Advice for gifts please!?

[Givemeallthechocolate]

Not really an aibu! I'm sorry!
I'm posting here for traffic,
I've had a very good year, honestly things could be better, but at this moment in time I feel blessed that life is the way it is.

There's a lady who I've come to know, she's single due to her partner dying, I don't want to get too far into the situation because it'll out me, but I know she hasn't had a Christmas gift for the past four years, she has very little support and she has children.

One is 10, the other is 13- both girls.

This lady is barely surviving. What I know of her situation is that the family are literally scraping by on the very edge,

With a little bit of support she's realised she's not even getting the benefits she's entitled to, and she's worried that her kids are going to have very little for Christmas.

She is working, she's taking all the scraps of work she can be given, but is disabled... claims have gone in for benefits she should be entitled to- but in all likelihood this won't be dealt with until after Christmas.

I feel so awful for her,

I don't have a huge amount spare but I wanted to get her and her kids some bits to try and make their Christmas special.

Can anyone please help me to form a list of things that I can buy that'll make a difference to all of them at Christmas time?

I've no real idea where to start.... I'm aiming for the £70 mark. I know it's not a lot but I think that's about all I can spare.

I did think of some of the 3 for 2 sets from boots, with a chocolate Selection box each, plus a bath set and a few nibbles or something, but I'm scared I'll leave them with stuff they won't like.

Some posh bubble bath
Nice body spray
Selection box
A game / something to do as a family
Some of those Christmas tubs of Christmas etc
Fluffy socks (keep feet warm if they can't afford heating)
New pyjamas
Some fizzy pop and a small wine for mum
A dad?

Sorry meant DVD not dad!

Oh and crackers?

Honestly, I’d skip the Boots stuff and all of that kind of thing and make up a hamper of carefully chosen Christmas treats. Mince pies, chocs, a bottle or two of booze, naive biscuits..you can get a lot for this budget. Possibly a gift voucher for the local supermarket to buy her Christmas meat.

Then you could buy some nice bath oil etc and tuck it in and it will cost loads less than a gift set.

You sound a lovely friend.

Things that will make the day special - how a bout making a hamper for Christmas evening with Christmas films, sweets, a super soft blanket, fluffy big comfy socks each, an m and s voucher so they can buy some nice food?

Sorry, should add that if you gave her a hamper early on in December she should hopefully then have a bit extra of her own to buy a few gifts for her dc.

Christmas is mainly about being together, a few presents and special food and drink. Plus the telly!

Yes to family games! Something they can do as a family, What a lovely thing to do! Family games sound a great idea xx

Yes to a nice hamper - make one yourself with a bottle of wine, biscuits, xmas pudding, chocs etc there’s loads of offers on Xmas food like that in the shops so you could get loads for £50. When £20 on a family game lke Cluedo or monopoly

Primark has fab cheap pj's and socks.
Do you bake, make some gingerbread snowmen?
Lidl and Aldi do posh food around Xmas that's reasonable to make up a hamper.
Gift sets are usually more expenses than individual, so decorate a shoe box and make up your own?
Has she registered for the food bank if she's struggling?

Re the soft blanket idea above, Asda have a pack of two soft fleece throws, one in plain cream, the other is red and white with a Scandi festive print. It costs £5 and would be a good choice.

You could still get something from the Boots 3 for 2, but aim for things that only cost around the £5 mark. I've just had a quick look and there are quite a few things to choose from that cost £5 and under. This will mean that you'll still have plenty for other things as suggested above as it will only be a £10 spend.

Other suggestions, a nice box of biscuits, a tub of Quality Street or Celebrations, some hot chocolate and bag of mini marshmallows (usually found in the baking aisle) a mini bottle of fizz for mum and a bottle of pop for the girls, bag of Lebkuchen, microwave popcorn, After Eights a nice scented candle.
If you've got a box of crackers and can spare 3 from it, you could include those too. No point buying a whole box just for three of them.

This is a lovely idea OP, and £70 is very generous.

Thank you all! She's very much a regular at the food bank, sadly her family have been in such dire straits over the past few years.

She will be receiving support from several different places to ensure that come 2018 her and the kids lives will be better- I'm not sure how much, but hopefully enough that food will no longer be an issue to obtain in enough quantity.

I really like the idea of the food hamper, some pjs, socks, DVD, family game etc,

That could really make their day,

I did forget to say that I think they are having xmas day with family, but it's good to double check, as otherwise they are more than welcome to spend the day with our family.

The pjs, socks, cheap smellies are a great idea, they could all have 3 or 4 gifts to open as well as the stuff to share.

Thank you all so much, this will make a huge difference to them and I didn't want to stuff it up.

I think I'll start collecting bits right away.

🙂 Thanks everyone, all brilliant ideas. X

This is such a lovely thing for you to think of doing op - meet Christmas!

*merry

OP why don't you head over to the MN Christmas thread because it's full of thrifty Christmas ideas and discount codes

I know people will balk but honestly, cash is king.

A card slipped through the door with a bit of cash may enable your neighbour to experience a bit of joy buying Xmas pressies for her kids herself.

You are lovely whatever you decide. Merry Christmas to you. Xxx.

Have you considered giving her a voucher? That way she can get exactly what suits her?

Oh no not cash - really not appropriate in this instance unless it was done anonymously.

I agree with cash or a voucher, so she can choose.