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Christmas

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Original poster

If you are a woman between 50-60 please give me feedback on these gifts!

727 replies

GotMooMilk · 13/12/2023 15:15

MIL is the HARDEST person ever to buy for. She doesn't really have any hobbies, doesn't like food presents (have given her a hamper of home made food and drink last year and no one has looked less impressed at anything...!) and has an incredibly minimalist house so doesn't like home gifts. She doesn't like going places she hasn't been so a restaurant/theatre voucher wouldn't be used.
Every Christmas or birthday she kills me! Anyway I have got her:

  • Fluffy slippers
  • Gel eye mask that can be kept in fridge or warmed
  • Small box of chocolates
  • Make up bag
Does this sound ok?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Yogagrandmum · 13/12/2023 21:46

I like Secret Santa ..I’d hate all those presents

Ramalangadingdong · 13/12/2023 21:50

Amber Heard
Helena Bonham Carter
Naomi Campbell
Me

BitOutOfPractice · 13/12/2023 21:53

@Okaygoahead the op says she’s asked repeatedly. No response.

newembarrasseduser · 13/12/2023 21:55

Lovely bouquet and a nice bottle of red.

Calliopespa · 13/12/2023 22:00

BitOutOfPractice · 13/12/2023 21:53

@Okaygoahead the op says she’s asked repeatedly. No response.

Agree. Some people would rather not hash the topic out but just quietly go the thanks for the gift route. Also all these people with garages full of unwanted stuff: you must be getting far more gifts than I do! I’d only have a moderate carton or two and once I took out the ones I liked it really wouldn’t fill a garage/ house. Any excess junk we have is predominantly things that were useful and still gave value so we are reluctant to bin them. But I haven’t got a mountain of reject presents.

JaninaDuszejko · 13/12/2023 22:46

I think the trouble is that many people in their 50s can afford to buy themselves anything they want in the OP's price range without particularly thinking about it. Anything we do really want but haven't bought ourselves are probably too expensive for a gift from a DS and DIL, e.g. there's a painting by a local artist that I love that's about £2K. So when asked what I want I can't say 'well, there's a two grand painting I want' because that's not useful but instead I have to think about a) the givers budget and also b) the likelihood that the giver would think what I want is a gift they want to buy so e.g. although I read a lot of literature in translation and have lots of options on my Amazon wishlist I never get bought any of them by my family (except DH), instead they buy the books on my list by the authors they like and are familiar with. My DM refused to buy me a cashmere jumper once after asking what I want but will happily spend the same amount of money on a kitchen gadget for me (she's a trained cook so it's something she see value in) or on theatre tickets to take me to a show (she loves going to the theatre).

PuzzledObserver · 13/12/2023 22:50

I’m in that age bracket and the only one of the things you mention I would enjoy would be the chocolates.

Thing is, we’re all different. You can’t assume that all women in the same age bracket will like the same things.

Namenumber3 · 13/12/2023 22:59

She sounds dull. Luckily dull people like posh/ high value versions of boring stuff(I have lots of dull friends including DH). So they would like slippers as long as they were the “ nicest” versions. No thought required

Quirky people like odd stuff but aren’t worried about what it cost. So they’d love slippers but only because the were unusual in some way . These are the group that needs thought but aren’t necessarily expensive.

Which one is she?

QOD · 14/12/2023 02:45

In that age range 😭 and sis and I have asked for a shower radio, my mascara (£20 ish normally) a mug usb heater thing, a heated blanket, a brimmed waterproof rain hat and we both love an expensive bubble bath
I have echo dots in every room as I hate silence.
does she sit in the garden much?
i love those water resistant garden chairs you can leave out all summer.
usuallu around £25/30 this time of year (in store is poss cheaper or look around Amazon more)

If you are a woman between 50-60 please give me feedback on these gifts!
Redcar78 · 14/12/2023 06:28

How about a visa gift card and a plant then she can spend it on what she wants and you've not quite given cash 🤣😆

Frasers · 14/12/2023 06:34

As it’s a low budget, I’d buy her a lovely pair of cashmere socks, I’d go for quality rather than a few low end things.

Toptotoe · 14/12/2023 06:40

Im 55 and have enjoyed getting a photo book with pictures of the family in it What about a personalised calendar with family photos that include her? I also like the idea of some cashmere gloves.

Tigertigertigertiger · 14/12/2023 06:41

I feel your pain and your post perfectly illustrates the totally pointless nature of gift giving in some circumstances.
Suggest you stop with the gift exchange from now on

Tigertigertigertiger · 14/12/2023 06:42

@redboxer321

You said if much better than me !

"Why buy anything? People struggling to buy presents for people who don't want anything needs knocking on the head as far as I'm concerned."

Tigertigertigertiger · 14/12/2023 06:47

I'm in her age bracket and would show huge appreciation for those gifts but inside I'd feel bad that you'd wasted money on pointless stuff.
If I was your mil I'd kindly say please don't get me anything.

One thing I do love is a handmade card Smile

WillowTit · 14/12/2023 06:52

i would like socks and a plant, hand cream but what you have bought sounds good op

WillowTit · 14/12/2023 06:52

Toptotoe · 14/12/2023 06:40

Im 55 and have enjoyed getting a photo book with pictures of the family in it What about a personalised calendar with family photos that include her? I also like the idea of some cashmere gloves.

oh yes, love a photo, that is already framed and a calendar would be ideal

Calc123 · 14/12/2023 07:01

Neals Yard do a nice handcream trio gift set for about £12. My mum loves it she has them by the sink for her hands after washing up.

And then you could get something else for £13, there are some silk pillowcases online for around that much.

Or Neals Yard do bigger Gift sets if you wanted to spend £25 for 1 nice thing.

ohdamnitjanet · 14/12/2023 07:01

I know she’s an awkward bag but I’d hate all of those. That’s the stuff my sisters give me because they can’t be arsed to think, although I know this isn’t true for you. A voucher, Boots, Gardening Centre, Waitrose maybe? Let her get on with buying her own treats.

Sophierx89 · 14/12/2023 07:05

I know it's incredibly boring but how about a gift card? Maybe one of them One4All cards that can be spent in multiple shops along with some nice chocolates. At least that way she can buy what she wants without moaning!

LemonJeIIy · 14/12/2023 07:08

All good .
How about pyjamas? Lounge suit? Hamper of food and goodies

redboxer321 · 14/12/2023 07:10

@Tigertigertigertiger I can only agree with what you said too!
It's one of the reasons I hate this time of year. So much pressure to buy stuff. So many people tying themselves up in knots trying to think of something to buy. So much disappointment when someone opens yet another unwanted present.
So much landfill, so much debt and yet people utterly refuse to stop.

To be honest, the OP's mil isn't even hard to buy for. She likes red wine, the OP has a budget of £25. Job done!

I'd be very happy to have such an easy solution myself. A couple of years ago I said I wasn't going to buy birthday and Christmas presents for anyone and said that I didn't want anything back but it didn't go down well and caused Mother to sulk. I am spending it with them this year so I asked her what she might like. Got the usual response of I don't know followed by: "The trouble is that you can't buy me what I want. I want a relationship with my husband, shared interests, holidays..."
She has spent the last 50 years arguing with and on fairly frequent occasions shouting and screaming at said husband (admittedly one of the most furiously frustrating men on the planet).
So I've doubled down and I've set it in stone now that I will not buy any presents for anyone apart from the dog.
She's got something that we can play with. She'll love it, it will make her happy, it will make me happy, it will bring real joy and it will be used for years to come yet. That's what presents should be about but, it they are not, the don't bother is my advice.

Dogwithagammyleg · 14/12/2023 07:15

55 and all would be off to the charity shop, Certainly not the gifts for the minimalist!

I would of course that-you profusely

I have multiple make -up bags. You only need 1
Gel mask- why?
Fluffy slippers are of 6 year olds

Small box of chocolates. Yes if Audrey's or similar.
I would rather have just 6 decent chocolates than a list of things I dont use

Generally 1 gift is best and go for quality. Quantity generally means tat

I say no gifts- much prefer that. I have enough money to buy what I need and would rather the gift giver kept their cash.

Dogwithagammyleg · 14/12/2023 07:17

Maray1967 · 13/12/2023 17:27

I’m easy to buy for but if I was your MiL and watched a lot of TV why not get her DVDs? I love having the actual hard copies! Are there any films she’s not seen that she’d like that are out on DVD? One of those plus nice chocs - great.

Has anyone owned a DVD player in the last 10 years?

OriginalFloorboards · 14/12/2023 07:21

@SirVixofVixHall I love what you’ve suggested. I’m in the right age bracket and I’d appreciate what you suggested.