HELP, What to put in a Christmas hamper for MIL?

[beccajoh]

Totally skint so can't spend more than £20, including a box to put it all in! I might end up wrapping a cardboard box for the purpose. Interests include, err, going to car boot sales, her grandchildren. So I guess it can be very generic!

Any suggestions?!

[MrsWinnibago]

If you can't afford it then why don't you just fill it up gradually between now and Christmas?

I'd get things like a mug from the pound shop, some nice soap...a nice flannel...speciality tea or chocolate sachets....a box of chocs.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

What about nice photos of the grandchildren in frames from Wilkos, Poundland etc (they have some that look fine - anyway the pictures are the important bit!) Also are the grandchildren old enough to paint her pictures or make her stuff?
Then, I would just give stuff like sweets (again, Poundland have loads cheap- well, a pound obviously!), bath foam or shower gel, nice biscuits, tea, coffee, jam - if you know or can find out her particular favourites that makes it more special, I think.

[chanie44]

Find out her favourite biscuits, soap etc and buy the items when they are on offer.

A wrapped cardboard box will be fine.

Ideas:
Chocolates
Hand cream
Pen
Mug
Bottle of wine

[Mrsgrumble]

I did one last year for mil. I got a bottle of baileys, coffee, tea bags, curated powder, tinned fruit, fruit cake, shortbread, washing up liquid, shampoo, boiled sweets, bars of soap etc.

Also bought her a smart jumper. She is very traditional and she absolutely loved it.

[Mrsgrumble]

Custard

[ancientbuchanan]

How old are the dcs?

It is the duty of a grandmother to love homemade

Peppermint creams
Fudge
Biscuits cut into Christmas shapes and iced creatively by dcs.
Flapjacks

And a penholder ( loo roll decorated with wrapping paper, stuck on similarly covered back of cereal package. )

Then, a nice looking jar of jam, chocs, superdrug or poundland smellies. Alcohol if she likes it, squash or elderflower of she doesn't, a magazine ( takes up space). A cheap calendar if you can find one, a light paperback, a soft pair of socks, gloves, or scarf.

Sounds great to me. I did one for DM's last Christmas.

Also, on the calendar front, you can get those tiny cakendars with just the date on. Get the dcs to draw pictures for the picture.

[beccajoh]

DD is 25 months and DS is six months.

Thanks, some good ideas already

[thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter]

Hi Becca I made a hamper up for my mil last year as part of her xmas present - was about £20-25 I got the basket from homebargains - although dunelm have a good sale at the moment with lots of baskets going for about £2-5 (got my sister a cute mint green 'jelly' plastic floral basket for £2.50 last week and am going to fill with treats as part of her xmas gift)

Stuff I put in was a big box of biscuits and yankee candle set I got as part of 3 for 2 at boots (and used my points to buy!) a calendar I made using vista print (was about £4-5), a cross-stich kit (£3), heat socks (£6), small bodyshop kit (£2 after using a money off voucher I got in a magazine), hand cream kit (cant remember how much), bottle of wine (£6?) and a novel (£3)

I made it look fancy padded it out using tissue paper I got cheap from Asda (reduced to 50p - it was a crafts pack aimed at kids but the tissue paper was same standard, and iirc Asda reduce these sorts of things from time to time)

[LokiBear]

Marks and Spencer have lovely bubble bath for about £1. My MIL loves it x

[LokiBear]

A calender made with photos of the grandkids always goes down well.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

Your dc are quite little, but maybe your dd could help decorate some home made biscuits? My dd is of a similar age to yours, and loves cutting out shapes in dough, and afterwards piling on loads of icing and those cake decoration edible beads etc you can buy. You may well be a talented baker, but I am not, I am a slummy mummy, and therefore often buy those easy baking kits they do in the baking supermarket aisle - grandparents still lap it up if done by the dcs !

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I did a hamper for my Mother years ago - I used a (new) wicker wastepaper bin threaded with red and green ribbons - so once it was empty the bin was still practical.

Look out for BOGOF offers between now and them too. Anything nice that will keep . You can buy something for yourself and get hers free

(Not telling you what I'd put in MY MIL hamper )

[ancientbuchanan]

Aha, at that age,

If you can afford a photo calendar, using your phone it whatever to print off, great.

If not, get them to do hand and foot prints on paper. Either then use it as the calendar background, or cut them up and turn them into a circle, hey presto a Christmas wreath made of her grandchildren's prints.

And get your older one to " help" you decorate biscuits with silver balls and hundreds and thousands on white icing, and both of them to " help" you stir the peppermint cream.

It's really hard to be rude about children's efforts if you are a gran. Makes you look awful. And she will probably love them.

[HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs]

Are you anywhere near a M&S outlet shop? They have some really lovely gifts for surprisingly cheap prices - gorgeous biscuit tins, slippers, chocolates etc.

[bimbobaggins]

Sainsburys have lovely white picnic baskets reduced to £7.00 .they will be lovely filled with shredded tissue . I make my mum a hamper every year and start buying a couple of items a week.

[MonoNoAware]

How about these mittens for £4.95 inc delivery from the Joules Outlet on eBay, as mentioned on the Christmas bargain thread?

Other ideas that can be picked up cheaply:

• oven gloves and colourful silicone bakewear if she enjoys cooking (tip: poundland are great for these)
  
• those coffee-bags (like tea bags) or cappuccino sachets if she enjoys coffee
  
• the book people have some really very lovely coffee table type books as do The Works. If you wait until they have a free delivery day you could pick something up for £2-4. Alternately, it's worth having a nose round on amazon for local history books. I've bought them for older relatives and they've enjoyed looking at the photos of the area they grew up in and spotting old businesses and friend's houses etc. prices do vary though!

[MonoNoAware]

bakeWARE

[MTWTFSS]

Lush cut off free samples of their soaps if you ask, just say you have sensitive skin and you need to try before you buy, which you could add to your hamper :)