Excellent presents for women that aren't...

[WhirlwindHugs]

Because @monkeymamma's thread for men is genius.

I'm looking for gifts for women (especially older women) that aren't:
Candles
Chocolate
anti-wrinkle cream
perfume
anything really twee and covered in flowers.

Particularly struggling with my mum this year, she is really into South American art and media. Budget 10-20 pounds.

Altwoo,

Thanks so much for the tip-off about The Willoughby Book Club !

Personalised 6 month subscription gift for a not-easily-impressed bookworm has solved that buying dilemma perfectly.

I just don’t get the no presents thing. This year my family has decided not to bother, but luckily DH and I are of the same mind so will be waking early to ripe glittery paper from goodies galore.

To me the appeal (and challenge) is to both give and receive something new to the person, so not something they could have bought themselves.

I’m the right demographic, so apart from the unexpected, these kind of things would float my boat

• board or card game with amazing art
• huggy earrings of unusual design
• a few posh chocolates with cool flavours
• that new Lost Words (I think) book by Robert McFarlane with amazing illustrations
• recipe book about cooking outdoors over fire (I may have bought my DH one of these!)
• a very beautiful mug

Gin.

Id like to think somebody cared enough to buy me something.

Well, yes - gin. Or Islay malt whisky.

Just no stuff. I love giving and receiving gifts but cannot stand knick knacks. I have no idea what Etsy sells, but I don't want it. Nor the contents of NOTHS. Absolutely, definitely not random toiletries or gift sets of any kind. And unless I've specifically asked - don't pre-arrange my time with spurious 'activities'.

Fancy gin
A winter hanging basket or planter
Sofa throw
one of those boxes for teabags with little compartments
a specific perfume
fluffy socks
emma bridgewater mug

fountain pen and /or coloured ink
notebooks
novelty post it notes.
in fact, any glorious stationery

I'm 50 but my mobility is probably of an 80+ yr old.

I'd love a posh blanket
Quality wool not the £1.50 a ball stuff
A nice bird feeding table
To be taken out for a meal, somewhere that I couldn't justify paying for myself.
A voucher for apps and games for my tablet.

I can't think of anything else. I'm quite low maintenance.

Ideas:

London Tea Club subscription - beautiful test tubes of loose leaf tea that gets delivered to your door - T2 is also very good for tea lover gifts

Bag of good espresso beans

A Le Creuset pale blue wooden spatula - not expensive but can't justify the luxury of it

A hammer drill/voucher to B&Q/Halford

Glossybox subscription for beauty addicts

Bottle of liqueur/bourbon

Not remotely a budget option but a Mr B's Reading Spa in Bath is a lovely experience for book lovers

mrbsemporium.com/gifts/reading-spas/

Placemarking.

DB/SIL live a long way from us. We have a general no-adult-gifts policy which is relaxed if we're actually seeing each other in person on the day, in which case we do charity gifts by a complicated and good-rumoured formula.

This year my women are a largely housebound woman in her late eighties for whom I usually buy a cardigan or twinset; two sixty-somethings with basically no hobbies; and one heavily-pregnant thirty-something.

I've previously bought:

Naice gin (Edinburgh rhubarb)
Cath Kidston mug
Cotton scarf with robins on
Naice thermos
Printed cotton tote bag/reusable shopping bag

I see a few people yearning for blankets. I always think these ones from Woolovers look lovely.

Any chance that people who want to rant on about adults buying gifts for other adults might do it on a separate thread? Pretty please?

We've cut back a lot, but I like buying a present for my parents and my children are adults too now but I will always buy gifts for them.

Things I'd like:
Anything from The Literary Gift Company as mentioned below.
A bottle of Southern Comfort
An Audrey Hepburn Barbie doll
One pair (or indeed more) of lovely knickers, more expensive than ones I'd normally buy for myself
Books, books and more books (and book marks to go in them - in fact, I think it should be a rule that if you buy somebody a book, you also buy them a lovely new book mark for it)
Cashmere wristwarmers, as below - mine died :(
Prosecco
A beautiful champagne flute
Vouchers for Waterstones, restaurants, local art house cinema
A framed picture of a place I love
Silver earrings chosen to suit my taste/interests
Posh balsamic vinegar or olive oil

Massage
Cool hats / wellies / wellie liners
Leopard print gym stuff
Home made sloe gin
New Phillip Pullman book
Tickets to something - a show / an exhibition
Membership of national trust / art gallery / cinema etc

New secateurs
Yoga mat
Facial

Ooh, well it's just been my birthday. My dd gave me the most wonderful gift ...a glass jar decorated with some simple fabric flowers with a label on which she'd written "100 reasons why I love you". In the jar were 100 wooden ice lolly sticks with a handwritten reason on each...it must have taken her hours to do. It truly is the best present I've ever received because I have always given myself a hard time about mistakes I made raising her (failing miserably at being a perfect mum etc). I now pick out a lolly stick each day to read and it gives me a bit of a confidence boost! It's better than any of my beloved expensive perfumes,face creams, candles etc

I always bore on about these, but I used mine yet again today and it's an excellent small gift that can get lots of use: jam spoon. Also works for Nutella peanut butter, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Private eye / the week subscription
Cheese making course
Wine tasting course

Love that link to the shell jewellery. I will be sending that round the family for sure..

That's so lovely caravangirl

Can I ask those of you saying you would like a nice blanket to link to some examples please?

Subscription to willoughby book club (£7pcm I think). New book selected based on favourite authors etc each month

I just want a loooong massage, a facial, and a day off. Spa day please kids!

smiledwith - I linked to Woolovers blankets upthread.

I am early 60s and would love:

• voucher for lunch of afternoon tea
• art materials - watercolour paper
• nice silk or cotton scarf
• gloves - I have a pair in the pocket of every jacket
• bag for my outsize yoga mat
• bottle of liqueur or good red wine
• good quality soap - Nesti Dante mentioned on the soap vs. shower gel thread
• silver stud or small drop earrings
• waterproof walking trousers
• book or Kindle voucher
• tickets for local play or concert

Quality over quantity - would rather have a few good quality chocs than a large box of Thorntons, etc.