Dec. 3. Our weekly advice column from Giselle Massi, a former journalist with The Denver Post.

“Looking for ideas for presents that punch above their weight. I’m not only looking for suggestions for things I can buy for others, I’m needing to come up with a list that I can give to others who are wanting to buy for me.”

G: For the person in your life who is hard to buy for, that would be me, there’s always a chance what they want is actually something that seems like it could be too pricey for the giver, or nearly impossibly hard to find in time.

Let me amend that to say, once I got into feeding the birds I’ve actually become super easy to buy for. Just give me bird seeds or a gift card to Wild Birds Unlimited. Better yet, give me seeds and a gift card.

I mention this as it is a simple way to solve the “what to get” puzzle whenever a holiday or celebration comes up. Find out, or figure out, what it is that is similar to “feeding the birds.” Or you can start the hobby activity, by giving your person that area of interest that they may not have previously considered. It might require that you also supply the bird feeder if they are not already feeding birds. But these come in many sizes that are not pricey. If you know they can manage this hobby, you can build on it with a bird house and binoculars.

Beyond hobbies that can go wide and deep, you can look at their home goods and see if anything looks in need of replacing or upgrading. My partner’s mother for many years was in the habit of putting a festive or decorative dish drying towel in the package of presents, particularly for Xmas or Easter. I thought, “Hmm, I’ve never gotten one of these before.” Then I remembered she had been a home ec teacher for decades, so of course she would think of kitchen items that regularly need replacing. I love getting these.

Look around their place. You don’t have to snoop. All you need to do is think about your own stuff. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate getting a really comfy set of pillow cases or bed sheets. Even an attractive bed skirt, if they haven’t indulged in that, can make for an especially lovely out-of-the box gift.

Truth is, there are so many things that people would like to have for themselves, but they won’t spend the money on it. Take makeup or skincare, for example. Whether there’s a special man or woman in your life, upping their skincare regimen with higher quality products can be particularly appreciated during the winter months. You don’t need to figure out what products, but you can ask them if they don’t “need” to be surprised. To keep it simple, get them a gift card to places that carry a large line, like a quality department store or Sephora.

For the athletic person in your life, consider getting them a hanging bar for their home. The bar I’m talking about is what kids love to do on playgrounds, just hanging. Dead hangs are great for grip strength and core conditioning, but they work wonders on stretching out the back to relieve pain, bringing alignment and flexibility as they improve posture. You’ll likely need to buy an exercise mat for the floor to keep the space safer should one slip.

For those who have a special trip in 2026, consider arranging for a limo driver to pick them up upon their return. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate seeing the sign being held up with their name on it, by the person who is there to retrieve you and your bags.

A favorite of someone I know is getting a new magazine subscription or else having the renewal paid for. For readers of this or other newspapers, consider getting a subscription for a loved one, or else donate a subscription to the local nursing home or hospital. Email me if you want recommendations for quality podcasts that require subscriptions

But when it comes to gifts for any time, including charitable donations, I don’t think anything punches above the weight quite like giving to the food banks, the animal shelters, and to programs who provide weekend backpack food supplies to school children at risk.

Giselle M. Massi was a journalist with The Denver Post and is the author of “We are Here for a Purpose: HOW TO FIND YOURS” and the novel “Just Dance the Steps.” Her new romantacy “WYNTER’S DREAM” is now available.  Email Giselle with your question at GiselleMassi@gmail.com  To read more columns go to  www.gisellemassi.com