Present for my mum

[VienneseWhirligig]

I am really struggling to think of something for my mum. She's 68, very active, retired. She likes travelling, the theatre, sewing, reading. Usually I would get her tickets to an event or a show (last year i got her tickets for Queen) but with Covid we have agreed as a family not to do experience type gifts this year.

So far I have got her a bottle of gin made to her personal recipe from the Ginstitute, subscription to a magazine that I pay for every year, pyjamas and a bias binding making kit. She's diabetic so I can't buy her chocolates, sweets, jams etc. The pyjamas and bias binding kit will probably be given to her by DS rather than me. We tend to spend a fair amount at Christmas as we have a tiny family and are all very generous!

My sister has bought her a large hamper of nice bubble bath, shampoo, face and hand cream, and that sort of thing. She already has a kindle, ipad, and covers for both. She's really hard to buy for!

Looking for ideas for up to around the £75 mark to finish off her gifts. Any ideas?

Does she have a Kindle? If not, that. If she does, then lots of books for it? (I have a very similar sounding mum).

I bought my mum an Alexa show last year, she absolutely loves it !

Your lucky Mum! I have DDs probably your age and I'd be delighted with any of those presents! especially the gin

One DD got me this and I loved it...

www.jeffreysdrinks.com/

They are tonic syrups that you put with fizzy water, all sorts of flavours, lovely to go with the gin.

What about a cashmere scarf. There is nothing like cashmere!

Sorry to explain... the tonic syrups are mixed with fizzy water and that then means they are the equivalent of a flavoured tonic water, to add to gin.

Dunelm cuddle cushion for sitting up in bed to read?

I have adult kids, they are getting me a magazine subscription and the latest Mary Berry book.

I’ve bought my DM a terrarium kit for her to put together herself and some plants to go in it. And some nice hand cream that she likes. Last year I got her some Turtle Doves cashmere wrist warmer which she loves. How about a new purse or bag?

Thanks, these are all excellent ideas! I looked at the Turtle Dove wrist warmers and then forgot to check back to see if they had the colour I liked in stock - thank you for the reminder, that's a good gift. The tonic syrups sound good too, will need to check if they are too sugary though because of her diabetes.

My whole family have kindles linked to my Amazon account so we share books - I think her favourite author has a new one out this month though which could be a good gift.

What is an Alexa Show? She already has an Alexa spot thing, is it something different?

I know it sounds like a lot, but as I say there aren't many of us, I only have one adult DS and my sister is childfree, so we are a tiny family of 7 since DH died.

How about something to do with sewing if she enjoys it? Maybe some accessories to make it easier, like a magnifying glass or a new sewing box or station for her to base herself at?

She's got a lot of stuff she's collected over the last 60 years for her sewing, but I could raid her sewing room to see if she has any obvious gaps or things that are running out. I know she hasn't got a bias binding kit because she was talking about it last week when making a present for my sister's girlfriend, so that was an easy win.

I’ve just bought my mum a pair of silk pillowcases which I am very pleased with! It seems a great everyday luxury and would go well with the pjs You can get them from patra for about £80 a pair or from dunelm for £25 each which is an excellent price (I’m on a budget so I went for the dunelm ones, but I have previously been gifted the patra ones which are lovely)

Ooooh liking the sound of those myself... making a note to pass this on to my DDs!

Has your DMum got a decent coffee maker, a simple one? I couldn't do without mine, love my coffee

Has she got a light up magnifying glass on a stand thingy for her crafting? I love mine. It was a Christmas present.

Silk pillowcases sound fab - I would probably go down the Dunelm route too.

She has a coffee machine that she uses several times a day, I don't think she's had it very long so isn't due an upgrade yet.

Crafting light - she does dressmaking and not embroidery, I'm not sure whether it would be of much use to her? She can't really do hand sewing because she has arthritis in her thumbs.

Audible subscription?

Monthly flower subscription from somewhere like Bloom and Wild?

Just to say the Dunelm ones are Dorma branded and come really nicely presented in a white box, so they wrap up well as a present!