long distance gift giving

[Road Guy]

so now that we live 6+ states away from mom/pop/ in laws/ etc..

What do those of you that are in similar situations do for bdays and such? I hate always sending a card and gift card but don't know what else really to do?

like most women, my mom will cry if I don't send her something...

Id love to hear other ideas?

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

I wish them happy b-day on Facebook.

 

[blybrook PE]

Cards and flat rate boxes for small gifts. Larger gifts will get mailed usps in advance with the cheapest option possibly. Or if we happen to be traveling that way, we put it in our luggage.

Have ordered online and had it sent direct to them (could be cheaper).

Gift cards work when theres a store / restaurant in both locations; otherwise call the place in question and have a gift card pre purchased in the recipients name waiting at the counter.

 

[Road Guy]

but what do you send?

I think if I send her another starbucks card or barnes n nobles card I will die of lack of creativity?

also my BIL in Florida has 6 kids, I just cant keep up!

 

[snickerd3]

Von Maur department store....if you have them out there. They will wrap and ship for free.

 

[ventilator]

Amazon prime and ship it directly to them.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Von Maur department store....if you have them out there. They will wrap and ship for free.

nope. never heard of them.

 

[snickerd3]

Von Maur department store....if you have them out there. They will wrap and ship for free.

nope. never heard of them.

we don't have any locally but I seem to be near one while on work travel around times i need to send my mom things which works out

 

[blybrook PE]

but what do you send?

Depends on the person. My ma has been getting stuff from her storage unit up here (each box is something new, again). Plus a card.

almost everyone in the family got gift baskets from wine country gifts last year at Christmas. Except the kids, they got toys appropriate for their ages. Mostly legos though.

I've sent paracord belts and other useful items in the past. A gift card to harbor freight works great for those who do their own shade tree mechanics.

 

[snickerd3]

we had bought my mom a charm braclet with just a few charms a couple years ago and then buy a charm or two for bday etc...small enough that they are inexpensive to ship. she has a mixture of pandora, davinci, and knock off beads/charms....although there is only room for 1 or 2 more charms as my dad has been buying her beads/charms too

 

[Road Guy]

I'm kind of a bad son I don't really even know what she likes......

 

[snickerd3]

my parents like to eat out...so gift cards to the places they frequent are always well received...even if they get them often. They have also become whinos so wine of the month club to one of their favorite wine places was a fav xmas present last yr. it also forces an official date night one month for the wine tasting the WOTM clud deal

 

[knight1fox3]

Omaha Steaks is a cool distance gift idea. Used them a couple times in the past year or so.

 

[engineergurl]

flowers that can be shipped directly (I still hear about the ones that were potted and she planted out in the yard that come back each year- though she says they were from my sister)

food baskets, wine baskets or things of that nature that will ship directly, even amazon does and you can find plenty of nice jewelry, books etc... I also do the charm bracelet thing like Snick...

also the ship to store and have Dad go pick it up for me has worked in the past too