I just want to add that if your budget is so low that the item is not going to last, just don’t.

Besides things that are fragile because they’re fancy, get something good or skip it and do a gift card or something else entirely.

Also, if you do have budget to go around, focus on experiences over items.

We usually do:

something to wear
something they need
something to read
something they want
something to eat

That said, we also try to make note of what someone wants when they mention it.

My mom is fairly simple, she either wants time with the family and grandkids or pictures. We usually do a yearly photo album or calendar, she loves those.

What is their hobby, buy something that helps with hobby

Socks

It’s a bit late, but pay attention anytime says they “want x” throughout the year. Literally take a note of it on your phone, and buy it for them.

I tend to only buy 2-3 presents a year, but they’re always bangers, because they’re always something someone got excited over before, them promptly forgot existed… until I had it to them!

My spouse and I don’t do much gifts and we also ask people around us to not give us anything either, be it for Xmas, birthdays or whatever.

We have been doing that for many years, as a way to 1) reduce the amount of waste we generate and 2) as a way to, well, spend more time with the people we care about, instead of just spending some money on buying them always new stuff — something both my parents were doing with me back when I was a kid, more busy with their own lives than with raising me. I had plenty toys and even money as a kid but not much in terms of a family to spend time with. They regretted it a lot later in life, but t was too late. So, I was very young when I decided I’d rather not do the same mistake they did.

When I do make a gift (it happens :p), I try to favour something that is durable and useful to the person. Edit: if they do not let me know what they want, I will go for:

Books. Comics, fiction, essays, poetry,… they’re all great choice.

If they have any interest in making visual arts, I will probably go for a small box of watercolour paints plus some decent watercolor paper (paper is the real important thing in watercolor, way more than anything else), and a brush. I would also chose that for a kid btw (but would pick something more suited to them (some ‘real’ paint can be very toxic) as I have yet to meet a single child that doesn’t like to paint and sketch. Even teens do like that, the moment they stop putting on their usual rebellious act, they too will get a blast of sketching and painting.

Another thing I would consider, even more so if it’s for a teen/YA, is a nice journal/diary and a fountain pen with some ink whose color I know they might appreciate — the fountain pen in itself is such a unique writing experience that it may help the person make it into a habit to keep their journal.

As a side note: fountain pens are often associated with expensive luxury brands but there is no need at all to spend money on fancy & expensive stuff to get a very good fountain pen that will last for years. Among my all-time favorites are the Lamy Safari, I have been using some of them for many decades already and they still work perfectly today, and they cost something like 25€. Others are even cheaper (like the Platinum Preppy, around 6€) but maybe they don’t look as nice as a Lamy Safari, which may matter for a gift ;)

Edit: typos.

Budget?

Books are always a good choice, but depending on how much you like them… ;)

https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/howl-s-moving-castle-collection.html

vs.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/howls-moving-castle-diana-wynne-jones/1100638381

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castle-in-the-air-diana-wynne-jones/1102542364

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house-of-many-ways-diana-wynne-jones/1103371092

A pair of those hilarious clown shoes