Help me give a friend a good christmas

[NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound]

So one of my flatmates at uni has abusive/neglectful parents growing up and she knows she isn't going to get anything from them for Christmas from them so I've spoken to our other flatmates and we're going to send her a Christmas care package/box/hamper and I need some ideas.

So far we have:
A key ring from her favourite show (She needs one because she is always losing her things),
Book of writing prompts,
Fancy Chocolate,
Lush Bath Bomb or bubble bar,
Fluffy Socks,
Fancy Coca set,
Poster,
Homemade cake
and a Card.

Anything else anyone can suggest?

A book, candle and cosy blanket and some hot chocolate would make me happy

Some nice hand cream/body butter from the body shop.

How lovely OP

People like you & your friends make the world a better place

Really nice note book for writing ideas for her stories.
Photo frame with a pic of you all.
Lovely soft throw to snuggle in.
Chocs/alcohol of choice
Mini Christmas tree & a few decorations for her room

Put the gifts in a stocking/sack cos I think they're the best parts of Christmas.

Would you be able to arrange to have a mini Christmas dinner before you all leave uni for Christmas. Maybe surprise her with the full trimmings, crackers, alcohol & a small gift. Then send her home with the other gifts you've bought.

Contact her on Christmas Day so she knows you're thinking of her & either a meet up or an invite to one of your houses if close enough is a great idea.

@GoldenCurls we're splitting costs between five so it should be fine to buy things that are more expensive. I and another housemate are likely to be near where she lives in the first week of the holiday and I may or may not be going back to visit another friend so I've already mentioned meeting up with her. Luckily she does have some really good friends at home. I just find it all distressing, she'll say something that she has experienced and then say I know it sounds bad but it's not and my response is always 'it sounds bad, because it is bad and that's not ok'. She doesn't doubt her parents love her but that its all very dysfunctional.

Ah I see. Fair enough.

@4forkssake I'm doing Christmas Dinner this Thursday. Apparently I'm the only one that's been shown how, so I'm roping them all in and showing them how to do it. The plan is because she has to travel quite a long way and we break up stupidly early that rather than have her lug the box home and have to explain or hide it, we're going to post it too her just before christmas with a card/label attached saying don't open till christmas morning. We're going to wrap each gift inside individually and put in a card that is signed from santa with a group picture of us all.

We don't want her to be embarrassed about it though so we're calling it a pamper box because she's been so stressed this term with everything and it'll help her de-stress before she returns.

You all sound lovely friends.

Sounds amazing and what Christmas is all about xx

You are all awesome and people like you and your flatmates are what makes this world a better place.

That's all I wanted to say.

How lovely of you all. To keep the weight down of the gift box I'd include a few vouchers for a book shop and coffee shop. It doesn't have to be much but enough so she can have a wander round town, a bookshop and a coffee to get her out of the house one day. If she has a bad home life then a cheap day out to escape is essential for her mental wellbeing.

How lovely of you all.

I came into say a Costa/Starbucks voucher so she can escape for a bit & not worry about paying.

What’s she doing for New Year? Maybe invite her then as she may not feel so awkward?

@TheBaltictriangle , Yeah that's a good point. Hadn't thought about a book voucher.

@IPromiseIWontBeNaughty, same with a costa/starbucks voucher. Her family have a couple of NYE traditions that she enjoys because we did suggest that.

How about this - it looks lovely

www.johnlewis.com/molton-brown-exquisite-treat-cracker/p3765364?sku=237675666&s_kwcid=2dx92700028128897083&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuf7fBRD7ARIsACqb8w7uUXiiKMgO3fg8oa2XkuL9ic1Uzghi8DbWq8Bfgau6Ly8vBJF90MkaAsSGEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Lovely idea
But you know her better than us!
Favourite book? Magazine subscription? Voucher for fav shop? Coffee credit gift card?

Great ideas so far. I'd be so happy to receive this. Other ideas: a scratchcard, a relaxing essential oil eg lavender/geranium/bergamot, some little slippers?
A small jar of whatever is her fave thing on toast eg marmite/nutella/jam.

A christmas decoration/bauble to remind her of you.

Knickers.

Pens, anything from paperchase.

Lovely notebooks. Magpie often have them on offer.
I've seen a poster of the top 100 films to see before you die that you scratch off when you've watched them. That might be quite fun for a film buff?

@NanooCov, She'd probably like a poster like that.