I’m hardly Bill Gates but can buy myself most anything I want.

Quality time with loved ones is the best birthday present.

Bill Gates, in an interview asking about gift ideas, said "books" so i'm assuming they want regular shit like anyone else

I'm nowhere near Bill Gates money and never will be.

I think amongst my circle of family and friends, I probably net 3-4x more than the highest earner I know. For the most part, I can buy myself whatever gadgets or books or food or things I typically want.

But...I don't, well, I don't always.

In fact, oftentimes I find myself putting off buying Book A or B because I just don't feel like it's a good use of money right now.

Sometimes I won't even buy myself new socks until all of mine have been worn down to absolute tatters. I own two pairs of jeans and one pair of shoes and they're going to go until they completely fall apart.

Other times, I want this new game and I don't buy it because I can't really justify it for how much time I might end up having for it.

But if anyone I know gets me any of the above or similar, I'd honestly be super happy. It removes that mental battle for me and I get something I actually want / need.

Do they do gift exchanges at all?

Bill Gates famously would participate in Reddit's secret Santa

Doesn't take extreme wealth for that. I make enough that I can buy whatever I want. The best Christmas gifts are things I wouldn't think of needing or wanting.

For birthday, it's usually just a dinner without gifts.

They probably just go on vacations and spend time with family and people they love.

No insights, but all the money and resources in the world couldn't replicate a homemade customized gift of some kind. Probably end up with a lot of knitted scarves and hats lol.

The whole idea of a designated time of the year to mass purchase items is just one of capitalism's greatest tricks. But to answer your question, the ultra rich aren't human and don't receive gifts like you and me. Their gifts are the loopholes, human suffering and collapse their greed creates. Merry Christmas.

When it comes to a point where someone can buy anything they want, gifts become more of non-material things, like spending time with family or personally crafted items that aren’t necessarily expensive.

Have you ever heard the saying “It’s the thought that counts”?

Besides what’s already been said, pictures of family and friends is something he can’t buy.

This is just one angle:

It's because money and resources are only valuable in a literal, clinical way. It's a math problem that beats us over the head until we start thinking that's how you measure value. That crap is how we sustain our bodies but not our "spirit." True value comes from humans transmuting basic matter into feelings, sentiments, memories. All the money in the world couldn't help Gates buy a good gift for himself. He needs people close to him to transmute objects into meaningful gifts.

I think the richer you are, the more aware you are that "money can't buy happiness." When we plebs hear this we can't help but think about the literal value of things, but if you're rich it takes on a different connotation. Though I can only assume and extrapolate what it must be like.

People that are well off, I would expect want genuine people around them for holidays. Like an old friend or close family.

Politicians.

I've talked about it with people who are not rich themselves but who are around the mega rich because of their jobs... Apparently at a certain point, "things" lose their meaning and experiences become their new materialism. Hence why so many rich people get caught up in depraved shit that makes it on the news, because theyre down the rabbit hole of collecting wild experiences as opposed to cars or jewelry or whatever other entry level rich person stuff. Flexing becomes more about "have you been to x, have you done y" etc

Baby blood for their Satanic rituals.

Or just some time to spend with their family since they are probably too busy most of the time.

I imagine they don't really want things. Usually in that scenario if someone insists you can ask for charitable donations in your name and in the case of bill gates he has specific charities to give to.