It’s my birthday next tuesday and my family is getting increasingly impatient with me for present ideas.
What do you get the man who has everything?
As my friend Damian would say “a box to put it all in”. Unfortunately while mildly amusing it doesn’t help.
I really am stuck for ideas.
We thought we had a solution, I would get vouchers to finish off my snowboarding lessons, but Clare and Amy want to do skiing instead and Damian is watching his finances. I’m not sure I want to do it alone.
Camera stuff and gadgets would be an idea but I really can’t think of anything I need, other than a backdrop to do some video blogging stuff and a shoot-through brolly or two (David the reluctant photography guru now recommends them rather than the reflective type I have). They are more work stuff than birthday though, right?
So I am stumped.
Suggestions?
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Funny, I have a similar dilemma when my birthday rolls around. But, here’s my thought. You’ve got this incredible gift already in that your work is also your play. Me too. So, for people like us, there’s really not a whole lot of difference between a gift that enables us to have more fun at work versus a gift that enables us to have more fun at play. It’s all one big continuum.
Of course, the bigger problem is that the people around you probably don’t want to get you something they perceive as a work gift, even though it’s just a valuable as a play gift to you. Not sure how to figure that one out. Let me know if you do, I could use the help when my b=day rolls around!
They key to bying gifts for someone who has everything is to focus on cool/upgraded experiences, not actual goods. So, I don’t know you well, but some general ideas about experiences that you can give as gifts are:
- tickets to a concert
- gift certificate for a massage
- gift certificate for dinner at a cool restaurant
- take some of their photos/videos and make a book/movie for them
- wash their car for them (inside and out) – or gift certificate for it
I hate it when people ask for gift ideas, although I’m also guilty of doing it. I think it’s kind of lazy. If we know someone well enough, we should be able to get him/her something appropriate without having to ask.
If all else fails, I’d tell people to invest whatever they were thinking of spending on a gift at kiva.org. In fact, that’s what I’m going to do this year for my birthday and Christmas.
How about a premium membership at your favorite online services? That’s something you can wish again for every year and it won’t clutter your space and collect dust.
Hey Chris – I say stick with the snowboard lessons! I am pretty sure ski resorts will do a group lesson where some people are learning to ski and some to snowboard…so you guys can all still share the experience.
And then after that, we will get you down to the Caribbean for a surf lesson.
Happy Birthday!
MH
ps. another idea would be to have them make a donation in your name to your favorite charity.
mine is next saturday and I’m getting a chumby
http://www.chumby.com/
His own band of cheerleaders? Gotta have some motivation to keep your spirits high when there’s so much work to do
I can think of one book that you don’t have but that you may enjoy!
Happy birthday, Chris!
Or, you could call a moratorium on gift-giving? Or at least, ask for a voucher for a time when you actually *do* need something in future?
I also like Andreas’ idea about an online membership of some sort… having come to the conclusion that many of us, do, in fact, have ‘everything’ and the pressure of the culture of gift-giving just ends up adding stress all round!
If there’s nothing you need or want, then tell them not to waste their money. Or make a donation to a worthy cause.
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