Second Cup: Give them what they won't give themselves

When somebody has everything, go for whimsy and fun

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is about how to choose a present for someone
who has everything. Try to give them something that they

(00:25):
probably wouldn't give themselves. You just might spark a little
more delight that way. So there are some phases of
life when people truly need things. Think about the high
school graduate heading off to college, or a family that
is welcoming their first baby. Those people will appreciate the

(00:48):
towels or the garbage can or the diapers that they
receive as gifts. Many adults, though, reach a point in
their lives when they don't really need anything. Giving and
receiving gifts is still fun. But if you are trying
to think of something that your fifty year old brother

(01:08):
needs for his birthday, you are going to have a
hard time. So instead, try thinking about something that would
intrigue or delight him, but that he probably wouldn't buy
for himself. On some level, this means aiming a bit
more on the ridiculous or perhaps whimsical side. Perhaps it's

(01:33):
wood chips for his smoker, made from the barrels his
favorite special occasion bourbon is aged in, or maybe he
would enjoy a pair of Kashmir socks or a pair
of novelty socks with his dog's face all over them.
What is something that would make him smile, but that

(01:56):
as a sensible person, he wouldn't buy for himself. For
a parent, it might be something that, thanks to the kids,
they just don't buy. I am thinking of something as
offbeat as fancy gift wrapping supplies because the parent only
buys stuff for the kid present wrapping. Or maybe it's

(02:19):
their own more sophisticated beach towels so they don't have
to share theirs. A few extra pairs of scissors could
work because the kids keep walking off with theirs. Or
maybe it's a big bouquet of flowers. The parent isn't
buying that for themselves. You get the idea. If you've

(02:42):
got friends who cook, you could give them the random
ingredients you think they might want to try, but that
they probably don't buy on the regular for fear they
won't use them. Think things like duckfat or chili crisp
or strange spices. People might not buy themselves really fancy

(03:03):
lotion or pricey Christmas ornaments, or it could even be
something like a giant pack of their favorite pins. We
all have enough perfectly adequate pins around, so we might
not go overboard for ourselves, but if you are giving
a gift, you just might. So the next time you

(03:25):
are thinking about a gift for a person who has
everything they need, ask yourself what might make them smile
If they wouldn't buy something for themselves, even if it's
not a traditional gift, then that might be the way
to go. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening,

(03:50):
and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,
I'd love to hear from you. You can send me
your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with
me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod.

(04:11):
That's b E the number four then Breakfast pod. You
can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts
at iHeartMedia dot com. That before Breakfast is spelled out
with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look
forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production

(04:34):
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
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