Let's be honest. They've had a lot of Christmases and they've been considered old for about the last 15/20 of them, and all the classic old person presents have been done to death so many times they never want to see a set of smellies or pot plant again.
The following are officially off the list:
Calendars
Nice toiletries
Flowers
Chocolates / other sweet things
Long books (the concentration isn't there anyway)
Tech which contains more than 3 buttons (more trouble than it's worth to teach them how to use it and have them forget by Boxing Day, and again the day after that)
Shite made by the kids
Pot plants
Alcohol (half a glass and someone will fall over and break their hip)
Jigsaws and other puzzles
Hat / glove / scarf sets
What has everyone else come up with? Previous successes of mine for someone nearer 100 than 90 but still independent include
- 'One cup' kettle that dispenses a cup of hot water at time and means she doesn't have to lift the kettle any more www.argos.co.uk/product/1219292 (11 months on and she's still saying how good it is!!)
- Coffee table books of her favourite animal species and - for the people watcher in her - Humans of New York Stories www.amazon.co.uk/Humans-New-York-Brandon-Stanton/dp/1447295552?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
- A 'meet the animals' experience at the local zoo where she got to go into the enclosure and feed them (wheelchair friendly, hurrah!)
Anyone else had any inspired ideas?