Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Fussy Elderly Mum?

[Roaminginthegloaming]

Help!
I’m currently on a trip to south east Asia and just remembered that in the UK it’s Mother’s Day this coming Sunday 10th March (it’s usually in May in most other countries).

I need to get a gift posted to my mum (almost 85). Unfortunately she’s a nightmare to buy anything for and most of her Christmas gifts from my siblings and myself ended up being returned as she didn’t like them!

There is no way she would want a massage/manicure/pedicure. Doesn’t drive and has limited mobility so if not going to her local shops will take taxis (although she can barely afford it) so a voucher for a meal or afternoon tea isn’t anything she would appreciate either. Sadly almost all her friends have died and the few she has left live more than 20 miles away.

She refuses to have an internet connection so can’t use a tablet. I bought her a fairly basic smartphone to have video calls with her (I live 200 miles away and try to go and see her when I can) but she made me change it back to her basic phone instead!

I’m totally out of ideas. Flowers and plants are nice but I’d like to send her something different for a change. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Biscuiteers tin of biscuits. They are beautiful.

Budget?

A beautiful cup to have tea in everyday and a tin with something she loves like chocolate or marzipan or biscuits.

If she doesn’t want anything then what’s the point in buying junk? Just phone her, and arrange to go and visit and have dinner together. Surely that means more than sending random junk she doesn’t want.

Send her flowers she doesn't use anything else does she , so why tie yourself up in knots trying to buy her something for the sake of it,

You could send a hamper with chocolates, cakes, tea, smellys etc. Companies online do them.

Something from Betty’s is our go to if we can’t see them in person

My 87 year old mum is the same, right down to the lack of internet connection and phone (she doesn’t even have, or want, a mobile). One well received gift was a cream tea sent by post by my brother. She loved that.

My mum was the same. Only ever had a landline phone. Nothing else, no mobile or internet.

For a long time I would buy her something from Marks and Sparks but give her the receipt so she could exchange it. That way I felt that I had showed enough thought.

I think you might be reduced to just buying a voucher for her favourite shop.

Otherwise it’s chocs or wine.

Does she have any special interests. I do tapestries, so I look on the Ehrman website and tell my Dd and she orders it. Even though I know it’s coming it’s still exciting when I open the package.

If you are in Asia is there anything cool you could get her there? Maybe something a bit different even if it’s the cup idea as a poster suggested above? Could there be any cool tea and biscuits over there to send her as she might not have visited where you are? Usually edible is good as it won’t create clutter if she is very particular.

Order an M&S hamper they have lots of different ones

It sounds like she doesn't want anything and Mother's Day is about thought and appreciation. I would send flowers and a card and phone her on the day.

Hampers.com

I bought for a "For Life " t pot for an elderly neighbour who had injured her hand .
A little one is light ,the lid flips up and they are lovely bright colours .You can add a selection of teas and nice biscuits .
She loved it and uses it every day .

Subsequent to my previous post, I've bought my mum a box of M&S biscuits and some chocs from Hotel Chocolat. She loves a treat to have with her tea and sometimes I think that's all she likes to eat now.