Surprise gifts for yourself

[Christmastreejoy]

Can anyone recommend any nice surprise/mystery gifts I could get myself so I have a couple of surprises Christmas Day? I have bought myself a couple of presents so I have things to open as my husband doesn’t do gifts (don’t get me started on this as it’s a really annoyance tbh) but I always feel a bit sad when everyone else is opening stocking etc and I’m opening mine knowing what they are before I start. I don’t do make up etc but like stationary and arty stuff. Wondering if anywhere does mystery gifts that are actually nice and not just a collection of things that haven’t sold well in the store generally?

Thanks

I have no idea if this is even a thing, but my DH is also shit at buying presents. This year has been very difficult and he has been brilliant, but I would be so happy if he could manage to get me a nice little surprise

I've bought myself a set of penhaligons samples. The set I had just ran out, so seemed timely.

I have no idea what penhaligons samples are - so clearly that would be a surprise for me

@CovidPassQuestion

I've bought myself a set of penhaligons samples. The set I had just ran out, so seemed timely.

@Christmastreejoy I can sympathise. My husband is like this as well. Generally just splashes out on the children while I make sure everyone gets nice gifts from us and Santa, including him. He'll tell me he's got no money and will then splash out a few £££ more on the kids or himself. I've taken on the duty of stuffing my own stocking and had also started to buy myself a few little gifts and then give them to my husband to give to me because he never does. At least that way I can be part of the Christmas 'fun' in the morning.

I've had my eye on one of their perfumes, but can't afford the full bottle at the moment after spending all my £ on my husband and the children. Maybe I should treat myself to this in the new year.

I did buy myself the L'Occitane advent calendar and they had a pretty generous GWP that I'll be putting under the tree for myself this year. If you like their stuff check out the offers section on their page.

Maybe there is a business opportunity here, for a small fee you gently internet stalk someone's loved one and off the back of their interests you could recommend presents for them.

We could call it cookies.

Brilliant stinktcheeseman

Penhaligons

I've had my eye on one of their perfumes, but can't afford the full bottle at the moment after spending all my £ on my husband and the children. Maybe I should treat myself to this in the new year.

@WineGetsMeThroughIt, Penhaligons have very good offers if you catch them at the right time.

I played their “Find the Sweeties” game online last week and won a £204 bottle of my favourite perfume. Yes, I had to spend over £75 to get it, but I got a slightly reduced gift box of hand lotion, hand cream and body wash for £88 for that.

When I went to collect the parcel from my local branch the assistant said the game would be running again next week, online and in store. I didn’t find it hard on a computer but it would be difficult on a phone.

If you can wait they have sometimes excellent Mystery Gift sets and other bargains. Checking my emails now I can see I got lip balm for £3 instead of £12 and hand lotion for £12 instead of £42 earlier this year.

Remember to add a couple of free perfume samples if you’re making an order.

Probably someone will post on MN when offers are running - that’s how I got started with them. I will try to remember.

Have you seen the Papergang stationery boxes? Direct from their website you have to choose your box so spoils the mystery element but I have found this surprise box from them:

https://ohhdeer.com/products/mystery-papergang-offer-single-box?gclid=CjwKCAiAhGNBhAHEiwAjOh3ZLcqoM7QLKpaF21UwHFyvipNRrZnjFRXMf-WqZBHxTTjetpBEedWfBoCUK8QAvDDBwE&gsmart10&utmcampaign=gs-2019-11-20&utmmcontent=sagorganic&utmmmedium=smartcampaign&utmmsource=google&variant=40798858313910

I've never bought them myself but been eyeing them for a while (I also love stationery) and they do look lovely.

I also like the Artful boxes but they are a bit more pricey.

Wait until menopause and anything you bought over a week ago will be a surprise in my experience

@Christmastreejoy You've got no money because you've spent it all on DC and H? Yet he gets you nothing in return? Get some self respect, that stinks.

I would get yourself a beauty advent calendar and open it all on Christmas Day. That would definitely be a surprise if you don’t look at the contents when you order it. The Feel Unique one is on sale at the moment and has lots of lovely bits in it from nice brands.

If you look up ‘Rare Birds Book Club’ then they offer a surprise selection of 3 books (you choose the genre). I’ve ordered them for a friend and they come beautifully wrapped so you can’t see what they are until the day.

Or if you like stationary then these look lovely (it looks like nice quality, adult stationary- lots of the other surprise boxes are definitely aimed at preteens!): noteandwish.com/pages/stationery-boxes although I haven’t used the company so can’t tell you how good they actually are.

Do you have a friend/family member that you could give a budget to and ask them to pick some things for you (admittedly it might be a bit late for this year). I’d absolutely love doing this for a friend so if you pick the right person then it might be an option in future.

You could get really really drunk then go on amazon. I've had a few surprises that way. Long time ago now though!

You could try awebox? You indicate what you like (broad categories like stationary, chocolate, gin etc), but don’t choose specific items and you get a mixed box based on your choices. I’ve received a few times from my OH and I’ve really liked them.

@TheVolturi

You could get really really drunk then go on amazon. I've had a few surprises that way. Long time ago now though!

I have an absolutely brilliant muffin cookbook and this is how I acquired it. Had no idea I'd ordered it till it arrived

OP, if you like arty stuff and stationery why don't you order yourself the latest [[https://scrawlrbox.uk/collections/previous-boxes Scrawlrbox], or a random one, without looking to see what's in it?

Sorry, link fail. SCRAWLRBOX

I think it's a great business idea - mystery stockings! There could be categories & budgets to select from.

I'm always saddened to read so many posts on here each year from women whose partners make NO effort at all to give them a gift at Christmas and yet sit back & allow their wives to run around sorting everything out for everyone else. And so many of them seem quite happy to receive presents themselves. How does that even work?

I can't imagine Christmas morning & dc excitedly opening stockings/ presents & wife hands presents & perhaps stocking to husband who takes it, opens it in front of dc & is not mortified to have nothing to give to his wife? That's so awful.

Fair enough if adults decide together they're not doing presents for each other but for 1 to just not bother? Not on. And such sad role modelling to the dc too

Anyway, yes, I think mystery stockings is a fab idea!

I often get myself the themysterygiftbox.com.

And OP you should 100% buy a v tokenistic present for your 'd' h & then use thar money to buy yourself something lovely that you wouldn't ordinarily buy.

Wrap it up & put it under the tree. Better still get it gift wrapped in the store!

I'd try getting in touch with any smallish businesses you like and asking them if they'd make you up a box of mystery products for £X. The worst you're likely to hear is 'sorry we can't do that'.

Etsy have mystery boxes.

Book club subscription? OK you will know kn Christmas day what it is but not for the upcoming months

@HelloCovid

Wait until menopause and anything you bought over a week ago will be a surprise in my experience

😀😀😀

Should do a MN secret santa next year!