What you all buying Mum for Christmas?

**kym**

My dad is a nightmare to buy for as he literally has EVERYTHING and will buy himself anything he fancies on a whim...

This year I got together loads of old photos of him...

from one of my nan pregnant to his christening day, through school and childhood holidays to when he first went to work at sea (he's in the merchant navy), to when me and my bro/sis were born. I also scanned in a postcard he sent us from barbados when he was working away when we were small and a couple of our early letters to him, and a letter he wrote to my nan in 1969 when she was in hospital having my aunty - it says "dear mummy i hope you are having a nice time. give a big X to my baby sister love michael". My aunty was 3 months premature and my nan almost died having her!

Ive put it all together in chronological order to make a 'this is your life' photobook complete with red cover! - I haven't collected it yet, but hoping it will be good...

I hate buying for poeple who have everything as you always end up getting token gifts which just waste your money as they never use them. Even if he only looks at it a couple of times, this is much more personal than a bathset, and once he's done with it, it'll be good for grandkids in years to come! Plus he loves anything to do with himself!!

My other tricky one this year is my grandad... to be honest, I think the thing he'd like most is some more of our time... any ideas?

Kym

gairlochgal

Yes mine are very hard to buy for too as they get more frugal and more green by the year.

I've got them an olive wood cheese board from an italian olive farmer whose oldest trees were killed in a storm (thought they might appreciate the recycling aspect), a cheese knife, a truckle of nice cheddar, ballymaloe relish, and me and the kids are going to bake oat cakes. I spotted some very nice little packs of brie in Lidl the other day and hoping to get back for a couple of those too.

ShrimplyIrresistable

My Dad and Grandad (when he was alive) were always the easiest to buy for... a good bottle of single malt whiskey. I never knew anything about whiskey so I'd always have to nip into Waterstones and check out high scoring whiskeys in whiskey guide books before purchasing... never failed to impress :beer:

My Mum on the other hand... hmmm... like so many people on here she's the sort of person who'll unwittingly make it difficult for you by saying "I'll be happy with anything" when in fact you know she won't be. In the past I've tried very hard to get her things that are different (pampering days, theatre tickets, nights out at top restaurants, the anti wrinkle cream was a disaster!) but the further I get from a box chocolate Brasils and bath stuff the more dissatisfied she seems to be. This year I think I'll be playing it safe (financially and emotionally) with the chocs and bath stuff but I reckon I may add in the photo keyring idea with loads of photos of my sisters' kids on there.

Sorry I couldn't be more help in finding suitable pressies.

Shrimply

writestuff

I've bought my mum a journal which has pre-printed questions on pages for her to answer (if she wants to), the sort of questions you don't necessarily think to ask: describe some of your favourite outfits you wore as a young woman, describe the occasion you first met my dad's parents, what do you still want to achieve in your life, etc. It's a nice looking hardback journal that cost me about £12 in a bookshop, but I think you can get it online from https://www.fromyoutome.com and there are others to choose from, not just for mums.

billieboy_2

We've got my mum a year's subscription to a puzzle magazine. She spends a lot of time doing these so I thought it was a bit of a different present. When asked if there's anything she wants she'll never have any ideas so I've given up asking :rotfl: !

Biryani

Best present I ever got for my mum was a small bay tree. It looks great in the garden and she can use the leaves for cooking.

The worst present I ever got was See Tickets vouchers as she couldn't spend them on the website and they had the wrong phone number on the back!

joannakinley

Mum and Dad have got increasingly hard to buy for especially now that they are retiring in 18 months and will be downsizing.
This year for Mum she wants money towards a gardening fund for her new house so that she can use all the money they have already for a great kitchen. I don't particularly like giving money as I don't like people knowing how much/little I have spent so I'm also giving her a photo of my boys in nice frame (from boots, bought on my points). That way it's not so obvious I'm a bit tight!
Her birthday is on the 29th Dec which is a bit of a trial. But I've found one of those Dodo diarys specifically to help with designing a garden. Should do her I hope.

Lately we have resorted to experiences such as a day with the elephants at the zoo.
Let us all know what you eventually get for your Mum.

trishann

painted_lady wrote: »

I am always stuck for parents too. Last year my parents got a hamper I made up, with cider for mum, beer for dad, bulbs to plant for spring, cheese board, jams etc.
This year they are getting nice photo album, I know mum has loads of loose photos in drawers and she wants me to help her sort through them, some of them were my grandmas, so I will give her the albums with a promise we will sort all the photos out (and maybe research family tree)
Mums birthday is december too so I am always double stuck. Last week I got her nice flowers and took her and dad out for a meal.
Thoughts and hugs to all those with absent loved ones this christmas.

This is the first post I've made but please, please sort out your photos sooner rather than later. My mam had a massive stroke in the summer which has left her with the inability to communicate although she knows exactly what we are saying. In the house are loads of photos of relatives only she knows it was going to be one of those jobs to do on a rainy day but now it'll never get done

ClareEmily

Well my mum wanted useful things, so far she has got:
A wok with lid (as she couldn't find one)
Eye cream (as she has run out)
Slippers (mule supportive type from M&S)
Leona Lewis CD and the Xfactor winner - so will be her fault when she is No. 1..groan
And prob get her fav sweeties

sheenaf

If your mum/dad has a computer you can make your own digital photoframe for them. We have literally hundreds of photos of the DGC in our computer + holiday snaps and a CD we got from daughters for our Ruby Wedding with our wedding photos, our parents (now long departed) and our DD's as children. I have the whole lot set as streaming screensavers. The computer sits in the corner and as I am busy hoovering or talking with friends, a seemingly endless variety of images appear. The DGC particularly love to watch this and try to spot themselves.
So - a virtually free much appreciated present - download/scan photos to a blank CD and install for your Mum if she is not able to do it herself.