My 42-year-old brother-in-law who has very expensive taste, buys everything he wants, and has never used anything my husband (his brother) and I have gotten for him except for a gift card to a bougie grocery store near his house. Italian and Jewish, loves to make pasta - not from scratch. Father of two under 3, loves tinned fish and expensive olive oil, Filson, cycling, skiing, has a very dry sense of humor. Gets very into activities and buys all of the necessary gear (fly fishing, fencing, surfing, etc.) and then doesn’t do said activity with much regularity. My husband doesn’t think a bag of fancy specialty grocery items is sufficient. $75-150. Help!
I am looking for a gift for my son's nanny (aka the person who keeps my son and those closest to him alive/safe/happy/functional) - I would give her every penny I have (tbh I mostly...do) but want to also give her a holiday gift that she'll love. She is a 55 year old mother of four, recent grandmother of two, is in multiple groups on Facebook (I.e 55+ women who are OVER IT) and is not afraid to comment and call people out whether IRL or online, loves a good meme (she and my dad have the same sense of humor - is that helpful?), a glass of wine and binging Netflix (specifically shows like THE NIGHT AGENT and LOVE IS BLIND), buying gorgeous, body-hugging dresses on Fashion Nova which she wears to her church holiday parties, and then sends us GLAM PHOTOS that we ogle over. Our nanny takes her job incredibly seriously: she went to an event this year called Nanny-palooza where she took courses, workshops, and networked with other nannies so she could be at the top of her game. We will be giving her a holiday bonus, so this is just something she can unwrap. Budget is $75. We adore her and she rocks our world!!!
Ohh I need help! My brother is 42 and has one daughter. He is married but they are on the edge of divorce which will very likely happen. He is considering moving out in the new year. He likes hunting, fishing, and running. He makes super sticky sweet cocktails with sour patch kids and other candy that grosses most people out. He thinks he is amazing at everything and can be incredibly annoying but is also caring and hurting right now. He likes Vincent vangoughs starry night? He is going to be moving to a small cabin. I want to spend between 75-100. Good luck!!
$250-$500. 44 year old husband living in Boerum Hill Brooklyn. Really great cook but Just married so have a ton of new stuff for very tiny apartment. Loves running and skiing -- has a ton, like a ton, of running shoes and gear already. Wants to leave city. No pets or kids yet.
40-year-old partner of fifteen years. She was born in the Midwest but spent her formative years in Florida raised by reclusive speech pathologist and an extroverted, the-next-one-will-be-the-one inventor (best known for attaching a GPS tracker to a penile plethysmograph).
She found her calling as a legal aid attorney, focusing on access to Medicaid, on the frontlines in Florida. She works from home and does everything for us (11-year-old-daughter, two cats, me). In exchange for literally everything, we bring her coffee in bed while she cuddles with her favorite family member (3-year-old male, long-haired cat) until we leave for school and work. She is devoted to exercise (jogging, Peloton with Emma, yoga) and a dirty gin martini or old fashioned or negroni or Manhattan or Bordeaux. She is a great cook.
Halloween is her favorite holiday. Horrors are her favorite films (and books). Gywenth is her favorite influencer. Her favorite recent meme depicted Oppenheimer as legal aid and Barbie as personal injury. We are all Swifties.
She is strong but sensitive, caring but not doting, principled and unafraid to pass judgment. She has a terrific sense of humor and has anointed herself funniest person in the family.
With each election we swear we will flee to another country.
Sometimes we will make something for her – cross-stitched RBG, sketch of deceased cat – but more often, she purchases what she wants, and we put it under the tree and take credit.
Please! My brother is 44 and a professional touring musician. He lives alone in a house with his bulldog. He doesn't want any more books, in fact, he wants absolutely nothing that he has to find a place for in his house. I like to get him things that make him laugh. Budget: $30-40
My almost-39-year-old rave loving husband who works in music with lots of young people and is trying his hardest not to get old. Loves raving, staying up late, raving, pretending he's young, going to clubs, electronic music, and raving. Is a huge workaholic, loves films (all screens in general tbh - totally addicted to Instagram), clothes, shoes and Leeds United (we're in the UK!). Trying to get back into the gym but struggling, and has an unfortunate predilection for junk food (comfort eats when stressed, which is most of the time). Mostly reads business books and the news. Needs help with creating boundaries around work and mentally switching off. Hates walking. Looking to spend around £150. Thank you for your kind offer of help!
Price range around $100 for my sister-in-law. She’s a 38-year-old equine vet/racehorse acupuncturist and loves animals. She works hard and is always stressed out. She wears sparkly jewelry. I just don’t know her that well so I’m always stumped for gifts. Thank you for your service!
I posted and then thought, “Surely you know her better than that and can think of some more details?” So she’s also very outdoorsy and likes to hike and kayak. She’s cheesy in a fun way, and dresses up her dogs in costumes and wears ugly Christmas sweaters. She does not cook. She likes to be cozy and has gifted me her favorite blanket in the past. Hope that helps!
My 68-year-old dad who is a small suburban town lawyer who should absolutely retire but gets most of his social needs met at work. Needs nothing but loves college basketball, tries to stay healthy by cycling but isn't out doing centuries on the weekends or anything--he's happy to get in a few miles each day. He adores his wife, his kids, his grandkids. Nothing delights him more than finding a way to gather his nieces/nephews/their spouses/children at his too-small-for-25-grown-adults home. Delights the annual Grisham book. Loves shopping local. Is the de facto town mayor. $50-100 because he'd rather we put any extra money into his grandkids' 529 accounts.
It's probably too late, but...our former nanny, current babysitter. She's 21 but lives a settled Old Person life, loves staying home with her partner and their kitten. Future social work grad student. Proactive and organized in a way that I will never be, despite 2 decades more practice. Loves Noah Kahan, aerie, and Dunkin. Complicated family stuff. She's a lovely young person and we want her to feel as appreciated as she deserves! Budget: ~$50 or so
My 70ish parents-in-law love cooking and wine, by which I mean they cook elaborate 3 hour meals and have an extensive wine collection. They are Francophiles and have both been taking French lessons, they have a small, geriatric Brussels Griffon terrier who they adore. They love gardening, travel, art, the theater, and their grandkids (my kids). They live on an island north of Seattle now, but met and fell in love in New York. They are wonderful parents, in-laws, and grandparents. Budget is $100-200.
My 35 yo gender non conforming sibling who has everything but gives the most thoughtful gifts so I have to step up my game. Has 5 dogs, owns a store that features vintage clothing and queer makers’ work, loves tats, hot yoga, drag shows, art. Budget 100$ by Secret Santa rules. Thank you!!
I am attending a birthday party for a woman in her early 70s in 2 days. I forgot all about it till today, so I need to get something at an actual store, rather than online. The woman is unmarried, with no children. She has a dog she adores, a rescue. She's very smart, erudite, and also a very devout Buddhist. She loves opera and poetry. Price rage $25-40.
My 40 year old husband, dad of 2 (5 mo and 4 yo). If he wasn't my husband I'd probably hate him because he's always right, delivers jokes so dry some people don't know he's joking, handsome with a great beard that takes no effort but somehow gets more compliments from strangers than I ever could as a vain woman, and is also hardworking, generous and kind. He cares about how things function but also he does have opinions about aesthetics. Likes listening to podcasts and works in tech so computer nerd, but also likes sports, and maybe most uniquely, loves Disney, but isn't really the type to be wearing Mickey ears. Doesn't like having much stuff. Like if he has one pair of pajama pants, he's good. Wears almost exclusively Filson. Likes smoking and bbqing meats. Reads but on Kindle. Into Stoicism, Legos, science, and playing video games with our son. He isn't particularly sentimental but I ideally want a gift that is sentimental / maybe make him cry.
My 41-year-old (undiagnosed but unambiguously) autistic younger brother who lives alone. He reads textbooks for fun, likes playing both piano and devils advocate in the most annoying way, and fiddles with magnets. Lots of interest in Reddit and quantum computing. Watches too much Star Trek. Kind of a foodie, but is lazy about it. Past gifts that I think he liked: “The Great Wave” Hokusai Lego art kit; magnetic levitating moon lamp; clothing in earth tones. He’s financially all set and buys whatever he wants. Budget is $100 (because I also didn’t get him a birthday gift this year, for similar idea-stumped reasons).
My 42-year-old brother-in-law who has very expensive taste, buys everything he wants, and has never used anything my husband (his brother) and I have gotten for him except for a gift card to a bougie grocery store near his house. Italian and Jewish, loves to make pasta - not from scratch. Father of two under 3, loves tinned fish and expensive olive oil, Filson, cycling, skiing, has a very dry sense of humor. Gets very into activities and buys all of the necessary gear (fly fishing, fencing, surfing, etc.) and then doesn’t do said activity with much regularity. My husband doesn’t think a bag of fancy specialty grocery items is sufficient. $75-150. Help!
I am looking for a gift for my son's nanny (aka the person who keeps my son and those closest to him alive/safe/happy/functional) - I would give her every penny I have (tbh I mostly...do) but want to also give her a holiday gift that she'll love. She is a 55 year old mother of four, recent grandmother of two, is in multiple groups on Facebook (I.e 55+ women who are OVER IT) and is not afraid to comment and call people out whether IRL or online, loves a good meme (she and my dad have the same sense of humor - is that helpful?), a glass of wine and binging Netflix (specifically shows like THE NIGHT AGENT and LOVE IS BLIND), buying gorgeous, body-hugging dresses on Fashion Nova which she wears to her church holiday parties, and then sends us GLAM PHOTOS that we ogle over. Our nanny takes her job incredibly seriously: she went to an event this year called Nanny-palooza where she took courses, workshops, and networked with other nannies so she could be at the top of her game. We will be giving her a holiday bonus, so this is just something she can unwrap. Budget is $75. We adore her and she rocks our world!!!
and to be clear...I HAPPILY give her every penny I have for taking such impeccable care of my son!!!
Ohh I need help! My brother is 42 and has one daughter. He is married but they are on the edge of divorce which will very likely happen. He is considering moving out in the new year. He likes hunting, fishing, and running. He makes super sticky sweet cocktails with sour patch kids and other candy that grosses most people out. He thinks he is amazing at everything and can be incredibly annoying but is also caring and hurting right now. He likes Vincent vangoughs starry night? He is going to be moving to a small cabin. I want to spend between 75-100. Good luck!!
Received. Will do!
This is a bit out of your price range… But I curate gift guides on my website and I saw this recently and it jumped to mind right away! https://store.moma.org/products/lego-ideas-the-starry-night
You are awesome!
--
$250-$500. 44 year old husband living in Boerum Hill Brooklyn. Really great cook but Just married so have a ton of new stuff for very tiny apartment. Loves running and skiing -- has a ton, like a ton, of running shoes and gear already. Wants to leave city. No pets or kids yet.
40-year-old partner of fifteen years. She was born in the Midwest but spent her formative years in Florida raised by reclusive speech pathologist and an extroverted, the-next-one-will-be-the-one inventor (best known for attaching a GPS tracker to a penile plethysmograph).
She found her calling as a legal aid attorney, focusing on access to Medicaid, on the frontlines in Florida. She works from home and does everything for us (11-year-old-daughter, two cats, me). In exchange for literally everything, we bring her coffee in bed while she cuddles with her favorite family member (3-year-old male, long-haired cat) until we leave for school and work. She is devoted to exercise (jogging, Peloton with Emma, yoga) and a dirty gin martini or old fashioned or negroni or Manhattan or Bordeaux. She is a great cook.
Halloween is her favorite holiday. Horrors are her favorite films (and books). Gywenth is her favorite influencer. Her favorite recent meme depicted Oppenheimer as legal aid and Barbie as personal injury. We are all Swifties.
She is strong but sensitive, caring but not doting, principled and unafraid to pass judgment. She has a terrific sense of humor and has anointed herself funniest person in the family.
With each election we swear we will flee to another country.
Sometimes we will make something for her – cross-stitched RBG, sketch of deceased cat – but more often, she purchases what she wants, and we put it under the tree and take credit.
Budget $0-$1,000.
-Michael.
Received.
Please! My brother is 44 and a professional touring musician. He lives alone in a house with his bulldog. He doesn't want any more books, in fact, he wants absolutely nothing that he has to find a place for in his house. I like to get him things that make him laugh. Budget: $30-40
On it.
My almost-39-year-old rave loving husband who works in music with lots of young people and is trying his hardest not to get old. Loves raving, staying up late, raving, pretending he's young, going to clubs, electronic music, and raving. Is a huge workaholic, loves films (all screens in general tbh - totally addicted to Instagram), clothes, shoes and Leeds United (we're in the UK!). Trying to get back into the gym but struggling, and has an unfortunate predilection for junk food (comfort eats when stressed, which is most of the time). Mostly reads business books and the news. Needs help with creating boundaries around work and mentally switching off. Hates walking. Looking to spend around £150. Thank you for your kind offer of help!
Received!
Price range around $100 for my sister-in-law. She’s a 38-year-old equine vet/racehorse acupuncturist and loves animals. She works hard and is always stressed out. She wears sparkly jewelry. I just don’t know her that well so I’m always stumped for gifts. Thank you for your service!
I posted and then thought, “Surely you know her better than that and can think of some more details?” So she’s also very outdoorsy and likes to hike and kayak. She’s cheesy in a fun way, and dresses up her dogs in costumes and wears ugly Christmas sweaters. She does not cook. She likes to be cozy and has gifted me her favorite blanket in the past. Hope that helps!
Received!
My 68-year-old dad who is a small suburban town lawyer who should absolutely retire but gets most of his social needs met at work. Needs nothing but loves college basketball, tries to stay healthy by cycling but isn't out doing centuries on the weekends or anything--he's happy to get in a few miles each day. He adores his wife, his kids, his grandkids. Nothing delights him more than finding a way to gather his nieces/nephews/their spouses/children at his too-small-for-25-grown-adults home. Delights the annual Grisham book. Loves shopping local. Is the de facto town mayor. $50-100 because he'd rather we put any extra money into his grandkids' 529 accounts.
It's probably too late, but...our former nanny, current babysitter. She's 21 but lives a settled Old Person life, loves staying home with her partner and their kitten. Future social work grad student. Proactive and organized in a way that I will never be, despite 2 decades more practice. Loves Noah Kahan, aerie, and Dunkin. Complicated family stuff. She's a lovely young person and we want her to feel as appreciated as she deserves! Budget: ~$50 or so
My 70ish parents-in-law love cooking and wine, by which I mean they cook elaborate 3 hour meals and have an extensive wine collection. They are Francophiles and have both been taking French lessons, they have a small, geriatric Brussels Griffon terrier who they adore. They love gardening, travel, art, the theater, and their grandkids (my kids). They live on an island north of Seattle now, but met and fell in love in New York. They are wonderful parents, in-laws, and grandparents. Budget is $100-200.
Thank you!!
My 35 yo gender non conforming sibling who has everything but gives the most thoughtful gifts so I have to step up my game. Has 5 dogs, owns a store that features vintage clothing and queer makers’ work, loves tats, hot yoga, drag shows, art. Budget 100$ by Secret Santa rules. Thank you!!
I am attending a birthday party for a woman in her early 70s in 2 days. I forgot all about it till today, so I need to get something at an actual store, rather than online. The woman is unmarried, with no children. She has a dog she adores, a rescue. She's very smart, erudite, and also a very devout Buddhist. She loves opera and poetry. Price rage $25-40.
Since this is urgent I'll just tell you right now get her a hardcover "I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home" by Lorrie Moore.
Perfect! LM is one of my favorite writers and I have an as yet unopened copy of the book, so I can give it to my friend today! Thank you!
My 40 year old husband, dad of 2 (5 mo and 4 yo). If he wasn't my husband I'd probably hate him because he's always right, delivers jokes so dry some people don't know he's joking, handsome with a great beard that takes no effort but somehow gets more compliments from strangers than I ever could as a vain woman, and is also hardworking, generous and kind. He cares about how things function but also he does have opinions about aesthetics. Likes listening to podcasts and works in tech so computer nerd, but also likes sports, and maybe most uniquely, loves Disney, but isn't really the type to be wearing Mickey ears. Doesn't like having much stuff. Like if he has one pair of pajama pants, he's good. Wears almost exclusively Filson. Likes smoking and bbqing meats. Reads but on Kindle. Into Stoicism, Legos, science, and playing video games with our son. He isn't particularly sentimental but I ideally want a gift that is sentimental / maybe make him cry.
Budget: $500
My 41-year-old (undiagnosed but unambiguously) autistic younger brother who lives alone. He reads textbooks for fun, likes playing both piano and devils advocate in the most annoying way, and fiddles with magnets. Lots of interest in Reddit and quantum computing. Watches too much Star Trek. Kind of a foodie, but is lazy about it. Past gifts that I think he liked: “The Great Wave” Hokusai Lego art kit; magnetic levitating moon lamp; clothing in earth tones. He’s financially all set and buys whatever he wants. Budget is $100 (because I also didn’t get him a birthday gift this year, for similar idea-stumped reasons).
Er…budget of $150