What are you buying for parents (in their 60’s/70’s)?.

[Moonlightfrog]

DM is almost 70, retired, lives with step dad. Both like gardening and their dog but no other real interests. I have done garden centre vouchers and plants to death, have done bird feeders and bug houses too (not sure they have even used them). Bought DM a nice jumper last year and haven’t seen her wear it. I am kind of out of ideas. My budget is small this year so ideally something around £30.

Also, is it ok to buy my dad (72) a Lego set? He loves making things and creating things but is now struggling with his usual big projects so I’m thinking he might enjoy an adult Lego set or something similar?

what are you buying your parents and/or other family/friends in their 60’s/70’s?

Im in my 60’s and here are some things I would appreciate.
A meal gift card.
A cinema gift card.(+ a small hamper of cinema snacks to take along)
Afternoon tea package / gift card .
A snack food hamper eg wine, beer, luxury crisps, nuts, biscuits- nicely put together and wrapped is a lovely personal gift.
I find as I get older I don’t want “things. ”
I’m trying to declutter not add to it .
You could pay for the entrance to a National Trust gardens and give them the money for a cake and cuppa, they would enjoy taking the dog .
Simple things can sometimes be the best.

I'm buying my dad and his partner an afternoon tea voucher

I’m in this age bracket, I’d appreciate …
…Led Zeppelin poster
…Woodstock T shirt
…book of posters from the 70’s
…box of 1970’s sweets & chocolates
…biba style jewellery
please family…never buy me garden centre vouchers or the dreaded national trust membership!

I'm in my 60s and wouldn't want afternoon tea, anything NT or a hamper. We're all different, and I find it funny that as we get older, people seem to think that presents should be based on age rather than interests.

I'm nearly 70 and my daughter recently gave me Lego flowers. I loved making them and they look amazing. Like others, I don't want stuff but appreciate posh versions of things I'll use or eat.

I’m early 60s and would hate a voucher of any description. Even though I have got to the stage where I don’t want more stuff, I don’t mind consumable things such as skincare or shower products, but I prefer quality over quantity. I’d be happy with pjs this year as I had a good clear out of well worn ones, but only cotton. My card holder is getting a bit shabby, so I wouldn’t say no to a new one, although DH has everything on his phone, so wouldn’t thank you for one.

I normally give a list of anything I would like to my DC (works for both of us). Lego is on my list this year.

Try asking them what they would like or wouldn’t want would be my advice.

I am in that patental age bracket. We try to make a limit of £10, preferably secondhand or consumable.

Our DC have plenty of expenses and stress in their lives without having to worry what to buy us. I would rather they put it towards a holiday.

Having said that, Lego for your DF sounds perfect.

@napoleonstoe
Whereas I would love all those things - we are all different but assume OP will be able to make a call knowing them when we don’t.

I agree about not wanting any more clutter. Exception would be something I would definitely use. . A friend bought me a vase which was different to any I already had and I use it loads.
I enjoy cookery books, gin, wine. Love a selection of more expensive snacks than I would normally buy for myself. I don’t buy biscuits (because I have no self restraint) but would really enjoy a box of Belgian chocolate biscuits at Christmas. love a Poinsettia, a nice little addition and not expensive.

i am old fashioned in that I like to write thank you cards for various things. If that’s the sort of thing your Mum would do, some nice notelets.

I think a Lego kit is a great idea - if it is the sort of thing you Dad would enjoy.

Awful but nothing really I want so ask DD and DS to make a donation to a charity of my choice. But I would ask them first.

Thank you, some great ideas. Afternoon tea could possibly be well received. They don’t tend to go out much unless they are given a reason too, so if they had a voucher for afternoon tea they would use it. DM isn’t really into nice face creams etc and doesn’t wear perfume, she mainly gets her clothes from charity shops which is why I bought her a nice jumper last year.

I'm 60, and I would also hate a lot of the things supposedly meant for "oldies".

I'd like a theatre or art gallery membership (but definitely not NT).
Voucher towards a meal or stay in a decent quality hotel (eg Claridges).
Charitable donation, to a charity of my choice.

Definitely no "stuff", but a good bottle of gin, or a cheese subscription would be fine.

But they're your folks, OP - why not just ask them? 60 and 70 year olds don't give a shiny wotsit about surprises. Or just say you'll take them out for a pub lunch in the New Year - then they get what they may really want, ie the pleasure of your company (without having to cater).

I get dad (and his wife) the same gift every single year. He doesn't give a shit! I get him a bottle of champagne, a tin of Christmas chocolates and a Christmas scented candle.

Mum visited recently and I made a note of what she pointed out in the local shops when we went for a browse. So she's getting:

• a metal garden ornament of 3 swallows which you stab into the ground
• a small pair of scissors that look like a pen!
• a particular mug (she's VERY fussy about shapes)
• orange slices covered in chocolate

I'm almost 60, and I want wool socks

Afternoon tea
Concert tickets
A hamper from M & S fruit or chocolate
M & S socks
Slippers
Jigsaw puzzle
Yankee Candle

If I ask them they just say “oh you don’t have to buy us anything”, step dad is always happy to have alcohol but tbh I would rather not spend that much in him and would rather buy a joint present that’s more for DM than him (but they can both enjoy). They aren’t really young 70 year olds, if anything they act older than they are. SD is disabled now due to health issues and DM has almost become his carer and doesn’t really have any hobbies.

Arrange a carer for step father and take mum out for lunch or an overnight trip away just the two of you.
Or get a box of jigsaws. We had a box of 10 geographical ones over lock down.

I’m 70 plus, and certainly don’t want my more ‘stuff’, and I prefer to choose any clothing myself.

TBH I’d be happy for dds to save their money, but special edibles of the sort I probably wouldn’t buy for myself are always welcome.

For the past couple of years I’ve told dh not to buy me anything (except for the usual mega box of Maltesers. 😋). Instead, early in December I’ve done a big shop just for the food bank, and told him that’s his present to me.

I might get my mum a Purdy and Figg kit. She was looking at it online and fancied it recently but said it was too expensive. So I could get her that as a sort of light hearted jokey gift but also hopefully she'd actually like it. She also usually asks me to pick her out some nice jewellery or a scarf as she doesn't get out round the shops as much these days.

Not sure about my Dad he's never been easy to buy for but I'll find something!

I second the ‘pleasure of your company’ vote. For tea and maybe walk in a nice nearby park or whatever.

I'm nearing 60. I hate waste/over consuming. I don't like things that smell. Nice quality woolly hats, gloves, socks I'd probably like. Or foodie things. Olive oil, olives, preserved peppers or lemons. Nice crackers. Good teas, coffees. House plants. A nice blanket?

Tickets for the RHS Show at Chelsea next year. Scones and Clotted Cream Hamper from Cornwall. Tickets for the Theatre or Opera if they like that kind of thing. Just eat Voucher or similar to enjoy a takeaway at home. Plant a tree or similar for re-planting projects.

Time spent together is the most precious thing as you get older.

Could you give them an invitation to be taken by you to an afternoon matinee at your local cinema. We have a lovely one run by volunteers where you can take a glass of gin from the bar.

I am 60s and like things I use all the time and am always happy to get vouchers for meals out, cinema, theatre etc.

So perfume, hand cream, hampers, wine, chocolates, books, gin, gardening gloves, hiking socks, candles or Lego.

Oh get him the bottle he wants. Why not? And take your mum to the cinema, not expensive but nice time together and not something she does everyday but not hard work like an “experience” voucher.

They aren’t really into the cinema or theatre. I would like to take my DM somewhere, I don’t enjoy being near SD (for many reasons), occasionally I get to take DM out but very rarely.

I have bought them nice chocolates in the past, SD likes biscuits. I don’t really like buying alcohol because he’s a huge drinker which is part of the reason he isn’t in good health.

I haven’t spent Christmas Day with my DM for years because SD makes it very hard.

I think I will either get them a voucher for afternoon tea or just buy them a few nice food items.