Nice unusual xmas ideas please - yes I know it's only Oct but still humour me if you will.......... AGAIN!

[sweetheart]

am fed up of buying the same old crap for people christmas presents...... books, smellies, slipper etc etc etc

I am looking for divine inspiration for some exciting ideas if you'd like to help. I have brought my sister tickets for a comdy show which is usuasual for me already so I'm quite pleased - I'd like to feel like that about everyone's presents this year.

So I have the following to buy - all ideas welcome and gratefully received:-

Mum (65ish)
Dad (65ish) Oh and into nothing - so difficult to buy for!
Sister (mid 30's)
BIL (mid 40's)
MIL (60ish)
FIL (65ish)
Step MIL (55ish)
Nan - inlaw (ummmm dunno 80 - 90 I guess???)

budget is around £30 for each - although for couples I could buy joint presents and double the cash. Also if you have anything spectacular for my mum and dad I could stretch the budget as they have been really helpful this year and I'd like to treat them a bit to show our appreciation.

Right, thinking caps on

the leprosy mission have some nice hand-crafted gifts in their catalogue?

I've just made my MIL a tights box for her birthday. One pair of illustrated tights, 4 black ones and 4 in colours picked out of the ones with pictures on, got them all from www.mytights.com. I put them in a box lined with wrapping paper. I took them out of their packets and rolled them up. Put the packets underneath.

God I sound mad don't I? It looks really nice though.

I'm buying nieces and nephews magazines subscriptions this year.I'm using my Tesco clubcard vouchers but they do such good deals it makes sense. I just thought it's not toys/tatt/smellies(pet hate of mine but normally buy someone them) You could get one if you know what they read? Does you sister read women's mags? or your mum/MIL?

How about a digital photo frame? We got my dad one of those for his 60th. You could load family pics onto it ready.

I too am trying to avoid the usual stuf this year, but with a very small budget! MIL will be getting some homemade stuff made by dd as I know she'll love that far more than anything bought.

The trouble I find with the older ones I buy for is that if you ask they say not to buy anything, which I just couldn't do, but then you end up getting smellies which probably get binned. It's also a bit of a disappointment, i think, to open a gift and get smellies!

How about a decent bottle of wine/Champagne + 2 glasses for the couples? You can buy boxed sets which can be lovely

have a look here for some nice ideas

Magazine subscriptions are great, that way the present lasts all year. Had a girly one as a gift last year and always look forward to it arriving as we dont have a local store so rarely buy magazines.

Some chocolate and book firms do similar preseents.

These are great thanks guys! I think my isster would love a mag subscription as she's always buying the gossip mags. I'll look into the boxed bottles - my in-laws are not big drinkers but I'm sure something small in quantity but high in quality would be well received.

Asda do really lovely photobooks. We have done them for the gps this year, with photos of them and the grandkids from many years ago to date. Also coasters.

Mmm, let's see, I 've bought the following for family members and they have gone down well:

cashmere bed socks - the white company do nice ones, they cost around £25-30 and they are a luxury item that most people wouldn't buy for themselves but would love to have (most good presents should be like this I think)

Liz Earle Superskin moisturiser - about £30, I got it for my mum and she loves it. It's great for dry or mature skin. I love Liz's range - lovely products that don't make outrageous claims and give you fresh, healthy looking skin for men who wet shave

I got these fleece jackets for my 40ish cousin and my uncle they look nicer in real life than in the pic www.marksandspencer.com/gp/product/B001E4WZIQ/sr=1-1/qid=1224188666/ref=sr_1_1/203-8730989-4400756?i e=UTF8&node=171373031&m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&keywords=&mnSBrand=core&size=9&rh=&page=

Neuhaus chocolates

www.crocus.co.uk has some quirky ideas for home/garden presents - I got my aunt and uncle eggcups which say "good egg" and "bad egg". they also do a cute teapot which has "more tea vicar" written across it

emma bridgewater butter dish - www.emmabridgewater.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=POLK144&cid=PATPDO&language=en-GB this is the one I have in my kitchen, I love it, it's so cheerful

small smythson diary for one of the men - my dad always gets one of these and loves it. rather overprices but you could get one within your budget and it comes beautifully boxed

a funny book for one of the men - my brother killed himself laughing when I got him The Timewaster's Letters and a book of Bushisms went down well too - when someone starts reading them out, everyone ends up laughing it's so infectious

have lots more ideas f you're interested!

sorry, that should be L'occitane shaving kits for men who wet shave - they have nice bristle brushes and accompanying stands to hang them on and soap in a silver dish, called Cade I think