What was your mom buying your dad during the previous Christmases? Maybe they got to the state of just buying the other what they wanted? I bought myself a $500 Miele vacuum cleaner one Christmas. I was and still am so happy with this vacuum that blows a Dyson out of the dirt. It sucks so awesome! I neither buy gifts nor receive gifts any longer. It makes Christmas so much more pleasant just showing up to immediate family get-togethers without materialism corrupting it.