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Life

Gift Ideas for the People Who Don’t Need Anything

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Purdue chapter.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can officially say Happy Holidays to one and all! With the falling snow and family gathering comes another hallmark of the holidays: gift giving.  And almost everyone has at least one person in their lives who always says that they don’t need anything this year and you are left to figure out what to do for them.  So, after many years of experiencing this with my family and friends, I have come up with a few gift suggestions for the person who never wants anything to try and make your holiday shopping a little easier this year.

A movie gift card

My main strategy when shopping for the person who never wants anything is to focus on experiences and not things.  Most people go to the movies at least once a year, whether it’s to see the new Star Wars movie or to watch the latest rom com on Valentine’s Day, a gift card to the movies is likely something that anyone can use.  This goes for almost any and all gift cards, whether it’s a Starbucks gift card for your resident coffee addict, or a gift card to their favorite clothing store, gift cards allow you to show that you know and care about someone by giving them something they can use to make memories or buy something they truly want.

Scratch off Poster

If a gift card isn’t personal enough for the person you are shopping for, a scratch off poster is a trendy gift for this holiday season! There are several different types of scratch off posters such as scratch off maps of where someone has traveled or scratch off movie posters for every classic movie someone has seen.  These fun pieces can be hung on a wall as art/decoration and are a great way to remind someone of the great experiences they have had and what is still left on their bucket list!

A Disney+ Subscription

This might be because I have grown up on Disney and therefore, I am incredibly biased, but most people if not everyone is interested in the newest subscription service on the block.  This might be a pricier buy depending on what kind of package you get ($70 get you one full year on four devices) but for the person who wants to relive their childhood or explore the new shows that Disney has to offer, this can be a great gift that didn’t even cross their mind! This gift idea can also be applied to any other streaming service (i.e. buying someone a year of their Netflix or Hulu, etc.)

Spotify Premium 

And continuing the subscription chain we have one of my personal favorite gifts.  Each year, my grandparents are stumped on what to get me and so I have started asking them for the same thing every year: a renewal of my Spotify premium account.  I am obsessed with music whether it be on my walk to class or studying for a big exam, I almost always have my headphones in and my ever-growing playlist playing.  Spotify premium eliminates ads and allows the user to download songs to listen to offline (which is great for when I am traveling or don’t want to use data) and if you are a student you can get Spotify premium and Hulu in a cheaper bundle! This is a great gift idea to give to family members if you don’t know what you want for the holidays and for the music lover in your life.

Tickets

Tickets are another great option for those who want experiences and not things for the holidays! Whether it’s tickets to a local play, a reservation to a favorite restaurant, or tickets to the hottest concert in town, tickets are a great gift that allow for a personalized touch based on what event that specific person would truly love.  Gifting them experiences allows you to honor their wishes of not wanting to collect things while still giving them a present you know they will love.

So, whether it’s trying to figure out what to tell your parents you want for Christmas or what to get for that one person in your life who never wants anything, this list is here to help you spread cheer! These five gifts are a great jumping off point for more ideas, with the focus on experiences and not things so that you can give a gift to show your appreciation for that person and give them something that they will actually want and use. Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!

Sammy Bonnet

Purdue '21

Sammy is a junior at Purdue University majoring in Elementary Education. When not preparing for her next class, Sammy can be found constantly listening to music, wishing that she was at Disney, or watching her favorite Youtubers!
All the way from Phoenix, Arizona, Janice attends Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where she is currently a bioengineering major. Spending her time daydreaming Janice can be found jamming out to any song, watching netflix, or studying for the terrifying tests she has around the corner. You can follow her adventures @janichan on instagram.