What are you getting your Mums for xmas?

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I'm completely out of ideas. Budget of 30-40 quid. I always try to get her something that she will actually use because her 1-bed flat is already jam-packed with bits and pieces.Last year was a calendar with all her children on it plus something else that i can't remember. Year before was tea at the ritz with a friend.

Any ideas?

I don't know and it's really annoying! My mum is brilliant, does loads to help and I know she'll get lovely presents for us all and I want to spoil her. But I am totally out of inspiration.

I will lurk for ideas.

Hamper full of stuff she will actually eat.
Not poncy chutneys that gather dust in cupboards.
But her fave coffee
and some nice bics
and those funny sweets you used to share when you were little?

shiseido zen perfume

she mentioned in passing a while back that she'd gotton a free spray of it in the chemists and loved it and i know she hasn't had new perfume in years.

dp's mother on the other hand i haven't a clue what to get!

itshouldntbe Like the idea of that but she's really trying to lose weight at the moment. I suppose I could try to make it a 'healthy hamper'. I think I did something similar 3 years ago but I suppose that's a long enough time lapse!

My mum's going on an exotic foreign holiday, the lucky mare. I've got her a book (a novel set in the country she is going to). A bit tight, innit? What else could I get her?

A nice after sun lotion???

I want to give both my mum and mil something nice, but they are soooooo difficult to buy for.

A FAB idea I got on another thread here - a birdhouse with a camera inside (like on Springwatch....bless my mum, she used to email DD everyday, about the Spring Watch baby chicks - DD absolutely uninterested btw)

They're £200 on the RSPB site, but only 40 or 50 quid on Ebay.

MIL's getting a personalised fabric knitting bag from the grandkids(it's a family joke that she carries her knitting in a tesco bag, with needles sticking out everywhere)I seen a gorgeous one on ebay a few weeks ago, the lady makes them herself, reminds me I must actually buy it!

WEll then yes, healthy eating/pampering hamper
I suppose a message of support of her healthy eating - so nice bath oil and moisturiser, maybe even (or is this a step too far??) an exercise dvd??? as well as some healthy bits and pieces.
It's the thought that counts. Not the gift

And I think it is enough of a time lapse yes
My family get hampers most years as they all go out and get what they want during the rest of the year themselves -

Sounds boring, but what about vouchers for some sort of beauty treatment?

Mum's getting:

Necklace from etsy

Costume watch as she can't really see the numbers on her "good" watch- from
here

And this from DS, which someone else linked to on a previous thread and is really not as mawkish as it seems!! book

She has strictly come dancing tickets from my sister (think the tour is in January).

Dad's also getting the birdbox with wireless camera- thanks to previous thread!

For a more homemade feel, I have recorded an audio book for DH (just reading a bond book onto the laptop and burning to a series of CDs) which may be an idea...v. cheap to do.

I got my mum a White Company nightdress (£30). She did hint that she wanted it. I want one too so I hope she is getting one for me!

ooh, Moneyspider, that book would be excellent for MIL, she's very into researching her family tree atm.

Just noticed there's a grandad one too - my dad rarely tells us about his childhood (just the way he is) He might fill it in for DD though.

Thx for the link! I'd never find any good pressies if it wasn;t for mn

Moneyspider, thanks for that 'Dear Grandma' link. You have just solved part of my what-to-get-for-my-nan problem!

No mum to buy for but as ever I'll be struggling to find something for my joyless stepmother...sigh.

Garciasangria, all DS's grandparents are getting that book this year! There are double pages to answer questions like:
"What do you remember of your holidays as a child";
"What did you do when you were dating";
"Describe your wedding";
"What was my mum/dad like as a child"; and
"What advice would you give me".

All quite lovely, really...

garciasangria, that's a brilliant idea! My mum is a birdwatcher and she'd love that.

Good idea about the knitting bag too.

You are officially a present buying genius, many thanks!

My mum is gettinga DS with a few games and John Barrowmans book.

Borntofolk, I can't take any credit for the birdhouse, as I got the idea from someone else on here!

The knitting bag, now I did think that up, so will accept the genius-present-buyer crown for that one

my mum is getting a cross stitch frame type thing- she does a lot of cross stitching, my sister has got her a frame to put her stitching in, and i have got the attachment thingy to go on it, which holds her pattern and threads and has a lamp on it (its what she asked for) plus she has got turkish delight, and a pair of 'nana' socks from the kids.

Bird bath...

Sorry, been off-line dealing with sick child and now sick me. Thanks so much for all the ideas - love the grandma book particularly and the bird box

Possibly this I think.

I want it too

I've got this cd for my mum so far.

Dad so far has a mug with a photo of the dcs on. He'll probably get cashmere socks too (if dd is ever well enough to go back to school so I can go shopping!)

That's brilliant! I definitely want it. Not sure Mum does enough cooking to warrant it but it'd make a great present for someone

my mum has just retired - I'm getting her 2 cross stitch kits (she used to love doing cross stitch years ago) so she can sit watching tv and cross stitching her socks off...

garciasangria thank you for the bird box idea! that's a perfect joint present for my parents

so xmas shopping: done!