Multiple Sclerosis Foundation - Gift Ideas for Friends and Loved Ones with MS

Choosing a perfect holiday gift for your friend or loved one with multiple sclerosis can be easy — if they’ve given you a list of ideas. If they haven’t, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with some great ideas your friends and loved ones are sure to appreciate. Because MS is different for everyone, think about the ways MS has affected their lives so you can select a gift that’s appropriate.

Prepay for a Service or DIY

When fatigue takes over, chores can pile up quickly. Gifts of service make life easier. Prepay for any of the following services, or, if you’re on a tight budget, offer to do it yourself:

A few hours of babysitting
Lawn mowing and trimming
Housecleaning
Car cleaning and detailing
Meal prep and freezing
Shoveling snow
De-cluttering and organizing kitchen, garage, or the entire home

Give an Experience

A fun experience provides an emotional boost, something anyone would enjoy. Consider the following ideas; but because MS is so unpredictable avoid events tied to a particular date.

Hot-air balloon ride
Cooking class
Staycation in your area (be their tour guide as you check out museums, restaurants, and attractions)
Tickets to a play of their choice
Photography or art class
Boat or sailing ride
Tickets to a local museum
Wine tasting

Sign up for subscriptions and memberships

Choices are plentiful in this category but the following are popular picks:

A magazine subscription (a third-party site or Amazon usually costs less)
Subscription boxes (visit www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com) can be found for just about any interest or budget
Three months, six months, or a year of movies from a streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu
An AAA membership to help with auto issues and provide special discounts
Yearly membership to a favorite museum
Yearly membership to a wholesale shopping club

Focus on Home Comfort

Being comfortable at home is essential when living with a chronic illness. The environment should offer physical comfort as well as soothing sights and sounds.

Their favorite photos framed by you
Weighted blanket to help with nighttime restlessness and insomnia
Nice pair of pajamas that don’t look like sleepwear so you can wear them all day for naps and unexpected guests
Neck wraps for cooling with or without aromatherapy
E-reader such as a Kindle for easier reading
Audio books
Playlist of favorite songs
Laptop holder for in-bed convenience
Sound machine that creates white noise or comforting sounds to help with sleep
Small refrigerator to place in the bedroom or by the recliner
Decorative and fun nightlights

Pamper to Please

Pampering is a great stress buster. Gifts in this category are always a hit. Day spas usually run specials around the holidays.

Massage (try to find a masseuse familiar with MS)
Reflexology session (manipulates foot pressure points to address health issues)
Haircut and style
Manicure and pedicure

Give the Gift of Shopping

Some people don’t give gift cards because they may seem impersonal, but many recipients enjoy receiving gift cards. They prefer shopping for items they really want or need. One way to make a gift card more personal is to give a gift card from the recipient’s favorite store, restaurant, or online shop. For the person with outstanding bills, a gift card from a credit card company can be used to pay bills.