Certain people in your life are almost impossible to shop for when it comes time for the holidays. Either your relationship with them makes it weird or that person has some kind of quirk that makes it difficult to think of a good gift.
From your situationship partner to your rich relative, we’ve got you covered with our Difficult People Gift Guide!
Check it out!
The Awful Woman at Work
Shebarely says two words to you and when she does it’s never anything nice, but you picked her name in the Secret Santa thing and now you have to spend no more than $20 on Evileene.
Gift:Resist the urge to do something sarcastic like buying her a toy dragon because people call her the dragon lady behind her back. Instead get her something practical and impersonal like a new coffee mug…with a dragon on it. Okay, no dragon.
What should you get your brand new man?
The New Boo
You two are something of an item and you’ve been on a number of great dates, but you’re in that awkward gift-giving stage. You don’t want to buy something fussy and expensive and have him think you’re some clingy psycho, but you don’t want to get him something so small (or nothing at all) and have him doubt your interest.
Gift: Give him something small but very thoughtful like a box set of DVDs of his favorite ’90s sitcom.
What about that fickle teenager?
The Picky Teen
A teenager’s desires and absolute MUST-HAVES change by the millisecond. Don’t you dare try to get her something she said she wanted last week.
Gift: Cold hard cash, baby. Every teen wants money. You can’t lose with that one.
What should you get for your annoyingly perfect sibling?
The Perfect Sibling
Poor you. You have one of those beyond reproach siblings who seems to have done everything exactly right in life and lives some sort of fairytale existence. You don’t want to be Captain Screw Up once again and give a crappy gift.
Gift: Do something that celebrates a recent achievement of your angelic sibling like getting all of their award winning personal essays bound in a nice book. It shows you aren’t jealous and that you’re proud. Besides who cares about that stuff, can your sibling belch the alphabet like you? Exactly.
What about the person who literally seems to have everything?
The Rich Relative
The Oprah in your life is always a challenge when it comes to gift giving. She doesn’t really need anything and she seems to have everything she wants because she has money to burn.
Gift: Give her something that is truly priceless by making something thoughtful. Play to your strengths. It could be a decadent chocolate cake or a hand-written family tree or even a scrapbook of your favorite memories with that relative.
What should you get for your internet friend?
The E-Buddy
Many of us have collected different internet friends through out the years and on various social networking platforms. You might have a “friend” of many years who you have never met, but is very near and dear to your heart.
Gift: Keep it digital. A friendly e-mail or instant message is fine or if you feel comfortable with spending money, perhaps purchase a gift card for downloading songs or games or whatever your e-buddy likes.
Should you get something for your nice ex?
The Friendly Ex
He was such a jerk way back when, but he’s matured now and you two are down right chummy. You have zero intentions of getting back with him, but he seems like a nice guy now.
Gift: Nothing. A gift will just confuse things. Stay cordial, but stay at arm’s length too.
What about the relative who needs everything?
The Needy Relative
Your relative who seems to need everything all the time, from gas money to cell phone minutes is on your holiday shopping list. When you have someone who needs so many practical things, it’s hard to decide what to get without seeming like a condescending know-it-all.
Gift: Get something that balances fun and practicality like a pre-paid cellphone with removable skins and a few extra downloadable ringtones.
Should you get something for your “situationship” partner?
The Situationship Partner
You like this person and you two have oh so much fun together, but you don’t see eachother much outside of the bedroom.
Gift: Do not send mixed signals. If this is someone you want to keep in your life as-is, give a gift related to what you two do best. Think about what you’d like to see, feel or taste next time you see that person.
What about your frenemy?
The Frenemy
She’s in your crew (basically) and she is definitely your least favorite person of the bunch, but these are your girls and everybody is supposed to get everybody something. You can’t even put your finger on exactly why you don’t care for her much, you just don’t.
Gift: Take her to lunch, just the two of you. A lot of times friction between people can be solved with a calm, honest conversation. You might learn something new that changes your mind about her.
Do you have any other difficult types of people on your holiday gift list this year? What are you going to get them?
