Gifts for parents who already said "we don't need anything"

"We don't need anything" is the most common answer and one of the least accurate. What it usually means is that your parents won't buy themselves something non-essential — which is precisely the definition of a good gift.

Three categories almost always work. First, physical comfort: a neck or back massager, a diffuser, a spa set. Second, upgrading something everyday they've used for years — a kettle, a kitchen tool, lighting. Third, something for the home they kept putting off: organisation, plants, a decorative piece.

What works less well is technology that requires learning. A device that needs an app, an account and setup becomes a gift that creates work. If you do go tech, pick something that works with one button.