Gift ideas for people who like practical gifts?

[zestysparkles]

Afternoon Christmas fans,

My lovely mum always asks for practical gifts, mostly tools/things for the garden/various outdoor projects. I always buy these and she is always happy with them. However, it does take the element of surprise out, I like to get her at least on gift she hasn't asked for specifically (as well as some edible goodies). I am the total opposite so it's a bit hard to get into the practical mindset, if you are a similarly 'doing' person, what would you be thrilled to receive but might not ask for? Thank you.

Follow her around (just in your head is probably best😁) as she goes through day to day tasks and think which ones seem hard/boring/etc. Then think if there's something you could buy to improve that.

Does she have an outdoor clock? Although she wouldn't be able to hang it out until spring, we've found ours really useful.

Away from gardening, some of my favourite practical gifts have been an electric food steamer and a slow cooker.

I've also got an electric clothes steamer which I absolutely love. Brilliant for clothes that are difficult to iron. Just steam them on the hanger and the creases fall out.

Thank you everyone, I'm now sorted with some fab ideas for other occasions!

I am slightly obsessed with the Buy It Once website - full of really good, made-to-last items like Blunt umbrellas and sturdy British made socks etc.

One of these, they’re great for gardening: www.burgonandball.com/collections/forks-hoes-cultivators/products/razor-hoe-right-handed

My grandfather is like that and he's also into gardening and knows way more about it and all the possible tools than I do, so I don't even try to get him actual items and go with a gift card of a store he gets the equipment from.
He also enjoys doing timelapses of flowers, and last year I got him a video editing program for that. If your mum does that too, you can look into video editors for windows 10 or windows 11.
Gardening gloves are always useful, you can think of getting her a new pair just in case.

Imagine her reaction when she pulls out a custom pick with her name or a special message engraved on it. It's that unexpected, thoughtful touch that could really make her day.

My dad's a lot like your mum – he's all about practical gifts, which can sometimes make it a challenge to add that surprise element. Here's a thought: have you ever considered something like custom guitar picks? Hear me out – even if your mum isn't a musician, they can be surprisingly practical. My dad, for instance, has this old acoustic guitar that he loves to strum on when he's taking a breather from his endless list of projects. Getting him some personalized picks not only adds a personal touch, but it's also something he wouldn't necessarily think to ask for himself. They're small enough to slip into a stocking or wrap up alongside those edible goodies you mentioned. It's all about mixing practicality with a bit of unexpected fun, right?