At a total loss - MIL's birthday

[Happymonster]

She's going to be 65, and is one of the most difficult people to buy for - I asked her - 'nothing really, maybe just a voucher' - but I know she'll go into a huff. She lives alone and is not into fancy things. No hats, scarfs, pyjamas, flowers, chocolates, booze, soaps etc....DH has not got a clue either (he never does - he once gave me a laptop case for Christmas, another time he bought me a canvas bag from French Connection men - he'd shown me it and I said its ok, thought he was getting it for himself...)

AIBU and please hit me with your suggestions!

Spar day?

Kindle?
Jigsaws?
Magazine subscription?
iPad?

What’s your budget? What does she do?

She has grandkids?

Could make a photo album of them?

Voucher for afternoon tea

Cinema voucher

Although with looking lockdown are vouchers a good idea?

@HOkieCOkie

Spar day?

A day out to the local corner shop doesn’t sound very exciting...

I don’t know what the AIBU is but does she like reading, baking, sewing? You could get something associated with her interests. A magazine subscription?

@Sexnotgender 😂😂

I've bought mine a calendar that has a packet of seeds for every month. It's beautiful, from etsy.

I am also buying my other one some turtle dove handwarmers.

Afternoon tea delivered to her door.
Magazine subscription.

Hobbies?

Webcam or some other tech that will help her keep in touch through lockdown?

She works in a cafe. She's into cats, crafts, and history, but I'm sure we've exhausted presents on those lines. Budget - up to £40ish. She'd be embarrassed if we spent £££

Is she interested in ancestry?

Lovely house plant, bird table and bird feed? Theatre vouchers for the future? Afternoon tea delivered to her door? Magazine subscription?

Craft subscription?

A special teapot and mug? Bone china, like you would buy at Buckingham Palace? More than you want to spend but you could find something on eBay.

Is she a gardener? A reader? Into art?

Plants, books or Kindle, art books or gallery membership (tricky at the moment), art materials.
If she's not into any of this I don't know. I'm 65 and these are the things that rock my world.

Bird feeder
Bird house

@DonLewis - I've had those turtle doves - lovely!
Magazine subscription might work? DH is not so sure....

She likes reading cheesy historical romance novels....

Ooh yes a kindle

Crafts? You mean she makes things? Surely that makes it easy, because you need an endless suplly of the materials of her chosen craft?

www.daffodilfoods.co.uk/product-page/standard-welsh-afternoon-tea-gift-box

Photo mug of family.

Spectacle cloth with photos on from ebay.

Happy socks with photos of grandkids on.

Heated throw.

Dunelm have some fancy shaped hot water bottles - ones for necks and long thin ones. Also a funny shaped pillow for sitting up in bed.

Bird bath

We got my MIL (history fan) a newspaper from the day she was born.

She loved reading what was happening in the world!

Honestly - I'm much the same age and I don't want any of these things! If she asked for a voucher, just get her a voucher and let her choose something she actually wants. (And no, not a voucher for afternoon tea at some inconvenient destination.) As for jigsaws and bird tables - please! She's 65, not 95.
I do like flowers and alcohol though.