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

[GotMooMilk]

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?

Bag of toffees with a nice note of 'stick it up ya toffee you ungrateful moo!' 😂🤣

I'm that age. Tbh I think apart from the slippers abd chics the rest would probably be chucked away

How about a nice candle
Subscription to a magazine
Bottle of nice gin etc

There are a lot of harsh answers on here - the OP's MIL is evidently perfectly content with her life, is in a position to buy herself anything she wants (but doesn't really want as she's not a fan of "stuff") and is being labelled dull when she just sounds like the vast majority of the population (where most people don't have lots of wildly exciting hobbies, and actually if they do, they already have the stuff they need pertaining to said hobby).

Buy her a nice box of chocolate, a nice bottle of wine or vouchers to a shop/restaurant/place she goes to. Or you could suggest that you don't bother with gifts. It doesn't sound like she is that bothered by them. And that equally doesn't make her a bad person!

No socks

A nice bottle of red would make up the entire value. I would do that

It honestly siunds like she would rather not have presents, some people just don't like recieving them especially when there's nothing they particularly want or need.

Otherwise in this case I'd give a nice bouquet of festive flowers, or a nice plant.

I’m 55.

Fluffy slippers, no. I have a perfectly good pair of slippers already.
Eye mask, no. I would never use this, and would charity shop it.
Chocolates, okay.
Toiletry bag, no, I have a perfectly good one already.

Generic suggestions:

A lovely candle (more Diptyque than Yankee)
A light snood/scarf thing - maybe merino or cashmere
A voucher for a facial or massage.

(I always try to jot down things I would like when I think of them, in case someone asks me. Maybe you could suggest this to her, although it’s too late for this year. My list includes one of those waterproof phone cases to use for hiking in the rain, skiing and SUP-ing, so fairly inexpensive, but also fairly specific.)

If she loves tv get her a years subscription of tv mags 😂

I’m 57 and would be massively underwhelmed. I hate slip and gel masks.

I’m 55 and would like the chocolates!

What about a magazine subscription for a year, or donate the money to a charity.
Could you book a weekend away with you all once your dh is feeling better?

Wishing your dh well and hoping you all have a healthy 2024.

I’d love a Waitrose voucher

This isn't an age issue, it's a person issue. I would ask her, gift a voucher so she can get herself something?
Does she read? If so buy book token. Does she like music? Get an MP3 player, she must like something?!
Personally I'm 55, I like anything functional, like food, bathroom stuff, clothes. But I've always been that way nothing to do with age

If she likes red wine then she might like a bottle of Port for a change ? There’s a good bottle in Lidl, it was voted better than Fortnum and Mason in a blind taste test! Or the classic one from M&S, that’s the one my dad likes.

I wouldn;'t like most of the suggestions and I don't even drink. A voucher for Amazon as everyone who uses the internet probably has something they would like from there.

Err - yes! Obviously! Every single one of my family have DVD/Blu-ray players. We all have lots of films/series and surely everyone knows that you can’t rely on streaming services.

Beanies coffee? It's instant and huge variety to choose from.

Someone who refuses to go somewhere she hasn’t already been isn’t going me ‘lively and interesting vibes’. My father is like this, but he’s autistic and 80.

I'm 60 and have plenty of slippers etc, so I wouldn't be thrilled with your gifts. Does you mil like crafts, we have a lovely craft barn that does different classes. A treat for me is Emma Hart products, a reflexology or reiki session, massage or facial at a good salon. I'd go with experiencesr rather than slippers.

If your budget is £25 and youve got 4 presents, then, not being rude, they are going to look/be cheap. Id say as many others, just get her M&S or John Lewis vouchers for £25.

It looks more generous, and they are not 'out there' shops which she might not use, but are still recognisable good quality shops. And again, as others have said - even if she didnt want a gift/clothes etc, they can be used instore and online for food

I like red wine, but cannot drink port. They are not at all the same thing.

A woman in her 50s knows what port is, and whether she likes it or not!

Even if she is a bit dull, so what. It doesn’t mean she isn’t worthy of some notice and the OP wants her to have something nice.

I agree with PP that with a £25 budget, one good thing is much better than 4 not so good things.

Does she have to write at work? £25 would buy quite a nice pen, for example. Or a Papier notebook if she’d appreciate it.

Otherwise I agree with the people saying one good bottle of wine.

I don’t think choosing presents is particularly about age. If you think about it most people like the same they have always liked. I like reading, drinking, music, going out, fashion, perfume. I would appreciate a book, maybe a bottle of Baileys, a perfume set. I have liked a theatre trip present or an afternoon tea in the past.

I would not use hand cream, I’m not into posh skincare, I don’t like candles, I probably wouldn’t like someone else’s taste in a scarf and a plant for the garden would be a waste of money. Some people love skincare and gardening!

As a red wine drinker, I would prefer 2 bottles of £12 wine to one £25 bottle. The £12 bottles I would drink over a few days, and enjoy. The £25, I would feel was a bit good, and I would probably put it away for a special occasion that would never happen.

If the person bought me Rioja, I would know they had put some thought into it, so do see what she particularly likes.

@HardcoreLadyType Good point.

Ok so I’m going to swap the slippers for some gloves (these ones https://www.marksandspencer.com/faux-sheepskin-cuffed-gloves/p/clp60622563?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share) give the eye mask to my sister instead as she will like that and get some red wine. So wine, nice gloves and chocolate? It’s over budget but I just want her to actually like something and those seem to be the top choices amongst all your very helpful suggestions! She wouldn’t ‘get’ cashmere socks and would be horrified if I spent £20 odd on one pair (I would love them tbf!)

I think those are lovely gifts and you have gone over and above in the thought process which is the most you can do!