General Chat

My daughter bought me a dolls house one year.
..Now I've got 4 (2 I'm working on and 2 second hand ones for the grandchildren - to be utilised later!) and am contemplating buying myself a shop (doll's house size) with the money my 80 year old mother always gives me for Christmas!!!!

I really need new glasses - but they're no fun!

Hi BMD

I'm about ten years younger than your mum, so I hope this helps...

I don't really need money (and I certainly don't want my daughter's money, or the voucher equivalent).

There are some things that no amount of money can buy, though. For example, a dvd of my daughter and her family, a collection of photos of us "through the ages", a scrap book of family memories...

Or, if all else fails, a voucher for a collagen implant wouldn't go amiss!

Sue x

For the last couple of years our 4 children and partners have all clubbed together to buy us dinner and an overnight stay at a local hotel (different ones) . Not too expensive or posh but comfortable and good quality grub.
A pleasant and very welcome present as we don't often get a chance to be spoilt.

Cath xx

Just giving this a nudge as it has some good ideas on it, I have just been looking at MoneySavingExpert...their forums are busy! with other good ideas on there for mini hampers etc and 'secret Santa' gifts :)

Have they got a digital photoframe - you could give them the memory stick with lots of sentimental family photos on to use with it.

Or you could wrap up a small gift like chocolate but add 'cheques' promising treats or visits or simple outings during the year, one for each month or every two months perhaps.

Even something like you fetching fish and chips to them for their tea one evening, they could cash it in when the weather is bad and they don't want to go out but don't want to cook or whatever.

Hope you get just the right things to bring a smile to their faces.

My o.h. has always been dreadful when his sons asked what he wanted, he used to say Oh don't bother spending your money on me, you don't have much! That meant many times he ended up with nothing at all, and even now when I have suggested to the one here in UK a few things he could chose from to get, he hasn't got round to it so his Dad has gone without, on birthdays and Father's Day as well. Woe betide them if they ever did that to their mother, they always make sure to get her a gift.

Lizx

what about a basket of foods they LIKE!! some ready made baskets are full of stuff no one eats ...prehaps add bath salts and fun things like plasters and handcream ...but make it from stuff you know they use

What about a framed photo's of the houses they grew up in if its possible, any colour can be done into black and white prints .lots of frames about to suit the era.

Hi Dee

How about you book them for a Spa day? Turkish/sauna, massage treatments,the works? just the thing to relax them after Christmas......works wonders!

Mau xx

ive put a bronnley tin soap set thingy up if that helps, tins are usefull afterwards xx

Maybe a gift card for the cinema or theatre as a shared present. If you want to do individual pressies, maybe a voucher for a nice hair salon or manicure for mum and a day out voucher for dad, or maybe a year's magazine subscription each to their favourite magazines.

Hi
It's a bit more expensive but last Christmas my son and DIL gave us membership of the National Trust.
We really appreciated this as you can visit lots of NT properties without having to pay.
Also we visit Cornwall a lot and there are lots of NT car parks there and again they are free of charge.
Take care
Von

LOLOL... BC

Sounds good to me Foggy, you're on! oops sorry... I forgot myself for a mo.....lolol BCXX

Perhaps a nice weekend away.
A show at a theatre, followed by a nice meal in a good restaurant before retiring to a good quality hotel.
Splash out, its your parents.

RR and Ann in Glos, they are both excellent ideas.
I have been racking my brains as I prepare the veggies for dinner. Last week I was in a garden centre looking for an aquarium and fish, and I did notice this. They had hanging up, Christmas Wreaths, but interspersed between large flower heads, were pockets of bird food. There was two designs £12.00 and £12.99. Hopefully, if the weather allows, we have been forecasted with snow this weekend, I am going back to buy two. One for my sister and one for myself, of course.
Just a little thought.
Julia in Derbyshire

I don't know about parents. I have daughter and son in law who don't really want for anything so I have two Christmas carriers and fill them with all sorts of smaller presents bought through the year from nice soap to unusual jars of chutney to cnadles and pot pourri. they do the smae for me as well so we both take ages opening our presents. And incidentally if you add the cost up it is much more than I'd spend normally but it isn't noticed as it is spread over the year, usually in sales.

At various times in the past, Mum made us girls up a 'ditty' box. This was usually at times when we didn't have a lot of spare money, and they conisted of a selection of everyday items like toiletries, plus a few special treats. Maybe a luxury version of this, with a few special treats they wouldn't normally buy?
Magazine subscription?
As already mentioned, a book about antiques - one of those nice, glossy, coffee table books?

Do they like gardening? I always have trouble with the 'person who has everything' , but a welcomed gift was a large pot, fill the pot with gardening things, new garden gloves, hand trowel, plant labels and the like, and maybe a favourite plant to go in, patio rose or similar?

I like getting vouchers but i don't much like giving them lol, I think it's nice to have something to unwrap :)

or maybe buy a nice wicker-type basket, and fill it with 'treats', perhaps unusual food items they would not necessarily buy for themselves, a cheaper way of doing it than buying the ready made hampers, which tend to be overpriced for what you get sometimes I think.

Have you thought about a small scrap book (from craft shops) instead of a photo album? Maybe easier to personalise.

Just got back in.

thank you ALL for your ideas.

I think I may just have a quick look on Ebay to see what photo frames they have, thanks RR.

Vouchers are great, but it's not a big wow to open..... you did get me thinking though about a nice day trip somewhere in spring for them, so I'm off to look at those too.

Please keep the ideas coming, Julia.... they are in a similar to boat as you........ makes things so harder to buy for them.


Thanking you all again, Dee x