Urgent Inspiration please!

arnie&caseysma!

Looking for ideas for a birthday pressie for my sister.
Basically, she has been away from the family for a number of years and recently came back to us a few months ago. During the time she was away, she did not get any Xmas or birthday presents at all, and since coming back she has made a real effort with us buying my nieces and nephews things for Xmas, and last week I got a Radley purse for my birthday when all I said was to come up, enjoy the company, and bring a bottle of wine.

Anyway, I suggested that me and my sisters club together and get her a digi camera for her birthday since she has had nothing for years. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel guilty about her getting nothing but I just think it would be nice to do something special for her.

After this being such a good idea, I have been told tonight that my sisters are now getting something different for her and I bascially have been excluded from the gift. This gives me tomorrow before 3pm to try and get her something. We live in a town where there is very limited shopping and I have no idea of the stuff she has already, or even really likes for that matter.

Would love to do something special for her but I don't want to remind her of everything that she has missed.

Any suggestions would be welcome - it really is a difficult limited one!!!

becs

Ah how rotten of your sisters firstly to exclude you and then tell you at short notice!
Have you got any nice family pictures with your sister in them taken recently? If so what about having that enlarged and put into a nice frame?
Or a nice piece of jewellery, a contemporary bangle that you may be able to have engraved with something nice?

JailhouseBabe

Maybe buy a nice photo album and put photos of her nephews and nieces in - leaving pages blank and telling her that's for pictures of her with the children.

Can you think of anything from years back, and buy something connected to that? For example, buy something that reminds you of a memory of her (favourite toy/book/band etc.). Probably not explaining that very well. An example could be when I bought my DD a necklace with an 'apple' pendant - because Apple was her best friend at school's nickname (they had private nicknames for each other).

HTH.

sharon59

could you give us clue as what type shops you have available- I was thinking a special photo of you and your children this xmas like other poster.Or did she have fav sweets -fudge etc that you could make her yourself and add IOU of spa day for the two of you-that way you get nice chance to bond.Or a sock monkey if your a sewer and add the IOU.PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU DO DECIDE!

hennagirl

Seeing as you and your sister have missed out on 'girlie' time together, could make up a hamper of girlie stuff for you and her to do together as a special night/day. Could be girlie movie night, maybe have your nails done together or what ever beauty treatments offered at local parlour or sometimes can print off instant vouchers from last minute and treat her to a special day out like theatre. Also just thinking about it, how about making a iou cheque thingy promising her day out/meal in warmer months, could even tie that in with a special childhood place.

arnie&caseysma!

Thanks all so far. I will try to answer all of you in the one post!!!

Becs - we did have a pic taken at New Year as it was the first time we managed to get everyone together for about 6 years. I know she already has copies of this one. I don't want to go down the jewellery route as that it what the others are doing and I just can't compete (one works in a jewellers!).

Jailhousebabe - unfortunately I dont have kids myself (unless you count the 4 dogs!) so I want to leave the kids pics things to those that do have them. I did take one of her last week with one of the dogs but didn't think it too appropriate! Also, because of our family situation we missed out on so much of each others lives long before she left us (someone once said they would never be afraid to open a tabloid again after they heard our story!) that I don't really remember too much of what she likes - there are 6 years between us and we didn't really get on too well before it all.

Sharon and Hennagirl together - again we missed out on so much over the years that I don't really know! Our shops are limited to a couple of gift shops (one stocking everything from jewellery and terramundis to small household furniture and handbags!), M&Co, WH Smith, Peacocks, New Look, and honestly, there is not much else! We don't have any kind of spa facilites here and the nearest one is a 50 mile round trip with cheapest day packages of £69 with nothing cheaper available.
I like the girly movie night - would be something to look forward to as it would be kinda difficult to fit in this month and next between various things happening and her moving away (yes we got her back and now she is moving on for a better life - nothing to do with us tho!) so it would probably be at least April or May before we get to use it.

She is just soooooo difficult! I used to be able to buy her things really easily but now that I have to put a big of thought into it it's really not easy!!!

hennagirl

What about celebrating her birthday at your place or making her a birthday cake? If you have a chocolate fountain - it goes down really well with marshmallows, strawberries etc or if no fountain, can melt choc and put in individual bowls. Could also have pizza, popcorn, sweeties and any other fav food you remember from your childhood. If you have a karaoke machine - great - love to let hair down with the girls!

Don't know how viable but maybe have a sis's sleepover - that way you could give her a pamper pack - just some things collected from your local supermarket along with a new cuddly teddy for her sleepover!

arnie&caseysma!

hennagirl wrote: »

What about celebrating her birthday at your place or making her a birthday cake? If you have a chocolate fountain - it goes down really well with marshmallows, strawberries etc or if no fountain, can melt choc and put in individual bowls. Could also have pizza, popcorn, sweeties and any other fav food you remember from your childhood. If you have a karaoke machine - great - love to let hair down with the girls!

Don't know how viable but maybe have a sis's sleepover - that way you could give her a pamper pack - just some things collected from your local supermarket along with a new cuddly teddy for her sleepover!

Fab idea! I haave a choccie fountain and a karaoke machine! Her birthday is Thursday and there is a family dinner that I can't go to as I am working so I may have to put that off until next Friday night when I am off and I will see if she is free! OH is working late that night and wont be back until after 11pm......and just found out on MSN she is going away to our brothers the next day!

There is a spanner in the works for every idea for this girl! I think I may give up!!! hehe

What I am going to do is start going round town taking pictures of random things (including extreme close-ups for a guessing game!) for a total nostalgia trip for when she moves. I will put them all on a memory stick with family pics aswell to make her feel so home-sick that she has to come back to us for frequent visits!!! lol

lolababy

How about a memory box. You could fill it with photos from your childhood. Write down things you remember doing. maybe get a cd of music that she enjoyed at the time. A film.
A bottle of wine and chocs always go down well.

Poppy9

What about tickets for a show or local theatre for you both or a webcam if she doesn't already have one.

sethsgran

How about booking her in for some nice treatment eg nails/hair/facial and also book yourself to go with her. You could book it for in a few weeks time and on her birthday give her a handmade voucher stating what she will get. Or a photo session, not a huge expensive one, so that the 2 of you can have a photo together.

PS glad she is back in your life.