Advent calendar for 89 year old

[Enkopkaffetak]

My teens and I have decided we want to make MIL an advent calendar this year.

MIL has been very sick this year and due to this is very frail. Spends most of her day in a chair in her living room. She enjoys doing some sewing but has loads of stuff for this.

We want to give her little things that just sort of makes the day a bit " comfort" All things she can use whilst sitting in her usual chair.

So far we have

Pocket tissues (Christmas ones)
Small tub of hand cream
Lip balm
1 Bauble (as well its fun) - closer to Christmas
1 string of tinsel to put around her walker
1 Mincepie (from Waitrose bakery she loves those - will be number 1)
1 Sudoku puzzle book as she likes those
1 pen (again Christmas one off course)

However then we are getting a bit stuck. She will not like us spending a lot of money on it. So cant be more than a few £ each present. She is not one for clutter so it really does need to be usable. Also she is allergic to Chocolate so we can't get her that. In the last Christmas week I was thinking we could do some more sort of Christmassy things she may not have when alone.. Food wise but I am a bit stuck as to what.. She still has some Christmas puddings in the fridge from last year of the small 1 person type so that wont be ideal.

Any ideas? Really we want something that will make her feel we care and she is loved and thought about daily.

A few more mince pies? If she loves them one every 5 days would be nice. Or a small nice chocolate?

Nice soap
Gloves
Fragranced candle

Mini pots of jam
Sweets eg humbugs

an alcohol miniature, some teabags (pukka etc are all individually sealed), fridge magnets, a letter of drawing from your dc, nail varnish, hobbycraft sell mini cross stitch kits in a christmas theme for about 99p which might be lovely, christmas cd, fun christmas brooch, pocket book (can get them on nearly any subject) cosy socks

Mini Bailey's or similar? Small bubble bath? Bronnely Xmas soap? Something made by the kids? Brandy snaps, violet creams, get ideas from fortnums for a few interesting bits?

What about a little light up decoration - a star or suchlike. I think Wilkos have them for £1.50 or so. They're battery operated and quite pretty.

Hand warmers.
Small Christmas cross stitch
Christmas slippers
Miniature bottle of sherry for Xmas eve

Flashy Xmas earrings/brooch/necklace
Hot chocolate sachet

I saw one that has a joke for each day, are your Dc good at jokes?

Fancy tea
Mints
Mini bag nuts
Some sweets

Short on suggestions, but can I just say this sounds a really lovely idea.

A photograph of you all? A dvd of a Christmas movie or cd of Christmas songs
An iou/ 'voucher' such as - I will join you for lunch today, or put the kettle on I'll be round at 3

Sachets of posh cosmetics. Go into a dept store and ask the molten brown ladies or similar! Bet they will help with a tester or two! Lovely idea btw. Hope she is delighted.

I'm doing a puzzle in my home made crackers this year, so everyone works together to put it together at the table.

Could you get a family photo made into a puzzle and put a few pieces into each day too so that she makes it by Christmas Eve?

What about a Christmas scratch card?

I forgot to say she is teetotal so anything alcoholic is a no go sadly. (Funny how used you just get to peoples ways isnt it?)

I love some of these ideas Some I would never have thought about.

Hot choc sachets!

Love the "put the kettle on" idea. Tell her you're all taking her to a carol service on one of the days?

Lottery ticket or scratch card.

Carol service is a great odea I will try to find out if her church does one and arrange it w my work. I know the one mine does will be too late for her.

Such a lovely idea. Things like this are what I love about Christmas. Will try and think of ideas

Christmas scented candle, mixed tape of favourite songs, probably a bit big but a photo cushion, those microwave hot water bottles. I bought my granda one and he loves it round his neck. Colouring book and pencils

If you wanted something bigger for the final day I made my granda a book of memories. He has dementia and before it was too bad I made him a book of family photos, jokes, memories of places we'd been together, things we loved about him. He adored it and looks at it often

A cord for her specs?
Something stupid, like one of those old school plastic snakes / thing of slime
Room spray - a nice Xmas scent
Mini stollen from Lidl. They are really really nice.

Then you could go trad stocking, eg a satsuma, a new toothbrush, a few nuts.

Does she have favourite standard food, eg soup or jam? Then you could get posher versions of them.

Glow sticks.

A clue to where you have hidden a bigger present.

I think this is a lovely idea and love all the ideas above especially the ones where people come and do things like join her for lunch etc.

If it is possible to take her out comfortably how about to see local school nativity or Christingel service ? I took one of my elderly neighbours to my sons last year and she really enjoyed it. Also do you have a local street/ area where they all light up their houses etc - could take her slowly round in heated up car with a flask of hot chocolate or something playing cd of caroms and admiring the Christmas lights - like going to Oxford Street only nearer m easier and more fun ?

Sugared almonds?