Opinions welcome. Please keep it nice.

[pinkksugarmouse]

My daughter turns 24 on Nov 29th. I have ideas for presents for Birthday and Christmas. She is autistic, doesn't follow trends and can collect junk. I don't mean she sees it as valuable. Even she feels its junk but struggles with collecting and getting rid. One thing she loves that isn't junk is lego. I looked at an adult (obviously) set for £89.99 but think it might be too easy for her. I don't want to give cash. She likes choosing but can easily spend on random junk. She has specific interests that even when she explains I am baffled. She hyper focuses.

She will be away in Spain for Christmas with her Dad visiting his side of her family so if I want something for her to open it can't be bulky. So I am thinking lego gift card. She has a local lego shop. She will also get as is tradition a personalised hoody and t-shirt and books or possibly a book token.

Some people report problems with gift cards. Has anyone had problems with a physical lego gift card? Has anyone had a smooth experience?

Please keep this nice. Having an autistic daughter makes things far more complicated at times. I know there will be parents who understand. Mumsnet can descend into nastiness over the most inocuous comments.

Could you contact Lego customer services and ask for their advice?? They are very helpful if I have any queries.
What about a gift card for a specialist lego shop?

I think a Lego gift card sounds a great gift - Lego are quite an established company and I doubt they will go bust anytime soon but to protect yourself, you could buy the gift card with a credit card so it’s a protected purchase.

other bits - maybe some smellies, socks, chocolates - things that she will need anyway but just nice versions of them wrapped up nicely.

Have you read the reviews of the set on the Lego site? I find them quite useful regarding how difficult:easy the set it.

I would send a tiny token present, with some kind of "Father Christmas has said he's waiting for you when you get back!!" note inside.

Because the issue is less, what to get, but more, what can I fit inside her suitcase.

So don't try and send it with her. Send a little something then do a nice Christmas style day when she gets back.

Dose she have a Pandora bracelet. It’s a nice small gift and can satisfy your dd love of collecting.

She doesn't wear jewellery. I have bought jewellery that she specifically asked for and the only thing she ever wore was the tigers eye on a black cord. I love my Pandora bracelet and years ago thought one day she would like one but no.

Oh we will definately do a Christmas when she returns. Her, her stepdad and me plus the animals. I always get things to open. Its tradition for me to choose her an unusual hoody and t-shirt. Maybe charity or we do ones personalised with our animals. There will be a couple of other little gifts too.

I'm not considering the gift card based on weight and portability. I was considering it before I knew she was going to spend Christmas in Spain. I just realised that she would be able to have it on the day.

We inherited my late mum's Tuxedo cat so I wanted the Lego Tuxedo cat and DH bought it for me last Christmas. It wasn't easy at all - it came with 20 individual bags but it is so handsome. Perfect if she likes LEGO and animals.

Will a Lego gift card bought in the UK work in Spain?

I would agree that some sets might be easy to some but not to others. I found the tuxedo cat tricky as I went wrong somewhere and had to Google what had happened (so it was a common mistake). I also got Gizmo from gremlins which wasn't too quick to build either. The flower sets I have had were more straightforward (and maybe more boring in comparison).

I think the issues with gift cards tend to be people wanting to spend them at the discovery centres or Legoland which are merlin attractions and why they don't accept them.

I got the tuxedo cat for Christmas last year. It looks great but DD helped me finish the head. She likes the cat too but I reckon that would be too easy too.

CHANGE OF PLAN DD won't be in Spain after all. With her health how its been recently she thinks the travel will be too much. Plus she is frequently using a motorised chair lately and where her nan lives is very bumpy. I might take her to the shop just before Christmas, hand her the card and say "see if there's anything you want or wait til January in case there's a sale." We tend to go for a pre-Christmas meal out. Usually with her Dad so perhaps we could go just before he heads off. We also want to go to our big Waterstones and I will definately be giving her some book tokens for her Birthday.
THANK YOU Everyone who has given an opinion. Of course I am still curious about people's experiences with adult lego sets.