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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

another request for help with parents' presents please.

13 replies

traviata · 29/11/2015 17:13

I have no ideas at all this year.

Both parents about to turn 80. Likely to move house & downsize this year, so no 'things'. Both fit as a fiddle, their main activity is digging the vegetable plots in their garden or making juice & chutney out of their apples.

No toiletries, perfume, or 'luxury' items.
They have more books than anyone else I have ever seen, and badly need to get rid of most of them.
DF likes sweet things and biscuits, but DM tells him (and me) off if I get them.
They barely drink, and don't drink coffee.
They like live comedy, opera and classical music, but there's nothing local to them which appeals at the moment.

Things which have gone down well before; wildlife camera; tickets to the opera in Warsaw + cheap flights (joint present with siblings); a falconry experience; theatre vouchers; adopt-a-word-for-a-year with a charity.

I offered DM a Kindle, but she sniffily said that the kind of books she likes won't be on Kindle, and I think she may be right. I proposed extra bright reading lights, but it went down badly.

Budget anywhere between £10-£100 for them both (I will rope in my siblings if it's over budget, and they would never regard a present as being too inexpensive).

So far I have got a cookery book & a photo calendar for DM's birthday in January.

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missmargot · 29/11/2015 17:18

It depends what sort of garden they will have when they downsize, but a few years ago I bought DH a nighttime motion activated camera for nocturnal animal spotting unless that's what you meant by wildlife camera in which case ignore me

NameNumber2 · 29/11/2015 17:32

beehive, nice bird table, stick on a window bird feeder, wellies, welly rack, tickets to royal opera house, spicery subscription, tour of high grove, chelsea flower show tickets...

florentina1 · 29/11/2015 17:35

RSPB do some lovely bird boxes and bird baths which they could take to their new home. Or a wildlife or bee hotel.

ChipInTheSugar · 29/11/2015 17:38

Came on to suggest a bee hotel. Two lots of older relatives with everything they need are getting one this year.

FuckyNell · 29/11/2015 17:41

I bought a stick on the window bird feeder and my mum complained of all the bird shit on the windowsills 😀

defineme · 29/11/2015 17:46

Wellies/gardening gloves/kneeling pad etc
cinema tickets to those live broadcasts of opera/theatre etc
afternoon tea some where with nice gardens
national trust membership

traviata · 29/11/2015 20:48

lots of great ideas, thank you.

Bee hotel might work very well. Bee hive would be fab but might not travel well to a new garden.

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doodlejump1980 · 29/11/2015 22:07

My parents loved their bird box camera. It's very addictive especially around hatching time.

Floralnomad · 29/11/2015 22:11

Have they got a golden gark rake , they're brilliant and a great present for gardeners .

Icklepickle101 · 29/11/2015 22:20

Bit of a theme but got these for my nan & grandad who are a similar age.

Sorry links aren't working :( all available of amazon or google brings up other sellers of you are boycotting amazon

another request for help with parents' presents please.
another request for help with parents' presents please.
another request for help with parents' presents please.
Icklepickle101 · 29/11/2015 22:24

Or a home preserving kit? A nice boiling pan, thermometer and Kilmer jars for making their preserves?

traviata · 29/11/2015 22:39

ooh

that's a fantastic idea, thanks Floralnomad.

qvc here I come.

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traviata · 29/11/2015 22:40

and more good ideas, thanks everyone.

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