£20 present needed ASAP for female

[jocktamsonsbairn]

DM has just landed me with a request! She forgot she's seeing her friend (pretend aunt) and her daughter on Thursday and has a present for my aunt. However she forgot about needing a present for her daughter who is lovely abd who has helped both her mum cans mine out during covid. She's 56, likes reading, eating and drinking but quite fussy apparently. Quite well off and likes quality over tat. Not into make up, scarves etc. No idea of her likes/dislikes other than this (and that she likes going on lovely villa holidays and city breaks) as I've not seen her since we were kids!
So oh wise shoppers of Mumsnet, any ideas?!! DM can't use internet and can't get to shops till Thursday!

Budget £15 - £20. TIA

I think the posh bookmark idea is a good one - has a nod to her interests, is useful, doesn’t matter if it’s a duplicate of something she already owns and it doesn’t matter too much if it’s not perfectly to her taste.

Something like a wash bag - she’ll already own one, so you have to hope you buy one that’s nicer than the one she currently owns otherwise it’s not very useful.

I disagree with a PP that a bookworm would rather have a book than a bookmark. I love books but I always needs bookmarks so I'd be happy with a nice bookmark. They're relatively inoffensive too whereas books can be duplicates or ones that you dislike.

A book.

Any book.

Or flowers.

No candles

No hand cream.

No scarves or gloves.

£20 on these things will not be luxurious. And you don’t know her.

I have drawers full of bloody hand cream, that I hate but feel to guilt to throw out. And bloody candles. I turned forty and everyone buys me this stuff. Why?

I would get her a bottle of champagne. The bookmarks are subjective (the ones earlier in the thread would be very far from my taste). Or something well reviewed from Waterstones with a gift receipt as PP said.

Cookbook or candle. I’m fussy and I like these things

Haha just seen the no candles comment.

the most recent addition to the Persephone books list and a box of rose / violet creams from charbonnel & walker

A book!! The recent winner or finalist of the Booker Prize is a great idea.

Not a bookmark, toiletries, and not flowers for a Christmas present!

A book, with a gift receipt. It's thoughtful for the book, but also to give a gift receipt, as means if she really doesn't like it she can swap it for another.

I hate wasting money. Probably sounds ungrateful, but I hate getting toiletries for gifts. I think it's a really rubbish gift. Same with tea and candles.

OP, is your mother visiting her friend and daughter at the friend’s house, or meeting them elsewhere?

And what is she giving her friend?

You can get a decent bottle of wine for £20. If she does not like it she can re-gift it, or donate to raffle.

She likes drinking- get a decent bottle of wine!

@LittleGwyneth

I would get her a bottle of champagne. The bookmarks are subjective (the ones earlier in the thread would be very far from my taste). Or something well reviewed from Waterstones with a gift receipt as PP said.

It’s hard to get a good bottle of champagne for £20. If she has expensive taste it’s probably better to go with a book.

@EdmontinaDancesWithOphelia

I have someone who fits this description too, thanks for the ideas!

Book voucher if you don’t know what she likes to read. Or flowers or a bottle of wine/gin or whatever she drinks. Safe presents.

I like toiletries as a gift- as long as it's a brand I like- L'occitane, Elemis, Neal's yard, Burt's Bees etc.

A bottle of Chateau nerf du pape 👍🏼

Silk pillow case. They are great for your hair and skin.
Quite luxurious.
I've seen them on offer this last month for around £15.
Or you could order online for your mum and be paid back.
E.g. Amazon

www.waterstones.com/book/the-dangers-of-smoking-in-bed/mariana-enriquez/megan-mcdowell/9781783786718

This.

I love the 'Kitchen Cabinet' series on R4, and this is new out:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1785947168/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1p13NParams&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMzg4OUM0WlJISVZUJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzEwMDE4MUZWNkRETEFDRzc4OCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzUwMTYyMjJISzFCRUpEWEhPQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

If someone was spending £20 on me I’d love some goats wool socks.

I agree with lots of other posters - book lovers love books, and they often like trying new books. So, a recent literary prize winner / runner up, and a gift receipt.

But I’d hate a book as I have a kindle and find it much easier to read that than an actual book.

The Nigel Slater book is gorgeous. As is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Handcream or Clarins hand and nail treatment cream. Both are more than ‘just’ hand cream.

A boom isn't offensive though, it could usually be re-gifted. And if you include a gift receipt, book shops also tend to sell a few nice things other than books.

I wish someone would buy me a book 😄.