To want a surprise for Xmas.

[ScariestFairyByFar]

Every year my mum tells me I have to choose my Christmas present as I'm impossible to buy for it's been like this ever since I was a kid. We've been in hobby craft & Lakeland together and I tell her how much I love these shops and craft & baking, nice kitchen stuff anything but she can't shop without me telling her exactly what to get. So aibu to tell her not to bother if she can't put thought into it. She even gave me cash last year from my 1yo as she didn't know what to get me from her!

My Mum doesn't do surprises either, she is worried that I won't like the present, she always gives me cash. Even when I was a child I was allowed to choose my 'big gift' and she would get me a few smaller cheaper gifts, but often I chose these myself too as I got older.
I think you would be unreasonable to tell her not to bother, I think she would probably find it upsetting. I would certainly take offence. Maybe you should give her a list of things you would like and ask her to choose something from it, then you would have at least a semi-surprise.

Thats what I do with DP - write a list of the things I want on the kitchen board and he gets the idea!

Could you explain that you'd love a surprise from either of those shops and that if she's worried that you might not like it she can include the receipt so that you can exchange if needed?

My SIL asks me to buy my own prezzy and give it to her to wrap. Trouble is, the whole time it's sat in a bag in my wardrobe (it's usually clothes) I'm thinking I could be wearing it, but I have to wait until after Xmas. So frustrating!

YABABU a bit unreasonable.

Give her a list in June then forget about it.

I'd rather something I like than a surprise I didn't.

Can you set up a wishlist in your favourite shop & direct all who enquire there?

Write a wish list.