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Gifts for someone who has everything

Updated

The best gift for someone who has everything is one they cannot buy for themselves: time with you, a better version of something they use up, or a record of a moment that belongs to them, such as a star map of a night that matters.

People who have everything usually have enough things. What they lack is time, something new, and gifts that are about them. Each idea below says who it suits and roughly what it costs.

At a glance

Gift ideas, who each one suits, and typical cost
GiftBest forTypical cost
A meal at a restaurant they want to trySomeone who loves food£75–£150
A donation in their nameSomeone who wants nothing more£25–£75
A star map of a night that is theirsA person with every gadgetFrom £40 per print
A better grade of something they use upSomeone who notices quality£25–£75
A day out you plan and pay forA busy person who plans everythingOver £150
A one-day class in something newSomeone curious about new skills£75–£150
A family photo bookA parent or grandparent£25–£75
Video messages from people they loveA milestone birthdayFree
A family photo sessionFamilies with grown-up childrenOver £150
A service that removes a choreA busy homeownerOver £150
An offer of your timeOlder parents and busy friendsFree

  1. A meal at a restaurant they want to try

    Book a table at the place they keep mentioning, and pay ahead or give a voucher from that restaurant. Go with them if they would like company. It is used up, so it adds nothing to their shelves.

  2. A donation in their name

    Give to a cause linked to something they love, such as a local animal rescue, a library or a dark sky group. Tell them in a card what the donation pays for. Some people prefer a gift they can use, so think about the person first.

  3. A star map of a night that is theirs

    A star map print from Star Crossed Skies shows the stars above a place at the date and time you choose. Someone who has everything is unlikely to own the sky from their own night: their birth, their wedding, or the night their first grandchild was born. Pick the night that matters most to them and add a short message in your words.

    Wonderfully unique gift for my grandparents special wedding anniversary, lovely quality & sent promptly with care, 11/10 would recommend this well loved gift!
    Jessica P., Trustpilot review
    Make your star mapRead more: A birthday star map

  4. A better grade of something they use up

    Buy a better version of something they finish every month: coffee, olive oil, tea, wine or chocolate. Choose a small producer they have not tried. It is used up, so it never becomes clutter.

  5. A day out you plan and pay for

    Plan a full day: a museum, a walk, a long lunch and a show. Handle every booking and the travel. The gift is a day off from planning.

  6. A one-day class in something new

    Book a class in a skill they have never tried: pottery, sailing, bread or glassblowing. Choose something unrelated to their work. They come home with a new skill, not a new object.

  7. A family photo book

    Collect photos from relatives and friends, including ones the person has never seen, and print them as a book. Ask everyone a few weeks ahead. Only the family can make this gift.

  8. Video messages from people they love

    Ask friends and family to each record a short message with one memory, and join them into one video. Give a deadline and a length, such as one minute each. It costs only time.

  9. A family photo session

    Book a photographer for an hour, at home or outside, with the whole family. The person who organises everything is often missing from the family photos. Choose a date when everyone can come.

  10. A service that removes a chore

    Pay for a deep clean of the house, a full car clean, gutter cleaning or a season of help in the garden. Choose the chore they complain about. It is practical and adds nothing to the house.

  11. An offer of your time

    Write a card that offers one specific job on a set date: cook a meal, fix the fence, help sort old photos. A specific offer is easier to accept than a general one. It costs nothing.

What do you buy for someone who has everything?

Buy something they will use up, do or remember, rather than something they will store. Food, drink, experiences and services leave no clutter.

If you want a gift that lasts, make it personal. A family photo book, video messages or a star map of their own night is about them, so it does not compete with the things they already own.

How do you find out what they would enjoy?

Ask the people around them: a partner, a child or a close friend. Ask what they have mentioned wanting to do, not what they want to own.

Look at what they spend money on themselves. A person who buys good coffee will enjoy a better bag. A person who travels will enjoy a day planned for them in a new place.

Questions

A star map for this occasion

More gift ideas

Start with the night you want to keep.

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