Unexpected hit presents

[NaughtipussMaximus]

What random presents have you given or received this yeah that have gone down really well? I got DH a beanie hat with an LED torch on the front for going into the loft as we don’t have a light up there, and he can never find his torch (and when he does it’s out of charge, and he ends up using the torch on his phone). It was super cheap and a bit of a last minute random thing, but he loves it! It’s really bright, and we’ve already both used it loads for going out into the garden to get things from the garage fridge. I especially love it as I used to hate going into the garage when it was dark and groping around for the light switch....

Anyone else got something similar?

Great ideas for this year.
I've just ordered dd a mushroom growing kit.

They were mentioned further up the thread but the big hit for us last year were Kinetic Flow Rings. I bought them as stocking fillers for my daughter's step children and they loved them - much more than the animatronic koala and train table!

Yes, this a brilliant thread, thanks to whoever dug it up!

Biggest hit with DS11 last year was a cheese-making kit from The Big Cheese making company. They do various flavours but we got halloumi and feta, and he was over the moon, has used it loads. You need to be able to get goats' milk though which is kind of a hassle. Still, the cheese is delicious and I've eaten loads of it

When they were tiny, a wooden postbox with wooden 'letters' to post through the slot. (early learning centre I think) Kept DS busy for a full hour at a time, at age 1 or 2. Also the Melissa & Doug lockboard.

Yes OP same here . Got husband beanie hat with LED torch last year and he is still very attached to it ! He uses it for his sailing boat , running,Attis etc !

A metal detector for DD when she was 9 ish. It wasn't an expensive one but it kept her and numerous other kids entertained for HOURS.

this is a lovely helpful thread.

I have ordered 5 Christmas presents from it!

[quote TeddyBeans]@NaughtipussMaximus he's palm sized! Called Tortellini (torte-mimi according to my 2yo) ❤️[/quote]
Will he grow much bigger?

I was really stuck for ideas last year and didn’t want to spend a lot of money because I am spending most of this year on maternity leave.
I saw a set of Pringles socks in primark and got them for my dad because he loves Pringles. He loved them and sent me pictures of him wearing them for a week after Christmas.
I got my mum a jigsaw puzzle from the works and she really enjoyed it as well.

My MIL is a bit rubbish at buying gifts normally, but one year she got me a Dobby cup and matching socks. I still use them now years later.
Hoping to get a reusable/travel cup this year.

I found this thread while googling Christmas gift ideas and was JUST about to resurrect it on Mumsnet but I’ve been beaten to it!!
So far for this year I am going to copy:
The beanie hat with light for DH
The long cuddly hot water bottles for the DC
The Japanese snacks for a friend
Great thread!

"A cardboard box that had some expensive crap in before I got my paws on it!" said every cat ever! 😆

My mum works night shifts 9pm - 7 am I bought her some attachments for her shoes like little silicon crampon things so she doesn't slip on the ice in the winter as she walks. I also bought her a torch hat so she could see but pretty sure my dad pinched it to use in the loft.

Night camera for our curious youngest to watch the wildlife in the back yard or local common.

A multi directional camera stand for eldest photo and tick time with back lighting

A mug that reveals photos of the grandies to the grandparents every cuppa they have.

Last year we treated our elderly neighbour a heated blanket - he uses it daily and tells us everyday in winter it’s the best present he has ever received. Going to treat myself to one this year.

@TrickyD

Mushroom growing kits for vegan DIL. I keep receiving photos of their remarkably successful development.

Oooooohhhh I like that!

Good honey is always an extravagance and gift I’d love

So happy to have found this thread
I've ordered things that I haven't thought about and hopefully will be hit.
So far I've got
Beanie hat with lights
Funny map
Champs boxing reflex ball
Was also looking at fake oodies from Amazon but I'm concerned about some reviews

Personalised chilly water bottles
Flossie Albrights Diary- WWII book for kids around yr3-6 age
Quick dry brightly coloured beach towels
Dry bag rucksacks
Personalised jewellery boxes

Melissa and doug show horses. Basically 8 plastic horses in a wooden stable. They're about the same size as playmobil horses.
My now 4 year old got them about 2 years ago and plays with them all the time and now her little sister joins in too. They're also great for taking on holiday or to people house's because the stable acts as a carry case and there are 8 slots for the 8 horses so easy to see if one is missing.

@Soubriquet

Bloody freddo selection box with the freddo teddy

He got lots of presents he loved but the teddy he adored and kept hugging it. He’s 5!!

Sounds like my DS. He's 10 now and still attached to the little monkey that came with a chocolate buttons Easter egg when he was about 2 or 3.

Nothing quite matched the police handcuffs bought for my five year old son by his great grandmother one year.

Last year I got my dad a handcream in a funny tube with the image of the cartoonish cat among other things and he loved it so much he asked me several times where I got it and rushed there to get all the other versions of that cream (each comes in a tube with a different cat and my dad got the whole collection of them) .
My niece was obsessed with an idea of trying on some makeup but her mother wouldn let her touch real makeup stuff and I got her Photodiva (that's a free photo editor with makeup effects). She was playing with adding various makeup to her photos for several days before finally deciding she doesn't need one at all . My sister was so pleased lmao.

dd was 13 last year and really trying to get into goth stuff.
I bought her several ear cuffs in different weird shapes, and she loved them, wears them all the time, has now lost several, so Ive bought some more to repleace for this year.

Hits with dd (then 3, now almost 4) from last year that she still plays with today:

A fluffy blanket from my dm - is used for everything from napping on the sofa to building dens

A scooter from my dm - used every day to get to nursery and back

A box of starter Lego that cost me nothing as it was bought with supermarket points

The salad spinner I bought my 5 yr old son. It never saw a vegetable but it was used for just about every other imaginative game you can think of!

@IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere

Ooh what games?? I have a salad spinner we never use and a usually bored toddler!

When DD was 5, my brother was skint and asked what to get her that was cheap. In all seriousness I told him to get her some BabyBel. She loved them. Carried the empty bag around with the empty red things in for MONTHS.

She’s now 11 and still wangs on about how it was the BEST Christmas present ever