Online stores with mystery / surprise gift options?

[Makingmyownmemories]

For various reasons I will be alone with DC this year. While gifts in the past were usually of the token variety, this year I will be completely alone with Dc and not giving or receiving any gifts from family. All gift exchanges with friends tend to be for our kids only.

I know there will be lots of people along shortly to say christmas presents are for kids etc but I disagree. I work hard all year to support my DCs and run a home alone and I deserve a few treats and surprises too, even if I have to buy them for myself 😊

I am looking for tips on nice online stores where I can buy a mystery item or random thing, order it gift wrapped, and enjoy it as a surprise gift to myself on Christmas day please!

I am pretty sure there are Etsy sellers who do gifts like this. Type Surprise yourself into their search and see if anything suitable

Also Mystery gift box might work for you but never used them so read trustpilot reviews first

thanks for the tip, I will take a look

I dont know but I did a £20 mistery box last year, it was a mild laugh but nothing really worth while, if I remember correctly there was an battery power toothbrush, novelty watch, face mask, nice-ish charging cable and cheap headphones.

the novelty watch give us a little laugh but it was all useless really.

I love the idea of them (loved lucky dips as a kid) but unfortunately they usually arent good according to reviews.

I am considering trying one of those candles that has jewellery hidden in them though.

What about one of the book places that do subscriptions? They're used to taking some info and matching it with books so they might do you a book gift. I know you'd know it was a/some books, but still... Mr B's Reading Emporium is one I know of but there are many.

If you like reading, I'd highly recommend a Willoughby Book Club subscription. You have to tell them a bit about what you already read and enjoy, then someone in the bookshop will choose books in a similar vein and send one a month, wrapped nicely. They are very good at it.

A beauty advent calendar could be good though expensive

Defo, everyone needs a treat in life not just the kids!

If it was me I would buy something I have been really wanting and know about to be sure it's not a waste. However, I would defo have a bag on Xmas morning with nice new PJ's, maybe perfume, chocolate etc just the nice things.

YY to Beauty Advent , they vary in price so you can spend silly money or go for something like the Holland&Barrett or M&S (though M&S you need an initial spend to qualify)

Mystery listings aren't allowed on Etsy, just so you know. I would proceed with caution with anything like that. A nice advent calendar would be a brilliant idea. Beauty ones will probably give you the greatest selection, but I'm sure there are others.

When Dd was too young to buy me a gift herself, I'd treat myself to little things I liked during the year and put it in a bag, a new book, some Yarn to crochet with, maybe clothes I'd picked up in January sales like thick socks, Christmas's PJs etc. By the time christmas had come I'd forgotten what I'd got myself anyway and would pop it in her room 'from the elf' with instructions to put it in the gift bag or wrap it with paper scissors and tape when she was older. She loved this as she liked to give gifts and genuinely believed the Elf had bought them for me.

So my advice is, treat yourself to what you want, you can even wrap it yourself and by Christmas you'll have probably have completely forgotten what it wasand you'll get exactly what you want.

Thank you all, I will definitely look into the book subscriptions as it’s a gift that keeps giving

I’ve always fancied treating myself to something from Imperial Candles. They all come with a surprise piece of jewellery which becomes available once the candle has been burned down a bit.

@Makingmyownmemories you might want to check for referral discounts for book subscriptions: I've put my Willoughby one on the referral thread (I think it's 10%) but there are probably others out there too.

@Makingmyownmemories have sent you a PM x

Another nice gift is a flowers subscription from somewhere like bloom and wild--you'll get flowers through the year (or for a few months, whatever you choose) and it's so lovely as you do forget they're coming! If you can't afford a subscription you could order some to be delivered close to Christmas Day instead!