Gifts for someone who has everything: 20 ideas that are not more stuff
By the Notre Livre editorial team · · 7 min read
Every family has one: the person who buys what they want the moment they want it. Your gift will never compete with their shopping. It can do something else.
These ideas are grouped by type, from easy to more personal.
Experiences
- A cooking class, a wine tasting or a chocolate workshop for two.
- Tickets to a game, a show or a concert, with dinner before.
- A hot-air balloon flight or a day at a racetrack, if they like a thrill.
- A night in a small inn near where they grew up.
Consumables they will actually use
- A coffee or tea subscription from a small roaster.
- Their favorite restaurant's gift card, with a date to go together.
- Good olive oil, spices or a regional food box.
- Fresh flowers once a month for a season.
Time and help
- A day of help with a project they keep postponing: the garage, the photos, the garden.
- Setting up their new phone or tablet, and teaching them to video-call the grandchildren.
- A standing weekly call or visit, written as a promise.
Gifts only you can give
The rarest gift for someone who has everything is their own story. Old photos scanned and restored, letters from the people they love, a recording of them telling family stories, or a printed book of their life.
With Notre Livre, the person can tell their life in a guided conversation at their own pace, or a relative can tell it for them; the life story book and the tribute book are written in chapters from those memories, with AI assistance and nothing invented, then printed as a hardcover after you review it.
If you are comparing services, our life story book comparison sets out who writes the text, how long it takes and what it costs, with Storyworth, Remento and others.
For an older relative who has everything
- A large-print photo book of the grandchildren, with their names and ages under each picture.
- A day trip to a place from their youth, planned around their energy and pace.
- An afternoon where the family records them telling the stories they always tell at dinner.
- Help sorting decades of photos, with the best ones printed and labeled for each child.
Ideas by budget
| Budget | Idea |
|---|---|
| Under $25 | A handwritten letter, a framed old photo, a playlist with notes |
| $25 to $75 | A tea or coffee subscription, a restaurant gift card, flowers for a season |
| $75 to $150 | A class or show for two, a printed family recipe book, a life story book |
| Over $150 | A weekend trip, a photo restoration project for the whole family album |
How to choose
Watch what they talk about and what they spend time on. If they love going out, give an experience. If they love their kitchen, give something to eat. If they love their family and their past, give them something that keeps it. Whatever you choose, a few written lines about why you chose it will make it personal.
Where to get a life story book made
Several services turn memories into a printed book. The main difference is who writes the text. Here are the main options, with the price shown on each website.
Notre Livre
Who writes the text
A narrative book with chapters, written from the memories with AI assistance, nothing invented; you review it all, unlimited corrections before approval
Advertised price
Tribute $69–$119, Memoir $119–$209; hardcover plus PDF and EPUB, US shipping included, sales tax at checkout
Storyworth
Who writes the text
The storyteller writes; phone recordings can be transcribed or turned into a written story
Advertised price
Plan cards show Basic $69, Color $99, Unlimited $199 (its FAQ lists Basic at $59); one hardcover included
Remento
Who writes the text
Speech-to-Story turns recordings into chapters (polished or cleaned-up transcript), editable
Advertised price
$99 with one color hardcover; $30 more above 200 pages; extra copies $69
StoryKeeper
Who writes the text
The storyteller writes or dictates; recordings are transcribed and editable
Advertised price
$99 with 2 hardcover copies
Meminto
Who writes the text
The storyteller’s own answers are printed; optional AI help to rephrase, each change approved
Advertised price
Essential $99, Complete $149, Premium $397 (3 printed books); one-time payment
See the full comparison of 6 services (pages, timing, how the stories are told)
Prices taken from each brand’s public pages; check them before you order. Table written by Notre Livre, not an independent ranking.