Mission impossible! What to buy for very rich, exacting, posh old aunt?!

[LifeOfPee]

We're spending Christmas at her big posh house too so it can't be something token.

I'm completely broke, living off stat mat pay, so it can't be expensive.

Great options, huh? I am at a complete loss

If she is into gardening how about a selection ov posh tulip bulbs?

*of

something from these people

thornback and peel

I have shopped from here for my beloved sis who has more money than she knows what to do with

I have dogs, I wouldn't want a bag with any old dog on it, it would preferably be my dogs or at least the right breed!

I think something involving a personal picture, family, her dog etc on a bag or mug could be the way to go.

If she is into gardening how about a selection ov posh tulip bulbs?
a bit too late for planting, unfortunately - that'd be a great idea for someone like this with a birthday a bit earlier!

I would ring up a florist near her house and ask them to do a really spectacular pot/window-box style tray of white cyclamen for Christmas, and take a bottle of Saumur.

I'm not sure if she does nail varnish but if she does I'm pretty sure she'd get it done by someone else.

She likes her garden but she has a gardener so a plant from me who knows nothing about plants probably wouldn't be a great idea.

I like the look of the Dog Puzzles book, that's deffo going on the list of possibles

I'm sure she would be gracious about anything I buy her. She is nice just impossible to buy for and I would like to get her something she would like. She's hosting xmas this year beciase she wants to be nice to my mum who's had the year from hell this past year. She wants to look after my mum for a few days but knows my mum wants her family around her so she's invited us too.

She likes nice food and booze but she knows way more about naice, fashionable food than I do, I'd need to do some research about what's hot at the moment before I decided on a foody gift.

The V&A mug in a gift box are lovely and only cost about £10. You can get them off Amazon.

That extra information was useful.

If she's seriously wealthy then I wouldn't get her anything for herself - I'd get it 'for the dog'. (She'll know it's really for her but that's not the point.)

Could you get some very exclusive dog treats for example? (Some famous label.) I think it needs to be dog-related anyway.

Ok, this could be me you're visiting in a few years (you don't get to play with the helicopter....)

Of all the suggestions I like the Chanel nail varnish best. If you brought me some Tom Ford eyeliner or mascara I might alter my will in your favour...

I agree that you should definitely not go for glass or china or antiquey stuff - you can't afford it and she already has any she might want.

Do not turn up at my door with embroidered hankies - you'll be spending Christmas in the tool shed. But if you could find a truly beautiful pocket handkerchief size silk scarf in TK Maxx (say Ralph Lauren £20 reduced from £75....) I might be graciously amused.

Aim for simplicity and glamour. Do not patronise.

Sounds as if it would be auntie who could be in danger of patronising the OP!

This is the doggy bag. They come in specific terrier breed pictures but I don't know which breed he is, I'd have to find out...somehow?

She doesn't drink tea or coffee so hot drink paraphernalia is out. It might have been easier otherwise!

I'm thinking it might have to be something dog related but she told me today he's not really into treats. Even her dog is difficult!

If she likes nice food, how about a hamper of nice food.
Chocolate from hotel chocolat & some other nice stuff.

Overuse of the word nice, sorry!

This book.

Sherry is fashionable;

£29 and quality will be excellent

Tanners Wines ( Shrewsbury ) / expensive hams!

There are some posh olive oils & pasta in Waitrose.

Cookbook for her to flick through and mark out ideas for her chef?

If she visits London frequently then my standard suggestion for people like this is annual memberships of eg Royal Academy/Tate etc, but that would be outside your budget unless you clubbed together with your DM.

http://www.etsy.com/uk/search/handmade?q=terrier&view_type=gallery&ship_to=GB&ref=auto2&explicit_scope=1&locationQuery=2635167 handmade individual & lovely items on Etsy under the search 'terrier'

Mum likes sherry, not sure if aunt does too, will try to find out.

She said today she doesn't read much because it makes her sleepy but she has just ordered herself a kindle so actual books a bit surplus now.

She potentially still gets complimentary cook books from various publishing houses, don't know that for sure though.

try again;

handmade individual and lovely items on Etsy under the search 'terrier'

here

My MIL who is not at all posh but has everything she needs is really hard to buy for .So we get her whisky of different types as we know she will definitely drink that. She always appreciates it as others in the family buy her hankies ,soap and slippers etc.

So does Auntie have a tipple she particularly likes? If she does there are usually all sorts of rammel lovely things that complement alcoholic drinks.

As I've just posted on another thread, she's essentially you at 20 with a few more years experience. What would you like at Christmas?

If she's truly posh (rather than just rich) then cost of your present won't come in to it - especially if she knows your circumstances are straitened.

Gin is good - but better might be a trip to an independent vintner and a bottle of seriously good madeira. Silk pyjamas? A cheddar truckle? Got a French deli nearby - a bottle of creme de cassis or creme de mure?