How are your elderly parents going to do their christmas shopping?

[Skipsurvey]

in fact how is everyone intending to do their Christmas shopping ?
worried about by stubborn mother who refused my suggestion that I buy online for her.

They’ve been ordered online via me. It’s pretty miserable for them.

Usually they potter around Christmas fairs and the like for special bits and bobs.

My dm is nearly 80 and in the extremely vulnerable category. She does M&S online and I pick up the rest for her. She is on her own and part of our bubble so I also help with food shopping, prescriptions etc. She places a weekly order with Sainsbury’s too.

For us the Turkey is being delivered And the rest we will go shopping as usual. My parents in their seventies will go shopping as usual.

Well maybe they are going online? Gee they are not all old and decrepit you know! My DM is no longer with us, but my Aunt and Uncle are in their 70s and 80s and are probably as good if not better than me online!Otherwise shops re opening next week by the sounds of things anyway.

Mum doesn’t have internet and isn’t that keen on town. So expect she will mainly do money and chocolates from her local Spar.

My grandparents have told us all that they're writing us each a cheque for presents this year, which is absolutely fine. My gran does do her shopping, but I usually have to take her - which I can't this year as we can't share a car.

With regards to food etc they go to Asda once a week very early in the morning so they'll pick up what they need.

It's going to be a different Christmas, but sensible people have realised that they either have to shop online or not bother - and not bothering is absolutely an acceptable approach to this year, I think.

My dgp's will go the shops as usually like they have done every week throughout this pandemic. They are 92. My dad drives dgm and helps her with her bags. If she's not feeling particularly up to it any week he takes a list and does it for her. My dgf however has used public transport for his bits throughout so imagine he'll continue to do so. How do they get their shopping every other week? As assume they'll do the same

Online.

Or giving money.

My Dad will do what hes done since I was a teenager get me to do it, its already done and wrapped 🤣🤣🤣

thanks all
i will suggest she just gives cheques.

@Skipsurvey

thanks all i will suggest she just gives cheques.

That is what my parents have always done. Sent everyone cheques in the early part of December. They are for us all to have in time to order any stuff that we like and say it is from them.

They are in their eighties now and increasingly housebound for long periods due to health and mobility issues. They stubbornly refuse to have anything to do with the online world and my Dad in particular wouldn't touch a computer of any sort with a ten foot bargepole. My mother is slightly more amenable, but still not keen.

So they will just do as they normally have. Old habits die hard.

Mine have done theirs via online shops like they normally do.

Mine are doing their shopping for friends that live locally in their (almost daily) trips to garden centres where they feel safe.

I am buying everything else for them online - either from Amazon or the Museum Collection catalogue - and getting it delivered to the recipient. Anything to keep them out of the post office and as safe as possible, balanced with their need to get out of the house and see other members of the human race.

PS. Should have said that they are choosing the items - I just do the actual online purchasing.

Mum shops online anyway, big fan of amazon. She's busy making preparations to mail gifts to my siblings, working plan is I'll see them as we wfh and live in a low risk area, don't use public transport etc

@Skipsurvey

thanks all i will suggest she just gives cheques.

Why? Why are you interfering with how she does her shopping? First you want to shop online for her, now you want her to give out cheques. What about her? You haven't actually said what she wants.

My folks don't buy Xmas pressies for anyone.
They do all their food shops in person, I guess that's probably once a week. They like to do that. Inlaws also do all food shops in person.

MIL can't drive far nowadays, & lives in a depressing town that doesn't sell anything nice so she has resorted to learning how to buy stuff online.

'We’ve agreed no presents apart from for kids which can be bought online. We didn’t want elderly relatives feeling pressured to go into town to buy presents.'
Yes this^ although we have been doing this for awhile due to cost for them as they buy for the dc. We will buy them a gift from us and a token one from the dc to say thank you

@premiumhob

because I care? I am making suggestions. dont you care about your elderly parents?

[quote Skipsurvey]@premiumhob

because I care? I am making suggestions. dont you care about your elderly parents?[/quote]

No. Don't give a shit. Obviously.

Just in case you are not sure ^ that was a huge dose of sarcasm.
M

My parents are not elderly, but I hope when they are I don't assume they've lost the right to make their own decisions simply because they have aged. Of course you care about your mother and want her to be safe and well, that's incredibly clear from your posts, but you have to remember she gets to choose for herself.

My mum will be doing what she does every year and going to the shops. We went to a food fair and then the garden centre yesterday for a mooch and to pick up some bits. She's shopped as normal, going there and back on the bus, throughout.

Not many parents actively shopping by this thread

Of course she will do what she wants, I would have thought that goes without saying

Tell them to be sensible and give it a miss this year