10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Inlaws They’ll Absolutely Adore

Shopping for adultier adults is tricky, no matter how old you get. It feels just as awkward to give your first girlfriend’s grandma that card you made for her birthday as it does to give your now-family in-laws a present that you’re not so sure about. So if you’re heading off to see your partner’s mom and dad this holiday season, don’t worry. 

We’ve rounded up some of the best Christmas gift ideas for inlaws on the internet, and wrapped them up with a bow for you. Well, not literally, but we did try to make the ideas on this list as stress-free as possible!

Gift Cards for Christmas?

Gift cards might not seem like the most exciting gift, but a survey by the National Retail Foundation (NRF) found that 54% of adults say that gift cards are at the top of their list this year. In fact, total gift card spending is expected to jump to $29.3 billion this year. Not to mention that the gift cards on this list can get your in-laws are sure to be a hit:

• Luxury food gifts
• Cozy home gifts perfect for winter
• Self care so they can relax during or after the holidays

GiftYa is Your Gifting Secret Weapon 

You don’t have to settle for old school gift cards when shopping for your in-laws – ditch the plastic, and give a GiftYa! 

Choose from thousands of local and national brands. Then, you can customize your gift with a photo or short video clip – this is the perfect time to break out your latest family portrait! Round out your present with a personalized message, then send it off to be delivered immediately or schedule it for any date and time you choose.

But GiftYa isn’t just easy to send, it’s easy to use, too. Your in-laws can redeem their gift right from their phone like a traditional e-gift code, or they can link it to a card they carry with them everyday anyway. When they make a purchase at the qualifying brand, their gift balance will automatically be applied until it is used up. And if they don’t love the gift you send them (not likely!) they can re-gift or exchange their balance for another brand in just a few clicks.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few of our favorite options in the catalog for in laws to get you started.

1 - Omaha Steaks

Upgrade Their Dinner Plans for a Winning Christmas Gift

Buy an Omaha Steaks gift card 

When it comes to gifts of food Omaha Steaks is the gold standard. What started as a small-scale butcher shop in the heartland of Nebraska has grown into a successful operation that ships its product all over the world over the last century. They started selling steak through magazine ads in 1952, and today your in laws can visit the Omaha Steaks website to make their selections… which is easier said than done these days.

Omaha Steaks shoppers can (of course) buy steaks, but they can also pick up burgers and franks, chicken, pork, other meats, seafoods, sides, desserts, and wine. And don’t be surprised if your in laws saves this one until Valentine’s day. Omaha Steaks offers dinner for two date night boxes – including steaks, sides, and wine for two – for under $100.

This one is the ultimate gift for grill masters and anyone who prefers an evening in to going out on the town. 

Buy an Omaha Steaks gift card 

2 - Barnes & Noble

For Bookish MILs and FILs Everywhere

Buy a Barnes & Noble gift card

Were you blown away by mom and dad’s personal library the first time you went to visit? Or maybe every time you see them, they’ve got a book tucked in their purse or pocket. Maybe the book on their coffee table is well worn. Then it sounds like you need a gift for a reader.

Barnes & Noble makes a great gift for any book lover. As the internet’s largest bookstore – to the tune of over 5 million ready to ship books, 3.6 million ebooks, and 300,000 audiobooks – you can rest assured that whatever your in-laws want to read next, Barnes & Noble’s got it. From fantasy romance books to home improvement to psychology and everything in between, 

Plus, it would be the perfect kick they need if they’ve been meaning to invest in a Nook.

Buy a Barnes & Noble gift card

3 - Yankee Candle

Give the Gift of Cozy this Christmas

Buy a Yankee Candle gift card 

What does Christmas smell like to you? Is the fresh scent of snow on balsam fir, or the warm aroma of cookies baking in the oven? Is it frost-bitten berry, or cool vanilla peppermint? No matter what scents bring back holiday memories for your in laws, they’ll find it at Yankee Candle.

With annual holiday candle collections as well as classics like North Pole, White Christmas, and Sparkling Winterberry, they’ll have plenty of choices. Not to mention, they don’t have to buy Yankee’s classic jar candles – they can also shop wood wicks, room sprays, and plug ins to get their house cozy this winter.

Buy a Yankee Candle gift card 

4 - HomeGoods

For Their Holiday + All Year Home Decor Needs

Shop for a HomeGoods gift card 

Whether it’s last minute holiday decorations or less Christmas-y winter decorations to usher their home into the new year, HomeGoods is surely on their wish list. In the same family of stores as bargain-shoppers’ paradise Marshalls and the home of the Maxxinista TJ Maxx, HomeGoods is the perfect place to find a bargain.

With everything from table lamps to pet pets, fun dishes and furniture, a Homegoods gift card is sure to be a hit.

Shop for a HomeGoods gift card 

5 - Bath & Body Works

All Their Home + Personal Fragrance, All in One Place

Grab a Bath & Body Works gift card 

This one might not seem like the gift for both of your in laws, but hear us out – with its well-known line of feminine personal fragrances as well as a men’s cologne and bath products line, Bath & Body Works has something for everyone.

But don’t stop at the aromatherapy shower gels or the hyaluronic acid-infused lotion – Bath & Body Works is perhaps best known for their rave-worthy 3-wick candles. If your MIL didn’t stock up on her favorite scents on Candle Day this year, she’s sure to appreciate some extra spending money. In room mists, wall plugins (wallflowers), and candles, Bath & Body Works offers a variety of year-round and seasonal fragrances, such as the cult classics:

• The Perfect Christmas: fresh cut pine, cinnamon sugar, toasted marshmallow
• Sweater Weather: fresh sage, juniper berry, aromatic eucalyptus, fresh woods
• Tree Farm: crisp pine needle, warm cedar, spiced apple
• Twisted Peppermint: cool peppermint, sugared snow, fresh balsam, vanilla buttercream
• Winter White Woods: glistening icicles, dried cedarwood bark, spiced sandalwood

Each fragrance also comes in different designs, so your in-laws can mix and match their candles to suit the rest of their seasonal decor!

Grab a Bath & Body Works gift card 

6 - Target

Turn Their Chores Into Something Fun

Snag a Target gift card 

With groceries and cleaning supplies, Target is probably a regular part of your in-laws’ shopping routine. But thanks to its expansive Christmas decor section (as well as the holiday collection by Magnolia Home), Target makes a great and practical holiday gift as well.

And as an adorable bonus? Target’s pet section has plenty of seasonally appropriate pet toys and clothing. So if they’re the type of in-laws to make sure Fido is dressed to impress like the rest of the fam and Fifi that cat has a new gingerbread house scratcher every year, they’ll be paws-itively thrilled.

Snag a Target gift card 

7 - A Gift Card to the Movies

For One of the Biggest Movie Release Seasons of the Year

Grab a Cinemark Theaters gift card or an AMC Theaters gift card 

Summer blockbuster season might win by a hair, but November and December have more movie releases than most other months. With people taking time off to relax, spend time with family, and make some memories, what better way to celebrate than with a trip to see the next big film release?

The holiday season has launched now-classic titles like

The holiday season has launched now-classic titles like Carrie (Nov 1976), Aladdin (Nov 1992), The Royal Tenenbaums (Dec 2001), and Cast Away, Miss Congeniality, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Chocolat, and The Emperor’s New Groove (all Dec 2000). What will this season have in store?

Grab a Cinemark Theaters gift card or an AMC Theaters gift card 

8 - StubHub

For In Laws Who Love Going Out

Score a StubHub gift card 

Some folks prefer to stay at home and relax, but others are always down for adventure. If your in-laws fall into the latter category, a Stubhub gift card should be a great fit. With everything from live music to stand up to NHL and NFL games, they’re sure to find their next big event and will have you to thank!

Score a StubHub gift card 

9 - Amazon

For a Little Bit of Everything in Very Little Time

Get an Amazon gift card 

Amazon built its fame on two-day shipping, and while that’s still the standard for Prime purchases, they’ve been working to get even faster.  This gift can be practical or fun, used on one of Amazon’s millions of products or used to renew their Prime Membership.

Amazon Custom now offers a wide range of customizable items that your in-laws can enjoy, like jewelry, home decor, and apparel. Not to mention that Prime Video has countless movies and tv shows included in membership, for rent, and for purchase. So if your MIL wants to watch Frosty every year, this one is a sure fired winner. 

Get an Amazon gift card 

10 - Visa

Give the Gift That's as Good As Cash – But Looks Way Nicer!

Build a custom Visa gift card 

Accepted anywhere Visa credit cards are accepted, giving a Visa gift card is like giving cash, only prettier. With Gift Card Granny’s build a card feature, you can create a gift your in-laws will love in no time. Choose from an expert created design or add your own photo and message – maybe a nice family photo? 

Most custom gift cards print the same day and ship out the next, so you’ll have the ultimate Christmas gift in hand before you can sing Band-Aid’s Christmas classic Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Build a custom Visa gift card 

That’s it for our list of the best Christmas gift ideas for in-laws. 

From home fragrance to live events, decor to books to experiences, we’ve covered some gifts that we think any in-laws would be delighted to receive. And don’t forget that if none of these feel like quite the right fit, you can visit the full GiftYa catalog for more – from their favorite local diner to the national brand that makes their favorite clothes.

We hope that these ideas have taken some of the stress out of gift giving. Now, you can focus on making those delightful travel arrangements! Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or automobile over the river and through the woods, we’re wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season.

Happy shopping!