Birthday present ideas please for my mother

[Lonelymum]

She will be 73 on Saturday. She doesn't want anything (her words) but I just don't feel I can not give my mother anything. Can anyone suggest something? It has to be easily obtainable and able to be sent through the post. Price, around £20-£30 maximum.

I could tell you her hobbies but there isn't much point as my father says she doesn't want anything to do with those things. They are well off people and basically have whatever they want which makes it hard for me to buy them anything.

how about a magazine subscription?

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i phoned up mum's local garden centre and had them deliver a fruit tree to her a few years back

do you have a camcorder, if so you could make a dvd/video of the family and get the kiddies to say happy b'day to her on that.

Anything she wants she has already! All I can think of is smellies because I always reckon that even if you have those already, you will always need some more. But that is so boring!
Choccies - she wouldn't want to eat because of weight.
Flowers - possible but they die so quickly and anyway, my mother has a huge garden and lots of flowers there (where she prefers them)

if all else fails, a bouquet of flowers

what about buying a chicken/goat/whatever for someone in Afica? sorry to be so vague, but hopefully you know what I mean

How much does that cost PT and how do I do that? That might just please my mother.

or you can sponsor an animal at a zoo

fruit trees, next day delivery

someone bought me a stethoscope for christmas! (think it was save the children)

How about gemstones?

You can buy them on ebay. If they're lab grown they are very cheap.

I'm thinking of getting some for my MIL who loves jewellery. It means I don't have to find a setting she likes just buy her 5 pink saphires and let her do what she likes with them.

It's really difficult isn't it? I have just bought my mum a couple of Dan Brown audio books on CD and a bottle of baileys for her birthday. The audio books are from play.com.

Iota, I think my mother is already a sponsor of an animal in a local zoo, but good idea as it is the sort of thing she likes to do.

Bundle, not sure about the fruit trees. My father specifically said she didn't want anything more for the garden. The stethoscope idea wouldn't work either as they already have plenty (both retired doctors!)

Keep the ideas coming though!

lonelymum, the stethoscope was for a medical centre in a developing country...

Send a Cow is an organisation which sends livestock, etc. to Africans in need. The prices vary. It's abou £15 for 15 chickens, for example.

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The chickens/goats for Africa is Oxfam Unwrapped . Website seems to have gone on holiday at the moment though - but you might still be able to do it through the shops.

Bundle oh right It did seem an odd present to give anyone other than a medical student!

Cod, yes if pushed. Have you a suitable film for a 73 yo woman to recommend?

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can't find it on save the children, it must've been another charity. i got a card with a picture and they specified which country it was for

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