Christmas gift for aunt with terminal illness

[Bimmy76]

Hello

A tricky one. My aunt is sadly very unwell. She loves Christmas and getting presents and I’m keen to make sure that she has as a good a time as possible.

I’m really struggling with present ideas. Food, drink and scented products are out because she isn’t well enough to enjoy them. Everything else feels like saying “here’s something you won’t get to use much”. Very thoughtful things like family albums also wouldn’t work as her approach to her illness is very much denial and something that seemed too meaningful (iyswim) would upset her.

In the past I’ve bought her clothes, scarves, trinkets. My instinct is just to do so again. Anyone have any other ideas? She’s 72, previously enjoyed reading and gardening but is now too unwell for either.

Something to make her room more comfortable? Those Phillip's Hue lights that change colour?
Alexa?
Hot water bottle/fluffy throw.
Beautiful hand cream.
Sorry that she is so unwell, you sound lovely

A luxurious cushion? An audiobook gift voucher?

When my Aunt was terminally ill we just bought her exactly the sort of thing we always had done. So my Mum bought her a jumper, I gave her a scarf and some nice bath stuff.

You can get little kits that let you grow plants with just water. Hydroponic indoor gardens and stuff. Would that work?

Audiobooks
Very soft bedding and bedclothes.
Soft blankets.

Someone had a similar thread very recently and there were nice suggestions.

Something a bit luxurious, maybe, like a nice blanket or cashmere socks?

Nice pyjamas, new bedding, fancy flower arrangement. Music or audio book that she would like.

I’d think along the lines of very lightweight, warm fabrics, like silk or cashmere, but if she’s in denial I’d stick to the same kinds of gifts you’ve given before rather than ones that show you think of her as a sick person. So I’d veer off bedding unless that’s usual for you. A cashmere cardigan or a silk blouse might be as practical as a bed jacket but more sensitive to her mind set. Or a pair of cashmere wrist warmers (there’s a discount code on the bargain thread) if your budget is tighter.

Or just to throw another suggestion in the mix- a subscription to audible.

Oh some fantastic ideas here. Thanks so much for them. I love the cashmere/soft fabrics ideas.

Audible is another great thought.

For my grandma last year and my husbands gran the year before that (both we knew would be their lady's), we did the following-

• a blanket that was embroidered with all our initials. Without wanting to upset you, that blanket was then placed in my grandmas coffin around her so it was very special to us.
• audio book/ nice relaxing classical cd.
• a Christmas scented candle
• ponsietta plant .
• new cosy socks/slippers.
• my eldest also made a collection of pictures which was a cartoon which she then explained to her great gran. We kept that after the end as it was a lovely reminder.

Typo- their lasts, not lady's.

Foot spa. My sister got this for our mum for her last Christmas. It was inspired. She couldn't do much but did enjoy putting her feet in a bubbly foot spa

I think a soft cashmere wrap would be lovely.

We got a photo blanket for my dads partner with photos of all the family on it. I wasn’t sure whether it was the right thing to do, but it totally was, she loved it and it was a topic of conversation and I think a comfort to her. I can’t remember what they were called but I also got her some lovely scented posh wipes to take the hospital smell away. Sending hugs

Magazine subscription so if too tired to read could look at pictures - cosy pjs and socks

Turtle Doves recycled cashmere baby blanket or fingerless gloves or neck warmer.

How about some sheepskin slippers or something else from Celtic & Co? Sounds like your aunt is lucky to have such a thoughtful niece :)

Is she at home or in hospital? We got my mum a portable dvd player and some new DVDs as she was bedridden in hospital, so she could watch things and have a change. Gardening magazines if she doesn't have the focus to read a book, scented candles which smell like her favourite plants if she is at home?

A voucher for or arrange for someone to come to her to give her a manicure.

I would go cashmere wrap or socks. Jigsaw often have nice ones.

Gardening mag subscription.

Potted amaryllis - I love these at Christmas as they look so stunning and always work. Last year for a change I "treated" myself to 5 stems of red amaryllis and some eucalyptus and it looked wow .

Clarins Handcream,

Neom Christmas candle

Whatever she likes. I got my dad the new polo shirt from his favourite sports team. He never wore it. It didn’t matter, because it made him happy to have it in the moment.