My grgandparents (& now just my grandma) have been saying for years, not to buy them anything. She buys for the kids & might give my sis & I money, but she wants/needs nothing for herself. So for the last 2 years (& I think again this year) we have made a donation to our zoos "Zoo Pal" program where you pay to sponsor an animal for a year. They usually have a gift option near the holiday that offers partial sponsorship of a big annimal for a smaller price (this year the elephant is $40 - to sponsor it alone is $1000). The gift option usually sends a small gift with the certificate of sponsorship. Plus we get a free night at the zoo in the spring for buying the gift (although we have never been able to go)