Another one asking for ideas for a VERY fussy Mother... This is a challenge!

[Katnisscupcake]

I know there are other threads around but I am in DESPERATE need of help...

My Mum has her own wedding floristry business. She has never been into clothes, has endless scarves and gloves, already subscribes to a lovely magazine (I pay for this as part of her Xmas present every year), she loves Downton Abbey but has everything currently out that's associated with it. She's not into make-up, perfume etc and has never worn moisturiser in her life!! She doesn't have baths and obviously showers (LOL) but wouldn't appreciate anything like that.

She is incredibly difficult to buy for and every year we resort to vouchers for a garden centre or an aquatic centre as she has large numbers of fish tanks and also a number of reptiles.

Apologies in advance if I dismiss some of your suggestions - but there is probably loads of stuff that I've forgotten to mention that she just wouldn't appreciate.

She's 63 so isn't particularly active anymore. Nothing beauty or activity related.

I said it would be a challenge...

Good quality note pad/journal/diary and pen.

Books.

Something personalised - calendar of family photo's. Or Perhaps raid her photo box, get some of the old ones (pre digital ones) scanned and make up a nice photo album or photo book.

Would she use something like a kindle, or some ipad type gadgetry?

Would theatre/opera/cinema tickets be of interest?

What about VIP tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show, or a voucher for a private course on floral arranging to update her skills or something like that?

What about tickets to one of the gardening shows?

Some posh Hunter wellies

Tickets to the theatre

A posh afternoon tea voucher

What about tickets to one of the gardening shows?

Some posh Hunter wellies

Tickets to the theatre

A posh afternoon tea voucher

Does she garden a lot at home? Maybe a nice gardening kit (think I've seen some that have wider handles so it's easier for those who have arthritis to hold, if that's an issue).

Failing that, some posh tea, a nice teapot and some mugs?

Posh Hunter Wellies reminds me that my mother has some Hunter clogs which I envy very much. They are by the back door and ready to just step into if she needs to go outside for something.

Would a visit to Highclere be too expensive/far away?

I can't understand why adults don't just ask each other what they would like.

My mother has finally told me that she really, really doesn't want anymore 'stuff' & I feel exactly the same way - we have agreed to go out for a meal/weekend away/theatre trip etc - that kind of thing.

How about a kindle.

HavingAnOffDay - you are a star!!!!

Not only for the Highclere idea, but also because you can order a book from them signed by the current Countess herself - which is about the real 'Downton Abbey' - that is fantastic!!

I'm going to contact all 4 of my siblings and see if we can get some money together for a trip and some accommodation aswell. Thank you so much!!

Thank you to everyone else for their ideas aswell!

You're welcome

I thought of it straight away as my grandparents had a day out there in the days before Downton & they really enjoyed it.

Hope you manage to pull it off

I've just called Highclere and they're, at the moment, trying to decide whether they are going to start doing 'Gift Vouchers' for visiting the castle and suggested that I call back in a couple of weeks.

That would be perfect as Dad would love it to - so I can get them a joint present. I'm just really hoping now that Mum hasn't already been as it's only Newbury (we're Devon) and they've travelled that way a lot... Now how to find out without asking her outright...

Does she have a shop front? My DM used to have a florist shop which specialised in weddings and when I was house hunting we viewed a house that had a painting of the village her shop was in. The house wasn't for us but I really wish we could have put an offer on the painting as Mum would have loved it. Perhaps you could commission something like that?

To answer some of the other suggestions, the Chelsea Flower Show is always a good one, but for her 60th my Dad and I paid for her to have a trip on the Orient Express to the Chelsea Flower Show, so I feel like I've done that now... But excellent suggestion and exactly the sort of thing she'd like!

She has an iPad already and unfortunately doesn't really have time to read so a Kindle wouldn't necessarily be welcomed at the moment (personally I can't be separated from mine!). Maybe one day when she finally slows down a bit!!

TerribleTantrums - a lovely idea but unfortunately Mum's premises is stuck in the middle of an Industrial Estate surrounded by Car Dealerships... Otherwise that's a nice and unusual gift!

Mum doesn't get much time in the garden these days (unless the pump for the swimming pool has broken...) so anything garden related, as lovely as most (normal ) people would find it, wouldn't get used I don't think...

All good suggestions though!

Do people really spend that much on their parents

I bought my mum a Callander last year using photo's of the family (only cost me £5), I would never dream of buying her kindle of hunter wellies. Maybe I'm just tight ( or sensible ).

We bought the in laws (whom I love to death and feed us every Sunday) this

If she's a tea drinker, how about this?