What to buy a 50 something woman

[Pippin2028]

I am relying on the wisdom of all you lovely MN. I have a relative to offer an olive branch too, it is a birthday but i don't know what to buy. She is not really into beauty or pampering, but she has quite alot of junk so I want to get something decent but useful and not tat.

Maybe you should tell us what you did, and we’ll tell you how much you owe in retribution.

Gin,tonic,lemons and lime.

If it’s me you’ve upset, I’d rather have a good , peaty single malt than gin.

I am 50 something and would like

a new pannier for my bike, preferably one that doubles as a backpack
a new swim suit
champagne
Theatre vouchers (but not suitable at the moment!)
afternoon tea
Green and black chocolate
someone to clean my house for me

I don't really like having things chosen for me except by people who know me well. Something small that doesn't hang around - flowers, garden plant, jam, tea etc or tbh some posh olive oil or biscuits. Vouchers are a bit impersonal for your situation.

By 50 a lot of us know what we like and are trying to declutter our homes/lives of tat.

Green and blacks mini chocolate selection is a winner for me but not everyone likes dark chocolate.

But we have also learnt the importance of accepting a kindly meant present for the gesture intended so don't worry too much.

I'm in my forties but reckon my tastes will be similar when I hit fifty..

I have lost count of the mugs/ fruit bowls/ scarves I have been given that just aren't to my taste. It makes it worse when someone has spent a lot of money on something.

For this reason book vouchers, John Lewis vouchers, wine and chocolate are generally best and genuinely appreciated.

Things that I would like to receive:
National Trust membership
Membership to my local independent cinema
Cashmere gloves in colour of choice
A naice food hamper
A good quality wool throw for my sofa - would need to be colour and design of my choice
A flower subscription from Bloom and Wild

*small that doesn't hang around - flowers, garden plant, jam, tea etc or tbh some posh olive oil or biscuits. Vouchers are a bit impersonal for your situation.

By 50 a lot of us know what we like and are trying to declutter our homes/lives of tat.*

yes

yes

@littlecatfeet I'd love an axe I might put it on my list and see if anyone is foolhardy enough to buy it for me.

OP why not buy an entire olive tree, as suggested by a pp, and an axe, so that s/he can chop it down if you offend again?

I bought my 70 year old mum a ladder one Christmas. The salesman thought it was so funny I got a substantial discount. Mum was genuinely thrilled.

Not vouchers
Not "experiences", especially not spa "experiences"
Definitely not Prosecco

Nice hardback copy of a favourite book
Interesting plant for the house
David Austen rosebush
Scarf, gloves etc.; but only if so expensive and lovely that I would never buy it for myself
Same applies to chocolate, hand cream etc.
Vintage champagne saucers
A really lovely, enormous bunch on flowers, preferably all of one type

I bought my mum a delivery of 96 toilet rolls one Christmas, she was delighted as she didn't have to cart bulky toilet rolls back from the shops for ages. Not sure that I'd want that in my 50s though...

A nice new set of salad servers is funny.

I’m early 50s I’d love a nice bottle of wine or some nice chocolates. Buying wine for someone else is quite tough. How about a box of really nice chocolates maybe some hand made ones?

How about a lemon tree?

Or, even better, a pair of walkie talkies? (I'm so sick of calling up the stairs and we could pretend to be undercover cops!)

Afternoon tea for two somewhere nice?

I'm 50 and I'd like a Dyptique candle, a bottle of byKilian perfume, or Annick Goutal, an expensive set of bed linen and a voucher for Agent Provocateur 🙂

A plant?