Christmas gifts for in-laws (even the ones who have everything)

The short answer: The best Christmas gifts for in-laws are personal enough to show you thought about them but safe enough that nothing lands awkwardly. Family keepsakes, food they'll enjoy, and plans with the grandkids are hard to get wrong.

Below are ideas by type with typical prices, plus how to set a fair budget across both sides of the family. Prices change often in the season, so check the live price before you buy.

Set one rule for both families

Before you shop, agree as a couple on how you'll handle both sets of parents. Matching the budget and the type of gift avoids comparisons later. Let the adult child take the lead on choosing, since they know their own parents best.

Keepsakes from the grandkids

• Photo calendar: a year of grandkid photos on their wall. Often under $30 with a code.
• Digital photo frame wifi: you can add photos from your phone all year.
• Handprint ornament. A salt-dough or clay handprint ornament kit made by the kids.
• A recipe book of family dishes. Our Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) is a printable set you can fill with her best recipes, then give back to her as a keepsake for the whole family.

Food and drink they'll actually use

• Gourmet coffee sampler: a few roasts to try through winter.
• Charcuterie gift basket: easy to share when you visit over the holidays.
• Olive oil gift set: a useful luxury for in-laws who love to cook.
• Holiday cookie tin assortment: classic, safe and gone by New Year.

If you're giving food, check for allergies first. The FDA lists the nine major food allergens.

For in-laws who have everything

When they already own what they need, give time or make an existing routine nicer.

1. Book a family photo session. Many local photographers run short holiday mini sessions.
2. Plan a dinner at their favorite restaurant. You pay, they choose the date.
3. Give a "grandkid day." A card offering a day with the kids, with the date already picked.
4. Offer a skill. Set up their new phone, clean out the garage or fix the dripping tap.
5. Print a year in photos. A small album of the family's year, with short captions from the kids.

Practical gifts for older in-laws

• Large print crossword puzzle books: a calm hobby with clear type.
• Motion sensor night lights: safer trips down the hall at night.
• A password logbook. Our Password Logbook paperback ($9.99, sold on Amazon) has alphabetical tabs, so the sticky notes around the computer finally have one home.
• Weighted blanket for adults: warmth on cold evenings.

A large-print medicine log can be a thoughtful practical gift. The National Institute on Aging recommends keeping an up-to-date list of all medicines. If one of your in-laws is caring for the other, our gift ideas for caregivers can help.

Gifts for each side of the family

It helps to think about what each set of in-laws already values. Parents who love hosting enjoy serving pieces, cookbooks and anything for the holiday table. Parents who travel enjoy packing cubes or a luggage tag set. Quiet homebodies like puzzles, a good blanket or a streaming month. Grandparents who live far away love anything that brings the grandkids closer: a photo frame you can update from your phone, a scheduled weekly video call, or letters from the kids in the mail each month of the new year.

Gifts that can go wrong

Some gifts send the wrong message to in-laws. Skip self-help books, diet or fitness gifts and anything that hints at a change you'd like them to make. Avoid decor unless you know their style well, since they'll feel they have to display it. Be careful with wine or spirits unless you know they drink. If you're unsure, a food gift and a card from the grandkids is never wrong.

Keep both families fair

Two sets of parents, siblings, nieces and nephews make for a long list. Our Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) puts a limit next to every name and tracks what you've spent, so both sides get a fair share of the budget.

More guides: gifts for grandparents who have everything, Christmas gifts for couples and how much to spend on Christmas gifts.