10 thoughtful gifts that keep on giving

Here are 10 suggestions for gifts that keep on giving.

Museum memberships

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Many museums offer discounted gift memberships around the holidays. A family membership is often a particularly good value for people with children.

Membership to a zoo or botanical garden

More than 200 botanical gardens nationwide participate in the American Horticultural Society program, which provides members of one garden free or discounted admission to others. Many zoos and aquariums participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums program that offers discounted or free admission to other zoos in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Typical membership costs range from $50 to $200.

Season tickets to a theater or concert series

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You’ll also find gift deals and holiday promotions at local theaters. Another option is simply to buy someone tickets to several upcoming shows. 

A family membership or annual pass to a popular local attraction

 An annual pass often costs less than two visits, and pass holders also get discounts on other local attractions.

Magazine subscription

 An annual magazine subscription is a good gift for a child or adult, and usually saves you money over buying individual issues. If you want the option of sending it again next year, make sure the renewal form comes to you and not the recipient. You’ll also want to opt out of any promotional mailings and ensure you don’t grant permission to add the recipient to mailing lists.

Warehouse club membership

An annual membership to Costco ($60), Sam’s Club ($50) or BJ’s ($55) would be a welcome gift for a friend or relative who likes to shop at those stores. (And check out our articles Can Costco save you money?  and Is Sam’s Club membership worth it?)

Fruit-of-the-month club

The venerable Harry & David is still around, and you can have a box of fruit delivered to your recipient once a month for three to 12 months, with prices starting at $94.99 for smaller shipments. Since its inception in 1936, the monthly delivery has expanded to a variety of fruit and non-fruit choices, including a flower-of-the-month option. A variation would be a wine-of-the-month club.

Classes

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Has your significant other or best friend always wanted to learn to dance or to make stained-glass creations? You can buy a series of classes from a local dance studio, art studio or cooking school. Get a gift card or gift certificate so the recipient can choose a class that fits his or her schedule.

Movie rental service

A subscription to Netflix, Hulu Plus or another movie subscription service makes a good gift for a cinephile. You can pay for the subscription with your credit card for a year or buy a Netflix or Hulu Plus gift card.

An investment

For a child or grandchild, contributions to a college savings account, savings bonds or a few shares of stock will continue to grow throughout the year and beyond. Services such as uniquestockgift.com and giveashare.com let you buy just one share of stock and send a paper certificate of ownership. A better option, especially if you plan to buy more stock in the future, would be to open a custodial account at a discount brokerage. Most stocks no longer issue paper certificates, but you can print one up on your computer to wrap and put under the tree.

For more gift ideas for everyone on your list (including pets), see the suggestions in our complete guide to gift giving.