Gifts for adult children

The kids love their stockings, and I buy little things to put in it during the year. The prize gift this year was a bubble machine
They also get items from their list, when I've nagged them into providing a list; money if they'd rather; but it's the stocking, total value maybe £15, that's the star.

Strange how we are so well off now, that we have to come up with cunning plans of how to spend our money.

I am happy not to give or receive gifts, I do for children but prefer experiences, trips out etc to stuff.

I am hoping it is a custom that will die down, if not die out, too much stuff doing the rounds as it is,

I always feel a bit lazy, but my girls tend to send me a link to something they want and I just click and order it! Then try to get something small as a surprise. We do the same for SILs. At least that way they get what they want. I'd be lost if I had to think of things myself.

Me and my siblings don't buy for each other anymore, only for the kids. We all buy for our mum (normally vouchers she asks for, makes it easier for me to send from other end of the country! ) .
We send cards for birthdays.
I don't have a SIL as daughter is single so can't help with ideas ? sorry ?

Vouchers are best for my adult children and their partners. DS2 and his partner both work for the same well known retail company and if I give them vouchers, they can buy just what they want with a substantial discount. They want items for the extension they're having built in the coming year, so I don't have to even think about what to buy for them. DS1 sends me links to things DiL really wants and I duly 'click and collect'. A good Highland malt whisky is always acceptable for him. I also followed their advice about what to buy for the GC but came unstuck as DGS1 (aged 12), unbeknown to his dad, had ordered the same game I bought for him, as he thought no-one would buy it for him! DS is going to Ebay it and give him the proceeds! As for me, the family obliged with the charity donations I asked for, but also gave me stocking fillers - regrettably including several kinds of chocolate truffles which I managed to share and not eat them all myself!

Working in a charity shop and seeing so many useless, unwanted items in pristine condition that were "unwanted gifts" altered my mindset on presents. Presents for little ones, yes, for those adults who have everything, let them select a charity of their choice and make a donation in their name. We can then think that on Christmas Day, we have made life better for someone, somewhere and be grateful for our good fortune.
Even my local WI did a £5 Secret Santa- will be looking out for those bits and pieces in the charity shop!

We only buy for children now Christmas and birthdays. For all Adult birthdays and Anniversaries we send or give a card with scratch cards and lottery lucky dips worth a fiver. Sometimes they have won £20 to £50!

Indiividual presents for everyone regardless of age ,My son -in -law usually,well always, has a case of wine for every birthday and Christmas and he's always happy with it ,might need to think of something different for his 40th next year ,maybe two cases....lol

£100 for children
£50 for partners
£25 for grandchildren (or present to value of)

That was for birthdays.
CHRISTMAS
no presents for adults.
£20 present for each grandchild.

We had the same problem this year, and didn't really want to give money as I always feel a bit like you cant be bothered to think of anything. (Although I have given money!). With three adult children with partners we went through Buyagift and bought them a gift pack that allows them a one night stay at 200 plus hotels, yurts, wigwans etc across the country, but they can take it when and where they like. And if they really dont want a night away they can trade it back in on the site against another experience. There are smaller gift packages too that cover spa sessions and cream teas. We felt it was a nice way of getting them out doing something and covers the inclusion of what may or may not be a permanent partner they have that you may or may not want to spend money on!

We often give Bluewater vouchers, our (fairly) local shopping mall. They can be used in most shops in the mall, so are very versatile!

Mostly money, but this year I also bought one dd several photo frames which she'd asked for. And for other dd a goosedown kingsize duvet for her first house, although she doesn't yet have the kingsize bed to go with it - just a double left by the vendors.
For one son in law I bought some nice sheepskin slippers (he had expressed a wish for slippers). For other dd's bloke I wanted to buy something similarly nice, but he didn't apparently want or need anything special, so it was just a few 'bits'.

Should add, for elder dd's birthday last Feb I gave her sleep! To be accurate, a night for her and son in law with dinner, B and B plus a lie-in, in a nice hotel nearby, while Dh and I stayed overnight to look after Gdd, then 10 months.

Not sure we'll be up for it this year, though, since by then there will be both a 22 month old Gdd and a 7 month old Gds, who is a lovely smiley little chap, but at the moment won't take a bottle or a dummy, and is plugged into Mummy heaven knows how many times a day. And is still wanting feeds at least twice during the night...
Still, we shall see. Two months to go.

If all else fails, cinema vouchers + babysitting for the evening is always welcome.

D D gives us short list! Usually add a little surprise. Her D H is impossible to buy for! So it's usually a gift voucher. D G D is still little so no problem there. D S it's clothes and his fishing club subs. D H and I have an outing instead of buying presents. Sister is smellies and or clothes or wine. Don't buy much else. At work we once did secret santa and had to buy something that began with the same letter as that persons name. It was great fun!

We gave our adult children money and tree presents. Our son had £150 towards a new monitor and tree presents and our daughter had £80 cash and various presents up to about the same value as she likes to actually open gifts. This is the last year we are spoiling them like this as when my DH retires we won't be able to afford it.

We agreed some Christmas's ago to stop buying presents for everyone except the children. Instead I spend more on birthdays. It's a personal choice I guess. As a family we're not really into Christmas in a big way so it doesn't bother me.

We give our children-all in their 20s -a hundred pounds each unless they ask for something specific. I buy them a couple of small presents to unwrap too. We do the same for their birthdays. Three of them are students and have little money and the other two have spent all their money travelling!

One gift I gave to my sons and partners this year was a bag of popcorn attached to a gift voucher for the cinema and a promise to baby sit!

For Christmas we do secret Santa, sometimes with a theme (last year hand made or second hand) and a price limit.
For birthdays we do wish list on amazon for lots of things we'd like with varying prices (similar to a wedding list). You don't have to buy the gift from amazon and you can add items that aren't for sale on amazon. This way we always get a gift we like.

We gave some, with partners, Cinema gift packs from Cineworld....£25 for two tickets, a voucher for two drinks and popcorn and two malteser chocolates.

We have been giving our DS & DIL National Trust membership for about 5 years & they love to have it and use it to the full. Gave it to DD & SIL once & it was a complete waste of money. Fortunately, they decided they wanted to start a proper dinner service this Christmas so we contributed to that & will be able to do so for a few more Christmases & birthdays - birthdays are always more difficult. I usually buy clothes for DS& DIL and hope for suggestions from the other two!

Oh, and I tend to provide Christmas 'stockings'for the 4 of them - this year it was 2 large carrier bags per couple with all sorts ranging from tomato ketchup, maltesers, socks, undies & Florentines to books & DVDs. I usually buy far too much & hate wrapping the stuff but I love to see them opening the parcels

Jane10 I loved your idea of Andy Warhol pictures. I looked on the internet but could only find an American company. Could you let me know where you had yours processed. Thank you