What would you like to receive as a token gift?

[Inthetropics]

I have a few friends i'd like to gift something small and cheap this Xmas. What are some token gifts you'd like to receive and would actually use?

A book. Just a paperback. But only if someone knows me well enough/has similar enough tastes that they can make a good recommendation for me.

Or very nice quality food stuffs. Bars of really good chocolate. Nice cheese. Chutney. Olive oil, vinegar...

Not a book token though. I really don't need a few pounds to spend on a book and the token would just be a minor hassle. The "gift" part for me would be that someone had taken the time and trouble to really think about choosing a book for me. Of course it may go wrong, but I'd appreciate the effort anyway, unless it was a truly awful and inappropriate choice

A house plant, nice chocolate or drinkable wine.

Not smelly stuff or things to wear.

I completley agree with CountFosco.

Fingerless gloves

I sort of agree with CountFosco although I really don't like Florentines (mil loves them so at least they would go to someone who appreciated them).

One woman's trash is another woman's treasure so I love good home baking but I've seen lots of comments on here from people who hate recieveing homemade anything and put it straight in the bin as unhygenic and disgusting. Having said that my cousin makes a lot of homemade sweets and cakes and they are all pretty bad. She likes the idea of giving homemade things but doesn't have the real interest or patience to do things properly and as a result of cutting corners things are often not even properly cooked. So I wouldn't do homemade unless you enjoy making things and know you do it fairly well.

In the end it is the thought that counts. A friend of mine recently sent me a little package for my birthday with some chocolate, a couple of novelty items and an old fashioned mix tape which was so lovely and personal it was much nicer than anything else they could have got me!

A small bag of homemade fudge or homemade peppermint bark are my usual options!

Again I like nice smelling soaps, shower gels and candles as long as I like the scent, I love fruity and oriental notes but dislike most florals. I like getting nice clothes but hate anything fussy and had to endure years of sparkly tops from well meaning relatives who thought I could do with something a bit more glam until they got the hint that i hate that sort of thing for myself!

For me, persnally:

Nothing food-related at Christmas, i'm fat enough as it is and with all the hot chocolates, matchmakers, Turkish delight, mince pies, brandy butter.... I don't need more sugar. Fine for birthdays, though.

A lovely mug any time of the year, good size, good quality, with a design of something the giver knows i like (for me nothing like Disney/Harry Potter, nothing jokey). My favourites are one with books on it and one with an intricate Morroccan print, both gifts.

I sew a lot, so a prefect gift for me would be: sheets and sheets and sheets of felt! Embroidery floss, ribbon off-cuts galore, nice A4 binder to keep my templates in (currently looking at mine and it's a dull as fuck business grey lever arch folder, functional but boring!). A new Projects notebook, cos mine is full. Fat squares, matching threads, assortment of lovely buttons, preferably vintage 50s style (actually cheap as chips and found in charity shops).

Stationery: notebooks, pens (I've bought myself a cheapy but cute E5 fountain pen for my cracker this year! I make the crackers from scratch and fill them).

Little zippy bags to hold thing in my handbag. I have one for my mask, i'd like one for holding handwipes and tissues, these often fly round my bag and they open, get sticky and yuck. Actually a nice-smelling slightly fancy antibac handgel would be really appreciated at the moment, as a PP suggested upthread.

And for the record, real Baileys (we drink Faileys - fake Baileys from Lidl!) would be appreciated, but not wine. I don't apppreciate wine, i just drink it with a meal and that's it. I can tell rank cheap wine from others, i just am not bothered by wine. I think Baileys isn't cheap enough for a 'token' gift, though,

I hate candles and smellies. Socks are too boring, no matter what type/pattern they are (for me!).

Unless someone knows me well they had best avoid chocolates, cosmetics, candles etc because I am Vegan and you have to know what's suitable. And no alcohol. Some of it isn't Vegan but in any case I am allergic.
In this case I would be best bought a nice bookmark, pair of bedsocks, little plant like a succulent, a nice notebook.
I do like smellies, chocolate and scented candles and if you were my friend you would know which ones are OK.
You know what your friends like and what they don't.

I love a good mug (has to have a good sized handle) and a box of nice tea bags.
A book. A scrub thing and some bubble bath.

I also really love home made goods. Flavoured salts. Sugar scrubs. Bath bombs. Preserves and crackers. A Christmas decoration. I love the fact that people have put their time into it, it means more to me than buying something.

y

Seasalt socks

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Seasalt socks

Please explain what these are. I know what seasalt is and I know what socks are and I like both. 😁

M&S Biscuits please!

A nice notebook and pen

A book, chocolate, florentines, wine, hand cream, socks, sloe/damson gin, biscuits.

I’m fussy on other toiletries due to sensitive skin but if someone knows what I use then they are great. My mum always gets me the things I use as stocking fillers which is perfect.

I dont drink tea, coffee or hot chocolate so mugs or anything hot drink related is my worst gift. I also loathe costume jewellery.

I used to love a scented candle but DH reacts to anything like that (coughs and his eyes run) so I have a heap of unused candles I’m gradually giving away. But they are a marmite gift I find.

I love this hand sanitiser so would be very happy with a bottle...

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/dr-bronner-s-lavender-hand-hygiene-spray-60039585

I love chocolate. At Christmas, I get boxes of florentines and cocoa dusted truffles from Aldi - they're only £2.99 but great quality and absolutely delicious. Make a great token gift, stocking filler or little extra.

I don't normally like chocolates as such but these are lovely and a bit different. You can get two smaller boxes for £12 online (and in Waitrose) but I haven't got time to search sorry!

I know a lot of people don't like candles but I love them - apart from Yankee because they're so ugly.

lilyobriens.co.uk/chocolate-desserts-collection-375g

Offblak do lovely tea taster sets, they were 5.99 for 2 boxes a few weeks ago. However it's a "flexible subscription" type thing so might be a pain to sort out - otherwise i think they sell some in Holland and Barrett.

Decent loofah mitt.

Hotel chocolat chocs

Mini gin selection (Sainsburys have several)
Good book

Best for me would be Tisserand remedies to roll. Little rollerball things for your pulse points with nice aromatherapy blends to help you relax, sleep, etc. Individual ones are about £6 and they do 3 packs, too.

A Lindt reindeer and/or a British Library Crime classics re-print (the have some winter/Christmas ones out at this time of year).

Socks, a nice bar of soap, a nice jam/chutney/honey, hand cream. I'm not fussy (although I'm not that keen on scented candles, some make me sneeze!).

Really, something that is maybe a bit more expensive for a "one-off" than I'd buy myself.

A friend gave me a little set with a travel-sized Clarins eye makeup remover and eye cream one year, and I loved that.

My parents and their friends all used to buy each other tins of biscuits, sweets and chocolates.

Win-win-win really: no rubbishy clutter, don't have to buy yourself Christmas treats, and you end up with some nice cake tins.

I wouldn't like a mug. I'm one of those people with a set of twelve matching ones, and a couple of novelty ones that lurk at the back of the cupboard!