Birthday Gifts for Someone Who Has Everything

We all know one.

The person who never seems to need anything. Ask what they'd like for their birthday and the answer is usually “nothing”, “don't get me anything” or the particularly unhelpful “I have everything I need”.

Buying for them can be difficult, but it can also make you think a little harder about what makes a good present.

If someone already has plenty of possessions, don't try to find another thing they don't own. Look for something they'll enjoy, use, eat, read or remember instead.

Here are some birthday gift ideas for the person who seems to have everything.

Give Them Something That Doesn't Have to Last Forever

One of the easiest ways to buy for somebody who has everything is to stop buying things designed to sit around their house indefinitely.

Good chocolate gets eaten.

A candle gets burned.

Coffee gets drunk.

A book gets read.

Bath and body products get used.

That's what makes consumable gifts particularly good for people who don't want more clutter. They get the pleasure of receiving and enjoying something without having to find somewhere to keep it for the next ten years.

A birthday gift hamper works particularly well because you can combine several things they'll actually use rather than trying to find one impressive object.

Buy Them a Really Good Book

Even somebody with shelves full of books doesn't own the next great one they're going to read.

A book is personal without needing to be personalised. You can choose something based on the genres they love, introduce them to an author they haven't discovered yet or give them the novel everybody seems to be talking about.

And unlike many birthday presents, a good book can provide hours or days of enjoyment.

If choosing the exact title feels risky, consider giving them a book subscription instead.

Rather than receiving another possession on their birthday, they'll have a new book to look forward to later.

Give Them an Experience

Someone who doesn't need more things may appreciate something they can do instead.

That could be:

• dinner somewhere they've wanted to try

• afternoon tea

• theatre or concert tickets

• a spa treatment

• a cookery class

• a night away

• a museum or gallery membership

• tickets for the two of you to do something together

The best experience gifts aren't necessarily extravagant.

Sometimes “I'm taking you for lunch next Saturday” is a better birthday present than something costing twice as much.

Upgrade Something They Already Love

You don't always need to discover a completely new interest.

Think about what they already enjoy and buy them a particularly good version of it.

If they drink coffee every morning, find excellent coffee.

If they love chocolate, buy chocolate they wouldn't normally put in the supermarket trolley.

If they're always reading, choose a beautiful new hardback.

If Sunday evenings involve a candle, a book and the sofa, build the present around that.

The advantage is that you're not guessing whether they'll like a completely new hobby. You're paying attention to something you already know about them.

Create a Birthday Box Just for Them

Sometimes ready-made birthday gifts aren't quite right.

Perhaps she'd love the book and chocolate but not the candle. Maybe he'd appreciate coffee, biscuits and a thriller rather than traditional birthday gifts.

In that situation, choosing the contents individually makes sense.

With our Create Your Own Gift Box, you can pick the items yourself and build the present around the person rather than asking the person to fit the gift.

This is particularly useful for somebody who's difficult to buy for because you can start with the one thing you're certain they'll enjoy and build from there.

Give Them Something They'll Look Forward To

Anticipation can be part of the present.

Instead of concentrating everything on their birthday, give them something that arrives or happens afterwards.

A subscription is an obvious example.

A book subscription means their birthday present isn't finished when the wrapping paper goes in the recycling. There's another book coming next month, and potentially the month after that.

You could do the same with theatre tickets for November, a weekend away in spring or a restaurant reservation for next month.

For somebody who already owns everything they need, something to look forward to can be much more appealing than something else to own.

Give Them Your Time

This one costs very little and is surprisingly easy to overlook.

Take them somewhere.

Cook dinner.

Go for a walk.

Bring them for breakfast.

Spend an afternoon doing something they love even if it wouldn't normally be your first choice.

For parents, grandparents, siblings and close friends in particular, your time may genuinely be more valuable than another present.

You can still give them something small to open on their birthday. The real gift is the plan you've made together.

Replace Something Rather Than Adding Something

Have they got a favourite mug that's seen better days?

Slippers they've worn into the ground?

A battered notebook they use constantly?

A candle they're almost finished?

A book they've lent to half the country and never got back?

Replacing or upgrading something somebody already uses can be a surprisingly good present.

It says “I notice what you like” rather than “I couldn't think of anything so I bought this.”

Give Them Something Delicious

Food is one of the safest territories for the person who doesn't want more possessions.

Choose quality over quantity.

Good chocolates, biscuits or other treats can feel indulgent without creating clutter, and they're easy to share if the recipient prefers that.

They also work particularly well as part of a birthday hamper alongside a book or another small gift.

The aim isn't to overwhelm them with a giant basket of things.

It's to give them a few things they'll genuinely enjoy.

What About the Person Who Says “Please Don't Buy Me Anything”?

Believe them — at least partly.

If somebody genuinely doesn't like receiving presents, don't turn their birthday into a battle of wills.

You don't need to arrive with an enormous gift just because convention says you should.

A favourite cake, a book, dinner, a bottle of something they enjoy, a handwritten card or a donation to a cause they care about may be much better received.

The present should make them happy, not satisfy our own idea of what a birthday is supposed to look like.

Make a Small Gift More Personal

Price isn't what makes a birthday present personal.

Your knowledge of the recipient does.

If you're sending the gift directly, take a little time over the message you include.

Mention something that happened during the year.

Remind them of a ridiculous shared memory.

Tell them why you chose the book.

Make plans for when you'll see them.

At The Book Resort, you can add your message when ordering and we'll handwrite it onto a card to go inside the gift. We don't include receipts or prices in gift hampers.

A €40 present accompanied by a message they'll keep can mean considerably more than a €150 present chosen without much thought.

What Do You Buy the Person Who Really Does Have Everything?

Stop looking for something they don't have.

Instead, ask:

What do they enjoy?

That's a much easier question.

Perhaps it's reading in bed on Sunday morning.

Good chocolate after dinner.

Trying new restaurants.

Going to the theatre.

A quiet evening with a candle burning.

Coffee with you.

Travelling.

Gardening.

Crosswords.

Whatever the answer is, that's where I'd start.

The best birthday present for someone who has everything isn't necessarily something unusual or something expensive.

It's something that shows you know what makes their life enjoyable.

If you'd like some inspiration, explore our Birthday Gifts Ireland collection, with books, birthday hampers and gifts that can be sent directly to someone anywhere in Ireland.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you buy someone for their birthday when they have everything?

Choose something they can experience, consume or enjoy rather than another possession. Books, quality food, subscriptions, restaurant bookings, tickets and time together can all make excellent birthday gifts for somebody who already owns everything they need.

What is a good birthday gift for someone who doesn't want anything?

Keep it simple. Their favourite food, a good book, a meal together, an experience or a personal birthday card may be better received than an expensive physical present.

What are good birthday gifts for someone who is hard to buy for?

Start with something you already know they enjoy. If they read, choose a book or subscription. If they love food, choose something delicious. If they value experiences, arrange something you can do together. Building around an existing interest is usually safer than trying to invent a new one.

Are consumable gifts good for someone who has everything?

Yes. Chocolate, coffee, biscuits, candles and bath products can all be enjoyed without adding permanent clutter to someone's home. They are particularly useful gifts for people who say they don't need any more “stuff”.

Is a book subscription a good birthday present?

A book subscription can be particularly good for an avid reader because the present continues beyond their birthday. Instead of receiving everything on one day, they have another book to look forward to later.

Can I send a birthday gift directly to the recipient in Ireland?

Yes. The Book Resort can send your birthday gift directly to the recipient anywhere in Ireland. Add their address as the shipping address and your personal message when ordering. We'll handwrite your message onto a card and no receipt or prices are included in the hamper.