Not the Usual! Giving Gifts from Parents: Consider Giving What They Truly Desire!

2021.06.04 published

What to Give as a Gift to Parents?

Hello, I'm Nagisa from marry＊

I'm preparing for my wedding, and my mom recently asked me how the preparations are going.

Just when I was thinking about gifts for my parents, I casually asked her if there was anything she wanted, and she responded,

"If it's anything, then I would like this～～～♡" and made a few requests.

When it comes to gifts for parents, items like desk clocks, weighted bears, and certificates of child-rearing are typical, but

if I know what she wants, it might be nice to give her something she truly desires instead!? I thought＊

It turns into more of a "gift for mom" than a "wedding souvenir," but if it makes her happy, isn’t that a good choice?♡

@haruno45

For reference, here are some things my mom said she wanted＊

＜Mom's Profile＞

My mom is in her mid-50s. She has a bright and cute personality and loves adorable things.

She's quite trendy and enjoys going to cafes and department stores in Tokyo with her friends and me. Lately, she’s been saying, "I want to become a minimalist" and "I need to start planning my later life," so it seems she’s been carefully selecting what to keep around her.

(Which makes choosing a gift a bit challenging…)

Here are the items my mom said she wanted＊

Item 1: Wallet

She has been saying for a few years now, "I want a small wallet that's trendy right now," but she hasn’t had the chance to buy one. She mentioned, "I’d be happy if I got it♡."

We went together to the department store, and it seems she’s interested in Givenchy and Bottega Veneta's trifolding wallets.

A wallet would be something she could use daily for several years, and letting her choose her favorite brand and style to gift might be a good idea!＊

Item 2: Accessories

She owns a Tiffany's bean necklace and mentioned, "I'd love to have matching earrings too～～♡." (It seems she used to have some but lost them…)

As far as I know, she hasn’t bought new accessories recently (she’s been wearing her favorites for years), so if I gift her something, she would likely wear it every day＊

Personally, I thought it might be lovely to give her an item from the brand of my parents' wedding or engagement rings♡

Item 3: Bag

She mentioned wanting a Loewe basket bag, saying, "I think about it every year…". It's indeed cute and seems practical, and I’ve been interested in it too. (We truly are like mother and daughter.)

I can easily imagine her saying, "This is from Nagi-chan’s wedding♡" while happily using it every summer.

A bag that fits the wedding season could remind her of the wedding every time she takes it out each year＊

Item 4: iPad

She already has one, but she mentioned that she would really be delighted if she didn’t have one.

She has an iPhone and a computer, but due to presbyopia, she finds the iPhone difficult to see, and the computer is inconvenient to carry, so she seems to use the iPad a lot.

She’s been taking many pictures of her grandchild (my sister's kid) with the iPad and likes how she can see the photos larger.

Since iPads can be engraved, I thought it would be lovely to make it a wedding commemorative item＊

Item 5: Trips or Meals

She also said, "But I feel a bit guilty asking for material things. Going on a trip or having a meal together might be the best♡."

She would be fine going with me, but a few years ago, when I gave my parents a travel voucher for their wedding anniversary, they were so happy about it that they still talk about it, so a travel voucher might be a good option too.

I plan to treat them to travel or meals together as normal filial piety, not as a gift for parents…!

I want to give something that will make them happy＊

When I thought of gifts for parents, I imagined typical souvenirs like desk clocks or flower arrangements with messages, but I realized that simply giving my mom something she wants might be a good idea!

By the way, all the items my mom requested are around 50,000 yen. I also understood that she thinks it’s okay to ask for something around 50,000 yen.

I thought it might be slightly higher than the typical range for gifts for parents, but since I usually give her birthday presents worth about 20,000 to 30,000 yen each year, I figured that for a once-in-a-lifetime milestone gift, it’s okay to budget a bit more than my usual birthday presents.

Since this is an opportunity to express my gratitude for all that she has done for me, I think I will consider the items she requested♩

@haruno45