It’s finally here! The Christmas season that is. For some people, it has been here since Oct. 20, but now Thanksgiving is officially over and most people have started decking the halls with figurines of Santa and their yards with mechanical, inflatable polar bears and what not. Yes, this season brings many anticipated traditions, such as decorating and baking. However, one of the biggest traditions that has developed into a routine is shopping. Around this time every year, the stores manage to explode with new sales on everything from iPads to Pogo sticks. They make the prices so tempting that I just want to get up at 2:00 in the morning and knock people down so I can buy all the pillow pets I can for ten dollars each and bring them home so I can sleep on— I mean give them generously as Christmas presents. I am sure many people feel this way as well, but before anyone can go all Target Lady on the stores, they have to remember the two people that quite possibly may be the hardest people to shop for: Mom and Dad.
Every teen has this task lurking in the back of their minds. For some teens, this task might be very easy; for others, not so much. For those unfortunate souls whose parents give them so much and who want nothing more than to get them the best presents ever, I am at your service. I have finally gotten this process down to a science, inevitably. Here are a couple of tips that I hope will assist people in successfully figuring out what to buy their parents for Christmas.
Technique #1: The Obvious… Ask!
For those who are more concerned with getting their parents what they actually want rather than surprising them, going up to them and asking them what they want for Christmas is a good idea. There are many ways to do this such as the common, “Hey Mom, what do you want for Christmas this year?” Or you could try the sly, “Sup Dad? I see you’ve just finished cleaning out your toolbox. Are there any tools that Johnny and I could get you for, I don’t know, Christmas?”
I have used the technique of asking many times, and eventually my dad, my sister and I came up with a system that every year my sister and I would get my dad a new tie that he can wear to an event he goes to every year. Don’t judge! At least I know that my dad will get what he wants every year! Usually, parents are able to think of something that they would like from their children, but if they pull the old, “Oh honey, you don’t have to get me anything for Christmas,” then there is another way to go about finding the perfect gift for mom and dad.
Technique #2: The Spy and Surprise
This tip can be used for those who want to take a risk and surprise their parents on the magical Christmas morning. It is time to do some detective work, but finding out what parents want can be a challenge. Searching for hints are the first step, but some are hard to catch, such as when Dad came marching into the house grumbling that his yard gloves ripped, or when Mom called you over to the dining room table, opened a magazine, pointed to an object and said, “I want this for Christmas.” I sometimes use the technique of asking my dad or my aunt what my mom would like for Christmas. This way, I can get semi-reliable information and have a ballpark idea of what to buy. This technique is good unless no one knows what anyone wants for Christmas or if parents are not so easy to read.
Technique #3: The Last Resort
This technique is to be used if parents do not want anything for Christmas or have not given any hints about what they want for Christmas. Everyone could use something for Christmas. Even if it is not a lot, it’s the thought that counts, and that is what this technique relies on: brain power. I have used this technique many times in my life, and I have developed some simple presents to give to either mom or dad.
Moms are a lot easier to buy for than dads are, because moms like the cute, clever, thoughtful aspects of gifts. For girls, a cute idea for mom is to write her a letter or poem with adjectives about her or things she does for you that you appreciate. Then, match up each line with an object that represents it, such as her favorite candy for “sweet” or a Bath and Body Works scent collection for “Thanks for washing away sadness and always making me happy.” Put all the objects in a gift basket and voila, magnifique! (Hint: this could also work for Mother’s Day, but don’t use it twice in a row). For guys, some possible gifts are fuzzy socks with Mom’s favorite sports team logo on them (those do exist) or a DVD box set of her favorite TV show.
Dad is a little harder to buy for. For girls, getting him the tie might not be a bad idea. Perhaps replacing something he uses a lot with a new version of it is smart, such as the previous example of yard gloves, a baseball hat, a new t-shirt, or any other small thing he might use.
If none of these gift ideas work, the gift of time is the best bet. I thought of this idea one year when I had absolutely no idea of what to get for my dad. I made “coupons” on the computer that he could use for whenever he needed a chore done. I gave him “one free load of laundry” coupons and some “one room of vacuuming” coupons. For my mom one year, I gave her some “Help me with dinner” coupons and “one free shoulder massage” coupons. These coupons emanate love and care, which is what Christmas is all about. Hopefully, some of these ideas have given you insight about what to buy for your picky and hard-to-please parent for Christmas this year!