Gift for someone who has everything: 12 ideas that won't end up in a drawer

Gift for someone who has everything: experiences and time together

The best answer for someone who has everything is usually something that cannot sit on a shelf. Prices below are rough ranges in US dollars and vary by city and provider.

• 1. A class in something they enjoy. Cooking, pottery, photography, dance. Why: they learn something and talk about it for weeks. About $50 to $150.
• 2. Tickets to a concert, show or game. Why: a date in the calendar is a small event of its own. About $50 to $200 a person, depending on act and seat.
• 3. A weekend you have already planned. Hotel or cabin booked, travel sorted, nothing left to decide. Why: the work stays with you and the good feeling goes to them. About $200 to $700.
• 4. A time voucher with real content. Not a blank card but three dated plans: breakfast, a hike, a movie night, each already picked. Why: vouchers get forgotten, plans do not. From about $0, open-ended.

Consumables: treats that do not take up space

• 5. A good selection of food. Olive oil, cheese, coffee, chocolate, a bottle you would not find at the supermarket. Why: it is gone in a week and nothing piles up. About $30 to $100.
• 6. A subscription for something they actually use up. Coffee, tea, flowers, books. Why: the gift arrives more than once. About $15 to $50 a month. Give three months rather than a year.

Personal and sentimental: the occasion is part of the gift

Nobody can sell the same thing in a store, which is why this category works. It does depend on real memories from you.

• 7. A personal song. You give a name, the occasion and a few real memories, and get a song that sings your story. With songfy it costs $59, the preview is free and you can read the lyrics before you pay. It is a digital gift sent as a link, and the lyrics and music are made with AI. More in the guide to a custom song.
• 8. A photo book with stories. Not just pictures, one sentence under each photo. Why: the text is what makes it more than a photo wall. About $30 to $80.
• 9. A letter or 52 reasons. Handwritten, one reason per card. Why: it costs almost nothing and gets kept. From about $5.

Donations and sponsorships: do something instead of owning something

• 10. A donation in their name. To a charity that fits them, with a card that explains why. Why: it suits people who want little for themselves. From about $20, the amount is up to you.
• 11. A sponsorship. A tree, a beehive or an animal at a sanctuary. Why: there is often a certificate and updates, and it can continue next year. Usually $30 to $100 a year.

Gift for a man who has everything

A man who has everything often just buys what he wants himself. That argues against gadgets and for things you cannot simply order.

• 12. A hands-on or tasting evening. Knife making, brewing, whiskey tasting. Why: a hobby plus company. About $70 to $200.
• Or one of the ideas above that fits his life: a song about your story together, a weekend you planned, a quality hamper of his favourite food.

For a partner who says he needs nothing, a gift with a shared memory in it goes further than another object. More on that in the guide to anniversary gifts.

The 12 ideas compared

Why personal gifts work for people who need nothing

There is research on this. Cindy Chan and Cassie Mogilner ran four experiments on which gifts improve a relationship more. Experiential gifts did better than material ones from the recipient's point of view, and the authors point to the stronger emotion they trigger.

The same press release adds a useful caveat: an emotionally charged object, such as a framed photo, also strengthened the relationship. So it matters less whether a gift is a thing or an experience than how much feeling is in it. A personal song falls in that direction, but it was not part of the study, so we draw that line carefully.

Frequently asked questions