win situation. They get a unique product or experience and you get to share something special to you.

7. Donate in their Name
This is a good gift for the person who either has everything or doesn't want anything. Most people have causes they care about. Thoughtful gifts might be giving a monetary donation in their name to such a cause. If they have a family member with a serious disease, for instance, thoughtful gifts are donating to the organization working on a cure for that disease or even organizing a fundraiser yourself. An environmentalist might appreicate a donation to the National Arbor Foundation. This is where some of the detective work I mentioned earlier is essential. You need to find an organization they want to support. The organization itself may provide a card or letter to let the person know that a donation was made in their name. If not, you can write a note in a beautiful card telling them yourself. This is not bragging. This is letting them know you cared enough to honor them that way.

8. Write an Appreciation Letter
Who wouldn't like to receive one of these thoughtful gifts? Write a letter telling them what you appreciate about them; what makes them special. If your handwriting is legible, be sure to hand write it on a beautiful piece of paper. Otherwise, you may have to type it. But do sign it by hand. Keep it to one page so they can frame it if they want to. Parents and grandparents will be especially pleased with this gift. But so will any special friend or relative that is a nice part of your life.

The Purpose of a Gift

The real value in giving a gift is to make the receiver feel good (which usually makes the giver feel good too). No one can get it right every time and that's okay. If you put thoughtful attention into each gift you give, the person on the receiving end does get to feel special, even if the gift itself doesn't quite reach the mark. The fact that you tried to make it something tailored just to them is a wonderful gift in itself.

So the old cliche, "It's the thought that counts," has a double meaning.

First, the more thought you put into choosing a gift, the more likely you are to select something that really accomplishes its purpose.

Second, even if you choose something less than perfect, the fact that you tried to get it right ends up accomplishing the original purpose anyway.

So you win or ... you win. Those odds take the pain out of choosing a gift for someone you used to think was hard to buy for.