Gift ideas for the MIL who has everything!

[Fattyboombalada]

My lovely mother in law turns 75 in April. I would like to get her a nice gift (her three sons are a bit clueless) but I am really struggling for ideas. Budget up to £100. All ideas appreciated.

She doesn’t have any hobbies. Doesn’t drink alcohol / no interest in fine food / doesn’t like animals. Doesn’t read / watch films / garden or anything like that. Is fit and active but reasonably solitary and lives semi rurally so things like theatre trips etc are generally difficult. Does not do any type of gadget.

She loves her grand children but doesn’t like personalised gifts. Inundated with photographs over the years including this Christmas.

loves ‘real’ jewellery but way outside my budget.

Loved her long career as a nurse / midwife and very proud of her nurses training in the 1960’s so something around this may be good?

My husband will take her for a nice lunch but we would like to give her a gift too but we can’t think of anything.

Any ideas?

We are overseas so send mil a bunch of m&s flowers every year. M&S means she doesn’t get overwhelmed as it’s a familiar brand and they last for ages. She loves them and looks forward to them every year.

Christmas is a different story.

An experience/day out?

Is there any national trust houses that were made into hospitals during the war near you that you could have a day out too and an afternoon tea kind of thing?

There was one a few years back at Dunham Massey (Cheshire) that I went to and it was really interesting and had the place set up to how it would look

I’ve bought several relatives (my family and DH’s) if that age bracket a subscription to Storyworth and I would really recommend it.

berksfhs.org/the-royal-berkshire-medical-museum-and-archive/

Or if she likes art, how about the all immersive experience you can do for the likes of Van Gogh or Dali?

Does she read? Call the Mudwife books? I think there are 4 in the series.

Bird bath and bird feeder?

Experience day? Spa, fast cars, learn to glide lesson?

Pathology/medical museum visit in a larger city, possibly night away/ lunch etc?

London has the nightingale museum at St Thomas' and a small one at the Royal london hospital

I bought my mum an annual subscription to National Trust membership, would suit the fit/active/semi rural.

I bought my Mum a flower subscription for Christmas last year. She loved it. We got one for my Aunt for her 80th too.

I.got the 6 month one for about £130
The 3 month one was about £70

Do you think she might like a vintage fob watch like nurses used to wear?

Have a look at this lot on a March auction at Noonans here

Tbh well worth looking for a bit of jewellery at one of their sales instead. There's a guide to online bidding on the site.

Depending on travel what about a day out and nice lunch at the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter?

A week with the dcs? Only kidding

Maybe a nice day out and lunch?

Airfryer

How about a little IOU of experiences for the following year involving her family? Nothing needs to be expensive.

I've just bought my mum a little leather "book" to hold her earrings in.
She adores earrings and doesn't feel dressed until she has a pair in. She also travels a fair bit.
They do them for necklaces and rings too I believe.
It's "the little book of earrings" etc etc. For Google if you want to have a look.

All my MIL wanted at that age was a tin of shortbread

Whatever you do, don’t post this question in your town’s FB page or you’ll have dozens of “boss babes” suggesting you give you MIL some of their MLM rubbish!

curious though, if MIL doesn’t read, watch films or garden, how does she fill her days?

Been in a similar position myself this week.

You say she does no gadgets - same as my in laws. Got them a Google home and now they have 3. Took them 4mths to take the 1st one out of the box.

audible subscription.

robot hoover (eufy refurb on Amazon for £127 - best gift ever).

Good morning!

Consider gifting a book personalised for her.
I was in the same situation and then found these guys rhymeisgreen.com
You just tell them what you want to include and they create a really unique present. I was so happy.

The only thing, better don't order directly to you mom in law. Order to yourself, unpack and pack it beautifully with wrapping paper. I messed up with this a bit, so don't repeat my mistakes

I would ask her what she would like.
And add a gorgeous bunch of flowers.

A subscription to a magazine that she would enjoy?

Organise tickets to a show / concert for her and a friend, sort the transport etc for them as well as tix

You could get vintage or antique jewelry for that budget.

Hi,

You said she doesn't like personalised gifts with photo's, maybe get her something from company called PersonalisedBee. They do some amazing personalised illustration gift, where you can pick your own selection! I got some for Christmas and my sister's loved them so much! Like someone said before in the thread, maybe wrap it a nice gift box yourself, with other bits. Hope that helps