Please help me find a stylish present for my TA - all ideas welcome

[Pinkflipflop]

I would normally do jewellery but she only seems to wear expensive/subtle gold jewellery as she used to manage a jewellery shop before she trained to be a TA.

My budget is around £40

She is 37
blonde
doesn't like fussy or girly types things
Hates massage/beauty treatments

Any ideas please? I am really struggling with this - she has been amazing this year and I would like a nice gift for her!!

What about a really nice Cowshed or Jo Malone scented candle? Its a bit girly but not in a fussy frilly way, and most people appreciate nice fragrance, but its not so personal as she won't be "wearing" it...

Good thread. I need to get 3 TAs a gift so budget of around £10 each and I'm stuck.

Does she like gardening/ cooking?

It is so difficult with out knowing her !! I'm 37 and sound similar so I will list what I would like:

Perfume
A bag
voucher
photo frame
In JL they do single wine glasses (decorated) ....someone brought me one and i feel very special every time i use it.
A belt
A dress watch
I love tea ....someone brought me a gigantic mug which i love
A book

Probably not much help lol

this glass

I have got the 'love' wine glass and it's lovely (was a gift too).

Wouldn't buy anything scented, as perfume etc is such a very personal choice - or, if I did, handcream or candle in something very 'safe' such as lavender.
What about a good poetry anthology - eg, a Poem a Day.

Hi Pinkflipflop and everyone else in the thread

I have to recommend a site called Knot Only.

It's all scarves and they start at about £20, so within your budget, but when you see the scarves in the flesh, they look a lot more pricey!

I discovered the site when the lady who runs it had a stall at a school fair recently, and fell in love with most of her stock!

I'd think your TA might like something plainish from the sounds of her description, maybe this one? www.knotonly.com/products/jo-edwards/linen-spot-grey/

I was a teacher and know that I'd have loved to receive that.

Hope that helps!

I've done ren bath oil in the past.

And this ticks "no" on so many boxes (fragrance, bit close to "twigs and pebbly shit), and yet ... it really does smell of hyacinth and is delicious twigs, etc. - I know I've linked to some weird place on-line, but it's sold in John Lewis.

Something from Alessi? Eg. a key-ring. Though they may be deemed a bit 80s now.

And (recommendation courtesy of another mn-er) what about one of the Rob Ryan designed things from John Lewis? (google Rob Ryan).

I would become a teacher if I was in any way likely to be given Ren bath oil at the end of term. Sigh!

I have bought Boden scarves twice now and seen both teachers wearing them a lot. Choose something fairly neutral and it will be used.

How about an orchid?

Some lovely ideas. I don't think any help me - I need something for a 19 year old TA and something for 2 who are older my age & parents. None are scarf wearers which is a shame. I'd love a scarf.

Grockle - What? You are going to spurn the Cath Kidston end-term-present cup/mug? (for the two your age.)

Iconoclast!

19 - i-tunes vouchers? And SpaceNK does posh lip-glosses/balms in little tins.

Any of that set a chain of thought in process?

Ive just bought a few of Cath Kidston's "Mug in a tin", here Really lovely china mug and the tin is so pretty

Baume de Rose By By Terry is a lip balm I think anyone would like

Clearly I should have read the previous post more carefully : /

Ditto Jurlique rose or lavender hand cream in Space NK . Or aromatherapy associates set of mini bath oils .

Hi

Ah thats really generous of you. Matches have some nice gifts in their accessories range - Scarfs, make up bags , Kindle Holder (if she has one)

Here

Gillybobs - no, I think you read it just right! I walk into the local CK and think "I bloody own you!" - I've bought CK mugs for ... many people, not just teachers. And I have a lovely mug myself - and it is most definitely my mug. And I would have two - but one of the cats killed one of them.

Thanks animula, I was bloody chuffed with them when they arrived then read your post and thought maybe they were "old hat". Anyways, happy now : )

Gillybob - CK is ubiquitous, but that is because it's v. much mother-catnip. I notice mn has a love-hate thing going with the Floral One. I tend to see that as us sending ourselves up. and And your mug looks lovely.

And back to the thread ...

Here's a slightly off-beat suggestion:

Do any of them drink coffee? What about some Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee? I know I only ever by that once in about a million years - but for a coffee lover, it might be much loved.

... my attempt at a merged emoticon signalling wry self-knowledge was a massive fail there.

magazine subscription?

I do Molton Brown handwash and lotion. Everyone has to wash their hands!