What do rich elderly people want for Christmas?

[Brinn]

They don't drink, they don't want things, hate fancy food, can't go out anywhere. Also, they have all the best house items, and we couldn't afford the kind of stuff they're used to. Even if there was anything they wanted. What can I get them? Please help!

6 month subscription to BritBox?

My 86 yo Mum wants a warm nightie and slippers

Photo calendar of you and your kids? Consumables such as posh jams and chutneys with cheeses, biscuits and port. Naice soaps, handwashes. Jar of local honey. Kindle to read books in large print?

Bulbs in a nice pot? I would always be happy with that. Or flowers.

A plant for the garden or a houseplant. Bunch of flowers. Definite theme here 😆

Gorgeous cosy blankets for the sofa

I’d go for good quality flowers I think.

Hamper of the things they do like to eat.

Ooh such great ideas. Thank you, lovely Mumsnet people!

I always got a present bag and filled it with things I knew my mil liked such as Thornton’s chocolate gingers, Sainsbury’s butter mints, some specific biscuits she loved etc etc. Always went down well especially in her later years in a nursing home where she had no space for anything else.

Subscription to their favourite magazines.
Something from Kew Gardens gift shop.

I've done a photo calendar of myself dog and 3 adult sons for my ex Mil and husband the past few years She's always delighted

My grandma usually asks us to do a donation on her behalf to one of her favourite charities.

A plant for the garden.

Cornish hamper containing cream tea?

Likewise theorange my DPs really liked the idea of 'paying' for a Christmas dinner for someone at Crisis.
The best thing is to ask your family/friends - my DPs are adamant they don't want any more 'clutter' in their lives - they are OK with some food/wine gifts but they have to exactly right or they just give it straight to the Food Bank collection in their local supermarket- pre Covid they would much prefer going out for a shared meal or cinema/theatre trio which they would then insist on paying for.

Fortnum & Mason exists for this precise demographic.

Arena flower subscription - everything is compostable

Oooh yes a F&M hamper

Very likely nothing, and certainly not any ‘stuff’ to find room for, or that’s going to need dusting.

How about some daffodils or scented narcissi by post - if it’s not too late. Or just some flowers/a seasonal arrangement that’s already done, no need to find a vase and faff around trimming stalks and arranging it yourself.

Outed .... you should see the quantity of 'Christmas Hamper' food that gets donated to our Food Bank after Christmas...... .

I never forget when we cleared out my grandmother's house after she died - years and years of unused Christmas and birthday gifts all carefully put away but never touched (including food gifts ....

New Berry Fruits

Immortality.

Or, failing that, your time maybe?

Stuff is just stuff at any age. But in the later years, every hour is an hour of your life you won't get back. Time (yours) is a truly precious gift.

We are old, and the presents we have loved the most are ready-framed photos of, for example, a grandchild photographed with one of us (can be one from several years ago), a pet, one of you (the giver) when you were young. The best ones are photos from ‘the old days’ that we either had forgotten about or had never seen before.

My dd asked what I wanted. A photo of dgc and a bunch of flowers.