What's your go-to gift when you don't know what to give?

A bottle of wine or a gift card to Starbucks or Best Buy.

Yankee candles & Bath & Body Works are my go to stores. If i know someone is into food, i will do something from Williams Sonoma.

I hate candles and BBW sets. I feel though are thoughtless gifts, like you ran in really quick and grabbed something. Not to mention everyone has completely different tastes in scents. 

Something consumable - gift box from local bakery/chocolate shop or wine.

I give my parents and MIL a photobook of the grandchildren's year in review. They all love it. I've heard other people say they wish they got one, too.

I am a gift card giver.

If I am not sure, of a person favorite store, restaurant, coffee shop, etc... then I will give a Walmart or Target gift card, figuring they can use it to buy the usual household stuff(laundry soap, paper towels, etc...) and then put the cash they would have spent on the "usual household items" and spend it at their favorite store, restaurant, etc...

One person's "standard gift" may be well received by someone and not liked by another.

For instance, many seem to love and/or give blanket throws as gifts,. I already have blanket throws, and don't need or want more. So if I received one, I would politely thank the giver. If it had a gift receipt I would return it for a store credit, if not it would get dropped off at the animal shelter the next time I was passing by that way.

I am not a fan of random stuff, "doesn't match my stuff" stuff, candles, random kitchen stuff(don't cook, won't use it), knick knacks, random coffee mugs, etc...

I very much appreciate the giving of the gift "it's the thought that counts", but am not a fan a generic, random gifts that I won't use, don't need, don't want, etc...
I am always polite and gracious and thank the giver profusely, but if it isn't something I want, it goes in the donation pile immediately, unless there's a gift receipt.
I live simply, studio style, and I already have the majority of what I need and want, sand there isn't room for random stuff.

Honestly, I would rather have a $5.00 gift card, than a random gift that I won't use.

I have a very sensitive nose and very picky on what scents I can handle being around.  I've yet to get a candle or BBW product with a scent I like.  Everything given to me (and that's been pretty numerous) have been a waste of money.  Eventually I do find someone that likes that particular scent and can off load the products.  I think a gift card to these stores would be a good alternative though, rather than buying product.

Sorry Jen, don't mean this to be a dig at you, so please don't take it personal.

I keep a few Wal-mart gift cards on hand during this season for last minute gifts.  Wal-mart is big where I live and in most small towns, so it's a good bet it'll be used. 

That being said, be careful about gift cards.  I work an hour away from home, my company gave us all Target gift cards for Thanksgiving.  Target is another 20 minutes north of where I work, opposite direction for me. My town or any of the towns between home and work do not have a Target.  I don't know when, if ever I'll be able to use this darn card.  

I would think you could use it online

Nooooooooo 😂

We get a minimum of 5 boxes by the time Christmas is done and they usually go to work with DH. He said they probably had 20 boxes sitting in the lunch room last year and no one was touching them.

I hate that Costco sells See's and would rather get any of the other chocolates they sell, especially Lindor.

Restaurant gift cards are usually our go to gift if I don't know what else to get them.

FYI...YC and BBW will happily exchange any products/scents you don't like for ones you do like.  I've had to do it many times because my Bunco group LOVES to give these as prizes.

Anything edible, bonus points if it's a little fancy and something they wouldn't buy themselves. Like chocolate strawberries or the pears mentioned.

I make up a gift basket with baking mixes/candy/snacks.

Flowers for birthdays. Chocolates for a "thank-you".

I tend to go with candles, but I really need to move away from that. (There are some fantastic ideas on this thread.? I myself am a candle lover and a bit of a hoarder with them. I think that's why I do that...I tend to think if it's a gift I would love to get that someone else probably would as well.

It's certainly not a thoughtless gift on my part. The 4 people from my book club that I wanted to do something for are getting BBW candles with Dove chocolates in super cute little canvas Christmas bags with homemade gift tags.

I also like to do blankets. This year my 6 co-workers are getting the Kohl's Big One blankets. I hope they like them.