What do you get for the person who has everything? A box to put it in!

First of all . . .  the kind of box doesn’t necessarily matter.  It can be a beautiful collectors box or a cardboard box or anything in between.  What matters is what you put into it.   For example:  Years ago I gave my mother a “store-bought” Mother’s Day card that said something to the effect of:  “I may have been a difficult child but I never deliberately stepped on a crack.”  My mother read the card and looked at me and it was obvious that she totally got it – and appreciated it.  One year a friend wrote my parents a letter about how much my friendship meant to her.  I don’t know what might be the right message from you but something as simple as that (or a poem or a letter) may be the perfect gift.

Not your cup of tea?  Home-made options are always a welcome gift.  Have your young kids make something like a picture or a handprint in ceramic for them.  If they draw a picture, consider framing it – or give them picture frames for pictures they already have.  Or homemade candy, cake or cookies, or something you knitted, sewed, embroidered, or otherwise home made.

Here are some other suggestions:

Favorite Melodies ( www.musicandmemory.org ).  If movies or pictures are more to their liking, put old family movies (or pictures) onto DVDs for them – and give a copy to everyone else in the family, too.  Just keep in mind that this process doesn’t happen over night so start NOW.

“Professional” Gift Certificates. Professional gift certificates (such as from a clothing store) is always an option.  But if they have enough clothes, how about gift certificates for their local movie theatre, to have their hair or nails done at a local salon, for a car service (especially if they’ve just given up driving) or the services of a professional organizer ( www.napo.net ).

Home Made Gift Certificates.  Often your aging loved one needs help but won’t admit it or accept it when offered.  A home made gift certificate is great way to provide help without them having to admit they need it or ask for it.  For example, mowing the lawn (by you, a neighbor kid or a professional service); spring and/or fall house preparation; cleaning out the garage or attic; once-a-week housecleaning . . . or anything that needs doing!

While you’re at it, don’t neglect the relationship. For example, a gift certificate good for lunch or afternoon tea with you.  Or perhaps a night out together. When you give a “home-made” gift certificate – make it into a really big deal.  Box, bows, etc – everything you’d do with a store-bought gift.  And because it’s a gift, they can’t really turn it down!

Give To Their Favorite Charity.  If you’re looking for just the right charity, Charity Navigator ( www.charitynavigator.com ) is a great site.  In one location you can check out thousands of charities including their history and financial health.  You can donate there or click the link to the website of the charity of your choice.  Or you might want to make it even more local and personal and give in their name to their local house of worship, library, school, etc.

For Special Needs , here are several websites for products that are useful for a whole range of disabilities:

For products for all sorts of disabilities, check out first STREET for Boomers & Beyond at www.firststreetonline.com/index.jsp

For a comforting therapeutic gift for a senior parent, grandparent, aunt, friend or anyone who benefits from active warm hands, check out TwiddleMuff! ( www.twiddlemuff.com ).  If they have Dementia, why not have the whole family make or contribute to memory books or check out Ageless Design at www.agelessdesign.com for a wide range of dementia products.

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