What are you giving your MIL?

[lucysmam]

I'm still struggling for ideas & dp hasn't a clue either.

She doesn't really do fancy food, or nice stuff she saves 'for best' so it doesn't get used.

Best I've come up with so far is some sort of soap trivia or quiz book...

Inspire me

Voucher for afternoon tea/meal out/theatre or if she isn't into that, tickets for cinema and voucher for chippy? My uncle loved the chippy vouchers!!!

Tate membership (we renew it every year), and a lovely pair of leather gloves.

Nice soap or wellies? Does she do any gardening? You could easily make up a hamper if so, of a new trowel, gloves, gardeners soap and some heritage seeds such as purple carrots. National trust membership? Make your own perfume day? Audio books for the car or bus?

I feel your pain...my MIL doesn't go out that much, has no hobbies, doesn't read, doesn't drink, is v fussy about clothes, doesn't wear jewellery. Haven't a clue what to get her. Marking place and hoping some inspiration....

4 tins of talc

That's all she's given us to go with this year.

Surely that should be your partner's responsibility? I do 95% of the present buying in this house but that is one that I won't take responsibility for (though if pushed will buy if DH tells me exactly what to buy). Similarly for DH's best mate.

I have got my MIL
No7 day cream, night cream and hand cream
Nail voucher
Pyjamas

Magazine subscription. We get MIL this every year and she saves them as she likes them so much!

Last year in addition to that I made a lovely hamper with loads of treats in it (heat socks, posh chocs, biscuits, book, yankee candles, craft kit, etc), it was apart from my DC presents was the one I spent the most time on thinking about and doing - she barely said thanks

...so she's getting the magazine sub and a box of chocs this year

Presents are my job in our house regardless of whose side of the family they're for. My DH does many, many other things (including cooking christmas dinner) so it's not as if he's a shirker. Still waiting for some inspiration for the MIL :-)

JohnCusack, I think we share a MIL

Gardening stuff a no go, I floated the idea a few weeks ago...same for nice gloves, they'd be saved for best & never worn.

Nice foody stuff doesn't happen in their house, they eat fairly plain & simple food.

A book on architecture, a cushion and theatre vouchers. And those darn ginger chocolates, she loves them. Plus I am making Chrismas dinner. I like her.

If he bought the presents, they would be something grabbed at random or Dairy Milk.

At least this way there's some thought gone into it.

Am almost tempted to buy a book on architecture just to see the look on her face,

Nothing. That's for DH to sort out

I make a calendar with pictures of the family. I've done it every year since 2009. It's always well received and I don't have to worry every year

I am getting my MIL a ticket to the bodyguard tour when it comes next year.
Does she like concerts, theatre or maybe a voucher for afternoon tea

Lucysmam, if you have a flash of inspiration let me know and I'll steal it! I'm getting desperate....

I do my MiLs present because, as I regularly point out to her, I'm her favourite child, and I must love her the most because I put up with her voluntarily unlike dh dh and SiL

MIL is getting:

Photo of the kids
Jam jar tealight lantern (made by kids)
Fruit jellies
Cadbury's chocolate biscuits
Horsey calendar

We will get her perfume. Mil doesn't like anything that isn't necessary. When we first got together I found buying for her really stressful and was tempted not to bother but my DM said I must. Once I went to their towel cupboard and the 3 years worth of presents that I had bought her were all in there.

Lucysmam - I am a MIL.

Q. Wot would I like for Christmas?

A. Bottle of 'naice' gin - Plymoluth, Gordons (40%), Hendricks. (Or even Alidi, which is lovely).

Solved!

I always get her presents because I love her and want her to have some nice things (presents not DH's forte)

DH is in charge of his mum's present.

I bought my mum:

• cross stitch kit of the family dog, I made the pattern on an internet site and bought the thread and fabric
• a mug (she has a massive collection of them along with teapots so more are always welcome)
• some interior design / colour books as she's repainting the house

Sounds like my mil.

In past have got her perfume which was her request but was £50 way more than we could afford at the time and I resented it!

Also got some novels when she said she'd like to start reading novels. Put a lot of thought into what to get. Three years on she's not read any.

Two books on watercolours as she does a painting class once a week. Also unread I think.

Made a hamper two years ago. Went down ok.

Last year we took her to a restaurant for Xmas lunch as fil was ill with chest infection and wanted to stay home. Cost lots of money and that was our present to her. Went down a treat. She loved it. Was loch fyne and the staff were fab and there were crackers etc and they were nice to our young kids.

Oh and one year we got them mugs with pics of the kids on. They are unused on their windowsill as decorations.

This year they are coming to us. We are getting them a new McRobbie because there's is rubbish. I don't think they necessarily want a new one but we would like to be able to heat the kids dinner up at their place without giving them radiation poisoning.

I like my mil by the way. But v hard to buy for.

So far I have a set of Crabtree & Evelyn handcreams for MIL. I'm not sure what else. Maybe something from Lakeland. She hasn't asked for anything in particular but other years she's given me a few hints. I love my MIL.