Why is it so bloody hard to buy a birthday present for your mum?

Sunshinemummy

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

Urgh, radley, that little annoying dog!

I must confess to a small collection of Mulberry bags though:o



Lol, she was very pleased with her presents. I wanted to spoil her as she is fabulous:D

So what did you get her?

gleek1

If she likes hiking I would take her into town one day and go for lunch together. Then take her to an outdoor shop and buy her a jacket/boots/rucksack of her choice. She will love to spend time with you , and walking kit really needs to be tried on for fit/comfort/to know the technical spec that is needed.

What about tickets to see a show or a concert? Decent tickets at big shows are often the best part of £100 each - plus lunch or dinner.

I def second experiences rather than gifts - priceless memories. If you want to get her a gift, my ideal would be all that money in book tokens - guilt free spending where you are restricted to just books - bliss. Amazon vouchers might be better value, but nothing beats going into a bookshop and picking them up and smelling them. To me that would be the best gift EVER!!

Big-Package

Sunshinemummy wrote: »

So what did you get her?

Absolutely nothing :rotfl:most places were shut so its going to be a mad dash to town on my lunch break tomorrow.

Wirenth

I don't know where your Mum is based, but for the hiker, something along this line: http://www.amazon.co.uk/30-Walks-Oxfordshire-AA/dp/074956444X

And maybe a Joules gilet for warmth on those walks: http://www.joules.com/Womens-Clothing/Gilets

And, if she likes gardening, some roses to bring a smile year after year: http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/english/PottedRoses.asp?Theme=

meritaten

ok, so she hikes and paints - what about a subscription to something like an artist magazine? or a hikers magazine? just google hikers magazine or artists magazine (but check first with someone she doesn't already subscribe. my son thought the years subscription to his favourite metal detecting magazine was an 'awesome present'!

skogar

Hello, l would be very reluctant to buy a new handbag for someone unless I knew their taste in handbags very well. I would suggest instead a homemade voucher inside a card saying that it is for a hanbag of her choice up to ..... whatever your limit is. If a woman does not like a handbag it will not get used, same with purses.

Your mum may get taken out on her birthday by your Dad but that doesn't mean you can't take her out for a meal too. One year me and my sister got our parents a tea for 2 voucher for Bettys in York.

I go walking as well and am very fussy on which gear I choose as well.

I would probably go with the day out, trip to theatre, concert, place of interest. Weekend away..Some sort of day course she might be interested in? Mum's are difficult to buy for. I find it tricky as they seem to not really need any thing.You are not alone. You could maybe get vouchers for her favourite restaurant. Yes I am obsessed with food.

Savvy_Sue

Big-Package wrote: »

£250 but i'll pay more if people think that is stingy.

Come and be my son, I'll fall off my chair if any of my lads get me ANYTHING next week! I might get a card from two of them, and their Dad will give them clear instructions that they MUST phone me, but that'll be it.

Mind you, I'd hate to have £175 spent on a candle, however posh!

duchy wrote: »

If she likes hiking £250 would be a decent amount for a voucher with someone like hotels.com for a weekend away

Or with HF Holidays or Ramblers

My favourite bags are Healthy Back Bags. I use one for walking, because a normal rucksack leads to pain in my artificial shoulder. They're not widely available on the high street, however.

But my best present would be one or all of them choosing to come and see me.

I don't think DH has got me a present yet either, but he's taking me away for the weekend. I admit I'm not easy to buy for!

Bennifred

Happy Birthday for next week, Savvy_Sue! :beer:

PenguinJim

About eight years ago I got Mother a flying lesson for her birthday, and spent slightly more so my dad could sit in the back and watch. I can't remember exactly what it included - was it 30 minutes? 45? 60? - but I'm sure she was to take the controls at one point. I thought it would be a nice experience, and different to a bunch of flowers.

I forget the price, but I'm extremely tight with money, so it must have been around £100. Definitely less than £200.

Worth checking for cashback (TCB, quidco) at that amount, too!

(This year I've got a mad plan to cut up an old MDF bedframe and craft a chessboard for her! I haven't "made" anything since school a couple of decades ago, so I'll be using a potent combination of a Dremel, metallic spraypaints, a glue gun and cheap whisky. I'll make the pieces and pawns from nuts and bolts)

maman

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Come and be my son, I'll fall off my chair if any of my lads get me ANYTHING next week! I might get a card from two of them, and their Dad will give them clear instructions that they MUST phone me, but that'll be it.



But my best present would be one or all of them choosing to come and see me.

I agree that OP sounds a caring and generous son but for whatever reason he didn't seem at all keen on any suggestions that involved spending time with his mum. He obviously wanted a gift that he could present on the day.


I don't mean to be unkind about him but that was just the impression I got. Maybe his mum likes gifts and genuinely wouldn't want a day out or weekend away with her son.


Savvy-Sue's post got me thinking that life seems to have got so busy these days that even things like birthdays can become a box ticking exercise. I can empathise with you as my DD2 generally manages to fit in a short visit to coincide with Mothers Day and my birthday which are always close together but it's always around her other social commitments. This year I told her it wasn't convenient (it genuinely wasn't) and she seemed taken aback that we had to make an arrangement that suited me and not her.


Sorry for rant, I think I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today.:)