If you were 47, single and had no children...............

[lilibet]

What would you want me to buy you for Christmas?

I am stuck as usual on my best mate, budget of about £30.

She has plenty of nice clothes/scarves/jewellry/bags.

Very young looking, money is not plentiful but she isn't broke, bit of a shy type, goes more for classic stuff than trendy things.

Hates baths, only ever showers, goes walking but has done for years so has all the stuff.

Anyone? anything??

pampering sesh at a hair salon place? - our local one does hair/facial/make up varys on price.

A theatre ticket (get one for yourself as your pressie) and have a night out together in the New Year.

A facial/massage/manicure/pedicure type thing?

Bless her with 3x babysitting vouchers so she can enjoy your kids
A Rampant Rabbit from Ann Summers
or...hmm booze..

Well, I would probably want something for me, me, me. ie my favourite scent or v nice bath oils, but your friends sounds a bit more hearty and practical than me. Books?
More info about her please! I love choosing presents. What's her house like? Does she have a garden?

LOL Charlietherednodespussy

Some really nice quality wine glasses, a flower vase, or beautiful stationary/notecards - maybe even personalised?

I've doen the theatre vouchers at least three times adn I know that she wouldn't like the facial route.

Bit more info, a more attractive version of st Delia, incredibly kind, has a flat which is done in all creams and is very ladylike and feminine, She is a book fiend but I know that she probably has most of what I would get.

She does like gardening but doesn't really have access to one. I had thought of one of those jigsaw mats, then thought it was a bit boring.

Doesn't really cook and has been a bit poorly recently because of an unhealthy diet.

Earlier in teh year she got me vouchers for 5 trips to the cinema with dh with babysititng services included - great minds Charlie!!

And just for Aloha - devout Roman Catholic!!

Sponsor a goat or something in the third world?

Music.

Jo Malone shower gel.

Cool cooking gadgets from Debenham's or John Lewis.

A leather notebook or diary.

A cool cookbook

A bottle of Jaeger vanilla flavoured voddy

Vouchers from LaSenza

Membership to an art museum

Some cool computer gadget like a memory stick, software, etc.

Personalised stationary is quite a good idea, I bought her a lovely fountain pen for her birthday and she really liked it.

Subscription to:

• Granta?
• Slightly Foxed?
• The New Yorker?

Herbs to grow in a kitchen window. Plants.

A Jo Malone candle £38 but lovely?

Diptyque candles are FAB, too. Especially the fig or tea ones. Mmmmm.

magazine subscription

Keep em coming

some really good ideas

Just searching for personalised stationary - any one know where they sell it?

magnetic poetry is good for a laugh?!

how about a poetry anthology - 'staying alive' is a great one & easily found in waterstones/borders etc.

otherwise something delicious but useable - like lovely toiletries, maybe body cream etc of her fave scent, if she already has plenty of the perfume itself.
some gorgeous flowers? in elegant creams to match her flat? i know i'd like that anyway not that i'm 47, single or childless tho, sigh!

here you are mt, they are fabulous (we have the rose & geranium one).

Oooo Diptyque. There's nothing like them. The scent is subtle, but just one can perfume - gently and beautifully - an entire room.

They're absolutely fabulous, they truly are.

Can get them in shops like SpaceNK, Harvey Nick's, Selfridges, etc.

They are magical indeed.

My mum like Tuberose, and her whole bedroom smells gently of it now, even her sheets. When she sends me things, the box smells of it. It reminds me of her. When she comes over, I like to put on her scarves.

I love the Diptyque candles too, but feel chintzy giving "just" a candle because, to me, they don't seem they would/should cost nearly as much as they do.

lillibet - when I was single, childless and in my early 40's, I would have loved some beautiful quality personalised stationary. There must be places to order online....I just don't know about them!