Gift ideas for virtual friends?
July 11, 2006 7:29 PM Subscribe
I have a few friends to whom I'd like to give gifts, and I'm stumped.
These gifts are being given for no occasion other than a celebration of our friendship, and to express my affection. The trouble is that the recepients are all net-friends whom I've never met in person, and all live quite a distance away. This means that my usual reliable options for gifts that are more personal than an Amazon wishlist purchase (gorgeous clothes finds that scream the recepients' names or homemade yummy foodstuffs) aren't going to work here.
All of the recepients in question are stay at home moms with houses and pets and kids and the usual litany of day-to-day stuff that goes along with all of that.
Obviously I'm not going to get to that "personal" level here, but what I need are some ideas that I can use as a jumping off point, because I've got no inspiration at the moment.
(I should note, I'm asking anonymously because at least a couple of these women are MeFites, so that might give an idea of what kind of people they are.)
These gifts are being given for no occasion other than a celebration of our friendship, and to express my affection. The trouble is that the recepients are all net-friends whom I've never met in person, and all live quite a distance away. This means that my usual reliable options for gifts that are more personal than an Amazon wishlist purchase (gorgeous clothes finds that scream the recepients' names or homemade yummy foodstuffs) aren't going to work here.
All of the recepients in question are stay at home moms with houses and pets and kids and the usual litany of day-to-day stuff that goes along with all of that.
Obviously I'm not going to get to that "personal" level here, but what I need are some ideas that I can use as a jumping off point, because I've got no inspiration at the moment.
(I should note, I'm asking anonymously because at least a couple of these women are MeFites, so that might give an idea of what kind of people they are.)
Gift certificates to local restaurants, plus money for a sitter?
posted by Loto at 7:48 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by Loto at 7:48 PM on July 11, 2006
I'm not sure how much you want to spend, but if you do decide to go for the chocolate idea, my boyfriend got me this set for my birthday a couple of months ago. The chocolate is quite delicious, and I really enjoyed the cute/cool packaging as well. It was worth the money, for me at least, because the chocolate is so rich I only end up eating a tiny bit every once and a while, so I still have 3 bars left after getting it in April.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 7:48 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by wuzandfuzz at 7:48 PM on July 11, 2006
Gift certificates for spa treatments at a local spa (local to the recepients, of course)?
posted by necessitas at 7:52 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by necessitas at 7:52 PM on July 11, 2006
nothing specific to add...but things that can be consumed/used quickly.(chocolate, spa, gift card for restaurant are great) Nothing that they have to hang on to or put somewhere. (vase, candle, bath stuff (they can use it but how do you know if they will like it). If will just be clutter.
The librarian where I teach says, "if I can't read it or eat it, I don't need it."
posted by nimsey lou at 8:07 PM on July 11, 2006
The librarian where I teach says, "if I can't read it or eat it, I don't need it."
posted by nimsey lou at 8:07 PM on July 11, 2006
Books are terrific gifts, personal but not too personal, and there are lots of options for delivery.
posted by jeffmshaw at 8:08 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by jeffmshaw at 8:08 PM on July 11, 2006
How about homemade CDs of your favorite music, along with some kind of food from your home state?
posted by kdern at 9:23 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by kdern at 9:23 PM on July 11, 2006
My father bought a couple of his friends jewelry with an inscription. Tie pins, if I recall correctly. I've never worn, nor do I ever plan to wear, a bracelet, necklace or ring but tie pins seem acceptable to me. Cuff links and lapel pins, too. Are all of the recipients women? A brooch would be the most reasonable analogue. There's lots of different options for small, inscribable gifts in the hair accesory space.
In general, I agree with Nimsey Lou about giving gifts that will just be clutter. In fact, I can't remember the last time I gave a gift that wasn't either a book or a consumable. But those were all birthday or hallmark holiday gifts or just things I stumbled upon. None of them were meant to be symbols of our friendship. Except when there's a particular book jumping off the shelf, I think that books lack the personal sentiment I sensed in the type of gift that my father bought his friends. And nobody's going to remember those brownies next year, let alone 30 years from now. Also, this concern is mostly appropriate for vases or paintings. Almost everyone has some kind of jewelry - a school pin, cuff links or a nice watch. Your tie pin and brooches won't need any more space than is already required for those items.
Etsy? Is that the name of that new online marketplace for handmade crafts? That's where I'd go.
posted by stuart_s at 9:24 PM on July 11, 2006
In general, I agree with Nimsey Lou about giving gifts that will just be clutter. In fact, I can't remember the last time I gave a gift that wasn't either a book or a consumable. But those were all birthday or hallmark holiday gifts or just things I stumbled upon. None of them were meant to be symbols of our friendship. Except when there's a particular book jumping off the shelf, I think that books lack the personal sentiment I sensed in the type of gift that my father bought his friends. And nobody's going to remember those brownies next year, let alone 30 years from now. Also, this concern is mostly appropriate for vases or paintings. Almost everyone has some kind of jewelry - a school pin, cuff links or a nice watch. Your tie pin and brooches won't need any more space than is already required for those items.
Etsy? Is that the name of that new online marketplace for handmade crafts? That's where I'd go.
posted by stuart_s at 9:24 PM on July 11, 2006
How about something personal to them as a 'net presence? One of those picture things where someone's name is put on it, and instead of the "meaning" of the name, your favorite post or comment of theirs? (sounds goofy, I know, but I would have loved something like this for a couple of my online PCs. Surely I can't be the only person who would like their online self to be commemorated..?)
posted by Meep! Eek! at 9:37 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by Meep! Eek! at 9:37 PM on July 11, 2006
How about paying for a month or two of their internet service, and sending a note that says, "I would like you to spend the money you would have paid this bill on a night out for yourself." You could package it in a basket with some popcorn, movie candy, and a movie gift certificate- or in a spa-themed basket with a certificate for a mani or pedi.
posted by haplesschild at 9:52 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by haplesschild at 9:52 PM on July 11, 2006
My aunt sent my family a dinner and a movie kit. It had one of the 'make a pizza kits', microwave popcorn, jelly belly popcorn, a movie (but a gift card to blockbuster might be better now), all wrapped up in a pizza pan. it was a lot of fun.
posted by nadawi at 9:55 PM on July 11, 2006
posted by nadawi at 9:55 PM on July 11, 2006
>>All of the recepients in question are stay at home moms with houses and pets and kids and the usual litany of day-to-day stuff that goes along with all of that.
Are "husbands" included in "the usual litany of day-to-day stuff that goes along with all of that"?
because if there are indeed husbands, i suggest you send something more like lotto (restaurant vouchers) or nadawi (dinner & movie kit) mention. I think it's much better to send something suitable for the whole family (kids and spouses included), as opposed to spa certificates, bath supplies, chocolate, oils, etc. If i got that kind of stuff from an 'internets friend' and had a husband and kid, i'd think it a bit too intimate (bordering on inappropriate) as a gift from someone i've only conversed with online.
i suggesti flower bulbs, or seeds for an herb garden + nice ceramic or glass pots & containers or something like that...and then she can teach her kids about plants and gardening, too.
posted by naxosaxur at 10:30 PM on July 11, 2006
Are "husbands" included in "the usual litany of day-to-day stuff that goes along with all of that"?
because if there are indeed husbands, i suggest you send something more like lotto (restaurant vouchers) or nadawi (dinner & movie kit) mention. I think it's much better to send something suitable for the whole family (kids and spouses included), as opposed to spa certificates, bath supplies, chocolate, oils, etc. If i got that kind of stuff from an 'internets friend' and had a husband and kid, i'd think it a bit too intimate (bordering on inappropriate) as a gift from someone i've only conversed with online.
i suggesti flower bulbs, or seeds for an herb garden + nice ceramic or glass pots & containers or something like that...and then she can teach her kids about plants and gardening, too.
posted by naxosaxur at 10:30 PM on July 11, 2006
Along the lines of naxosaxor's suggestion, what about a family activity for the woman to do with her kids? Your friendship likely extends to knowing your friends and their kids' ages and interests through internet correspondence, so send them a little fun project or game.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 6:37 AM on July 12, 2006
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 6:37 AM on July 12, 2006
I like the idea of something the family, or at least the spouses, can enjoy together. The movie idea is good, or what about a cool game or two, accompanied by a delivery from Home Bistro? They'd have a nice evening with minimal work, something I think most people would enjoy.
posted by justonegirl at 7:45 AM on July 12, 2006
posted by justonegirl at 7:45 AM on July 12, 2006
One of my internet friends used to send everyone homemade cookies in a tin. Everyone likes cookies, and she could make them for multiple people at once, but it's still something personal and nice.
I have also gotten gifts from internet friends who I didn;t even actually consider friends. Someone I barely knew sent me a giant Eeyore plushie once, because it was related to my screenname at that point. Actually, I got several (four? five?) of these toys, but most of them were from people I actually considered friends, and this one woman just sent it to me because she assumed we were friends, but I never even talked to her personally, just in general on a message board. (I though she wanted my address for a Xmas card, that's why she had it.) That was a bit uncomfortable for me.
I assume you actually do often talk to the people you're planning to send gifts to, but this is just a warning that not everyone is comfortable with getting gifts from people they never met, and that the level of communication you have with someone online before they consider the other person a friend varies greatly from person to person, and that receiving random gifts is a much bigger deal for some people than others. So please think hard before sending a big gift, if you haven't already, or stick with something safe and small but personal, like the cookies I suggested, or a mix CD, as someone upthread mentioned.
posted by easternblot at 10:18 AM on July 12, 2006
I have also gotten gifts from internet friends who I didn;t even actually consider friends. Someone I barely knew sent me a giant Eeyore plushie once, because it was related to my screenname at that point. Actually, I got several (four? five?) of these toys, but most of them were from people I actually considered friends, and this one woman just sent it to me because she assumed we were friends, but I never even talked to her personally, just in general on a message board. (I though she wanted my address for a Xmas card, that's why she had it.) That was a bit uncomfortable for me.
I assume you actually do often talk to the people you're planning to send gifts to, but this is just a warning that not everyone is comfortable with getting gifts from people they never met, and that the level of communication you have with someone online before they consider the other person a friend varies greatly from person to person, and that receiving random gifts is a much bigger deal for some people than others. So please think hard before sending a big gift, if you haven't already, or stick with something safe and small but personal, like the cookies I suggested, or a mix CD, as someone upthread mentioned.
posted by easternblot at 10:18 AM on July 12, 2006
What's wrong with Amazon wishlist purchases? I'd be thrilled if someone got me something off my Amazon wishlist. You have the added benefit that you know it's something the person wants. I don't see how it's impersonal.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:20 PM on July 12, 2006
posted by IndigoRain at 2:20 PM on July 12, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 7:34 PM on July 11, 2006