Gifts for People Who Have Everything

Good gift givers know that buying the right present for someone isn’t always about getting the most expensive item and the prettiest container to wrap it in. Instead, finding the perfect gift is about knowing someone well enough to understand what they need, and caring enough to get it for them.

Ready to learn what great gift givers know? They recognize that there’s a perfect present for everyone — even people who don’t need a thing.  Here’s the secret: To discover the best gifts for people who have everything, think less about their possessions and more about their personalities.

Support the Causes They Care About

People who really have everything — like Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates — often want things that aren’t things at all. Instead, they’re advocates for charities helping to make the world a better place, whether by finding cures for diseases, offering education for children, helping animals, or working to achieve other worthwhile goals.

And that’s a great starting place for you to start brainstorming gift ideas for a person who has everything. If you already know the charities they care most deeply about, make a donation in their name. If you don’t, scroll their social feeds to see if they’ve shared updates from any charities or check out their car for bumper stickers.

Know the causes that they’re interested in but not sure where to donate?  You can search for reputable charities at Charity Navigator.

Help Them Make a Mark

Rather than giving someone another thing to keep in their home, consider a gift that’ll live on the outside of it. For instance, people might tell you that buying a star isn’t “official-official,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun. You can also adopt an endangered animal in their name (bet they don’t have a polar bear or a tiger!).

Or you can look to local fundraisers — you could buy a bench with their name on it in a favorite park, a brick on a walkway at a historic preservation project in your town, or a series of children’s books in their name for the library.

Give Them More of the Experiences They Love

When you know someone’s passions and hobbies, you have a fast track to finding the kind of gifts that even people who have everything adore — the chance to spend more time on the subjects and experiences they love.

Get a gift certificate to the restaurant a foodie friend has always wanted to try. Buy a gift card for a hotel or apartment stay for someone who loves to travel, or chip in on a class that could help your friend pursue a hobby they’ve talked about before, whether it’s photography, creative writing, golf, or knitting. Get them tickets to the show or the game that they’re dying to see.

Of course, sometimes the very best present you can give is a little space in their schedule to do the activities they love the most. Offer to watch the kids while they’re out for an afternoon, or pitch in and offer a little help when they need extra hands for a project in their workshop.

Keep Their Favorite Memories Close

Gifts that help people keep their favorite moments and loved ones close are something that most people (even people with everything) just can’t get enough of. Create a custom gift with a photo. You can get something the recipient can use at home — like an apron with a photo of a cherished memory, something they can take to the office, like a paperweight or a desk nameplate, or even something they can wear out and about, like a t-shirt, pair of socks, or custom leggings.

The best gifts for all of us, whether we have everything or a whole lot less, are the ones that make us feel seen, understood, and cared about. Keep that in mind, and you’ll always be remembered as the person who gives the best presents.

Zazzle Contributor

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