Impossible to buy for

[Night Elf]

Ds23 has everything he needs and wants. He doesn't believe in replacing something that isn't worn out. I give him and the other kids  cash, but I do like having one gift under the tree for each kid. The only thing I can come up with is a new mousepad as the one he has is years old and is Star Trek, something he doesn't even like. But when I asked if he'd like a new one, he said no. What he had was fine. DH thinks ds won't be bothered by not having a gift but it sure bothers me. I bought him a pair of track pants but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that wasn't a gift I wanted him to unwrap so I just gave them to him and told him I saw them on sale and thought he'd like them. 

He only drinks cans of soda so a water bottle won't work. I thought of new head phones but he only uses expensive ones and I'd like to stay under $25. He's getting $60 in gift cards for his favorite place to buy video games. It's an online store. So I'm stumped. He drives but has a keychain and a wallet. He doesn't want anything new. He has an umbrella for the car. He isn't into swiss army knives or any type of knives. 

Last year I bought him a shirt that says "Gamer" on it and he doesn't wear it. He wears only solid short sleeve tshirts and has plenty of them. I can't think of anything novel for him. So I guess I"m just going to try to get over it and simply fill his stocking with candy.

[PrincessMommy]

Does he like hot sauces or anything like that?  Maybe a set of different types of hot sauce?  I ask because my 18yr old has them lined up next to his computer for ease of use while gaming 😏  What about other food items like fancy beef jerky or other foodies ideas?

What about funky socks?

[KungFuPanda]

As a person who does not need, want, or like any more Stuff to maintain, consumable gifts are a win for me.  Candles, meals, treats, experiences, anything I can use up and not store makes me happy. Would your son care for movie tickets?

[AFwife Claire]

One year I bought a case of those glass bottle Coke bottles from Sams for one teen son's birthday.  They weren't something he would ever buy himself, and so they were a special treat.  Plus the bottles are cool, lol.  He was pretty happy with it!

[marbel]

What about a book or magazine related to an interest of his?  Sometimes I wrap a single issue of a magazine and offer a subscription if the kid thinks they will like it. Sometimes they have wanted a subscription, sometimes not, but either way they enjoyed the gift. Or at least were gracious and said they did, LOL.

Edited December 15, 2019 by marbel

[cjzimmer1]

One of mine is getting 8 creme brulee from costco - with a gift card, one of mine is getting albanese gummy snacks - with a gift card, my nephews are getting dried pineapple - with a gift card, and the list could go on.  Pretty much everyone  on my list but the youngest 2 are getting some special food item with a gift card.  Makes it easy for me and there is no clutter unwanted gifts when we are done.  And they are always happy to get some food item they wouldn't normally buy for themselves. 

[Caroline]

My son who likes to drink from a can got a Yeti can holder for Christmas last year. He really likes it. It keeps the drink cold. 

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Caroline

[Beth S]

Someone on another WTM gift thread suggested a head lamp. 
My dh loves his---and it has a million different uses (car repair, hiking, etc.)
They can be cheap or expensive.
Include the receipt & you're done!

[Selkie]

Legos? My boys are 19 and 21 and I still get them each a Lego set for Christmas, just for fun.

[Annie G]

I second the can holder Yeti makes. Keeps from needing a coaster and it keeps the drink cold. 

[Kareni]

A case of his favorite soft drinks.

Regards,

Kareni

[history-fan]

LED rgb  lights strips for computer. Smart light bulbs that are colored. Keyboard that is colored lights. I was just walking around a computer store and saw some of these and thought they were cool.

[domestic_engineer]

a box from universalyums.com .... even if you don't do the subscription service, just doing one month might be fun.

 

[Junie]

Since you mentioned that he doesn't need a water bottle because he drinks soda, maybe you could just get him a case or two of his favorite sodas.

[Excelsior! Academy]

I just mentioned this in another thread, but what about a planner?  Amazon has some really neat ones.  You could add some planner pens and stay under your limit.

[Chris in VA]

Does he have an emergency charger for his car battery?

Does he use a cell phone a lot? Would one of those portable chargers work? (The kind you charge, then put on the back of the phone flat against it--they hold 2-3 charges)

[KungFuPanda]

7 hours ago, Beth S said:

Someone on another WTM gift thread suggested a head lamp. 
My dh loves his---and it has a million different uses (car repair, hiking, etc.)
They can be cheap or expensive.
Include the receipt & you're done!

My son has a head lamp.  I've stolen it many times for all sorts of things.

[Shoeless]

The Yeti can cooler is a great idea.  I gave my husband one 2 or 3 years ago, and he uses it every day. It really does work as advertised. 

[Night Elf]

Great ideas! I hate to be a wet blanket, but my ds23 has Aspergers and is a very picky person. I love that food box from Universal Yums but I know for a fact he wouldn't like it. He likes Lays plain potato chips and will sometimes eat Honey BBQ Twists but he has to be in the mood. I also love the Yeti can cooler but he drinks his sodas so fast that there is no need for something to keep his soda cold. He chugs it. He really does drink way too much soda but he's an adult and I can't do anything about it anymore. However, you did give me an idea. He likes orange soda and very rarely gets it so maybe I'll surprise him with a 12-pack of Sunkist Orange. He doesn't have a planner. He'll be getting a job next month but he'll probably just remember his schedule if they do it weekly like his last job did. No need to write it  down. We just  got him a new soft light for his bedroom or that could have been a good gift. I didn't think about that before I gave it to him yesterday. I still like the idea of a mouse pad, or some other computer thing. Before I buy the soda, I'm going to go to Best Buy and look at what they have. Maybe I can find something cool. Not much impresses him. I also like the idea of a charger for his battery. I'll ask DH to help me look into that. Something practical for his car is a great idea. He already has a car trash bag in there. 

[TheReader]

Our son is very very very similar. 

Some of our ideas:
-emergency car battery charger
-auto tire inflater thingy for when he has low air in his tires
-a fun Lego model that he might enjoy building and displaying
-mouse pad he'll enjoy
-if he doesn't already have one, an ergonomic &/or gamer mouse (I didn't know this was a thing, but our 19 yr old has one and loves it)(it has extra buttons and stuff)
-if he uses a USB/Thumb Drive for saving things, maybe a cute/themed one
-I like the headlamp idea, could be good for all sorts of things
-if he doesn't already have one, an ergonomic keyboard as well
-something like nice gloves, or a nice jacket, if he needs/will wear them
-snacks are good as well

[domestic_engineer]

You could make a flight of orange soda ... Sunkist, Jones, IBC, Fanta ....maybe there are some local, craft options too? .... or the Mexican brand in the glass bottle with the alligator logo.

... of course this is all if he would enjoy the *experience* of trying new things.  Do it together as a family and have an "Orange Soda Tasting".  I don't know what pairs well with orange soda, though.  haha.  

[plansrme]

Digital tire gauge.  I have given one to all of the drivers in my family.  Before I did, I checked the recommended tire pressure for their respective cars, printed it on my label maker and stuck it right on the tire gauge.  

The newest driver in the family is getting a bucket of supplies to wash his car (and a lesson).  If your son is earning his keep (mine is only 16, so he is not), perhaps coupons to a local car wash.

Does his car have a set of jumper cables?  (With instructions on how to hook them up attached, because I am surely  not the only person who can never remember the correct order?)

A mini fridge for his room or game area?  

[domestic_engineer]

One more idea .... post-it notes in novel shapes/sizes, personalized or cute designs.  Long ago on these forums there was a link to cute post-it notes from a Japanese stationary store based in the Pacific Northwest.  They had planners and pouches too.  But I can't find the link now.    I got some girly designed post-it notes from Current Catalog, and they weren't as sticky as the 3M kind.  So buyer beware.

Edit:  Found the link!  https://shop.mochithings.com/stationery/sticky-notes

 

Edit:  another idea .... a big thing of zip ties (or the velcro kind of wire bundler) in assorted sizes.

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by domestic_engineer

[Arcadia]

AAA emergency roadside kit https://www.target.com/p/aaa-emergency-roadside-kit/-/A-14280657

Valet tray e.g. https://www.amazon.com/West-End-Warehouse-Nightstand-Compartments/dp/B07NSCFXWK/

[lynn]

My Navy kid is that kid.  He buys everything he needs and wants.  He's coming home for Christmas so I want something for him to open but it's Has to fit in his back pack, get through security at the airport since he's not checking his bag.  So it's very limiting.  We're giving him an Amazon gift card so he can get whatever he needs and a travel neck pillow and his sister got him some hand warmers. thats all we came up with besides some of his favorite treats in his stocking.

[Junie]

39 minutes ago, lynn said:

My Navy kid is that kid.  He buys everything he needs and wants.  He's coming home for Christmas so I want something for him to open but it's Has to fit in his back pack, get through security at the airport since he's not checking his bag.  So it's very limiting.  We're giving him an Amazon gift card so he can get whatever he needs and a travel neck pillow and his sister got him some hand warmers. thats all we came up with besides some of his favorite treats in his stocking.

A few years ago my brother flew in for Christmas, so anything we got him had to go home with him through the airport/airplane.  I bought him a gift card and then had dh wrap it up in a huge box with a cinder block at the bottom.  On Christmas he saw me retrieving this huge gift from under the tree by sliding it across the floor.  He asked, "Who is that for?" thinking that it was an awesome gift for one of the kids.  The look on his face was priceless when I told him the gift was for him!  "You know I have to take this home on an airplane, right?"  "Yep!!"  (He left the cinder block at my house.)  It made an ordinary gift card a lot of fun.  Plus, it was payback for buying my kids a chalkboard the year before.

[Stacia]

Since your ds is a gamer, is there a related sticker or vinyl cling you could get for his car?

Seconding the rec for the portable car charger. They are awesome and we have used ours multiple times for various cars. It is more than your $25 limit though.

Also, is there a charity that might be of interest to him? Make a donation in his name. I know my ds gives to a charity one of the gamers he follows does; I believe the gamer had a sibling or young relative with cancer and the gaming group set up a charity to help fund sending children to a summer camp.

Eta: Ds gives to Tip of the Hats, which is apparently tied to an online streaming event each October: https://tipofthehats.org/

In looking around, I found this gaming charity which sounds pretty cool: AbleGamers https://ablegamers.org/

Edited December 18, 2019 by Stacia

[DawnM]

We have a wonderful Asian market here and I plan to go over and get a variety of ramen for each of my boys.  They love ramen.   The store has literally an entire isle of various kinds.

[Night Elf]

2 hours ago, DawnM said:

We have a wonderful Asian market here and I plan to go over and get a variety of ramen for each of my boys.  They love ramen.   The store has literally an entire isle of various kinds.

What a cool, easy gift! Wouldn't work for my Aspie though. He eats only one pasta, Pasta Roni, and one specific flavor of it. Nothing else. He's not an adventurous eater and he has very few acceptable snacks. I just bought him a box of Pop-Tarts and wish I hadn't. That would have been good for him to unwrap and eat for breakfast. I bought him a big box though, and it will last a while. He doesn't eat them every day. 

[Night Elf]

He rarely buys anything online except games from Steam. My mom and both daughters are giving him Steam gift cards. That's $60. I don't feel right giving him yet another of the same. I will probably get him a Subway card for his stocking. 

Want to know how picky he is at eating? At Subway he gets grilled chicken breasts on white bread. That's it. No condiments. Not toasted. No cheese. No sauces. Just meat and bread. He goes to the same shop and they know his order and begin fixing it as soon as they see him. 🙂

[Shoeless]

Since he has very specific likes and doesn't enjoy "extra" things, maybe you could make a gift basket of all his favorites? The Lays chips, orange soda, Pasta Roni, and a Subway gift card together all sound nice because it's all things he likes.