Practical, cost conscious lady. Ideas please!

[Overreactionpossibly]

I am looking for any good ideas for my auntie. She is absolutely wonderful and treats us all so well but is also so difficult to buy for.
She is early 60s, very practical and quite frugal (this doesn't seem like quite the right word but I can't think of a better one.)
She has enough money to buy the things that she would like but also doesn't buy things for the sake of having them.
Lots of her things are from charity shops, not because she is tight but because she prefers not to overpay but still have decent quality. In the same way she would be upset at the thought of someone over paying for a gift for her so higher end labels are a bit lost on her.

In the past a heated throw, hats/scarves/gloves, PJ's, books and DVDs have been appreciated but it's getting to the point that that's ALL I EVER buy her.
She gardens, but has everything that she needs for that.

Food would not go down well. She is quite a basic cook so no gadgets.

She doesn't have or want WiFi so an Alexa etc is out.
She has loads of jewellery and doesn't really do smellies.

To make it trickier we have agreed to a £20 per person limit.
I would love to get her something that she really likes that it also useful. (the heated throw fell into this category and she loved it)

Any ideas would be wonderful. I am really struggling for her and don't want to buy something crap for the sake of it.

Thank you

God, that's long. Sorry

Following - as you've pretty much described my MIL (although a lot older) and I'm at a total loss!

A USB rechargeable handwarmer.

I only learned of this miraculous device a few weeks ago on MN. Now I’m considering giving them to everyone. Google will guide you to the better brands - and most seem to be available for around £20 (at least after discount).

What about an electric blanket for her bed?

It's so difficult, isn't it?

I think the rechargeable hand warmer is a good shout, she may not know these are available. Or how about some stationery, some notecards/ cards, writing paper, nice wrapping paper? Things that she will actually use up. A new radio - even without wifi she may be able to get more stations on a new one, if she hasn’t upgraded for a while? Does she drive - a nice set of useful things for her car went down well once with a similar aunt of mine (a torch, first aid kit, blanket, tissues, car rubbish bin etc if she doesn't have them).

She has an electric blanket and all of the car kit.

I'm not sure on the hand warmers. She's quite a busy person, always has to be doing something, so I can't see her sitting still long enough to hold them.

I don't think I've ever seen her listen to the radio apart from in the car.

Thank you for all of the ideas, please keep them coming.

Our aunty doesn't have wifi so can't shop online and doesn't make it to the library, so she tells us what books she wants to read and we get her those for her gifts.

She tends to buy most from the charity shops, as do I to be honest.

Sorry, I'm not being a negative nelly, she is really lovely but really tricky.

What kind of gardening does she do? If she's a vegetable growing permaculture no dig lady then any kind of compost (can never have enough)

If she's experimental then new plants or seeds (can never have enough)

If very neat and ornamental then a beautiful container or birdbath or windmill. Probably couldn't get a water feature on budget but otherwise that would be lovely. Solar lights?

If she likes animals then bird box, bug hotel, hedgehog house.

Would she find a use for a headtorch or freestanding lantern? You can also get beanie hats with a lamp which are brilliant for late night trips to the greenhouse....

I am tricky to buy for too.
Last Christmas i was gifted Jo malone promegrate noir hand and body wash. Its very luxurious smells throughout the house. Cost about what your orice point is. I have since bought it myself.

Magazine subscription... thinking something like gardeners world. Possibly slightly over budget but may be offers around. My MIL loved this one year.

Bird feeder that sticks on the window (with a supply of seed/bird ID book)
Really nice chocolates
Wrist warmers
Warm socks
Bit random but a couple of nice tea towels eg Ulster weavers. Possibly a sign I'm getting on a bit but I have some that are lovely to use but it felt frivolous to replace the old ones which had got a bit thin
Cd of guided meditations or audiobook
Book of local walks

Oven gloves
A newly published book (which won't be in the charity shops yet)
Calendar
Umbrella
Pen
Jigsaw puzzle
Amaryllis or hyacinth to grow indoors
Photo frame
Walking socks
Nice quality tea, coffee or hot chocolate

Bird feeder or squirrel feeder with seeds/nuts
Sundial
Seeds/Bulbs
Outdoor Shrub in pot

Electric boot warmers (for drying walking boots or warming up any boots in the winter).
Thermal tops from Uniqlo
StoJo folding coffee cup
Magazine subscription - more than your budget, maybe you could do it on Tesco points.

How about tickets to something? Theatre or live-theatre at the cinema? Voucher for a restaurant or local deli? She doesn’t sound materialistic so more stuff may not be appreciated.

Or some lovely food - really nice olive oil and balsamic vinegar… posh cheeses?

Just saw your food note, so maybe not that.

What about a craft workshop to do together?

She sounds really lovely.
for 20 pound I would probably go for a nice Emma Bridgewater mug (personalised)

or an oodie (fake version)

pretty wellies

houseplant

She gardens, but has everything that she needs for that.

There is always something for gardeners!

My similar age and type of gardener liked this book and I see there’s another new one out by the same author too (so not in charity shops yet, as a PP says!). Add a practical thrifty gift like this eco pot maker?

And you can never really have too many gardening gloves…

A neat little Swiss army knife to go in her handbag. I use mine all the time - taking cuttings, snipping threads, removing splinters, etc. I wouldn't be without it.

...there you go, £17.95

www.swisstool.co.uk/st/classic-sd-blue-swiss-army-knife.html

I fall into the same category as your aunt😚 I've tried dropping hints (even in desperation told my sons outright what kind of things I'd like) do I get them..... No I get very expensive chocolates that I don't like when I've told them I prefer maltezers, I get electronic gadgets (that end up in a drawer🙈), perfumed toiletries that I can't use as I have sensitive/allergic skin...... I could go on, bless them they mean well!

Does she have any hobbies besides the gardening, I love to get yarn for a present as I will always use this, nice pots for the garden, solar lights that hang from trees (cute ones are only a fiver I've got a bee from sainsburys) gardening gloves as they wear out, warm socks as feet always cold, again they wear out and doesn't matter if you have multiple pairs, reusable shopping bags, pretty magnetic shopping lists for the fridge or the blocks of notepaper, small pens, large bar of Cadbury chocolate, nice shortbread from M&S, whatever drinks she likes eg nespresso coffee pods for me, tend to buy cheap ones so a more luxurious version of what she likes to drink. Practical, cheap, useable presents are what I like. Lots of little ones to the value of £20 would be really appreciated rather than one (just in case she doesn't like any of it but also because it feels like you are getting value). Hope that helps 😊

Maybe some nice unusual flower or veg seeds, along with some gardening gloves or nice ‘post garden’ hand cream?

Practical, cheap, useable

The horror …

I’m a similar age and always think I like frivolity and extravagance. In truth my most used gifts have been digital radios, a stick blender and an air fryer. Though that may be because all the single malt disappears too quickly to be counted in the records.

For £20 I’d really only want a newly published book, a single linen tea towel (I’m particular), tiny amounts of leaf tea, or a single bottle of the right type of wine. Definitely not toiletries or any personal item.

(And sadly if I took possession of a Swiss army knife the police would suddenly find a purpose, in locking me up for all eternity. Must be amazing to be able to walk about with one in England without fear.)