Gift ideas for elderly woman

[Dreambe]

I am struggling to find a gift/s for up to £20 for an aunt turning 86 and wondered if anyone has any ideas please.

She is fit and well and loves gardening, wild birds-watching and reading but I feel like I have exhausted most gifts under these. She also volunteers in a charity shop twice a week and now buys all her books from there so I don’t want to buy Waterstones vouchers again. She has every garden ornament/tools/accessory I can think of. Afternoon tea vouchers don’t fit into the budget. Have done thermal garden gloves, winter wearable blanket, puzzle books, fancy hand creams, bird feeders including window suction ones, and jigsaws.

I can only think of a neck reading light and a voucher for her favourite online garden plant supplier. I don’t want to send cash as it feels a bit thoughtless.

Take her out for brunch/lunch/coffee and cake? A gift of time is always nice, I think.

Nice toiletries? I wonder whether it might be easier to think of something if you just put her age to one side and imagine what sort of little treat you might like yourself?

If she enjoys gardening, how about a special plant for her garden.

Nice scented candle?

If she has lots of bird feeders, would she appreciate a big supply of bird food/fat balls?

A little box with her favourite teas/fancy biscuits?

I'm quite old - 62 and I like those afternoon tea deliveries or even better to be taken out for one !

My friend gave me a lovely present last week. She’d made up an afternoon tea box with scones and jam and sandwiches. We sat in the garden and ate the lot . It didn’t cost lots but I really appreciated it .

This glass hanging bird is lovely (I have one) hang it on the window and the crystal will cast rainbows everywhere.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tropical-Painted-Hummingbird-Swarovski-Suncatcher/dp/B00UDGQ2TO/ref=ascdff_B00UDGQ2TO/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=217959352497&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11710548257301890821&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045179&hvtargid=pla-423823609435&psc=1

Quite. Every woman who's "elderly" doesn't like the same things as other elderly women, any more than younger women do.

• gold leaf leather gardening gloves
• calci or mealworms for the bird feeder. Birds love them, but they can be more expensive than regular seed
• Take her for a meal out

Indoor plant, plant care kit,
I recently bought my elderly DM an ornate indoor watering can

Personalised paint by numbers,

Voucher from Crocus would be my choice and something I’d love to receive. Or local garden centre. I really love choosing something I’d just never buy for myself!

Does she really want more stuff? I'm in my 60s and I already don't want anymore stuff. Or if I do, I buy it myself. Mum is 86 and she definitely doesn't want more stuff! Consumables only. Sherry? Baileys? Flowers? Chocolates? Biscuits? A Birthday cake? Just a token really. As we get older, I don't think many of us want more belongings.

Take her outttt

I'm 60s too and would agree with the 'no stuff'.

Get her some lovely biscuits from bettys

Totally agree with PPs ... I am mid 60s & my DM is 90, neither of want anymore 'stuff' in our lives. Quite like a charity gift but I appreciate not everyone likes them.
My DM & I go out for a meal or other outing rather than exchange 'presents' for our birthdays... would that work for your Aunt?

Agree, experience not stuff. The only stuff I like is a plant voucher and I’m happy to accept cash for that.

I’m in my 50s and also prefer usables/edibles to ‘stuff’

a voucher for her favourite online garden plant supplier.

Sounds good to me.

Gardening magazine subscription?

My DMiL has a tiny home but loves to feed the birds in her garden. For her birthday at the beginning of the year I got a subscription for bird food from Amazon. Every month she gets a delivery of a kilo of seed. It isn't to big for her to handle or store. I have always tried to get something she would appreciate but nothing has hit the spot as well as this!

I would go to the nicest garden centre, buy her lunch and have a wander round together
Something will probably catch her eye

I’d like a box of Betty’s fat rascals delivered to my door

Chocolate
Cake
Flowers
Booze
... you know, the stuff most of us consider a 'treat' or a nice gesture!

Possibly something you've made, if you happen to make things she likes.
Or - your time, eg taking her out to coffee, lunch, or going round with a cake.