Collective wisdom needed -70th birthday gift for MIL

[widgetbeana]

Hi, I am after help for what to get my MIL for her 70th.

We have a budget of about £50 and I was thinking of something for her new home, but not a picture or photograph. Something a bit like the willow tree figures would be good, but not them specifically. She is not with FIL so any figures need to be of mother /son or grandmother and children type scenario.

She also has a chocolate cockatoo whom she loves, so something relating to him would work too?

Help me! I'm out of ideas!

Hi widget, I don't have any great ideas but at least I can bump for you! I guess you know she would like the Willow Tree things; not my cup of tea at all. Hard to make suggestions without knowing something about your MIL - what does your DP think? Does MIL have a garden? I wondered if a lovely plant in a nice pot would work - something that could stand by her front door, maybe? A rug or throw? We have a couple that people have given us, that we use a lot for snuggling under on chilly evenings. Is there a bit of tech she would find very useful?

Newspaper from the date of her birth.

Bird table, or bird bath.

I like the bird bath / table idea.

How about restaurant vouchers?

A nice necklace?

Some kind of experience?

A special cake and a party?

A digital photo frame?

Gym membership?

Some kind of activity centre for the cockatoo? (I'm assuming it's a real one and not made of chocolate.)

I got my MIL a key ring made from a coin of the year of her birth from Etsy. Cost about £12

And we paid for her party, but if we hadn't done that I would have bought her theatre vouchers for her and a girlfriend.

Thanks so much for ideas,

I'm finding it hard too as over the years she has gotten less confident and dropped many hobbies due ageing. (This is her excuse, we have tried to support her and help her realise she doesn't have to give up certain things just because she is getting older - tennis, horse riding, even gardening to a certain extent)

I like the birdbath idea and had thought about a newspaper from her birth date, but normally they end up framed and she really doesn't need more pictures!
Things like theatre tickets and experience days are what we did for her 60th and we all loved it, but she refuses to do the theatre now and rarely does days out, no matter what it is or where we go.

As for jewellery, she doesn't wear any!

I guess I'll keep looking!

Thanks for the ideas,

For my MIL’s 60th, I commissioned a pencil portrait of her with her grandchildren - the artist did it from 2 separate pictures remotely and it was lovely. Think it was £40 and then a nice frame. Have a search on local FB groups for someone similar?

Just seen you said not a picture 🤦‍♀️ Sorry! Why not try and find a sculptor who can do something similar? Or a set of classes at adult education centre?

@LikeSilentRaindrops we did a drawn family portrait for Christmas last year sadly. I loved it, but she hasn't even put it up in her new house so I've decided against any more pictures or photos.

Thanks though, I would love someone to do one for me as a gift!

Afternoon tea at a special venue

Again adult learning centre was something she used to do lots of, even joining U3A. But she just went so these things anymore.
I guess buying his gift has shown me how isolated she is making herself. It's sad really.

but she just won't do these things anymore

I think the birdbath sounds a good idea. A garden bench, shrub or tree for the garden?

Vouchers for a manicure and café?

Ooo @pilates I like the garden bench idea. Hmmm that might be nice!