January survival kit

Lexxi

With one thing and another my parents have had a pretty bad time this year but things are all starting to look up from next week, however I know they are still going to struggle so I was thinking of putting a survival kit together for January. Jokey things that will have a practical use aswell.
They're not really ornament/keepsake type people so it seems silly to buy something that will go to bric a brac later in the year and with them struggling practical things seems like a better idea.
What do you think?
What would you include?

I've got bubble baths and tins of beans so far! And more than likely a bottle of wine. I can make cakes but something to freeze may be better and I need things that will travel as I'm quite a way away.

Last year I made shortbread, white chocolate brownie and scones cut up into squares with each square smaller and smaller then layered them on top of each other at angles so it looked (almost) tree like, with crispie squares for a trunk.

liz-paul

If it's practical for you, you could make up a few dinners (like bolognaise sauce, stew etc) before you go to visit that they can bung in the freezer to use in january. Or a voucher for a local restaurant or takeaway.

A book or DVD. Or if they are into movies you could get a DVD subscription for 6 months.
If you could remember to do it you could give them 12 vouchers for a gift a month for the year. And each month send them something like chocolates, flowers, tickets to see something, a book from amazon.
Or a magazine subscription.
Fluffy socks, hot water bottle, blanket for watching TV.
Voucher for a beauty treatment.

Dizzy_Ditzy

i am thinking of doing curry in a jar this year- read to mean baby food jars filled with various curry spices for individual meals- that can all just be chucked into the pan without the need for faffing about

sweetpeas_2

What about things to make up certain meals, ie a little box of 'Italy' and put in pasta, passatta and a small slab of parmesan. Then you could also do another box of 'China' same principle, jar of sharwoods sauce etc.

You could do them 3/4 boxes and call it a 'trip round the world'. If you buy value items you could do it all for under a tenner I'll bet.

We used to do a 'box of Yorkshire' for DH's Grandad in Norfolk and put Yorkshire pud mix, Henderson's relish, Yorkshire tea bags etc. He used to love it

Hope that helps x

Spendless

A scratch card/lottery ticket - in the hope they'll win some dosh cos in January most people are skint.

Something to warm them up - cos the weather is usually freezing.

Along the same lines something to prepare them for ice/snow.

thelizzyfiles

i've done a 'man's survival' kit for my other half this year, got a blue tub from Asda for £2 (the two handle thing builders use) and filled it with £1 lines for the car, de-icer , wheel stuff etc got a fleece blanket from asda on sale , scratch card, whiskey , the game he wanted , choc , couple of t-shirts and some socks from the pound shop theres loads of cheap things in there but it looks great :0)

[Deleted User]

Lexxi wrote: »

With one thing and another my parents have had a pretty bad time this year but things are all starting to look up from next week, however I know they are still going to struggle so I was thinking of putting a survival kit together for January. Jokey things that will have a practical use aswell.
They're not really ornament/keepsake type people so it seems silly to buy something that will go to bric a brac later in the year and with them struggling practical things seems like a better idea.
What do you think?
What would you include?

I've got bubble baths and tins of beans so far! And more than likely a bottle of wine. I can make cakes but something to freeze may be better and I need things that will travel as I'm quite a way away.

Last year I made shortbread, white chocolate brownie and scones cut up into squares with each square smaller and smaller then layered them on top of each other at angles so it looked (almost) tree like, with crispie squares for a trunk.

If you've got any Tesco Clubcard vouchers - how about using them for a magazine subscription each for them?

I also know someone who gave her parents a book of homemade vouchers to be used throughout the year - they were for things like: A Hug Each: Wash Your Car; Mow the Lawn; An evening playing Monopoly (her Dad's favourite) and so on. Most of them cost her nothing but time, and time is what most parents want from their children more than anything?