Gifts for parents?

[sna77]

What is appropriate for parent gifts? I don''t even know where to start with them? I bought cufflinks and ties for the groomsen and dads, but not sure if a set of cufflinks and a ties covers are dad''s gift, or fi I should be getting them a joint gift with the moms or getting the moms something else??

 

[zoebartlett]

Well, I''ll tell you what we''re doing for our parents.

My FI''s parents are extremely hard to shop for -- they like to stick close to home, so getting them something that they''d have to do (like go out to eat or stay overnight in a hotel somewhere) wouldn''t be fun for them. We remembered that every time we go over there it seems, his father goes on and on about Omaha Steaks. They get stuff from there often and they love it. So we decided to get them a gift card from there. It''s a different type of gift, and it wouldn''t have been my first choce, but it''s something I know they''ll get use out of and we know they''ll love it.

My parents aren''t hard to shop for -- they''re quite active and it was just a matter of finding the perfect thing within our budget. We thought of a day at a spa (couples stuff) or a stay in a hotel on the water or in the city (Boston). We thought of theater tickets but we weren''t sure what to get. We then decided on a Boston Harbor boat cruise the day after their anniversary in August. It''s not too expensive, and they get dinner, dancing, and a fabulous view.

When my sister got married last summer, she and her husband gave my parents a gift card for a particular airline. The hope was that they''d use the gift card to fly out to Oregon to see them.

 

[oobiecoo]

FI''s family has everything they would possibly want or need... and my parents are pretty simple and not very materialistic. We are going to have albums printed for each set after the wedding. We''ll be doing one of those picture books where you upload them online and pick your style. They are inexpensive but we don''t have a huge budget. I KNOW my parents will love it because they love to brag about me... and FI''s parents will probably think its *nice*.

 

[Class n Sass]

Is anyone buying gifts for grandparents? I thought of buying handkerchiefs.

 

[sna77]

Date: 5/11/2008 3:06:01 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Well, I''ll tell you what we''re doing for our parents.

My FI''s parents are extremely hard to shop for -- they like to stick close to home, so getting them something that they''d have to do (like go out to eat or stay overnight in a hotel somewhere) wouldn''t be fun for them. We remembered that every time we go over there it seems, his father goes on and on about Omaha Steaks. They get stuff from there often and they love it. So we decided to get them a gift card from there. It''s a different type of gift, and it wouldn''t have been my first choce, but it''s something I know they''ll get use out of and we know they''ll love it.

My parents aren''t hard to shop for -- they''re quite active and it was just a matter of finding the perfect thing within our budget. We thought of a day at a spa (couples stuff) or a stay in a hotel on the water or in the city (Boston). We thought of theater tickets but we weren''t sure what to get. We then decided on a Boston Harbor boat cruise the day after their anniversary in August. It''s not too expensive, and they get dinner, dancing, and a fabulous view.

When my sister got married last summer, she and her husband gave my parents a gift card for a particular airline. The hope was that they''d use the gift card to fly out to Oregon to see them.

So the conseus seems to be that you get each set of parents a gift for the couple... I didn''t know if I should get the dads something and then the mom''s something too... The reason I ask, is becasue the dad''s are getting the same gifts as the groomsmen--engraded Tiffany cufflinks and a tie... So I''ve already spend around $300 each on them... Should I just get the mom''s something?

I actually like the hotel idea... My FI''s parents are from NJ and a gift certificate to a hotel in Boston where we live would be a good excuse for them to come visit us (they never do--ha)...

For my parents, I have no idea what to get them... My father would be annoyed if we spent a dime on them, and they already have everything in the wrold they want / need...

Oh, and we were going to do parents photo albums too... which technically the parents are paying for since its part of the photographer package. LOL

 

[Sabine]

Well, we don''t know exactly what we are getting our parents yet, but we had planned to get FI''s parents a joint gift and my mom and dad separate gifts since they are divorced. But I don''t see anything wrong with you getting the moms one thing and the dads something else and just using the cufflinks as the dads'' gifts. You could stay with the Tiffany theme and get the moms a necklace or pair of earrings.

I hope more people chime in with suggestions too though, we are having the hardest time! Our parents don''t want albums, so we were thinking of getting my mom and dad each one of the digital frames, but FI''s parents already have one, so then we don''t know what we''d do for them.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 5/11/2008 4:01:53 PM
Author: oobiecoo
FI''s family has everything they would possibly want or need... and my parents are pretty simple and not very materialistic. We are going to have albums printed for each set after the wedding. We''ll be doing one of those picture books where you upload them online and pick your style. They are inexpensive but we don''t have a huge budget. I KNOW my parents will love it because they love to brag about me... and FI''s parents will probably think its *nice*.

Ditto, we are also planning to give them albums and/or DVDs.

 

[zoebartlett]

Sna, I''m sorry if I missed this, but do the fathers know that you''re giving them engraved Tiffany cufflinks and ties? If not (or even if they are I guess), I''d say that''s a generous gift right there. So assuming that they might be all set, I also like the idea of getting the moms a Tiffany necklace or pair of earrings or something.

I don''t think there''s any right or wrong way to go about giving gifts. We''re giving gifts to our parents as a couple because that''s easiest for us, but if you have another way of doing it, that''s great. I like your idea by the way.

 

[sna77]

Date: 5/12/2008 7:06:30 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Sna, I''m sorry if I missed this, but do the fathers know that you''re giving them engraved Tiffany cufflinks and ties? If not (or even if they are I guess), I''d say that''s a generous gift right there. So assuming that they might be all set, I also like the idea of getting the moms a Tiffany necklace or pair of earrings or something.

I don''t think there''s any right or wrong way to go about giving gifts. We''re giving gifts to our parents as a couple because that''s easiest for us, but if you have another way of doing it, that''s great. I like your idea by the way.

The dads don''t know... I feel bad about giving them pink ties (albeit nice ones) that they''ll never wear again and passing them off as gifts...

 

[Class n Sass]

I actually just left Fortunoff. I bought ym mom a Judith Jack necklace. I am also getting a necklace for my FMIL. I ordered hankies for the grandparents. And I will get something from Things Remembered for the dads.