Wow gift for dm

[CatbearAmo]

Need a wow gift for dm.

She's worked like crazy this year (key worker) despite having health conditions. Me and dB live abroad and won't be able to visit. Looks like her dog will have to be put down before Christmas.

I recently was moaning how having dd at home is causing loads of extra housework and having a cordless vacuum would be a godsend. Few days later a new shark arrived from dm.

So she deserves a wow present. Any ideas? Has to look impressive and be a special treat. No food (strict diet due to health condition) and no experience days because of lockdown. What presents have you really loved in the past?

I was thinking this as an early gift but it's sold out, plus the amount of packaging makes me cringe a bit.

uk.loccitane.com/luxury--christmas-advent-calendar,83,1,93887,1559311.htm#s=93743

What is your budget?

Hamper

@OhioOhioOhio hamper would be no good because she can't eat so many things due to her illness.

@Nanasueathome budget is 100-200 pounds.

Could you book a night away for you and her?

@Voiceofreason92 that would have been lovely but I live abroad so who knows the next time we will be allowed to even see each other in person sadly. Makes me so sad to think her dog might be gone soon too, and won't be able to give her a hug or spend time with her to cheer her up.

Favourite perfume set
Jewellery
Pamper hamper - if her favourite brands are doing Christmas collections, or make up one yourself with indulgent products you know she'd love.

qvcuk.com do l'occitane & some sets have eco refills (worth a look if that's what she likes).
Cashmere jumper
Winter boots - check out www.celticandco.com. They also do beautiful merino wool & lambswool clothing.

I'd do something that's really personal to her to show you care and that you're thinking of her.

Totally dependant on what your mum likes - but what about a book she would love published in each decade of her life.

Or I know mum mum would love me to sort out all the family photos we all have digitally and print them in a proper album for her.

What are her interests? What does she care about?

Could you and your brother join together and thus maybe double your budget? IMVHO 'wow' means something like up-to-the-minute tech or proper, not costume, jewellery. For £100 you could get two or three cosmetic items from Tom Ford / Gucci, or an Hermes lipstick or travel size perfume from, say, Frederic Malle. But they'd only be worth it if she cares about those things. (I wouldn't personally care much for gift sets of fairly ordinary High St brands if each of the things might be ordered with my weekly groceries.)

I’ve bought mine a cashmere poncho from Brora - it’s like wearing a hug, which I’m still hoping I can give her in person, but if not she gets to wear my hugs. It’s a bit cheesy but we’re like that

How far away do you live? Do you wfh/are you able to isolate before /afterwards so that you could do a trip to see her, perhaps just before Christmas?

A few years ago we bought DM a personalised photo charm bracelet with photos of the grandchildren on it. It's really pretty, the charms are about the same size as pandora charms and the photos are really clear. This year we are adding more charms to it with the new additions to the family and also photos of me and my siblings.
Could this be a possibility as it would be really personal and can be done online. You could even add a photo of ddog.

If jewellery i can recommend an Alex Monroe Bee necklace. I haven't taken mine off since I first got it three years ago. Its beautiful.

I also have a Hannah Louise Lamb ring of the coastline where I grew up .

A beautiful cosy cardigan / coatigan

Nice coffee machine if she can drink coffee

Hot Chocolate Velvetiser

Bicycle

Ipad

A beautiful tree or plant for the garden

A really smart coat or handbag

Anything that would make her day to day life a bit more comfortable or 'glamorous'?

Neom well-being diffuser
Daylesford hamper
Jo Malone Waterlily perfume

Having not had much money during her life, especially until the kids left home, she's not had many luxuries and isn't very brand savvy. Things that worked well in previous years were a sparkly Guess watch, a pandora bracelet with charms, and a Clinique box set. However, one year I got her a Radley handbag and it sat at the back of her wardrobe until one day she took it to work and someone commented on it - she'd had no idea that it was a good bag.
Clothes have always been a disaster. Once I got her a north face jacket for walking and she gave me it back a couple of years later unworn. I remember she cried once when I got her a nice dress because she could never wear anything like that.

I thought of l'occitaine because at my brother's wedding there were miniatures in the room and she was putting them in her suitcase every day to get a refill because she would never buy it for herself. She usually buys bogof toiletries from the supermarket, like the cheapest brands.

Gifts for my dm are complicated. She builds up a lot of expectation around them because we don't get to see her so often and I guess she sees it as a symbol of affection. Maybe that's not "right" but if I can show her we are thinking of her while she is down and cheer her up, I want to do that.

I always send a family photo book every year as standard, although she is into puzzles since lockdown, so maybe will get her a photo puzzle this year.

That’s actually my Christmas list.....

Music lessons if she has expressed an interest in this before

Brand new top end phone / ipad /laptop a kick ass WIFI

I don't know.... your mums sounds lovely!! Has she got hobbies or special interests?

A tablet/kindle?

A set of Harry Potter books in her house colours. .. Thinking of what I'd like here . Or a book in a second language she reads.

A sewing machine/big craft thing/fancy coffee maker with tiny cups.. .

What would you like yourself if someone offered you a wow present?

You get other hampers, not just food.

What does she like?

I think there was another loccitane calendar, a giant one(?), but not sure how much that one is

QVC has lots of molton brown and loccitane things as PP said. They are doing a good Elemis gift at the moment. You could get her that and something else. Candles. Make up?

A few ideas that have been appreciated

Beautiful soft throw ( anything from this brand is gorgeous) https://www.socosy.co.uk/shop/blankets-throws/throws/jacquard-grey-throw-with-blanket-stitch/

Beauty advent calendar https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/beauty-advent-calendars-2020-39069

Fabulous candles and essential oil diffusers https://www.neomorganics.com/collections/bestsellers

Flower subscription https://www.freddiesflowers.com

Foot care gift set with some lovely slippers from Ugg or Celtic Sheepskin (or Vionic, not quite so luxe but very comfortable if she is on her feet all day ) https://www.spacenk.com/uk/bath-body/bath-body-set/bath-body-sets/discovery-set-UK200007337.html?&cmmmc=PPC%7CGoogle%7CUKKShoppingng--Generics%7CBathBody---Bath+Body&dseeadtype=pla&gclid=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztVcHHs415rhh0MNNLf5CrqBJkiZWITrC1mXATxOSsv4aQdgqoiynJhoCpGoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Do You already have a good system for talking/seeing each other? If not, would something like an Echo Show help, so you could talk face to face more readily? Could you split the wow into a number of presents so she has something to keep her going? Some could be physical presents but some could be promises? So for example, advent calendar for day 1, a promise from you and your brother for a visit, a voucher for a favourite place for afternoon tea or dinner when things settle down, her favourite perfume, a fluffy blanket. If you and your brother are away, does she have close friends and family? Could
You organise something with them so she’s not on her own when her dog goes? It sounds to me like she will be very sad and maybe a stream of little pick me ups are better than one ‘wow’. The biggest wow she could have is some of your and your brothers time, even if you have to do something virtually? Could you get some sort of meal pack delivered to all of you to eat/make together?

@lughnasadh honestly all I wanted this year was a vacuum and she made my wish come true.
Aside from that I would love a massive box of hotel chocolat and a bottle of fancy champers to enjoy on Christmas Eve with dh, but my dm can't have any of that due to diabetes. I've looked at diabetic hampers but they all look like health food diet boxes. I also thought about putting one together myself but the shipping costs are a nightmare. Much easier to order from a shop in the UK and have it delivered.

The loccitane advent calendar is stunning and definitely gives indulgence vibes. Bought too for gifts and they will go down well.

Your mum sounds great!
I recently bought a dedicated a piece of music for my parents’ Golden Wedding Anniversary.
You choose a piece from the selection, choose your title and they send you a copy of the piece of music (framed if you like) and it’s put on streaming services like Spotify (with your chosen title). From the website www.musicaldedication.co.uk
They were really chuffed and it seems like quite a unique gift I think. They love listening to ‘their’ piece and having a new piece of art.