Gifts for people you don't even like

jenna8984

This was a discussion on the radio this morning. They were asking what you buy for Christmas/ Holiday gifts for people that you don't really like but feel obligated to get something, like a coworker, or sister in law. One host said cheap stuff like the mug & cocoa combo and one host said "nothing- I don't like them!". What do you think? What's your go to? I've gotten my SIL a dip serving set one year and a lotion set one year...need ideas for this year! (not that I don't like her but I really don't know her) 

climbingsingle

My cousin's wife seems pretty miserable all the time. So I just give her wine every year.

larrygaga

I do wine/chocolate or nice pajamas. 

JCbride2015

Yeah, alcohol is a good standby.  I often bake massive amounts of cookies around the holidays so those are also a pretty good gift for people I don't know too well.

ChemFanatic25

Candles. Candles are simple enough. Though my ex-FI's father's FI was a bit batty and she acted like someone stuck in high school (she loved drama and felt threatened by ex-FI's father's ex-wife who didn't give a hoot). I wasn't her biggest fan. Even though I didn't really care for her I actually went out of my way to make her gifts because I felt bad for her. I think she knew that everyone thought she was stuck in high school and they were only tolerating her, but she just kept acting that way. Kind of seemed . . . sad.

Inkdancer

Nothing. If I don't like you, I'm not getting you a present.

To be fair, I only really get presents for my parents, in-laws (including BIL and SIL), and my husband.

[Deleted User]

jenna8984

Inkdancer said:

Nothing. If I don't like you, I'm not getting you a present.

To be fair, I only really get presents for my parents, in-laws (including BIL and SIL), and my husband.

I agree! I have a really small/ limited family so only gifts are my brother, his wife, and their 2 kids. 

She's pregnant for the second Christmas in a row so wine is out but good other ideas from people! 

Inkdancer

pinkrevenge said:

This year only H, our parents, siblings, and nieces are getting anything. But when I don't know a person or don't like them, I bake. As long as they don't have a food allergy (and I do ask) they get cookies or cupcakes or a pie.

White chocolate brandied cranberry cookies and brown butter nutella stuffed salted chocolate chip cookies are the most popular. Then grapefruit cupcakes, then chocolate stout cupcakes, then buttermilk pie and pear hazlenut tart. Cheesecake always goes over well, and you can gift toppings if you want to put something in a bag.

HOLY SHIT I NEED YOUR RECIPES.

mikenberger

The go to when you don't know what to get any woman: anything that smells. Lotions, candles, body wash, etc. My SIL does this every single year. And I continually tell her (and she knows) I am allergic to a lot of various fragrances. Maybe this year will be different.

Personally, I enjoy a GC to a restaurant or a visa gift card.

novella1186

Inkdancer said:

pinkrevenge said:

This year only H, our parents, siblings, and nieces are getting anything. But when I don't know a person or don't like them, I bake. As long as they don't have a food allergy (and I do ask) they get cookies or cupcakes or a pie.

White chocolate brandied cranberry cookies and brown butter nutella stuffed salted chocolate chip cookies are the most popular. Then grapefruit cupcakes, then chocolate stout cupcakes, then buttermilk pie and pear hazlenut tart. Cheesecake always goes over well, and you can gift toppings if you want to put something in a bag.

HOLY SHIT I NEED YOUR RECIPES.

Ditto. Like NOW.

[Deleted User]

jenna8984

pinkrevenge said:

Inkdancer said:

pinkrevenge said:

This year only H, our parents, siblings, and nieces are getting anything. But when I don't know a person or don't like them, I bake. As long as they don't have a food allergy (and I do ask) they get cookies or cupcakes or a pie.

White chocolate brandied cranberry cookies and brown butter nutella stuffed salted chocolate chip cookies are the most popular. Then grapefruit cupcakes, then chocolate stout cupcakes, then buttermilk pie and pear hazlenut tart. Cheesecake always goes over well, and you can gift toppings if you want to put something in a bag.

HOLY SHIT I NEED YOUR RECIPES.

I use This recipe with one modification; I replace the milk chocolate chips with more semi-sweet ones. These cookies are so sweet as it is that using milk chips would be overkill.

The trick is to get everything cold. You'll need to have the nutella cold so it doesn't splooge everywhere, and then you'll need to have the disks of cookie dough chilled before you press it around the nutella so that the nutella doesn't soften up and become a huge mess. Once stuffed, you'll want to chill the cookie balls again before they go in the oven. That will be the difference between fat cookies with molten nutella inside vs flat cookies with nutella splooged sauce on top.

Seeing as I'm the grim reaper of baking and can't manage pre-packaged Nestle cookie dough....I would NEVER pull that off hahaha but it sounds amazing! 

Inkdancer

pinkrevenge said:

Inkdancer said:

pinkrevenge said:

This year only H, our parents, siblings, and nieces are getting anything. But when I don't know a person or don't like them, I bake. As long as they don't have a food allergy (and I do ask) they get cookies or cupcakes or a pie.

White chocolate brandied cranberry cookies and brown butter nutella stuffed salted chocolate chip cookies are the most popular. Then grapefruit cupcakes, then chocolate stout cupcakes, then buttermilk pie and pear hazlenut tart. Cheesecake always goes over well, and you can gift toppings if you want to put something in a bag.

HOLY SHIT I NEED YOUR RECIPES.

I use This recipe with one modification; I replace the milk chocolate chips with more semi-sweet ones. These cookies are so sweet as it is that using milk chips would be overkill.

The trick is to get everything cold. You'll need to have the nutella cold so it doesn't splooge everywhere, and then you'll need to have the disks of cookie dough chilled before you press it around the nutella so that the nutella doesn't soften up and become a huge mess. Once stuffed, you'll want to chill the cookie balls again before they go in the oven. That will be the difference between fat cookies with molten nutella inside vs flat cookies with nutella splooged sauce on top.

I might splooge everywhere. These sound fucking orgasmic.

theartistformerlyknownas

I've made those Nutella cookies. They are all that is life.

I'll cram fancy cocoa, candies, holiday socks and little booze bottles into a giant mug for people I don't know very well. But if you're family and I know you reasonably well, I'll still get you something thoughtful even if I don't like you. I got a really sweet golden snitch necklace for my evil brother's evil wife.

esstee33

Shit, I don't like 75% of the people I buy gifts for, but I get them what I would anyway, because I mostly don't want them to know I don't like them. 

raissyrais

I make Nutella cookies as well minus the salted part though. So yes I guess baked goods are okay for a present for people you don't like, but I sincerely put too much love into my baking for that to be a present...something as generic as candles or alcohol seems good enough.

bahamabride2015

I always dig into my "re-gift" closet for those people....

ShellD13

I need ideas too...my SIL's husband is a major ass.  She found out that he had been cheating on her since before they got married (so 7 years with random hookups he'd found through a discretion assured hookup site for marrieds) with no concern for what he might bring home.  They almost divorced this summer but for whatever reason she took him back!  H and I are expected to get him something for his birthday and Christmas but outside of a box of condoms I'm at a loss...

lovegood90

If I'm going to their house, I bring wine. Otherwise my standby gifts are the mug/hot chocolate combo, candles/lotion from bath and body works, or any other kind of chocolate.  

novella1186

My sister's bf is so douchey (which is kind of perfect since she's such a bitch) and I have to get him something (feel super obligated) for xmas this year. He doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, which are my two go-to things. And I don't know much about him. And he's really short and only wears custom-tailored fancy expensive clothes. So.... fuck if I know. Maybe he'll get some nutella cookies this year. 

lacqueredlover

I don't buy presents for people I don't like.  The only people I get presents for really are my brother, sis in law, parents, FI, and future step kids.  My FI is in charge of getting for his parents, brother, sis in law and niece.

jenna8984

novella1186 said:

My sister's bf is so douchey (which is kind of perfect since she's such a bitch) and I have to get him something (feel super obligated) for xmas this year. He doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, which are my two go-to things. And I don't know much about him. And he's really short and only wears custom-tailored fancy expensive clothes. So.... fuck if I know. Maybe he'll get some nutella cookies this year. 

OK, Kanye.

KatieinBkln

Gift cards in a low-ish amount to a store where everything costs more than the gift card.

Parents you don't like? Get 'em a Build-a-Bear gift card for $20. You can't buy SHIT for $20 at Build-a-Bear, but as soon as Timmy sees it they have to go, muahahahaha!

[Deleted User]

theartistformerlyknownas

novella1186 said:

My sister's bf is so douchey (which is kind of perfect since she's such a bitch) and I have to get him something (feel super obligated) for xmas this year. He doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, which are my two go-to things. And I don't know much about him. And he's really short and only wears custom-tailored fancy expensive clothes. So.... fuck if I know. Maybe he'll get some nutella cookies this year. 

What about a fancy shaving kit @novella1186 ? <clicky

plainjane0415

I usually don't do anything but a Christmas Card for the people I work with. Everyone gets the same card because I always buy the holiday boxed cards.

As far as buying for people I don't like, I just don't do that. 

jenna8984

pinkrevenge said:

KatieinBkln said:

Gift cards in a low-ish amount to a store where everything costs more than the gift card.

Parents you don't like? Get 'em a Build-a-Bear gift card for $20. You can't buy SHIT for $20 at Build-a-Bear, but as soon as Timmy sees it they have to go, muahahahaha!

This is my go-to for "we're not friends anymore and I actually hate you".

This is hilarious. For years, my dad and his brother had a contest who could get each other's kids the most loud and obnoxious toys. Fake cells phones that never stopped ringing, drum sets, it worked out great as the kid in that hatefest!

danamw

I used to work with a girl who I liked, but her husband was an ass. He would take the gifts she received, for himself.

So I got a gift card for a pet supply store. They had 2 dogs. I might have been saving him money on dog food, but at least it was the dogs who benefited from the gift, not him!

novella1186

lolo883 said:

novella1186 said:

My sister's bf is so douchey (which is kind of perfect since she's such a bitch) and I have to get him something (feel super obligated) for xmas this year. He doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, which are my two go-to things. And I don't know much about him. And he's really short and only wears custom-tailored fancy expensive clothes. So.... fuck if I know. Maybe he'll get some nutella cookies this year. 

What about a fancy shaving kit @novella1186 ? <clicky

Ooh! That might be the thing! Thank you!  

sophhabobopha

I (Fi puts in money but I actually do all the work) only buy presents for my mom, step dad, Fi's parents, my sister and brother, FSIL and her Fi, and neice and nephew. I like all of these people. (: