Gift ideas please

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I pride myself on buying good Christmas presents, but I am as without inspiration as it is possible to be. When you've been buying gifts for the same people for the last 25 years (or what sometimes seems like it in some cases!) what do you buy?

60ish year old woman who would be appalled by NT membership, food hamper, gardening stuff type things, but who also isn't really into smellies, clothes etc. Likes reading, but tends to buy the books she wants throughout the year.

Small boys - from age 3 to age 10. Not Lego, Playmobil, computer stuff or plastic tat generally. Some of these need to be light to post too. I have teenage girls - I know nothing about small boys!

14 year old girls.

2 year old girls.

Family gift for a family with teens and above.

Neighbours, when there seems to be a necessity to exchange boxes of M&S biscuit type gifts each year. Non drinkers.

Neighbours - m and s have a lovely food gift that is several boxes of chocolates, marshmallows and fudge tied up like a pile of Xmas parcels £10. I'm trying to find someone to give this to and may end up buying it for myself it looks so lovely.
Small boys - I've bought ds the Harry Potter pop up book from Amazon. It is beautiful. He's going to love it. There's also a lovely Charlie and the chocolate factory one for a smaller boy ( dd is getting that). Lego sticker books are a big hit with my ds. Tesco usually has good prices for these. I know you said not lego but I thought maybe a lego book would be ok. No idea for light boy stuff though. Everything my ds likes would cost a bit to post.
14 yr old girl - have you seen the tangle teaser brushes shaped like angels? Just bought one from my niece from my hairdresser but waitrose had them in the other day.
Family gift - we've bought Draw It - it's based on the app that was really popular earlier this year. Again it was cheapest on amazon.
Can't help you with your tricky 60 year old. I have two of my own to struggle with. Although, have you looked at www.theliterarygiftcompany.co.uk? I'm a bookworm and there are lots of things on there I would like.

Gloves or scarf for 60 year old
Amazon vouchers for boys (lego isn't plastic tat IMHO)
Long knee length wacky socks for 14 year old
Book or aquadraw for 2 year old

Family gift: a board game. Cluedo is £10 in John Lewis
2 year old girls: if you don't like plastic tut, how about a childrens music CD. My son had the Justin Fletcher Cd for his 2nd birthday and loves it still 2 years later
14 year old girls like vouchers but make sure you buy one from a shop that's not likey to go out of business, or a generic one like a book voucher.
60 year old woman sounds like a nightmare! Lol how about an experience voucher, like tea for 2 somewhere nice. Last minute.com are good for these and cheaper than the high street.
As for the boys, if you are not anti Amazon you can have things send anywhere, and with free postage, you aren't constrained on weight. There are few things you can't get on Amazon and they will even wrap for you, for a small extra price.

Hope this helps

I love the stuff on the Literary book company - the sorts of things I like myself. Not looked at the site for a while, but will do so as I know that 18 year old dd1 would like it.
Did Lego books for small boys last year.

I love Lego and know it isn't tat, but don't want to buy it this year!

Thank you. Would gloves and hats be boring for small boys?

Children's music CDs are a BRILLIANT idea. Thank you so much.

Don't want to do vouchers.

What about fun slippers rather than hats and gloves? Next do character ones or you could shell out for stompeez if budget allows. Ds always makes a polite noise and then flings to one side anything clothing related. He's 7. Primark onesies?
Any thing horrible histories would be a winner for 5-10 yr old boys. The boys I teach are obsessed. There's probably a cd of that out there. If not, they do lots of books. Tesco are doing annuals dead cheap. Ds has the dr who 50 yr special annual for his stocking. Was £4 on amazon a couple of weeks ago. Guiness book of records very popular with boys too.

For older boys - anything to do with minecraft!

I think gloves and hats are boring for small boys but nice and useful. My 5 year old likes jigsaw puzzles or crafty stuff like this.

supercute have bought for my nephew and its 30% off today.

For 60 year old woman - what budget? I've done afternoon tea and stuff for mil in the past.

Story CD's are a great gift for DC IMO. My DC loved listening to them, 'twas tapes then though, and I have bought them for DN's DD. Percy the Park Keeper was one of my boys' favourites.

The biggest problem with books and toys is that we don't know what they've already got - and also that they already have loads. The parents would probably appreciate gloves, PJs type things more tbh. And then could buy bubbles, Lego mini figure, something like that to appease the small boys?

Superman jumper is gorgeous, but far more than I want to spend - maximum of £15, I think, for small boy stuff.

Up to £40 for 60s woman.

For the boys how about age appropriate science sets? I'm thinking things like 'build a tin can robot', 'build a weather station etc', they are fairly small and light to post and good fun to make. The Horrible Science sets are good for the younger ones, but maybe not as young as 3.

For teenage girls Topshop and ASOS are good for little make up and jewellery sets which generally go down well. iTunes vouchers are good for teenagers in general, or Amazon vouchers.

For the 60 year old woman (and I'm thinking of things my Mum would like as she is that age and sounds similar to the woman you describe) how about some good wine or an unusual spirit, theatre tokens, book tokens, a set of nice mugs (Emma Bridgewater or similar), a magazine subscription, a coffee/chocolate/Spicery subscription.

For the family present how about making them a family move night hamper with a DVD, popcorn etc.

Thanks.

Have done movie night hampers for the family before. My mum (the 60s woman) would be appalled at the expense of Emma Bridgewater stuff, though personally I really like it and deffo wouldn't appreciate magazines.

Don't want to do vouchers.

Will look at the science sets - thank you.

Agree with the onesies - almost impossible to extract ds (4) or dd1 (8) from them, dnephew(12) is also keen on his - primark had some lovely tiger and dinosaur ones for £6-8. Plus lots of other animals / a spiderman one. Buy slightly big - so dd1 got 9-10. If possible without feet then size is more flexible. Would the parents agree to wrap presents for you if ordering online, makes it even more flexible.

I bought my mum a really nice but warm lacy knitted cashmere scarf for her last birthday, and she definitely wears it loads.

For your 60 something woman I'd definitely go with something like that - a useful item but 'upscaled' IYKWIM.

Alternatively, theatre tickets / voucher for posh afternoon tea etc are received gratefully by all middle aged and older women in my experience (at least I would be very, very grateful were you to give them to me ) The sort of thing you might be able to afford but wouldn't bring yourself to spend money on.

Actually, I'm 44 so younger but I'd appreciate any of Miss Margot's suggestions

Small boys - dd received a 'worm farm' kit when she was 7 ish and it was very popular.

I might look for onesies, but prob not Primark.

Mum wouldn't appreciate cashmere or anything 'luxury' tbh, except possibly whisky. She is v practical and down to earth. Last year I bought her a sensible Clarks handbag and that went down quite well.

60yo whs gift voucher or Waterstones voucher
14yo poleroid camera, MONEY, smellies, chocolate but it really depend on the person
You could do a kit (e.g. For a shopaholic gift vouchers and a ride to a mall, in a new bag, or a bookworm a new book, reading light and Waterstones voucher ) or an experience day/day out

Snort! I imagine Remus got this sorted... As this is from 4 Christmases ago.

For a 60 year old women I think maybe a nice piece of jewellery not too expensive a personalised piece is nice I have used www.buymyjewellery.com/ in the past for Christmas for my Nan she was very happy with the necklace I got her X