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Original poster

PRESENTS - What do you give your parents/in-laws for Christmas

25 replies

warmmum · 01/12/2004 10:04

Completely stuck.

I don't want to spend a fortune, but I have no idea what to give them this Christmas. We have done the gardening thing to death so now what ...

Does anyone have a brilliant idea?

OP posts:
jampot · 01/12/2004 10:05

Nikcola is giving her mum a lovely piccie of her and Shireen which is a top pressie imo.

We have sent FIL - a jumper (yawn) and MIL a jewellery box this year.

twiglett · 01/12/2004 10:06

Might not help

DD got an Omar Sharif Bridge game for the PC we gave him .. 8.99

DM got a Rummikub game (which she asked for

MIL is getting nothing .. although would probably like any old junk

Do they like board games / bridge ? how old are they (mine are very old )

Original poster
warmmum · 01/12/2004 10:10

Not very old - 50s/60s. MIL has had operation on her hand, so can't do v much. We have 8 grandparents to cater for as all our parents have split and remarried, so the options are endless.

FIL likes bridge and golf (yawn!), but I can't bring myself to give him trick golf balls etc.

OP posts:
Bozza · 01/12/2004 10:11

We actually ask ours. MIL is getting a black leather handbag and maybe something else dependent on cost. FIL is getting a book and a travel alarm clock. Mum is getting an evening bag and something else. Dad I'm clueless on but will get there. Will also wrap up a the kid's nursery picture which came yesterday and put it from them.

Any films they might like a copy of. Anything personalised from the kids (eg mug with their picture on) or would they think this was tacky. Are they charitable souls and would like you to buy a goat for an African village or pay for a tree to be planted?

Original poster
warmmum · 01/12/2004 10:11

jampot - like the jewellery box idea. Might even get a bit creative and get the girls to decorate one with gawdy beads and sparkles etc.

OP posts:
Bozza · 01/12/2004 10:12

A golf sweater/shirt?

Original poster
warmmum · 01/12/2004 10:14

Sweaters too expensive - present list so enormous (over 40 people) that they have to be small.

Just thinking what a nightmare this all is. I wish we could have an amnesty on presents.

OP posts:
popsycal · 01/12/2004 10:15

ours have dinner parties etc

am buying them the board game 'craniuim' and some uptodate framed photos of ds

bakedpotato · 01/12/2004 10:15

i always ask my parents for pointers. it's not done like that with MILs for some reason.

so because my dad wants it, we're giving both fathers the Oxford Dictionary of Place Names and crystallised ginger or suchlike

my mum wants a jane grigson cook book, fair dos, but i'm also going to give her a Simon Hoggart-edited book of awful christmas round robins (she has a fetish for them) and some nice bath/scented candle stuff

MIL: well, the pressure is off, considering how pants her presents always are. if she's lucky she'll get a soap/ bubble bath set fromthe white company. really i'd like to give her a twig.

Original poster
warmmum · 01/12/2004 10:20

Feeling like it might be a good idea to get out there and get on with it. See yah later.

OP posts:
jolou1 · 01/12/2004 10:21

Photos of kids in frames and for my Dad Lakeland have this fantastic wine/champagne cooler in a bag for picnics. Actually Lakeland has lots of good mil type stuff in it. BBC shop is ace for videos/DVDs and books and magazine subscriptions are always appreciated. eg Good Food, Top Gear etc. Also getting mil a top.

hmb · 01/12/2004 10:22

We have aranged to have a calender made full of pictures of the family for my mil.and some rather nice silk slippers. Don't give a damn what dh gives his father, cant stand him, and he seldom rememvbers his grand kids

Bozza · 01/12/2004 10:22

LOL bakedpotato - re your last paragraph.

Yes golf sweaters are very expensive - I should know my DH has them. Think the photos idea is generally a good one.

You could do the thing that has been suggested on Mumsnet of getting your kids to decorate a plate/mug etc and then just buy them a box of choccies to go with it. Or fill the mug with choccies. A scarf or scarf/gloves set for the women?

M&S do calendars with slots for photos for each month which you fill with reprints yourself. The calendar is £6 and the reprints probably about the same so £12 but you could make them share it!

MancMum · 01/12/2004 10:29

we always buy the in-laws a case of wine - useful over Xmas and we then get to drink it when we go round for lunch !! - there are loads of good offers on for wine at the mnoment...

nerdgirl · 01/12/2004 10:52

Got my Dad two bird watching books and a pair of binoculars.

Got my Mum a gorgeous heart pendant necklace with the birthstones of all her children and grandchildren on one side.

Hulababy · 01/12/2004 12:06

We have got DH's parents a Freeview box for Christmas this year.

otto · 01/12/2004 12:12

This year we're getting them a sparrow nesting box as they are both keen on garden birds. In the past we've bought them a rucksack picnic hamper which they use for days out and on holidays. Last year we put together a hamper of nice food and drink that they wouldn't buy themselves. MIL is a great cook so we always buy her unsual spices or ingredients that she may not be able get hold of easily.

zubb · 01/12/2004 12:13

Got my Dad and step-mum a goat from Oxfam unwrapped, and a picture of the kids, my Mum something from Oxfam unwrapped as well, and my step-dad some belgian beer glasses. PIL have a weekend away that was paid for by us and dhs brother and sister. Grandparents have framed pictures of the kids

SantaClausfrau · 01/12/2004 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tammybearinggifts · 01/12/2004 12:33

not sure about what im getting my mum, im getting dp's dad accessories for his digital camera, and for dp's mum i was hoping to get a photo of me, dp and dd together but that looks unlikely before christmas!!

alibubbles · 01/12/2004 17:27

My parents have no need for anything, last year I arranged to have a box of fresh sea food sent to them, crab, mussels, lobster, oysters the lot. They loved it! It was beautifully packed in ice and was delivered by 10,00am on the day I asked, I used Martins seafoods from Cornwall, brilliant!

This year I shall send them a luxuary game pack from Donald Russell Meats, all two portion size, vac packed, again a nice treat, something they wouldn't think to indulge in, but enjoy thoroughly.

Goldfish · 01/12/2004 18:15

We went into Marks and Spencers and you can create your own hamper and put anything at all in it and they will wrap it for you. It looks really nice and you can spend as little or as much as you want.

cupcakes · 01/12/2004 18:45

My mum - a Cath Kidston spectacle case
My dad - Lord of the Rings video + chocolate orange
MIL+FIL - officially nothing because they say so... makes me feel odd though.

janeybops · 01/12/2004 19:19

I thought I might buy them an aerial phot of their street - saw them on internet the other day.

janeybops · 01/12/2004 19:20

Oh and for in laws - dh does them, so don't know.

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