So my dh is usually an excellent present buyer, all my presents are carefully considered and he's very generous. But when it comes to his mum he seems to have a bit of a blind spot and always buys the same perfume/bracelet/flowers thing. This wouldn't be such a problem except I buy all the other family presents and her partner told me that mil feels we put more effort into other people's presents - mil would never mention this directly of course and is always grateful for her gifts. The problem is that dh sees her as a mummy not a person iuswim, and doesn't think she's changed since he was a child. I make suggestions but they are normally rejected because he 'knows what she likes'. I don't want to upset him but feel a bit sorry for her!