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.

As a gardener myself I would like nice gardening gloves as I go through several pairs a year. Nice plant labels by Alitags or the slate marker type. Seeds are fun as you end up growing something you wouldn’t normally. I ended up with some French lavender that way. Garden kneelers get tatty quickly so a pretty one of those would be good too. Secateurs get blunt and loose their spring so new ones are also welcome. Trowels and forks go on for ages so they wouldn’t be such a good gift. Hth

I'd say that a good quality pair of bypass secateurs with brightly-coloured handles would go down well. My lovely late MIL was still enjoying gardening well into her 90's and she didn't have a lot of strength in her hands any more, so some sharp secateurs really helped her. She also had a habit of putting them down and forgetting where she'd left them, so the lurid handles made them easier to spot!

One of those lovely velvety blankets, tied up with a large satin bow? Can be used in the bedroom, or in the living room when it gets colder.

• binoculars, note book ( for noting birds she’s spotted, wall charts of bids etc* Most will come to under or near £20

Decent binoculars cost hundreds, and chances are she's already got some, and bird ID books.

Most means most…not all
chances are shes already got these….chances are she’s already got everything mentioned here
what do we know
just trying to be helpful in a positive supportive way

Is there any particular food she likes but doesn't buy it because she can't justify the cost? I'd be delighted if someone bought me fancy cheese or specialist tea. A pizza delivery would go down well too.

My mum is a similar age - she appreciates every present, but there is practically an entire cupboard full of appreciated, yet unused things.

I now get her things I now she loves, even though they don’t feel birthday ish. Biscuits, sweeties, a small bunch of everyday flowered (Tesco carnations last two weeks in my experience).

And if you do want a thing, I just saw this advertised on Twitter

My mother always likes nice writing paper, particularly notelets. Perhaps you could add a pen and stamps..

Afternoon tea ideas lovely. A friend recently brought me a gift bag full of cheese, cheese biscuits, scones, jam and cream oh and a bottle of pink fizz for a big birthday. M and S.
Really lovely idea.

My DMIL is the same age and unless we buy clothes she tends to give back what we buy her for presents. DH got a leather purse for his birthday ( an expensive one I’d bought her)
Even had wedding favours back from DD wedding 6 years ago as presents!