General Chat

Hello everybody,

I don't really post on here, normally I'm helping out on the other boards looking for ancestors........... so I wonder if you lovely lot of peeps could help me out?

My parents are a young 68 and 66, and I'm really stuck as to know what to buy them for Christmas. Now I'm not the richest person around ( I would imagine many people in the same boat) however my parents are wonderful and I would like to buy them something that they would like.

As per usual I ask them every year and they tell me the same " something small and not a lot of money.... spend it on the kids!" So I trundle off and rack my brains and end up buying choccies and perfume/aftershave.

So any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanking you all for your time,


Dee x

Vouchers for gardening/books/cd's/dvd's/M & S? TJMakxx????? Am a little older than them but these were always welcome. Have they any hobbies?

Hi,

No hobbies as such................. but they do love looking around antique shops etc.

I'll definately keep the vouchers in mind though, thank you.

EDIT>>>>>>>>>> Just picking the kids up, back soon.

buy them a kindle to share,
save them having to buy books lol x

perhaps a nice photo of grandchildren in a frame to go with furniture / decor? If they like antique-y things, maybe you could find a bargain from whatever period they prefer either in antique shops or ebay ?

A book on antiques.


Marion

I must admit that we, I am in the same age group, are not easy to buy a gift for. We usually, have all we want, and can afford, within reason, to go out and buy what we want, ourselves.
As I say, not easy. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but will be interested to see the suggestions made.
Julia in Derbyshire

I would say vouchers are a good idea. perhaps a voucher plus a photo (if you have a camera so it isn't too expensive) in a nice frame.

Or, do they send a lot of snail mail? cards etc. Some nice stationery plus a book of stamps.

Or do they listen to music? find out what they like/what they have and buy a CD.

Or what about tickets to a local theatre production?

We are a little above their age group by three or four years but I love anything anyone buys us. Have to admit we do make a list for the family and it helps to have hobbies such as gardening and craft.

It depends what they like to do as to what vouchers to buy, my OH likes gardening vouchers and M&S, I would like M&S or craft vouchers.

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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

LOLOL... BC

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

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.

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