One of the best gifts I've ever received was a big box of thrifted books. I am a big reader of trashy romance novels and I go through them pretty fast. They paid like $5 for this box of books and it gave me like 3 months of reading material. I was super happy!

paramourns , Graham Stanley Report

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JuJu

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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell is a fantastic book

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Homemade cookies. One year I was particularly broke and decided to make everyone Xmas biscuits. Felt a bit stingy as I didn’t really spend anything on it (had all the flour, eggs, spices etc already at home and only had to buy a single chocolate bar to make choco chips) but people LOVED it and now ask me for them each year. I usually personalise the flavours or ice the person’s name/something they like on them. For one friend (who loves warm cookies) I gifted a log of cookie dough and cooking instructions, that went down pretty well.

ididitforcheese , bluecookies Report

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Barbara L Bristow

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I was AMAZED that everyone loved the book marks I hand made. They were so easy

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People always say children are a gift from god. Maybe I will start giving out children for Christmas. Not like the ball pit at ikea has armed security, shouldn't be too difficult to get a dozen children or so.

stinkyfastball , TimothyJ Report

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If you coat some old spiderman posters in epoxy you can make a sort of 'mega flypaper'. Walking through the street playing a pipe is also historically a winner.

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This has been a rough year for me. Funds are tight so I am making 100 dozen tamales to give to my family and friends this year. And for my Christmas grandchildren's birthdays I am making them their favorite cake. Hummingbird. I know every one will be happy as I am always being asked to make these items for them throughout the year.

MsHTownSmoker61 , kinwart Report

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Huddo's sister

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I've made coconut ice or truffles in the past when I couldn't afford as much, as well as jam.

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Super soft blanket

beregond23 , moon angel Report

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TheDivineMsM

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You can never have enough cozy blankets. This is often my go to gift- especially if I can find this soft and oversized and cuddly.

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Last year i put hundreds of the best rock music on a USB for my dad to listen to in the car. It was the night before Christmas. He uses it everyday still.

TheBrotherhoods , osde8info Report

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Kate Fowler

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I did this for mybrother inlaw. He still plugs that thing into the port in his car on his fishing/roadtrip each year

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When someone buys me socks. I fu**ing love socks.

Klutzy_Newt , popofatticus Report

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Bunzilla

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It's pretty funny. When you're a kid, getting socks or clothes is generally a disappointment. But when you're an adult, it's usually very welcome.

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I feel like snacks for stocking stuffers are always a win with me. If my wife is reading this please give me bbq pringles please for my stocking.

CarminesCarbine , Mike Mozart Report

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Roy Webb

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I always give my wife as big a bag of peanut m&ms as I can find, and she does the same for me,but pistachios.

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A card with $5 in it and a super sweet message from my grandpa about how proud of me he is.

Happened to me when I was 12. My grandpa had just passed away and he had already made cards for everyone. I still have the card and the $5.

aurarasburst , raidensgrammie21 Report

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Danielle Terese

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I got a card from Grandpa just after he passed away too! I was living in another country at the time, and it reached me just a day or so after his death. Very sweet, cried so much.

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Last year I was at Microcenter buying someone a drone, and they have bins of 32GB flash drives at the checkout counter for $3. I bought 15 and put them in everyone's stockings. People loved it.

BelowDeck , osde8info Report

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2x4b523p

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Incredible how things lose value. My first USB drive was 128MB, cost me my two day salary and I was absolutely convinced I future proofed myself with that splash of money because most of my classmates were on 32MB.

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One year I went to my grandmas house and snapped a few pictures of the old albums. Went home, made some collages out of the pictures, made them into magnets. (I did this at home with what I have, but a mail order place can do it too) I didn’t know if people would like them but several people cried when I gave them out. They all compared pictures and still have them up.

-in_the_wind_ , downing.amanda Report

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ChickyChicky

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This is not a last-minute gift.

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Lego set^

KakashiD1o , Peter & Joyce Grace Report

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Huddo's sister

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I want a Lego set!

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If you've got a fairly geeky group of friends, fancy leather notebooks from Barnes and Noble will do the trick easily.

If not, the amazon gift card always works.

EatsAtomsRegularly , redspotted Report

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Huddo's sister

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I always asked for a journal or sketch book as a teen. Still would like them to be honest.

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Tickets to something that person would enjoy, whether it's a play, musical, concert, dinner theater experience, live podcast, comedy show, sporting event, movie, museum, art show, historic place tour or tour of something else. It's easy to get (just buying tickets/passes to something) but also very personal & meaningful. It can also range from being a cheap gift (like movie tickets) to more expensive (like a Broadway show) depending on your price range and closeness to that person.

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Martha Meyer

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Where did they dig up that picture of a 20 year old ticket with the price both in Euros and DM!

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Food basket with sausage, crackers, and cheese. I love getting them, it makes for great snacks or even a good meal.

llcucf80 , Birdies100 Report

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Osgood_7

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Check to see if they have food allergies first please

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A jug of real Vermont maple syrup.

Back2Bach , Priscilla HughesFollow Report

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Catherine Côté

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*Laughs in Québécois*

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A gift card to a store they like + a home baked treat (banana bread or chocolate chip cookies)

doublestitch , jmackinnell Report

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Danielle Charney

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just a home baked treat is plenty

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Bag of batteries with a note saying “toy not included”

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Useful, but seems a bit random... I pretty sure 'batteries' is also listed elsewhere on BP as 'worst gifts at christmas'.

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I work at a coal mine. I usually grab a chunk every year for someone.

endlessloads , phredd Report

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Ovata Acronicta

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As a child I asked specifically for coal for Xmas. My grandma played the game and got me this nice little pouch filled with three coal pieces - a joke gift on top of whatever else she gave me. Thing is, I don't remember what else she got me, I remember and still have the coal and it's a favored Xmas memory. The other adults there reacted poorly to the joke at the time, but I *literally asked for it* and it was hilarious. I'd still love a piece of coal for Xmas!

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I like my gifts to be practical, no matter who's getting them.

Small, bright keychain lights like the Photon Micro or the Olight IE3 EOS.

Small Swiss Army knives like the Swiss Army Classic.

Awesome socks like Smartwool or Darn Tough or Fox River.

High quality beanie from Outdoor Research, Arcteryx, Smartwool, Sealskinz.

Space pens and a small, quality pocket notebook.

Coffee Travel mugs from Contigo.

Small car emergency kits, everyone needs them and literally no one has them.

Powerbanks

If you live some place it snows: A good snow scraper, because again, for some reason, everyone has some piece of junk from a gas station.

Magnetic charging cables. Seriously. I give these all the time and they're a huge hit, especially for iPhone users who seem to be constantly breaking either their cord or the charge port. I like the NetDot and Volta.

Small, quality multi-tool from Gerber, Leatherman or SOG. These are especially popular with women that get them from us.

GhettoCop , Andrew Fresh Report

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Parmeisan

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I have way too many snow scrapers from people who somehow never thought that in Saskatchewan, Canada I would already have a good snow scraper. Practical gifts can become junk if you're not careful.

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I’d say candy as a former child

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Blue Purple

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Also as a former child, I agree

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If they're drinkers, a nice bottle of Champagne. New Year's is right around the corner, and that way they'll have a nice bottle of bubbly to enjoy their night with.

Oldpenguinhunter , osseous Report

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Rod Egret

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This is not Champagne...

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I might be a bit biased, but those mind teaser puzzles where you try to get the loop out of the contraption.

TatsumakiRonyk , elfgoh Report

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GlipGlop

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I struggled to complete these as a kid and thus developed an undying hatred for all things puzzley, but I respect the game more now lol

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Cold hard cash baby

cuhcuh416 , jon collier Report

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There is academic research into how and when it's perceived as better to give cash. For example, $5 cash is usually thought of as a better gift that a $6 item that you don't want. There are exceptions and nuances to this, but unless you have something special, unique and tailored planned, buying almost under about $50 is probably a waste of your time. /gift cards. https://www.amherst.edu/media/view/104699/original/christmas.pdf

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Massage voucher. Most adults don't really need physical things. The ones who do either buy it themselves (if they can afford it, ofc) or they would ask for it, which would make the gift not so much a last minute one.

option43 , City Walkr Report

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Susan Reid Smith

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Not everyone likes to be touched. Make it for a salon or spa where other services might be available?

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I made custom coasters one year for my entire family.

Step 1- Go to Home Depot get free floor samples(already perfect coaster size)

Step 2- Use a wood-burning tool to put initials into them.

Step 3- Give as a gift.

I did this several years ago and whenever I visit I still see the coasters out.

About 2 hours of burning and $0 spent and I had a heartfelt gift for everyone.

justa_flesh_wound , Mary McCoy Report

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Savannah Barnett

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I did this as a wedding gift! I'm new at wood burning so it wasn't perfect and took a lot of time but I'm sure if you practice and get better at it then it's an even better gift.

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Shop vac. Eminently practical and it sucks having to buy one for yourself. The giftee will laugh and then you’ll get a text or a call like a month after saying it’s the best thing they’ve ever gotten

UYScutiPuffJr , James West Report

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Anaïs Grobin

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I second this. I need a shop vac so much. I asked my other half to get me one for Christmas

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Depends on person.

My wife never complains about jewelry. Also one time I couldn’t think of what to get her. I let her have a shopping spree at a make up store she likes.

She only wanted 3 things. It costed 85$ and they were on sale so tread carefully on that land mine idea.

deleted , wordjunky Report

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K Witmer

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My daughter loves to do this. On her 13th bday we took her to her favorite store in the mall and told her to get whatever she wanted. She had a blast and ever since she talks about how exciting that was lol

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Sword. Imagine showing up to Christmas Day gift swap with a badass cleaver or katana. Plus, they aren’t marked up this time of the year.

PredatorSane , Jeremy Hall Report

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Theoretical Empiricist

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Or a ba't'leth.

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