Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Christmas

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

If you were my mum, what would you want for Christmas?

62 replies

Firstbornunicorn · 11/11/2018 20:03

Apart from a more creative daughter, that is!

My mum's in her early 50s and is a bit fussy. She's always been a tricky one to buy for. I usually get my thinking cap on and come up with something decent. I don't know if it's because I'm pregnant, or I've just used up all the good ideas, but I can't think of anything at all this year. Here's some info about my mum.

  • she works in a garden centre and likes outdoorsy, gardeny stuff.
  • she loves tea sets and delicate China. I tend to try not to buy this as a gift, because everyone else inevitably will!
  • she's partial to a cuppa
  • she bakes sometimes - mostly stuff like soda farls and wheaten bread.
  • she's a bit Christmas mad
  • she got a FitBit for her birthday and is obsessed with it
  • she's pretty good at sewing but doesn't get much time for it
  • she recently got her ears pierced, but insists that her delicate skin must only be pierced with gold, because she reckons she's allergic to everything else.
  • she has recently started to show an interest in browsing in Argento and nearly bought herself some Pandora stuff, but decided it wasn't worth the money.
  • she quite likes cats
  • she lives with my dad and my brother, but my dad will soon be away for 1 week per month for his new job. Brother isn't home much either as he works a lot.
  • she's a very good mum and has helped us out a lot when it has come to setting up our new home.

What do you think? Budget of about £60. Would be able to stretch it a bit for something she'd really like, though!!

C'mon, Mumsnet. Help a girl out!

OP posts:
Chottie · 13/11/2018 06:01

I'm a similar age to your mother and I would love afternoon tea (with you!), a soft scarf, an outdoor planter planted up with spring bulbs, a day out (with you!) to the coast.

NWQM · 13/11/2018 12:58

Can I give a plug for Harry Spectre chocolates - I don't work for them or anything just think they are a lovely cause as they support people with autism. They have a chocolate club which you pay a monthly subscription for. We signed up both sets of parents when I was on leave as it was a nice present arriving regularly but actually spread the cost for us. Just a thought.....& if anyone knows me in RL and could nudge my DH I'm thinking I'd really rather like it from Santa too. There chocolates are yummy.

Firstbornunicorn · 14/11/2018 16:38

We live in Northern Ireland, so although some of the suggested days out would be lovely, I'm afraid we're a little limited in what we can do without getting on a plane!

Here are my thoughts: voucher for afternoon tea (packaged with a bag of Belfast Brew from Suki Tea), plus a voucher for a file and polish in the same town, and a voucher for Marksies. Then, I'll put a card in explaining that we're going to have a day out, have afternoon tea, get our nails done, and then pick something nice up from M&S for dinner (which I'll cook). Does that sound ok or a bit naff?

OP posts:
Baconking · 14/11/2018 19:52

Sounds lovely Smile

fredleighton · 15/11/2018 06:48

That sounds really lovely. I'd be thrilled with that as a gift. Your mum's lucky to have such a thoughtful daughter.

TrickyD · 15/11/2018 10:53

Someone on another thread mentioned riding lessons on a mechanical horse. I am 74 but would absolutely love these, but google tells me there are none available anywhere near us. So I shall have to steer DH towards perfume.

Steering necessary, one year he gave me a paper shredder, admittedly other things too, but what got me was that I already owned a perfectly serviceable shredder. He still gets teased about this.

Don''t buy your mum one.

thegreylady · 15/11/2018 11:15

Echo dot from Amazon is only £39.99 atm.

thegreylady · 15/11/2018 11:17

Tricky I am 74 too 🙂
My dd renews our NT subscription every year and buys a small gift too. I am very partial to Amazon vouchers to spend on Kindle books.

TheFaerieQueene · 15/11/2018 11:23

Im early 50’s and some of these ideas fill me with horror.
I bottle of v good gin and some gin balloon glasses
Charlotte Tilbury makeup/skin care
Earnings from an independent jeweller
Perfume
Tickets to see a favourite band
John Lewis voucher (if all else fails)
Hurricane lamp from somewhere like cox and cox
Something fun from vinterior

I could go on!

Firstbornunicorn · 15/11/2018 12:45

@TheFaerieQueene which in particular fill you with horror? I don't think you have similar taste to my mum as I'd hate to see her face if I were to give her gin! John Lewis voucher might be ok, but we don't have that store here so she'd have to spend it online.

OP posts:
AdamBarlowsQuiff · 15/11/2018 14:54

I'm sure she'll be made up with being treated with lunch, nails and a nice dinner with you; it sounds perfect. It made me laugh when you said about the scarf being 'too nice' as this is what my mum says about any clothing or accessories I've bought her...it did make me wonder if that is actually code for she doesn't like it!! I think I'll take a leaf out of your book and take her to choose her own next time!

Firstbornunicorn · 15/11/2018 15:06

@AdamBarlowsQuiff I told her if she didn't want it that I'd have it! I know she really does like it as it's just her style. She often thinks things are "too nice to use", such as her very precious Royal Dalton service which I have never actually seen because it's spent my whole life wrapped in bubble wrap and stored where it can't get damaged!

Mums, eh?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page