"Pot luck" present for middle aged woman

[redskydarknight]

A group of friends I meet up with regularly have decided to do a "pot luck" for Christmas presents i.e. like Secret Santa, but you are not given a specific person to buy for, you just need to buy a generic present that will be assigned at random.

I hate these things with a passion because I can never think of anything to get, while everyone else seems to manage to get well thought out unique gifts.

So hoping someone has some good suggestions for me?
The group consists of women from mid 40s - mid 60s; and budget is max of £10.

All the teachers, always want wine. At least it can be regifted. Bottle of 19 crimes for €10.

Or Baileys (fake lidl Baileys).

Stay away from toiletries - people are very particular about what they like.

My boss always gives a really nice notebook to us all at Christmas. They're good quality and always useful.

If you want to add a bit of humour in then these are good: WTF Notebooks UK | Funny notebooks and hilarious gifts

Large bar of Tony's Chocolonely milk choc.

If they're teachers, as many post its as you can get for the budget!

I don't imagine there's a single item that every single woman in the group would like. I think I am very easy to buy for but I'd loathe bath bombs, and I'd be re-gifting most other toiletries and all cosmetics. No use whatever for a scented candle. Books and stationery are a minefield too. I'd be happy with most sorts of alcohol, chocolates and food, or a plant. I always like getting decent socks but I suspect I'm not typical there.

Its so individual, isn't it. I would hate alcohol, sweets, chocolate, candles but I would LOVE (apart from the claw clips) a £10 amazon voucher so i can buy myself a book (or 2) for my kindle.

A pair of Joya socks, they are fab!

I would hate to receive prosecco

To be fair, I'm 60 and would love some pretty socks.

Well practically everything suggested is eminently re-giftable.

I suggest you do the Secret Santa then barter. Cut out the middle(wo)man!

A really nice Christmas bauble for the tree.

A mug saying 'woman of a certain age'.

We have a winner!

My guilty thing is hand cream.. l absolutely love it..I'm 66

same here!

Candles, make up brushes, nice moisturiser, plant, recipe book

M&S have poinsettia in tastefully decorated tin pots for £8, which I'd really like.
With a bar of Ferrero Rocher chocolate if you wanted to make up to £10

Go to M and S.

Buy something.

I'll probably fine and will go down reasonably well cos it says M and S on it.

Probably.

Travel mug an excellent gender neutral choice 👌🏻

This!

I'd not give alcohol or chocolates - too many people are giving up alcohol (I have, and people STILL keep giving me bottles of 'naice' wine) and/or are prediabetic. I can't think of anything else that's generic enough to please everyone though. Some nice stationery or a beautiful wall calendar used to be my go to but now everyone does everything on line. Candles will set off asthma, plants will be toxic to pets, and everyone will be allergic to all creams and bath stuff.

I dunno. A nice book?

A £10 book token would be my favourite thing to receive in this kind of situation. From all the other comments, you can see that you could not please everyone.

What would you like to receive that you could reasonably expect from a pot luck Santa? Get that.

Reading all this I think Secret Santa should be done backwards.
Instead of buying a random gift for a random person instead you spend up to a tenner on something that you would like as a Secret Santa gift and you get to keep it !
It guarantees there will be at least one gift you receive at Christmas that you actually like and want 😂
If you open the gifts when with your friends/colleagues/whatever group you are in so people get to see what each other actually like and enjoy.
It could be a way of making a new best friend or meeting the love of your life because you discover you share an interest in the same author or whatever.
🎄

This is the most sensible suggestion! You all unwrap the gifts, put them on a table and then it's every woman for herself as you all scramble to get the least awful thing revealed. With luck you would all go for different things.

... but actually that's a better idea.