Help me choose a gift for 80 yr old

So much depends on personality and health.

whoever mentioned the necklace, that’s a good call as my Mum just accidentally broke the chain one I bought her while trying to do the clasp. A really cheap one from Temu with no clasp she has had years and wears a lot.

maybe too ‘old lady’ for the OP’s mum but I would suggest a nice blanket or throw for chilly days. Not so big it can be tripped on easily.

My mum is 88….I buy her experiences / breaks away…..this year I’ve paid for 2 2 night Airbnb in the Yorkshire Dales….she’s going with a friend…..3 years ago I took her to Wimbledon…..last year I took her overnight to London to see a show….….my DB gets her a magazine subscription ……my DD gets her a homesense voucher ( it’s my DMs fave shop) …..my DS always takes her out for a meal…..he took her to the Ivy in a York this year and she loved it

Nice choice! That will be a fun weekend and she will have something beautiful to keep

Stained glass is quite physical so might be worth checking with the course provider that there will be assistance with any of that stuff (stretching the leading strips, sometimes cutting the glass). Fused glass isn’t nearly as physical IME, should that be a possibility.

The biggest successes for my parents for 75 and 80 were tickets to see the Bootleg Beatles. They loved it so much they immediately booked tickets to see the next tour.

Sorry, hadn’t seen your update. Your choice is excellent!

If it’s long enough to go over the head it hangs too low to be visible in the neckline. Get fiddly catches replaced by magnetic closures.

i’m a bit younger, but have reached the age when I don’t want any more “stuff” and anything I need I prefer to buy myself. What I like is perfume,high quality soaps, expensive foodstuffs, and time with DC

A hamper with lovely items in like:

luxury chocolates
candles
books
cosy socks
hand cream
flowers
and any specifics what you know she likes wine etc.

Sounds great

My mum is 80 soon and l am taking her to the west end to see a show - she would rather that than a physical gift

I got my mum a grow table for her last birthday and planted it up with herbs and tomato plant. She loves it. Right by her back door of her tiny flat and she uses the herbs in sandwiches

https://www.elho.com/en/products/green-basics-grow-table-xxl/green-basics-grow-table-xxl-75cm-lime-green/?scroll=355

My DM is 84. She likes:

Wine
Chocolate
Candles/reed diffusers.
Jigsaws
Books
Wheat cushions
Hand cream
Plants for house or garden
Meals out
Gloves/scarves
Earrings
Photographs of her family

At this age I used to buy my mum little luxuries (chocolate brazil nuts, honeycomb, her favourite talcum powder etc), cook her favourite meal and take her out to a garden centre to choose a pretty plant and have coffee and cake. I also made sure the kids made her a nice card. And we would watch a film together on Netflix, I’d spend ages researching to make sure it would be amusing and wouldn’t make her feel maudlin.

On her last birthday in her mid 80s it was unseasonably warm and she sat in the garden eating crumpets with Earl Grey tea chatting to my son for hours. She was entirely content.

All she really wanted was time - time with me, with the kids.

Wishing your mum the happiest of birthdays - whatever you get her, I am sure it’s simply the fact you are kind and caring that is the best gift.

A necklace long enough to go over her head so no fiddly catches to open or close. Not beads, a chain with something pretty and delicate on it.

My parents really enjoy their magazine subscriptions.

Take her out for the day or for a special lunch.
Order flowers to be delivered once a month
bedspread
throw or wrap
At that age we took my mum to theatre/ opera and Barry Manilow
take her to a live screening? My mum loved the ballet

Got a friend's 80th next week. She's getting chutney, honey, a bottle of whisky and a book. Covers at least 80% of Maslow's Heirarchy :)

I'd go with an outing with you of some sort a few weeks after her birthday so something for her to look forward to. Could be a concert/theatre/day out to somewhere she is interested in.

My sister & I gave our 75-year-old dad one of these last Christmas. It comes with an app for uploading pictures - we both have it on our phones & add new ones every so often, so he doesn’t have to do anything but enjoy it. When I’m on the phone with him he’ll often comment on which picture’s just appeared.

Luxury hamper
Pampering session at beauty salon,facial, nails etc
Photo shoot
Day trip

My Mum is 80 in December and I've bought her some 100% cashmere fingerless gloves and a matching cowl (I actually had them custom made by a lady via eBay). I'll also get her some of her favourite wine, a takeaway of her choice and / or cook something for her. I always get her some M&S vouchers too, which she often spends on food or skincare.

This idea is perhaps no good if your mum is wealthy but if she's not you could put money in an envelope for her weekend away that your sister has planned. Label it as "Birthday weekend spending money". If you can afford it a couple of hundred £. If not then what you can afford - and some flowers or a plant/her favourite chocs.

Other ideas - does she have any jewellery or a watch that is sentimental but broken or needs resizing. If she has anything like that I would ask her if she would like it fixing for her birthday.

Would she like a room decorating? You could pay for this or DIY it if you prefer. Perhaps while she is on her weekend away unless you are going too.

My mum is 85 and loves clothes from Uniqlo and Monsoon, and Monsoon do nice accessories too. Or something for her home, like a lamp, rug, kitchen appliance? My mum always wants stuff like that from John Lewis. 😊

My mum is a little younger but I usually get her perfume, cashmere or something like an unusual cookbook and a box of ingredients (Sous Chef do nice kits). She normally asks for some books too but I probably wouldn't just buy them for her as she has very definite taste and buys a lot for herself anyway.

What hobbies does she have?
Is she physically fit?
What's your budget?

My mum was still very young at 80. Like most people of thst age, there was nothing that she wanted and she was always quite frugal. I booked a day trip on the Orient Express for the day of her birthday. I just told her to wear something reasonably smart, and when we got to Victoria station she had no idea where we were going. Her face was a picture when we walked round to the Orient Express platform. She loved every minute of the day and talked about it many times until she developed bad dementia. It was an expensive day out but it was worth every penny.