Christmas may have been and gone, but for most of us, gift buying is a year-round task. Think Valentines. Think Easter. Think birthdays and anniversaries. The list is never ending. The most difficult part is thinking of something original for those tricky to buy for loved ones.
Tricky people are usually tricky because they already have everything, or they’re not particularly demanding. You know they’ll be happy with whatever you get them, but you still want to surprise and impress them, as well as make sure your present stands out from the others. Here are five great ideas for bringing a smile to the faces of your nearest and dearest.
Buy some bullion to make a serious impression
Even if your certain someone does have everything they need, they probably don’t have any, or much, bullion. They definitely won’t have any of the limited-edition annual ingots and bars that many precious metals dealers have on offer; if this appeals to you, look here for ideas and offers. It’s all about the shinies!
A monthly coffee subscription
We all have that someone in our lives – the person who always has a coffee in their hand. This person can navigate their way around new cities by using their favourite caffeine stations as signposts! Well, help them to expand their stimulant horizons by buying them a year’s membership to a coffee delivery service. Each month they’ll receive a different bean or blend and chances are that they’ll find one or two new favourites before the year is out.
A mug with a chalkboard finish
This is a genius idea for an absent-minded, non-morning person. They can set out their cup the night before and write a reminder on it. Whether they need to remember their gym kit, their monthly accounts report or just their dry cleaning, a scrawled chalk to-do message alongside their cup of Joe will help them to make a success of the day.
A spider catcher
If you have someone who simply can’t handle spiders, literally and figuratively, then this is the ideal gift for them. This catcher offers them a hands-off method of evicting eight-legged guests without hurting them.
It works in the same way as a litter-grabber and (thankfully) has the same sort of long handle! Instead of pincers, however, it has long, flexible bristles that gather up the errant arachnid and hold it steadily until you’re ready to release it. It also works on moths, wasps, crane flies and similar critters. It even comes with a plastic spider to practise on.
Hand-signal controlled drones
Drones have been a buzz-word in the gift giving world for some time now, and their popularity doesn’t look to be giving way anytime soon. By far the most daunting aspect of learning to fly a drone is mastering the controls (without accidentally hitting the wrong button and flying off into the distance!). Remove the hassle of learning the buttons by mastering a few simple hand gestures – you can even take a selfie from the on-board camera. Hand-signal controlled drones are widely available and the smaller units won’t break the bank.