The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For The Person Who Has Everything
Shopping for the self-actualized retiree in your life? Wondering what to buy someone who can afford way nicer things than you can ever hope to offer? Got a person on your list who has totally shunned materialism, and has therefore already attained enlightenment by liberating themselves from the cycle of desire and suffering? Wishing for a super simple gift guide for the person who has everything? There’s one thing all of these people have in common: they’re all probably still looking for ways to optimize their time.
Retirees have plenty of time on their hands — which is why they can always make room for new experiences and hobbies. The loaded person in your life is more than likely working hard for that money, which makes time especially precious. For the spiritually enlightened, all experience is valuable, but they’ll probably still appreciate a gift that will provide a pleasurable moment of “now” to inhabit.
Here’s a gift guide with a handful of ideas for when time — and experience — is truly of the essence.
A Pickling Or Home-Brewing Kit
The person who has everything can probably afford all the fancy beers they want, but have they experienced the rewards of learning to brew their own? If you’ve got an epicurean in your life, consider gifting them the tools they’ll need to beef up their artisan credentials.
A Travel Voucher
Depending on how much you can afford to spend, you can either purchase a voucher worth a round-trip, first-class flight, or you can pitch in a nice dinner for your fancy friend’s next vacation.
A Babbel Subscription
You can have too many things, but you can never have enough knowledge. People who attain material success often move on to pursue more experiential things like personal development, and if they’re the type of person who likes to travel and see the world, they’ll probably be up for learning a new language, too.
A Donation To The Charity Or Non-Profit Of Their Choice
Even if this person is already a dedicated do-gooder, you probably won’t go wrong by supporting their favorite cause. A good deal of people who “have it all” think it’s important to give back, and making a charity contribution on their behalf will be more appreciated than another tie set.
Via A Custom Portrait
Back in the day, the wealthy elite would pose for hours while an oil painter carefully rendered their countenance. Today, you can probably just commission a custom portrait on Etsy and still make rent for the month. Many artists specialize in family and pet portraits, too.
A Massage
Honestly, who doesn’t need one? The gift of massage is a relatively affordable one, and it’s a thoughtful way to pamper the busybody in your life.
Dance Classes
Tango lessons: they’re not just for retirees, but there’s a reason why dance instructors often get hired by cruise lines. A lot of people are shy when it comes to dancing, which is why it’s a worthwhile hobby for motivated challenge-seekers — as well as people who could use a physical and social outlet.
A Private Lesson With A Pro
Name a person with a hobby, and you’ll name someone who wouldn’t mind getting some skilled training. The golfer in your life would probably love to spend an hour shooting links with a real pro, and websites like Cloud 9 Living make it possible to give the gift of race car and helicopter lessons.
Tickets To Hamilton
Or any other must-see production, really. The true Broadway buff in your life has probably already seen it, but even dedicated fans of musical theater can wait months before they can afford to go — or before they happen to luck out and win the lottery for a ticket.
A Time-Saving Service
Long on money, short on time? Short on time, and also short on money? Everyone could use a helping hand, which is why pitching in for a home-cleaning service (or an outsourcing platform like TaskRabbit) can be a welcome gesture for the busy person in your life.
A Box Subscription
Back in 2011, the running joke was: “there’s an app for that.” In 2019, it’s: “there’s a box subscription for that.” While this certainly falls into the camp of gifting more “things,” box subscriptions can be a fun way to indulge in one’s addiction of choice. Just ask a cocktail snob if they’ve ever tired of their whiskey of the month subscription.
Animal “Adoption”
This is sort of in line with donating to your gift recipient’s favorite charity, but if you have a humanitarian friend who is crazy for animals, you can symbolically adopt an animal in their name to contribute to the cause of endangered wildlife protection. You can support a number of species through the World Wildlife Fund.
Fancy Beverage Implements
Even if they’re not a coffee drinker, just about everyone has some beverage of choice. Whether they’re a known consumer of tea, matcha, coffee, scotch or wine, there’s probably no such thing as having too many gadgets to optimize their consumption. Think wine aerators, specialized cocktail glasses, matcha whisks and fancy coffee makers that look like they came from a lab set.
An Astrology Or Tarot Reading
Some people are truly set with their level of material success. But everyone, regardless of their station in life, could use insight and guidance. People don’t only turn to astrology and tarot when they’re in a mode of crisis. Some people genuinely enjoy using these tools for deeper self-exploration. If this is someone who is at all woo-inclined (or at the very least, open-minded), this would make a much more meaningful gift than another basket of soaps.
An Indoor Herb Garden
Know someone who likes to cook? Assuming they don’t already have their own organic rooftop garden, a cheaper and more accessible option could take the form of an indoor herb garden. This smart garden that uses LED grow lights and pre-seeded plant pods is a great option.
A Roomba
The one thing no one has enough of is time, and honestly, who actually enjoys cleaning their floors? An automated floor cleaner like the Roomba will perform the Sisyphean task of keeping one’s floors in pristine condition, and it can also double as a vehicle for pets.
A Meditation Retreat Or Self-Development Class
Think “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.” When all your basic needs are met, you direct your efforts toward self-actualization. And surely the accomplished person in your life is interested in things like self-improvement, mental clarity and inner peace. Retreats can be pricey, but if your budget is limited, perhaps you can buy them a workshop instead.
Something To Help Them Sleep At Night
Realistically, most, if not all of us could use a better night’s sleep. And depending on how well you know this person’s specific sleep grievances, you might be well-equipped to choose the perfect solution. Sensitive to noise? Consider a high-quality white noise machine. Sensitive to alarms? Try a sunrise simulator. Oh, and weighted blankets have been all the rage lately.
