What’s on the Boomers’ Holiday Wish List in 2020?

The Best IdeasDesk CalendarsYou remember these right Those nifty little physical calendars that adorned Boomers39 mahogany desks right alongside their Rolodexes and rotary phones Thanks to the pandemic they39re back from near extinction and are pushing aside electronic and phonebased versions For the wfh Boomer on your list who keeps asking quotWhat day is it anywaysquot here39s the perfect throwback gift An inyourface alwayson reminder that it39s not Saturday yetA Dumpster DeliveryIn this dumpster fire of a year there39s no better gift than finding an empty readytofill dumpster in your driveway Too much time at home has been reminding Boomers that they own too much and nothing is more cathartic then finally getting rid of the things you39ve been saving for people who don39t want them Spoiler alert Your granddaughter doesn39t want your daughter39s dollhouse that39s been collecting dust in the attic for four decades Ditto for Barbie Ken and CandylandAnything DIYThe Boomers are at a stage in life where they39re finally pursuing the hobbies that they never had time for With the pandemic forcing more time at home we now have a runaway doityourself DIY trend This is the year to buy them the tools they need to get the job done But let39s be clear We39re not talking about a miter saw or a table router to fabricate a new set of kitchen cabinets Instead think gadgets and gizmos like electric knife sharpeners dryer vent cleaners watch case openers for replacing dead batteries or new wiper blades They39ll thank you for helping them to discover that they39ve been paying other people too much for too many years to do things they could have done themselves DuhHoliday DecorationsLong before Clark Griswold taught them everything they needed to know about exterior illumination Boomers were setting the standard for elaborate but tasteful holiday decorations Many years later just as they were ready to forego the time consuming nonessential and unrewarding task of decorating their home for the holidays a pandemic has renewed their competitive spirit Now they39re allin and rising to the challenge of making their homes distinctly more festive than those of the people next door While their Millennial neighbors are buying prefabricated inflatable reindeer displays at Home Depot treat your Boomers to some traditional allnatural decorative materials Think boxwood wreaths cedar roping and sprays of holly And just for old time39s sake remind them why they almost gave up holiday decorating by throwing in a vintage string of lights that all die when only one bulb calls it quitsMovie TicketsMovie theaters love the Baby Boomers because they39re the last generation that still appreciates the big screen experience There39s never been a better time to gift AMC and Fandango tickets because movies in theaters just took a big step closer to extinction With Warner Brothers39 recent announcement that they will stream all of their 2021 movies on HBO Max at the same time that they hit the theater the theaters39 reason for being will be limited to only the most dedicated of cinephiles Do a Boomer a solid and give the gift of movies while we still have them and while you39re at it help one navigate the transition to streaming video at home with some tech tips But before you get into the navigation of newage media you39ll need to start with some basics like explaining why it takes three remotes to watch one football gameThe Worst IdeasTiesThese venerable sartorial accessories were losing favor long before the pandemic but with the potentially permanent shift to working out of the office the cravat market has officially cratered Unless somebody comes up with a brilliant life hack that repurposes 36quot of patterned silk in varying widths it39s time to embrace open neck comfort While we39re at it ditto for suits and sport coats After years of owning the extensive ensembles that were needed to quotdress for successquot the Boomers are gradually becoming the generation that only wears suits and ties at weddings and funeralsPuzzlesYou need look no further than your social media feed to discover that there39s suddenly a pandemic plethora of jigsaw puzzles offering endless options for customization Want a puzzle with your favorite photo of your pooch Search Pawzzles But as enticing as these unique gifts are especially with a long dark winter ahead think again Jigsaw puzzles were a thing of the past until QT1 lockdowns gave them new legitimacy but they39re still a relic of past pastimes Resist the urge to give an oldfashioned gift to a Boomer who39s already worried that their retro choices may be dating themGift CardsOn the face of it gift cards would seem to be the perfect gift for the person who has everything All you have to do is to figure out where they like to eat or shop and presto you39re done But that39s the rub to gift cards they39re too easy Boomers have lived long and experienced lives and they39ve developed some pretty high standards along the way Don39t take the easy way out with an Olive Garden gift card when a little extra thought and imagination could delight them like with an LED Smart Garden to grow their favorite cooking herbs right in the kitchenExotic Spice CollectionsNow that the hot sauce trend has cooled off the new culinary gifting rage is exotic spice collections preferably organic While it might be tempting to share a gift that will tantalize a Boomer39s fatigued taste buds there39s no room left in their cluttered spice pantry Last year39s gift of Cowboy Grilling Rubs is elbowing for space with the Taj Mahal Curry Collection which is in front of the Wild Himalayan Salt Set that39s blocking the unopened Southwestern Sampler from 2009 So unless someone gifts them the aforementioned dumpster to help clean out the cupboard you39ll need to assume that they already have too much seasoning this holiday seasonThat39s a wrap We hope this list is helpful to you as you look to get your gifting done in a challenging year Best wishes for a joyous and safe holiday season and a New Year that restores the cherished normalcy that we39ve all earnedClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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What’s on the Boomers’ Holiday Wish List in 2020?

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Peter Hubbell

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What’s on the Boomers’ Holiday Wish List in 2020?

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