Help! What birthday present can I get my mum? She's 85

[NigellasGuest]

bearing in mind that her birthday is Thursday and its mothers day on Sunday, so cant get her flowers twice. Ideally something I can order online and get delivered direct.
No choxolates/sweet things (doctors orders)! Any suggestions welcomed!

I found an author my dad liked as a kid on Amazon and ordered some of his books. He absolutely loved it.

Perfume

I got my mum lots of thing to make her bed cosy and help her sleep. Bed jacket, cosy covered hot water bottle, mattress topper, valarian herbal drops and sleepy time tea. She is gard to but for but was delighted.

Tea cup/pot, and selection of teas.

I have sent my dad a selection of cheeses before now. Can't remember the name of the company.

New jumper/cardigan.

Nightie.

Cashmere bed socks

Visit her.
Give her some of your time.
Your attention.

But, failing that, dd gave me cashmere bedsocks recently, and I love them.

A slanket?
A subscription to a magazine or puzzle book.

I buy my mum postage stamps. Not collectible ones just normal everyday ones. She lives on a budget and won’t let us help out financially. She loves to write to people (A LOT!!)so buying her stamps is a way we can reduce her financial burden without offending her.

Before anybody suggests it , we have bought her an IPad and a smartphone and sent her up with 4g, email addresses, social media etc and she uses them all but snail mail is still her media of choice.

My mum is 87, for christmas I got her a cheap tablet. Took a few lessons and I really wasnt sure if it was the right thing to do but she absolutely loves it.

I do get frantic phone calls when it wont do want she wants it to but she listens to books, plays sudoko, watches films and looks a 'that rubbish facebook'

Although she browses ebay and amazon I havent put any card details on for her because her hands shake and I cant imagine what she would finish up buying in error.

A window birdefeer.

Does she have a way to play music?

Fancy selection of teas or coffees?

I always have this problem. My mother was 88 this week, and if she wants anything she always buys it herself - so that leaves me in a quandry. (gets harder each year!).

Her favourite meal is a carvery, so we always take her out to eat, but do it in the evening, so it's like a night out for her. I also bought her a nice cardigan (can never have too many of those), and she does have a sweet tooth, so ordered her some chocolate dipped strawberry's that were in a little pot and wrapped in celaphane with a pink bow round them (which was something a little different), and a superdrug voucher, because she likes to buy certain hand and face creams.

Other times I have invited family around and done a food buffet, which she really liked as she could chat and catch up with everyone. (sometimes it's not just about presents, but having company and someone to spend time with, so maybe this might be a nice option).

Now I have to think what to buy her for mothers day!!!!

If I were your mum I'd say gin... or wine...

Mum is 86 this year and I find her easy to buy for. Here’s a list of things she’d like.
Earnings, long necklace that goes over her head, fancy scarf, night and day face cream, reed diffusers, potted flowers for the garden, perfume, hand cream, CDs.
In the past she’s also had easy to use radio for the kitchen, talking watch, talking clock, shawl, fancy walking stick, small portions of jams or fruit cakes, nice jumpers etc.

Evening out! Good live theatre, comedy show, nice live music (whatever she likes) And a meal or nice cafe.

If it HAS to be a physical object, then I'd go for nice hand cream, cute mug, frame pic of grandchildren.

Beauty salon visit, home manicure are other sorts of possibilities.

Cashmere fingerless gloves

My mother has very thinning hair and her head is always cold so I bought her some fine cashmere beanies in different colours for the cooler weather (sadly can't get them any more) and some lighter ones for late Spring/Summer. I've also bought soft furry zip through fleece jackets (Amazon) to layer up with, Heat Holders thermal socks with a 3.0 tog rating (Amazon) - fab inside her wellies or for cool evenings indoors and flowering plants for the large pots in her front garden. Plus she gets cooked for a lot so she doesn't have to bother - just reach into the freezer.

Are you my sister? My mum turns 85 on Thursday too.

I’ve bought her a scented candle burner thingy.
And also ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ cd. Not too sure she’ll like that, but she was really pestering my dad to go see it when it was on at the cinema and he didn’t want to go.

Thanks for all your ideas!I love those fingerless gloves and have bought from turtle doves before! However mum would think they were tramp gloves! Gin/wine: if it was MY birthday then yes,yes,yes! However she doesn't really drink. My dad is the drinker.
I bought the window bird feeder a couple of christmases ago and it was a big hit, so for anyone watching the thread that's a great idea.
Perhaps I will look for a long necklace but I'm not great at judging her taste. She already has an iPad, doesn't like music, and has been given all the hand creams, teas, mugs etc. In the past.
I saw a nice cushion on NotOnTheHighStreet where you could choose the birthday month and the March one had daffodils on etc., but they cant deliver in time
Perhaps i will just get something for the garden again.

Stuff for the garden always welcome both for workers and relaxers. What about a day ticket to the Wisley gardens? The Chelsea flower show is May in London is 21- 25 May. Both delayed gratification but something to look forward to?

That's a nice idea, they both like gardens/gardening!

My mum was 80 yesterday and bought her a garden ornament. Largish that lights up.

They can get food there too - as an extra treat.