Excellent presents for women that aren't...

[WhirlwindHugs]

Because @monkeymamma's thread for men is genius.

I'm looking for gifts for women (especially older women) that aren't:
Candles
Chocolate
anti-wrinkle cream
perfume
anything really twee and covered in flowers.

Particularly struggling with my mum this year, she is really into South American art and media. Budget 10-20 pounds.

[tentative3]

Love this thread. And agree that people buy women just as much cliched shite as they buy men.

[tentative3]

I don't know anything about those interests so can't help you op.

In the last year my mum has had Nordic walking and stand up paddle boarding lessons, both of which she loved, though obviously over the op's budget. Step MIL in recent times has had kilner stuff, vintage buttons, a visit to the Eden project. All reflect her interests.

[WhirlwindHugs]

Paddle board lessons are an awesome idea!

I'm hoping people just post interesting stuff, there's often something that would actually suit people you know better than the generic suggestions.

MIL, last year, really liked fancy accessories for their guest bedroom.

[NameChanger22]

Art and craft materials. Books. Nice notebooks and pens. Something beautiful from Etsy.

[tentative3]

Things my friends or I would like (depending on our interests, I'd hate a ball of wool personally!):

Really good wool (a single ball would be fine and infinitely preferable to multiple balls of low quality stuff)

Upholstery supplies or tools

Trainer socks (under armour or similar)

Anti stink things to go in boxing gloves

Clinique take the day off balm

Sheepskin insoles

A felting tool

The newest Harlan Coben book

Waterproof mountain bike socks

[tentative3]

Yes, totally agree that ideas from other people can spark an 'oh yeah' moment.

What kind of accessories? Like cushions and soft furnishings type Things?

[IL0veCl0thes]

Ha ha!

I think I will do all of my Christmas shopping in den søstrene grene. They have beautiful sets of water colours to nurture the inner artist in productive women who have dampened down their creativity.


I also saw a shop near me doing personalised mr men cups and miss cups. So I might get Miss Perfect for my Daughter but I can have her name put on it. My brother will get mister messy

[tentative3]

I will stop hogging the thread but I'd also love vouchers for our local theatre, a cinema voucher or a voucher for the coffee shop/restaurant/bar where we like to have breakfast as a weekend treat. Those are all well known likes of mine.

[IL0veCl0thes]

ps, this may be as boring as the things on your list but I like a nice pen from cath kidston, a nice fold away shopping back from cath kidston. Might be twee though.

To be honest I would love a bottle of sambucca. If somebody gave me that I would break in to a smile.

[Pluckedpencil]

Out of budget maybe but I would love:

An interesting doormat that didn’t just say welcome
In the same vein, a nice new hall rug/runner
Crochet stuff, anything really even just wool, or a new set of needles in a fancy pouch,
A new sewing basket,
Some dangley earrings that are not expensive but just lovely and unusual
A big warm scarf, the type that is thick and drapes more like a cape than a scarf
One interesting cushion, with beads or sequins or something good going on to look pretty and make me smile.
A pair of those mittens that are also fingerless gloves in a scandì type pattern
Some new sheet music for my flute. Not Bach, maybe Faure.
A lovely crisp white shirt
Some new oven gloves and tablecloth


I could buy for myself forever!

[IL0veCl0thes]

ps, tangent, but my dad recently said to me that he planned to get me a ladder for christmas as he had noticed that I didn't have one. My FACE [:-|]

[Gruach]

Guess I'm within the demographic of your target recipient.

Any of the 600 books in my Amazon basket.

A beautiful new wallet. (Somewhat over budget.)

I actually like perfume - but only one of the three or four extremely specific niche things I'm hankering after. Not a quick dash to Boots ...

Ooh! Ooh! This year only - a subscription to (the hopefully revitalised under new Editor) Vogue.

[slimyslitheryslug]

I have a few aunts & people who I will give a present in the £10 - £20 range and who I know get similar priced presents from others so I always feel I have to think outside the box a bit. I now send them some narcissi in early December from www.scillyflowers.co.uk. I feel it spreads the joy of receiving out over a longer period. For those like my gran who I'd spend more on but who had everything they needed. I'd send them some in early Dec and then more in Jan & Feb.

[whoseafraidofnaomiwolf]

Love these (sweary alert): holyflaps.co.uk/product-category/cushions/

and, a little cheaper, these: jomajewellery.com/24-bracelets

[WhirlwindHugs]

I'm loving these!

tentative - we got interesting glass bottles and she put them on a tray with glasses etc. For overnight water.

[SpongeBobJudgeyPants]

I have a friend who likes nice and coffee and tea. Whittards?
One of the nicest presents I had was a Costa gift voucher. Felt like a treat every time I went, and could justify something to go with my coffee. Couldn't have imagined I would enjoy it so much!

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

This is so me. I would love an interesting book that I'd not heard of, that's a new bestseller perhaps. Magazine subscriptions are good for some people too, in a similar vein.

My mum doesn't like anything cutesy or gimmicky either, I think it's a Type A thing, we like to be efficient and can't handle non-essential things, they waste time.

I'm a sucker for stationery though, organising and lists and postit notes phwooaarrrrr.

[MulhuddartDrive]

Some interesting things on firebox yesterday. I got a huge faux fur pompom that's both a keyring and a spare battery pack; colour changing tea; a scratch off 100 films you should see poster; and a map of the world with a mini guidebook for hundreds of places to visit. Oh, and unicorn snot lip gunk for dd, who is not in your demographic

[NevilleBennett]

I'm making latch hook cushions, which are easy but impressive (although they're very time consuming). You can buy kits off Amazon, or there's a really good shop called Utterly Hooked Designs who also has brilliant tutorials on YouTube. You can also get kits from Hobbycraft, but they're just for a panel so you need to turn it into a cushion cover with a bit of sewing

[Frege]

If she's interested in Mexican art at all, anything by Andrea Kettenmann would be good.

[SimplyNigella]

Great idea for a thread, we've really cut back on who we buy for so that we don't have to resort to generic gifts (which has been greeted with relief by the rest of the family!).

Presents that have been well received recently are:

• Pet portrait mug from a very talented Etsy seller. Great for those who are obsessed with their cats or dogs
  

• Cashmere wrist warmers. They do sound a bit generic but they were perfect for my sister who gets cold hands but finds gloves a faff
  

• A subscription to The Week, a brilliant magazine and great for those without much time who want a quick digest
  

• A beautiful candle snuffer and wick trimmer for someone who loves really posh candles (Diptyque so out of my token gift price range)
  

• Maps a fabulously illustrated book for those who are fascinated by the world
  

• Subscription to Readly, access to thousands of magazines from around the world via an app

[Reed1]

I'm an older woman and I can tell you now that I want NO gifts at all.

The ones I have received are usually chosen with great care but I have never used any of them.

Thanked profusely of course, I am not horrible, but honestly if someone gave me a rafting experience I would like to shove the paddle where the sun don't shine.

When you think about it, if all these gifts are so wonderful, and the recipient must reciprocate, would it not be better just to buy your own gift and that would be that! Same cost.

As I said on the similar mens thread. Buying for adults is just ridiculous.

[CountFosco]

I like cooking so regularly get cookery books, fancy ingredients (salt, spices etc), booze, nice foods (DAunt sends me a hamper every year of food from home) kitchen utensils. My DSis got me a small colander one year at which DH did all the eye rolling but I love it.

Books that reflect an interest is a cliche but good (made better if the recipient has a wishlist so you can buy something they want).

I like photgraphy so have received fancy filters before. Would love exercise related stuff, e.g. posh block or strap or yoga bag since I like yoga. Frankly if someone gave me new goggles I'd be happy since I swim a lot and they wear out.

Mum got vouchers for theatre tickets for a big birthday, a brilliant choice for her. DSis got a gin mixer set last year that she loved.

To be fair I think presents are difficult because we often have to buy for family who we don't really know well enough to buy appropriate presents. Hobby based consumables have the advantage of being useable at least.

[FridgeCut]

I want to go on a knife making course
Economics books
Storage for craft that isn't plastic and crap
A day off (WAHM)

[Carriemac]

Just bought that maps book as a 50th present for a man who has everything
Thanks!