Hamper for the woman who has everything

[secondhoneymoon]

Ok so this is for a friend's significant birthday soonish, not Christmas, but thought I'd get more traffic here and might be useful for others for Christmas..Budget is £50, friend has very expensive tastes so would struggle with a regular gift for that price. Was thinking about a hamper, but also struggling. She doesn't cook herself so can't make a themed ingredient hamper which I have done for other friends. I did a Prosecco themed hamper for same friend as a thank you for something earlier this year. She doesn't garden. She wouldn't thank me for 'cheap' toiletries. Maybe a hamper's a non-starter but know how creative you lot are! Any ideas welcome x

Could you book about time to do things with each other, or are you not that close?

What about a curated cultural/intellectual treasures e.g. you could include DVDs of some of the Best Picture Academy Award winning films from the 60s/70s, Booker or Pulitzer prize winning books and then posh popcorn and a bottle? I know I would love that.

I got my Dad a bottle of something that made a nice cocktail from fortnum and mason - nice box, felt posh - i think it was the Bellini box but not sure they do it any more

What decade was she born? You could do a hamper celebrating that year/decade? Or what age is she and then what country dialling code is that - could you use that to theme? E.g. 30 is the dialling code for Greece so you could add cosmetics, food, drink etc from there.

What about a silk scarf from Whistles or Jigsaw?

Nice wine? Nice chocolates? Candle if she likes candles? Book?

I have expensive taste for toiletries etc. Id be happy with a three wick molton brown candle for that budget or a shampoo and conditoner set with a hand cream. Also loccitane have some great gift sets, although it might not look much for the money i would know the value and appreciate that more than getting a cheap gift set

Oh and the spa retreat from temple spa or some of the other gifts are amazing

www.templespa.com/shop/gifts/by-price

Plenty of lovely things you can get without needing to make a hamper

Diptique or Neom candles
Nice bottle of wine in a wooden box with tasting notes
Lovely stationery from Liberty or Smythson
Pair of Riedel wine glasses for her favourite type of wine (they do a different shape for each grape varietal)

We are fairly close but my budget is 'only' £50 not sure what we could do together for that that she would enjoy (she has beauty treatments/nails done most weekends; eats out very regularly). Other suggestions on here are things I've thought about but cannot explain without sounding nasty how hard this person is to buy for, hence wondering about the hamper idea, whilst realising how hard that might be too within budget. Don't mean to sound ungrateful for the ideas. Just a difficult recipient

What about something personalised from Not on The High Street?

I hate the idea of you being broke and spending £50 on a present for someone who's likely not to be grateful for it.

What has she bought you for birthdays? Could you use that as a guide to the sort of thing she'd like?

Don't get a hamper- if she has expensive tastes then 1 thing of £50 is better. She will know how much you've spent but if she's your friend she will appreciate the thought.

Thanks for the other suggestions. She buys her own expensive toiletries routinely hence so not sure that she'd see toiletries it as anything particularly special. Candle a possibility, just doesn't seem much. She's not a scarf kind of person. I thought I'd cracked it with the idea of taking her for afternoon tea, then she took her DD for afternoon tea just for 'something to do', so that doesn't feel so special now either. Maybe I just need to admit defeat and realise that the perfect gift for this person with this budget doesn't exist

Has she ever bought you anything?

Make up a hamper from this website?
www.thepresentfinder.co.uk/dept/gifts-for-women-with-everything_d01166.htm
I sorted gifts for price ascending.

The bottle for perfectly drinkable tap water made me snigger.

That's really tough. Voucher might be the best option. Or tickets for London River Cruise or similar

Does she have a favourite (non luxury) chocolate bar or similar? Buy of that?

Or her favourite things from when she was a child, if you knew her then?

If she doesn't cook, would she be grateful for some things made by you? A really good fruit cake, some vin d'orange liquer, some oat cakes or similar?

Even wealthy people can really appreciate stuff!

A voucher for artfinder.com? She can add to it if she finds something she loves or enjoy browsing some of the £50 range items.

A meaningful antique? £50 can go a long way. Or an early edition of a special book?

Find a cool tour to do together like if near London, a night ghost tour for the laughs.

How about some beautiful Japanese bowls from theorientalshop.co.uk (they are lovely quality)

I love buying gifts!

What about nice flowers. If she regularly buys treats then beautiful flowers?
Or a pen. I love a nice pen
Filofax?

Yes she's bought me loads of things and spent way more than I can afford to spend back. Something quirky like the chocolate idea might be the solution - she spends a lot of money on gifts but maybe I can invest time and lateral thinking - thanks for that idea spotted zebra

Or yes homemade cakes / treats, I am ok in the kitchen!

La maisonettes du chocolat box of chocolates
Chanel mirror with lipstick
Jimmy Choo nail varnish
Something from Aspinal (possibly - not sure about prices)
Teapot for one
Fortnums personalised champagne

Green & Blacks chocolate hamper
Hotel chocolat hamper
Posh candles
Cinema hamper - voucher/popcorn/nice sweeties

I'd avoid 'swanky' things if she has more money than you AND she has expensive tastes.
But if maybe think about how you can show that you care - about her and your relationship. That's really what a gift is for, isn't it? Not to impress someone with our spending power or good taste, but to show we care.