Christmas presents that you actually loved to receive!

[boymamahere]

This year, I want to do quality over quantity and stop worrying about the amount of presents. I give someone but the actual thought behind it.

What were your favourite Christmas presents that you gave or received?

Barber jacket
Really good torch
Very detailed road map of UK
(campervanner girl!)
Also festival or theatre/gig tickets

I love things that get used up and don't clutter my house.

E.g wine, gin, rum is a good place to start. Biscuits and chocolates generally get donated to the staff room in MIL's care home unless they are ones I like but I don't like many. Smellies get used up and candles get burnt apart from Body Lotion which I throw in the local womens aid donation box. Generally by Easter I like Xmas gifts to be nothing but a memory.

I hate - ornaments, cheap slippers, cheap PJ's, anything Hotel Chocolat,

I extra hate - anything for my various crafting hobbies. Thanks for trying but I spend a lot on my hobbies e.g £20 on a single ball or yarn. The 3 balls for £2 in Home Bargains will never be used and quickly donated to the charity shop.

My mother (died last year) used to do the absolute best stockings - she never had money but she went all out at Christmas.
I remember a stocking with the perfect black top, knickers pack, perfume, a CD, beautiful silver bracelet, fantastic unusual earrings and lots I’ve probably forgotten). This was some years ago but I still remember.
Now - very particular but I’d love Mussini oil paints. To me there’s not much better in the world. Best Christmas present of recent years.
A scandi detective book I haven’t read/or a Stephen king I haven’t read.
Sostrene Green paintbrushes - love them.
Years ago one of my DSIS bought me Akexander McQueen Kingdom perfume - I was enraptured!
last Christmas my husband bought me an edelweiss pendant - it meant a lot (my mum used to love that song and I call my DD my little edelweiss) - that was a lovely surprise though I cried a lot.
My mum used to buy me Black Magic chocolates from my cat (loved them).
Im not that easy to please so mostly I have to tell people what to get - PILs gifts are always things from M&S that I hate (I don’t hate M&S but they seem to have a knack for finding things I despise).

Probably vegatable seeds and a rake from my mum a few years ago. Often she buys me useless tat I don’t need or food that I don’t eat. She now asks me what I would like and I usually ask for gardening things or something for the house that I need.

I am always happy with cash or vouchers, I would also be very happy with tickets to a gig or for the cinema.

Joules tweed jacket
bose headphones

Best present I ever got was a voucher for two nights at a gorgeous spa hotel - so lovely to have it to look forward to.

I’m more than happy with a bottle of wine or a book token.

Last Christmas my husband bought me a year’s subscription to Audible and it’s a gift still giving now. Every time I start another book it makes me happy, as I rarely get the time to read to myself. I’ve really enjoyed getting a chance to listen to lots of books that have been stuck on my reading list for ages!

Real jo malone shower gel. It smells lovely and o would never ever buy it for myself it’s soooo expensive!

A gorgeous cashmere jumper from my in laws that I would never have bought myself. Still my fave jumper.

Books and jigsaw puzzles that are to my taste - they don't need to be new, I'm perfectly happy with charity shop ones if the subject is right.
Fancy pasta. TK Maxx do some great ones
Audible vouchers
I probably buck the trend because I like a Bayliss and Harding soap - I use them in the kitchen.
Good bar soaps (again, TK Maxx)

I've pretty much got everything I want in life, so I like consumables. Not chocolates, though. And especially not shite from Hotel Chocolate.

It can be very tricky to give clothes to someone, but my mother gave me a scarf a few years ago, and I just love it! Perfect colour, perfect material, I have used it every winter since.

My father is very interested in tractors, so every year I give him a wall calendar with pictures and facts about tractors. He is very appreciative.

I really love nice consumables. things I wouldn't really buy for myself but are lovely to have so some really nice tea, nice hot dark chocolate, bars of dark chocolate or Turkish delight. Nice bars of soap or shower gels, cosy socks, spicy chutney for my cheese sandwiches.

A box set of Rituals Jing with the Hair and Body Mist and the Body Cream in it.

Best things I ever received were a hand cranked apple peeler and corer and a copy of a book I really wanted that was out of print.

My nan really loves Laura Ashley hand lotion, she'd never buy it for herself but it's one of the little things that she appreciates

I love little bits and bobs for Xmas (larger stuff for birthdays). Things like socks, beauty bits, Knick knacks . This year I’ve asked for a new calander and diary, scrunchies, new makeup bag, a lipgloss set, slippers. And I’ve asked my boyfriend to just buy me a surprise….not sure he’s happy about that as he will have to put some effort in ha ha!

Oooo and of course…books, chocolate and wine!!

I love receiving books/book vouchers, cross stitch stuff, lego flowers, jigsaws and socks. I do prefer quality over quantity so would rather one smaller jigsaw from a good brand than several larger ones from a poor brand. Would prefer one pair of wool, cotton or bamboo socks than several polyester pairs etc.

DH got me a yak wool jumper from Finisterre a few years ago and it's such a lovely pattern and so warm... I would probably have dismissed it due to price but as a gift it was top notch.

A pair of lovely sheepskin house boots from Celtic. From dh, after I’d left a printout of the page on his desk with size and colour clearly circled!

Saved him racking his brains.

That reminded me, dh once managed to find a copy of a book called Freshwater Aquaria, written and illustrated by a country clergyman in the late 1800s. It had been given to me by a GF when I was maybe 10, and had an aquarium I was very interested in.
My DM had seen fit to chuck the original - along with other favourite books - while moving house when I was away at first year uni,

I’m still amazed that dh managed to find an identical copy!

Two great ones that spring to mind:
Leather gloves
Incredible tights from Calzedonia - I would never have spent that much on tights but they are amazing and have washed and worn really well

Probably my Global knives set - romantic I know 😂 I'd only mentioned them a couple of times though and DH isn't known for picking up on my not so subtle hints so I was genuinely surprised!

Anything small but full of quality. Cashmere scarf or gloves. An expensive candle I'd not have spent £30 on but is a luxury item, that kind of thing. I used to walk around Liberty wishing someone would buy me things like the lovely hatpins, even though I don't wear hats, because they are lovely little works of art.