Christmas gifts that keep on giving

Christmas is always a stressful time of year. There’s just so much to think about – you have to plan for family visits, buy and prepare so much food, get the house ready for guests and so much more. And not least, you have to buy all the presents! There are some people for whom you can happily buy a little present like a box of chocolates, some fancy tea, or a nice photo frame. But what do you get those who are a little more special to you? In this handy guide, we’ve put together some ideas that offer a little bit more than a one-off gift.

1. Recipe Book

This might seem obvious, but for someone who has expressed interest in cooking but maybe never learned how, or someone who’s interested in learning a new kind of cooking, a recipe book can be a really thoughtful gift that won’t just get shoved in a cupboard after Christmas is over. A great recipe book can be used for years to come – and who knows, maybe you’ll even get to taste some of the great new food!

2. Beginner’s knitting kit

Knitting is a really simple and enjoyable hobby that anyone can learn, at any age. And, if the person you’re giving it to gets into it, they’ll be able to make fun knitted gifts for all the family (for better or for worse).

3. Photo album

Though they are less common than they used to be due to the advent of almost limitless digital photo collections that are easy to look at, a photo album still has that magical touch that makes memories sparkle. For someone that means a lot to you, an album of special memories together will be something they revisit time and time again and definitely don’t forget.

4. Tennis racket

This is one that might be great for a romantic partner or close friend. Since it’s so close to new year’s, and exercise is a very common resolution, why not make it a joint resolution and then get your friend or partner a tennis racket and ask them for one too? Then, when the new year rolls around, you’ll be able to go and play tennis together and enjoy keeping fit as a pair. This simultaneously ties you in to your resolution to get fit, strengthens your bond with that person, and means you’ve bought them a present they’ll actually use?

Though these gifts won’t work for everyone, as everyone has different interests, hopefully we’ve managed to give you a few ideas for a gift that might offer a little bit more.