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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Are you a woman aged 55-65? If so, can I pick your brains?

164 replies

DinosaurPotato · 28/12/2023 22:44

Hello all,

Hope you had a great Christmas. My mum has a birthday in January and ordinarily I don't buy anything until after Christmas as there are inevitably ideas from gifts others have got but this year nothing is standing out.

If you are in the similar age range, I wondered if you'd be so kind as to tell me your favourite present? My lovely husband got me some corkers some good inspiration there and although she is (obviously) a bit older than me, we have similar tastes! She's very active, likes gardening/walking/lunches/visiting nice gardens. Likes nice food but is very healthy so not definitely won't want too many goodies or alcohol just after Christmas. I find jewellery a bit tricky but have had success with earrings recently so feel have exhausted that avenue! She likes to read but I have just given her a few books. She got both of us such a thoughtful and varied selection of gifts for Christmas, I'd really like to treat her! Thank you.

OP posts:
SwedishEdith · 28/12/2023 23:17

I'm in that age bracket and got gig tickets (at night, shock horror), cashmere wrist warmers, vouchers for a restaurant dinner and silver earrings. I absolutely would not want an Emma Bridgewater mug.

TooDyed · 28/12/2023 23:18

Good god! Lots of these are old lady presents!

Id like some jewellery , but prefer to choose my own or some new boots or an inexpensive handbag, again my choice, so vouchers are great.

A book perhaps, favourite bath stuff only.

Perhaps new mats for my car, new mirror, for makeup.

But no hand cream, or books with photographs of gardens.

I’m not in my dotage , I work full time and have a 10 year old 🤣🤣🤣

RandomSunday · 28/12/2023 23:19

I’ve received some lovely, thoughtful gifts from my D.C. over the years

  1. Theatre tickets for my favourite musical. Plus an extra ticket to take anyone I wanted (I chose my dd obviously).
  2. A flying lesson
  3. A racing car experience
  4. A voucher for tea for two
  5. A spa day with voucher for whatever treatment I wanted.
  6. A pre paid voucher (up to £70 each) for two at my favourite restaurant.
  7. A 5 day minicruise
  8. Waterproof coat, leggjngs and boots for walking the dog
  9. (My favourite) A hand knitted bobble hat and scarf knitted by my 13 year old DGD.
Bahhumbugintriplicate · 28/12/2023 23:20

Yikes! I guess I’m not your average mid 50 year old then. My last gig was a goth night out, I hate gardening and for my Xmas this year I got a Bluetooth speaker so I can play my rock music really loudly. Best thing someone could get me would be vouchers for a cycling shop.

HellsBells67 · 28/12/2023 23:20

To be honest, at 57 I have everything I need and want other than time. I'd far rather you took me out for dinner/theballet/gig or something that meant a shared experience, not a gift voucher to then have to find someone to want to come along either. Time shared making memories is worth more.

TheSquareMile · 28/12/2023 23:20

Would she like two tickets and an overnight stay for the Chelsea Flower Show?

ScrumbleBumble · 28/12/2023 23:22

I'm your mum's age with a birthday looming too. I'd dearly love a well thought card, hand written with a heartfelt personal note wishing me a happy birthday and thanking me for the endless lifts I give 😆. (Teenager in the house).
Perhaps a bag of winegums too.

Bahhumbugintriplicate · 28/12/2023 23:23

I hate experiences too. I’d rather someone just took me out for a slap up meal giving me their time - the most precious gift of all

DinosaurPotato · 28/12/2023 23:25

Wow, thanks everyone. I wasn't expecting do many replies! To be honest I would love most of these gifts myself, and I'm sure my mum would too. She'd definitely love the car experience! She's cooler than me. I agree with what you're all saying about experiences. I'm actually a NT member myself and have been EH/RHS too in the past. I think I'll see if there's a specific garden/place we could visit together that neither of us have been before, along with a membership potentially.

OP posts:
TheSquareMile · 28/12/2023 23:25

Tea at the Ritz is nice.

PermanentTemporary · 28/12/2023 23:27

Beth Chatto's Gardens in Colchester have a Friend scheme.

Teenagersscarethelivinshitoutofme · 28/12/2023 23:31

I'm a little younger than your age bracket, but DD bought me a new turntable, which I'm beyond excited about.

AncientBallerina · 28/12/2023 23:32

Jo Malone perfume.
No more scented candles please!

GoodOldEmmaNess · 28/12/2023 23:32

It's really lovely that you are thinking so hard about the right present to get, but why is it that there are so many threads on MN that ask what to buy for a woman in a specified older age range (usually around 60s or upwards)?
Why is it that just reaching a particular age is thought to mean that it is your age that will define the range of presents that are likely to be successful? Couldn't you just think in terms of her interests/hobbies/etc, as you would for a younger woman?
I'm sixty and I swear I didn't notice a point at which my age took over from my individuality and started to dictate my preferences.
I say this kindly because I'm sure that when I was younger I made this same error. It was only once I got well into my 40s that I really understood that old women were just me in five minutes time, not another species.

FreshWinterMorning · 28/12/2023 23:38

anothernamechangeagainsndagain · 28/12/2023 23:09

@peppermintcrisp

Why afternoon? We don't turn into pumpkins at nightfall! I'm just on my way home from a gig in a club, that's what this 50 something enjoysGrin

Well I am in this age group (nearly 60,) and would NOT like a show or concert finishing at 11pm to 11.30pm, and having to depend on public transport to get back home, or be travelling back in the car at midnight. Done my 'midnight runs home' in my 30s and 40s after going to concerts and shows with my then teenage daughters. MUCH prefer an afternoon show. Finish at 4-5pm, grab a takeaway on the way home, then go home and put my feet up at 7pm.

I always think people 45-50+ who claim they enjoy going out at night/coming back at midnight or later, are people who didn't do it as a teenager/young person. I did it plenty, and CBA to do it in my late 50s!

@DinosaurPotato Maybe you could buy a garden ornament for your DM as she likes gardening, or a book token, or a lovely vase, or a jigsaw, or an amazon voucher, something like that. Don't get her tickets for a show that finishes at 10-11pm, it's such a faff and a PITA to be coming back that late. Afternoon shows are preferable.

Don't get her an EXPERIENCE either. They are a pain in the arse. Such a faff to organise. I got one last Christmas, that cost the person who bought it about £35, and it cost ME £100 for the travel costs there, and the Travelodge I had to stay in - as it was nigh on impossible to do it in a day, and travel there and back too. Yeah the place was OK where I stayed, but it's not somewhere I would have chosen. I fucking hate 'experience' gifts! Easy for the sender, but a ball-ache for the recipient! See also, memberships of places. Unless you KNOW they want to be a member. Just don't do it!

Lotrehin · 28/12/2023 23:38

Agree about experiences/memberships.

Also I have developed a habit of buying signed first editions of writers I like. You can get them quite easily from independent bookshops these days for the same price as standard hardbacks if you purchase quickly.

EffortlessDelegation · 28/12/2023 23:41

I'm that age group with a looming birthday too. I love gardening and have an allotment but have zero interest in books about gardens, would rather buy anything I need or want for the garden myself and have no desire to go to a flower show. I'm already a member of the NT and RHS. So nothing to do with gardening. I also already have books of local walks and have no desire for an Alexa.

Also a big no to Emma Bridgewater, I hate that style. In fact no mugs, we are overrun with them.

I'd like you to take me to the theatre or a gig/concert or Abba Voyage but evenings (I'm at work during the week and at weekends prefer to avoid performances with lots of children in the audience).

Tickets to a sporting event would be good too, I'm a big football fan but like going to other live sports too.

Or a workshop, patisserie, silver jewellery making or similar.

PortiaWithNoBreaks · 28/12/2023 23:41

My Favourite present was a pair of Toast double cotton pyjamas. They are £ but I’ve had the best sleeps ever since getting them.

Does she have AirPods? Airpods Pro are one of my most used items. I think they’d make a fab present.

PortiaWithNoBreaks · 28/12/2023 23:44

I personally wouldn’t like an experience type gift.

if you go for a RHS membership you can get it with Clubcard points but chose the gift option as it has some extras in it like money off voucher in the shop, voucher for the cafe, free tote bag etc.

EffortlessDelegation · 28/12/2023 23:46

I always think people 45-50+ who claim they enjoy going out at night/coming back at midnight or later, are people who didn't do it as a teenager/young person. I did it plenty, and CBA to do it in my late 50s!

How strange! Once a night owl always a night owl, I was always out late clubbing, at gigs etc in my teens and 20s so I am perfectly comfortable with late night travel and no way would I want to have my feet up by 7.

TheSunIsOutAndTheSkyIsBlue · 28/12/2023 23:46

Tickets to Take That 💃or Abba Voyage

nzborn · 28/12/2023 23:50

A massage and or facial.

Cornishclio · 28/12/2023 23:53

I am in that age range and got some lovely gifts this year. Books, puzzles, mugs/calendar with pictures of my grandchildren, perfume, jumper, oodie. In the past I have had theatre vouchers, afternoon tea vouchers and I love walking so people know to get me walking socks, books with walks in and walking equipment or vouchers for Cotswold Outdoors.

Barney16 · 28/12/2023 23:54

John Lewis or Selfridges voucher
Waterstones voucher
Anything from Toast
Olaplex bundle
Laura Mercier almond and vanilla body cream
National Trust membership
Cashmere sweater.

Perfectlystill · 28/12/2023 23:54

Theatre tickets
Lunch out somewhere fun
Case of wine
Wine tasting class
Book subscription
Space NK stuff
Cashmere beanie
Sweaty Betty leggings