THE BLADE: TOLEDO, OHIO ■ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016 SECTION A, PAGE 5toledoBlade.com

If your parents are like mine, they don’t want or need many “things.” What seems to go over best are gifts they can eat or drink or enjoy for

an evening or a weekend. Whatever you decide,

Mom and Dad are sure to appreciate a gift from the heart.

— JENNIFER FEEHAN, BLADE STAFF WRITER

* Prices and availability subject to change.

PARENTSWhat to buy 2016 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

3SHOPPINGDAYS LEFT

Family portraitHas it been years since your family got to-

gether for a professional portrait? Get your group together and dressed for the occasion, book the shoot, and give Mom and Dad a nice framed portrait for their wall or co� ee table. Find an area portrait studio like Kurt Nielsen Photography in Sylvania, kurtnphoto.com.

Date nightMarried couples sometimes need

a little push to get them out for an evening. Wrap up two tickets to the nearest movie theater along with a gift card from their favorite restaurant, and they’ll be all set for a night out, compliments of you!

Photo calendarGather together 12 of your favorite

family snapshots and create a month-ly calendar for the new year. To make it really special, match the photo to the season. � ere are numerous online options, like shut-ter� y.com, or go to your local Walgreens, where personalized photo calendars begin at $19.99 at photo.walgreens.com.

A season of funWant to take it a step further than

a night out? How about a whole se-ries of nights out to the latest, hottest musical performances? Buy Mom and Dad a season membership to the Stranahan � eater, where four-show memberships begin at $140. Go to the box o� ce, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., or theaterleague.com/toledo. Blade subscription

Get your parents a sub-scription to � e Blade to

keep them on top of local, state, national, and international news. If they’re already avid readers, renew their subscription, which will not only bring the paper to their door every morning but give them full ac-cess to the eblade.toledoblade.com

Trace your rootsDNA test kits intended to help individuals track their ancestral roots

are an informative — or at least amusing — exercise that require little more work than spitting into a tube or swabbing your cheek. � ere are a variety of providers and options available. Beginning at $99 at 23andme.com.

Single-cup co� eemakerKeurig single-cup co� eemakers are a great option for parents who only want

one cup in the morning and for aging parents who shouldn’t be � lling, lifting, and pouring the old 12-cup pot. � row in their favorite � avors of co� ee. Starting at $119.99 and available at most department stores like Meijer and Kohl’s.

Service, pleaseWhat service could

your parents bene� t most from? Snow removal, lawn care, window-wash-ing, housekeeping? � ere’s a plethora of local provid-ers, depending on what your parents need. Try Hoen’s Garden Center & Landscaping in Holland, hoensgardencenter.com.

Toledo zoo membershipSurprise Mom and Dad with a year-long mem-

bership to the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Botanical Garden, or the Toledo Museum of Art. You’ll be support-ing an organization that adds vitality to our area and giv-ing your parents a reason to walk with the animals, tiptoe through the tulips, or take in a masterpiece. Go to toledo-zoo.org, toledogarden.org, or toledomuseum.org.

A weekend awayNorthwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan are � lled with fun places

to explore, quiet retreats to relax in, or sports-� lled adventures waiting for your parents. You know them best. Close to home, check out Maumee Bay State Park along Lake Erie near Oregon, maumeebaystateparklodge.com.