Help! What shall I buy for my mum? Doesn't like smellies, no hobbies...

[SylvaniansKeepGettingHoovered]

I'm coming to the conclusion that my mum has become harder and harder to buy for over the years. She is semi-retired, she doesn't have hobbies although she enjoys baking, reading, a bit of gardening. She doesn't like jewellery. She has lots of things already! What do most people buy for their mums?

A jumper!

Or books. Or a DVD of a film or TV series she likes.

I often buy food-related things;

a basket of unusual spices and oils
cheeses and biscuits and chutneys
a cooker book and some ingredients.

This year I have planted some bowls with bulbs, and will be adding a few little bits and pieces - a cloth for wiping her specs, a handwarmer.

Last year I got her a handmade traditional trug.

Last year my mother asked for a v-neck jumper, so I got her a cashmere one from Pure Collection.
Why not ask?

Good quality lined leather gloves? A spa day voucher? A kindle?

My MIL is the same. I have got her posh pyjamas, night cream, day cream, hand cream, a candle and a voucher to get her nails done.

An iPad, split with siblings. Total hit!
FaceTime, emailed photos. Online access to newspapers and shops.

My parents are v elderly. No thing is now much use to them. Mum eats almost nothing , she can't use smellies ( can't open/manipulate them) can't see well, can't cope with technology etc ( her kindle was a hit till she lost her sight) .

I had aReal light bulb moment. I have bought a ( no v expensive but well reviewed) photo scanner and I'm going over to find out about some old photos , scan them and start an archive. Will do a photo book too.

Don't know if this will help but my mum has asked for a steam cleaner, a cookbook, a desktop calendar and an eyeshadow palette.

Just a photo book or album for my mum, don't think she really wants anything else

Theatre vouchers?
Also made a calendar for the ILs once with a voucher on each month- cinema, theatre, book token, money for a take away etc.

A subscription to the Willoughby Book Club - she'll get a new book every month, beautifully packaged. It will make Christmas last longer.
www.thewilloughbybookclub.co.uk/

I bought my Mum some really cute, funky gardening tools one year. Can't remember what they were called but they had all different designs, sure you could find them via google? If she'd like those

my Mum says they're too nice to use so they're still in the cupboard

Would she like audiobooks to listen to? Book tokens or books?

An experience shared with you - Chelsea or Hampton court flower show, theatre, lunch somewhere nice (set menus at lunch make it best value time to go)

A digital photo frame and put on old pictures, her childhood, wedding, your childhood. I did this for my mum and she loved it.

Just had a look at the book club site, looks like a great idea.

Got mine a magazine subscription and taking her out to very nice hotel for afternoon tea on the Sunday before Christmas- city hotel so she will enjoy dressing up and a bit of people watching-will give her lots to talk about over festive season.

Thanks for all these suggestions! She has a laptop already so I don't think she'd use an iPad really. She already has a digital photo frame thing (my brother got it for her one year). Unfortunately she would hate a spa/pamper day (I'm the same - can't stand anything like that). She likes baking but does already have most of the Mary Berry cookbooks, Paul Hollywood etc.

I might get her a voucher for her Kindle but would need to get something to go with it, slippers or a scarf & gloves I guess. I also like the food-realted gift idea, cheese & chutneys type thing, although I have done a mini-hamper in the past already. It's so difficult to know what to get her!!!

I saw a book in john lewis - 50 dresses through the ages - looked quite interesting & something my mum would like to read if she has time!

Lambland have gorgeous multi-coloured leather credit card wallets, and purses, too. Would something in that line be suitable?

They also do sheepskin slippers that have a proper sole.

Does she have silicone bakeware? I enjoy baking, have lots of trays etc accumulated over the years so couldn't justify buying them for myself, but I'd be very happy if someone bought me, for example, this set.

Ask her!

Wedgewood or similar tea pots, lamps, candle holders, cups (no mugs in her house), biographies, large framed photos of her dgc, electric mixer as she cannot use her hands to bake anymore, bread maker, perfume, clothes...

Am following as my mum is exactly the same, doesn't wear makeup, not into clothes, no hobbies already has iPad / kindle / digital frame etc, so so hard to buy for. She would hate a spa day and I'm too far away to take her out anywhere.
And if I ask her what she wants she will say ooh don't worry about me or 'I don't know' which is worse!! Last year I got her a magazine subscription which she loved but she's only gone and blimmin renewed it herself! I've bought her scented candles in the past and they sit there un burnt for years gathering dust. She has every kitchen utensil imaginable and cookbooks that never get looked at.
So I will watch with interest to see what other suggestions come up......

I am going to buy a hamper type basket and fill it with wine, chocolate,and food goodies for my DM and DD

Cookery day or half day experience thing to do together? Don't know whereabouts you are but Betty's at Harrogate do excellent ones.