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?

John Lewis do some lovely leather gloves in all sorts of jewel like colours for £20-25

Exactly this 💗 I hope I'm like you when my kids are grown up x

50 that sounds like a nice present, personally I would prefer perfume, fairy washing tablets and a small pretty box type thing to put the dogs stuff in.

I'm 46, so not far off. I'd like a nice pair of pyjamas or a luxury candle or a nice scarf or gloves (cashmere/wool) or a Clarins face cream....

Get her a rabbit

Sorry @GotMooMilk but a hamper of home-made food and drink is not the same as a box of expensive chocolates or a lovely wine (I’d be 🤨 too unless you are an award winning maker/baker) 😀
One really lovely bottle of wine for £25 would be an excellent present or some Fortnum and Masons jams/biscuits/ etc if she doesn’t drink alcohol.
Hope your DH is better soon

House rabbits are lovely, but you need two as they like company.

That's a lovely gift. Nice gloves, wine and chocs. My Mum wears that style of gloves (in her early 60s). Hope your MIL loves it, or is at least grateful for the thought xx

I’m 55 and would be gutted if I got gifts like these. I’d like:

Gig tickets
Stuff from Rituals
A single red Chanel lipstick
A canvas/corduroy/velvet tote bag
Books
Champagne or a bottle of Grey Goose
Champagne glasses
A fluffy or electric blanket
A satin shirt from Vinted (that’s what I’ve asked my son for this year)

I take it she wears makeup and slippers? If so, that sounds fine. I'm nearly 55, and feel like I'm reading about my gran.

I'd hate all of those apart from the chocolate. I would just get her wine and chocolates and stick to your budget. I used to make MIL a little Christmas bag with her favorite things in. She loved Sainsburys butter mintos, Bahlsen chocolate biscuits and Thorntons gingers. Everything else was accepted but never used. I found all the other stuff I had gifted her over the years in cupboards when we cleared her house out after she went in a nursing home. It was all still in the packaging!

What would you buy for a 30 year old friend?

I’m in my 50s but feel like I’m in my 20s, sadly no longer look like that. But it goes to show, your mil has probably always been a bit of an old fogie! I’d never wear those gloves, but my grandma might have, so they sound perfect. Wine a good choice. I’ve only read your replies, so apologies for any repeats, but: In future, try a candle, bath stuff.

I was going to say perfume, but maybe that’s too dangerous. Posh soap (so dull, but my grandma liked), or posh talcum powder (my grandma used). what about some sort of magazine sub (good housekeeping?).

Basically here, I’ve suggested things my own grandma liked, who died in the 1990s..

I really wouldn't want you buying me slippers, OP, and absolutely not fluffy ones. She sounds like a very dull, OCD-ish type woman — unless, of course, she has a thrilling secret life. Is she the kind of woman who spends a lot of time and money on her appearance or do you think she needs to use an eye mask? I'm not sure what I'd make of being given one of those, particularly if I don't like clutter.

I've given in over recent years and have sent gifts such as L'Occitane, Bramley, White Company or 100 Acres hand wash/hand cream or body wash/ body cream sets. I usually try and give more personal gifts but the smellies have always been appreciated. More than my more personal gifts, sadly. Smell lovely, useful, and easy to gift on if they don't want them.

@Biddie191

Though quite why @MorvernBlack suggests two … Perhaps DMIL is ambidextrous?

Bless you- trying to please someone with tricky tastes is the last thing you need when dealing with a poorly husband. If she won’t give suggestions you’re a bit stuck.

I have a similarly tricky relative and tend to buy the most high quality face cream the budget will allow. Most women of my age use moisturiser, but many can’t afford/justify spending a lot of money on something that will get used up.

You know what, I bet she is. 😆

I'm 60 and would be gutted to receive those presents. I don't think my tastes are radically different now to what they were at say, 20!! MIL used to sometimes get me a half bottle of gin. I hated that actually. I can buy my own gin if I want some!

I'm quite particular about what I like but luckily my DC1 is very good at sussing me out!!

I loved my MIL dearly. OP's MIL sounds like a right old moaner. The gift of a goat to a needy family in Africa just might jolt her out of her complacency and make her appreciate the wealth we all have here in the West. If she doesn't like it then it is no different to other past years, is it? Except a family in poverty has benefitted on her behalf.

I sometimes buy my mum a nice replacement of something she already has, like if I'm at her house and see an old scratched frying pan I get her a nice new one for christmas. Or a nice new cheese grater if the old one is tatty or something like that. Or she likes decorative bowls to store fruit / veg in, or to serve salads in. My Mum is a really frugal lady (even though she has plenty of money) and has pans that are 50+ years old and if no one treats her to a replacement she wouldn't spend the money on it herself.

I’m in that age group. I’d be delighted to receive a gift and I think it’s really nice of you to put so much thought in.

Talcum powder??????? Fuck me. If I wanted to give myself thrush I can think of more exciting ways to do so.

And gin is such a cliche. I hate the stuff, but if I liked it I’d buy my own.

Your MIL sounds like my DM!
But I can add mine doesn't like flowers either!

here's a link to famous brits born in 1966.
Famous People born in year 1966, United Kingdom Celebrity , Page:3 (bornglorious.com)

Do they look like people who want hand cream or talcum powder?

My mum's 65, she'd love of that - but to be honest she'd be happy with most stuff.
I think your MIL will like at least 1 or 2 of those.
I think it's a nice gift and it's great you've gone to so much effort.