...who says "don't buy me anything"-really can't do that but I have very few ideas-any suggestions?

nice vase
photo frame of the dcs
expensive chocs
sherry
those slipper socks
new hot water bottle

could you get a family portrait done? or evemn a full family snap on digital camera and get it blown up and frame it.

I always used to make up my grannie a nice hamper of all her favourite (but expensive) food and drinks - she couldn't afford a lot of them on her pension so she always seemed to appreciate it. You know things like tinned crab, wine etc.

I think that's a great idea cece.
What about gloves and scarf you can get some very soft ones - older people tend to get cold easily.

A beautiful lambswool blanket; something like this

or this

Not really an idea, just a cute story, my friends gran (89), has asked all her family to spend what they would have spent on her, on themselves, (as she needs nothing) on the condition that they go to her house and show her what it is.

Thought that was very sweet.

Sazisi, I was going to suggest a blanket too, but I didn't have a link to a wonderful site to go with it! I wish I'd never clicked on it...I really want that blanket, and several of the baby blankets!!

A photo album full of pictures of all the family, special events - weddings, birthdays etc. She will enjoy looking at it and savouring the memories.(label everything if she is a bit forgetful).

hamper or a snapfish (or similar) type photo calendar.

Talking books? I know my nan loved her reading, but found it more and more difficult, as she got older.

what about something pretty and glamorous like a new handbag or necklace. I bet your gran still likes to feel like a woman and not just an old person wrapped up in hot water bottles and slippers

such lovely ideas! Thank you! I need to look into a few of them!

Agree re the blanket, I bought my grandma a nice fleece blanket for Christmas from John Lewis (I chose fleece because it was easy to wash unlike wool), also warm and lightweight so she didn't struggle to carry/fold it).

She loved it and used it every day.

This year for my Grannie (86) I'm having a "floral display" made by a florist friend, hopefully seasonal colours, not in a basket (as she's a hoarder) so she can throw it away after Christmas.

Previous years, I've done slippers, scarves, gloves, pictures of ggc (very happy with those) and lots more tat which she just keeps, because she's that generation which keeps everything!!

mrsbabookaloo get yourself one! We've had an Avoca blanket for almost 5 years and it's still perfect and soft and scrummy after being used for car trips, picnics, snuggling on the sofa etcetera
DH bought one for his perma-disgruntled, notoriously hard-to-please Great Aunt, and it went down in family history as the only present she ever liked

I bought my Gran an orchid in a lovely pot last year and she was over the moon with it. She said she was so happy she could cry!

This year I am going to get her another type of plant in a pot (she is plant and flowers mad) and the DSes have chosen a brooch for her.

I have just bought my granny (88) a whole new set of embroidered towels (£20 TK Maxx). Lovely and fluffy for the new year!

New set of bedsheets or towels is a good idea IMO.

Too many old people stop replacing household items on the basis that what they have should "see them out". So depressing.

mine is 90 and got her a photobook of her great grand children. At least it will be something she hasn't got!

What did she used to do? My gran was a seamstress, so I am going to get her a charity donation to help womens sewing circles/cottage industry.

And/or a SAGA subscription!!

Also got my gran a beautiful blanket one year - she was pretty immobile and spent a lot of time in one chair. She had no room for stuff and it was a bit of useful luxury.

I got her some cashmere socks last year. she gets cold feet. I've done the snapfish calendar thing and they always go down well with pics of dcs.

Is she still mobile? When DH's grandma was 92 i bought her theatre tokens - she went to see Mary Poppins with her daughter and loved it. I thought about tickets for the Strictly Live tour this year but think the O2 stadium might be a bit much at 94!

Not very glamorous but possibly this (from German website as it happens but loads available online in UK):

shop.strato.de/epages/243685.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/243685/Categories/Knietablett/Lap_Tray

or a lovely traditional cotton nightie:

www.classiccotton.co.uk/ladies.html

or a bedjacket?
www.pinkcamellia.com/search.asp?types2=yes&type2=Bed+jackets+%26+wraps

www.davidnieper.co.uk/bedjackets/GB/1/filters/0/ST/BJ/

or a bird house (if she has a garden, to watch at feeding time):

www.rkalliston.co.uk/collections.aspx?collection=Garden%20Collection&collectionid=1&subcategoryid=10 &name=Garden%20Accessories

or pretty china teapot and cups or mugs:

www.rkalliston.co.uk/collections.aspx?collection=Home%20Collection&collectionid=15&subcategoryid=88& name=English%20China

a couple of firm, pretty cushions:

www.countrycream.co.uk/cushion-self-piped-p-446.html

new wash bag:

http://www.cabbagesandroses.com/productdetail.asp?catid=6_10&id=430&float=

perhaps this:

www.gadgets.co.uk/item/BIGTVREMOTE/Extra-Large-Big-Button-Remote-Control.html

this:
www.litecup.com/page.php5?id=62

or this:

[[http://www.magnifyingglasses.co.uk/acatalog/OnlineCatalogue_Text_Magnifiers___ReadingAi ds_10.html]$

and finally can't find link but somewhere you can buy glow pad stands so that you can find your glasses at night

Going to bed now will find tomorrow!

sorry, that last link should read:

www.magnifyingglasses.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Text_Magnifiers___Reading_Aids_10.html

My mum's 88. I'm giving her Alexi Sayle's new book and a lemon tree in a pot.

She is the woman who once confided to a friend (who blabbed to me) that if she saw one more photo of her grandchildren she's scream!!

Wow-thank you so much for all your inspitation! It is so hard as she is of the generation of make do and mend, and keeping things for best (so never using them!) for example last year she treated herself to a new expensive outfit for a wedding saying that she should wear it more often during the year, like to church or on her birthday but she still hasn't!!!!
She is active, but wouldn't feel able to go out for anything like the theatre, she loves her art but is so frugal with her stuff that i don't think she has even used the set i gave her last year, and she does love plants but she is so good with them-they never die and her house is quite full of them!!!!

I loved the blanket idea but made the mistake of mentioning it to my mum who said that she would save it for best and she is perfectly happy with the ones she has-the same with everything!!!!

I'll work my way through the suggestions for more ideas, so far I'm thinking:
hamper
towels
cd-there is one she mentioned to my mum she might like
blood pressure monitor-as she said she gets very stressed going to the surgery all the time to get it checked
picure of her ggd

Then hopefully there will be something from each of us!

Maybe a hamper with all those things in it

Flowers - heavily scented (unless she has allergies), bright bold colours, glittery stuff.

Chocolates, biscuits - real treats. Do you know which types she likes?

DVDs etc of old films maybe, or comedy shows (Morecombe/Wise, Dads Army, Fawlty Towers - what did she laugh at?)

Maybe a digital photo frame which would slowly change photos?

Perfume etc - again what is her favourite scent? Nice talc - dusting powder with a fluffy pad.

Not sure about bp machine - people in their 80s do see themselves as young as we are so health stuff may not go down too well.

I think the most important thing - time with her to chat and have a laugh.

Flowers - heavily scented (unless she has allergies), bright bold colours, glittery stuff.

Chocolates, biscuits - real treats. Do you know which types she likes?

DVDs etc of old films maybe, or comedy shows (Morecombe/Wise, Dads Army, Fawlty Towers - what did she laugh at?)

Maybe a digital photo frame which would slowly change photos?

Perfume etc - again what is her favourite scent? Nice talc - dusting powder with a fluffy pad.

Not sure about bp machine - people in their 80s do see themselves as young as we are so health stuff may not go down too well.

I think the most important thing - time with her to chat and have a laugh.

Skydiving lessons.

Jam/preserve.
Posh teabags.
Hot water bottle.
Fudge.
Snugly,soft fleece blanket in her favourite colour.
Hand cream.
Voucher for garden centre.

white water rafting trip.

Or has she ever done a bungee jump?

I forgot to say also; cider and fags.

...though she shouldn't mix those with skydiving and that.

Lion taming lessons.

I know exactly what my 88 year old mother would do with the "heavily scented, bright coloured glittery" stuff!

My grandfather does the "put away for best" thing too! We usually get him plants, which he loves.

We have bought the GGParents those china mugs that you paint yourself. The kids will decorate them before Christmas and they will be told that thaey are for using not looking at

Thorntons chocs always go down well with my grand parents, they always have such a lovely selection.