If professional gift giving was a sport, I would certainly play to WIN. Not patting myself on the back or anything, but I try to be super thoughtful with my gifts. In a day and age where it’s so easy to NOT be thoughtful, I do take pride in actually thinking of the person, their likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc.

For example, it was my friend Kami’s birthday last week…she loves edge brownies, so I bought a brownie pan that only makes edges, and a box of organic/healthier brownies! Another example would be for my friend Lauren, whose birthday was back in March. I stumbled upon a book called Ice Cream and Friends, which is not only a cute coffee table book, but it 1) talked about ice cream, which she loves and 2) mentioned friends, which we areeee! I also threw a Baylor/Waco printed hand towel, since that is where I met her, but also where she and her husband met. Now, for a present to be thoughtful, it doesn’t have to be as deep as the above gifts… For mother’s day, I got my mom a pair of block heel sandals, because I knew that she wanted them and she wouldn’t get them for herself. Before I go any further, let me just say that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to give a thoughtful gift and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

Okay now to the topic at hand…gifts for your parents (and/or in-laws)! It’s traditional to give them a wedding gift, but honestly, it’s kind of a daunting task. How do you say thank you to them? I went through a series of questions related to their relationship and personalities, in regard to weddings, but you could easily twist these questions into just being about one person if you need help with a different type of gift!

1)      Where did they get married?*

2)      Where did they honeymoon?*

3)      Where do they live?

4)      What are their hobbies?

5)      What’s their day to day look like?

*single parent, separated, or widowed? Maybe answer the questions in relation to you, ie where were you born/were they there? Is there a special spot that means something to y’all?, etc

My parents met in Dallas at Park Cities Baptist Church. My dad is from Little Rock, Arkansas and my mom is from Garland, Texas (where I grew up). When my parents got married, my dad had just been laid off and started a new job that next week, so all they could really do was go to San Antonio, which they love and have continued to love visiting. Due to Dallas’ proximity to San Antonio and the fact they haven’t really taken a vacation in a while, it was the perfect place to send them. PLUS it’s a place they love and ties back to their wedding, so we got them a weekend stay at Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa!

We gave them the gift certificate back in October, but they decided to use it Memorial Day weekend, for an anniversary trip! They had such a blast – from the historic town, to the beautiful resort, it was the perfect post-wedding trip for them! If you're headed to San Antonio Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa is a great option - it's nestled away, but isn't too far from other SA attractions and has something for everyone. Whether golf is your thing, or you want a relaxing day at the spa or pool (they have a 22 foot water slide AND a lazy river!), you're sure to have a great time. 

For Nick's parents, we did something similar - we gave them a weekend in San Francisco! They live in Sacramento, so they are close enough to drive, but rarely stay there for pleasure. 

If you're struggling to find a gift for someone, you can easily go through the questions I gave and make them about them or meaningful things in your friendship. Something I'm notorious for doing is finding something someone loves and always getting them things regarding that...ie my Mimi loves pineapples, my friend Megan loves porcupines, Nick's sister Sophie loves sloths. You get the picture! Regardless, if you have one of those "things" for someone or not, if you put a little extra thought into a gift, it goes a LONG way.

What's your favorite gift you've ever received? Given?  If you liked this post, you'd probably like What to get your husband as a wedding gift, The Perfect Hostess Gift, How to Choose a Hostess Gift, and What to Gift your Bridesmaids!

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