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Thread: Christmas presents - I know its early

  1. #1
    Master subseastu's Avatar
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    Christmas presents - I know its early

    I know its early to be thinking about this, or maybe its not but I've a bit of a problem. Speaking to my mum the other day she's come up with the idea of limiting the amount of money we spend on presents this year. Before we just used to ask and we'd get what generally asked for (within reason). Thing is this means there are very few surprises and its getting boring asking for amazon vouchers and all we're doing is essentially shifting the same amount of money about. The other problem both my folks are in their early 70's so to be honest generally have everything they want, or if they want something they just get it. I'm the same in that generally I'm lucky enough to be able to buy most things I want so become a nightmare at birthdays / xmas.

    So its now £20 limit each for my 74 year old folks. I've been thinking about and I'm drawing a blank due to lack of imagination so open it to the TZUK hive. My folks like rambling, being outdoors, have a nice garden, mum likes jigsaws (hang on I may have just solved one!). It can be fun / useful / serious. What do you guys get your elderly parents?

  2. #2
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    My brother and I discussed exactly this a couple of years ago and decided it was pointless effectively swapping £20s and £30s every year so we decided to drop the gifts and just buy nice cards. I'm still doing that....he's not. Cards from a box if at all.

  3. #3
    Grand Master AlphaOmega's Avatar
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    They have all the material things they want.

    Perhaps you could write them something.

    If you can't think of anything to write, copy some prose or a poem. Put it in a decent card.

    They won't be here for ever so forget the cheap gift and give them something they will properly appreciate.

  4. #4
    Journeyman
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    Cool A meal out?

    Why not take them out? They get to see you. You get lunch ;)

  5. #5
    My brother and I donate to charity instead of exchanging presents though I still like to buy something for mum to open on Christmas Day.

    Last year the local homeless charity benefited, will probably be the same this year.

  6. #6
    Master
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    Posh food e.g. nice jams, biscuits, wine, the sort of thing they wouldn't get themselves. Likewise posh toiletries, handwash, handcream, soaps etc.

    Other ideas in budget:

    - Pen
    - Socks, in my experience people spend more on socks as a gift than I'd spend on socks for myself.
    - Bird feeder / food
    - Garden plant or tool

  7. #7
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    A hamper full of lovely things to eat/drink seems to do the job for my folks each year.

    Some nice choccies / bottle of gin / cheese & biscuits / xmas pudding etc.

    Sorted.

  8. #8
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    Pool the money together and pay for a professional family portrait session at a photographer. You’ll all enjoy the same gift then.

  9. #9
    Craftsman Paddy!'s Avatar
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    We tend to swap experience days or afternoon teas where the caveat is doing it with the gift giver.

    The photo session is a great idea! Thanks...

    SLightly over budget but a Lordship/Ladyship with a square footage of land in Scotland went down well with my 70 year old folks. Bragging rights!

  10. #10
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH

  11. #11
    Master
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    Buying for people is a nightmare as is me telling someone what I want.

    As above we’ve done hampers for our families - specialist cheese, biscuits, chocolates etc. Just looked for unusual items you wouldn’t buy everyday.

  12. #12
    Master
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    We all agreed to stop buying each other pressies (children excepted) as we all have everything that we want. We now treat each other to dinner or lunch in a decent restaurant.

    My in laws always enjoyed a good carvery.

  13. #13
    Master Possu's Avatar
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    I give my parents ”vouchers” for something we can do together. Can be anything: a bicycle ride in a national park, theatre, lunch, movies, you name it. Last time we went to an escape room. You can put in as much thought as you want or just promise to take them to for a cup of joe. At the end of the day you’ll be spending quality time together anyway. IMO time together is the most valuable gift you can give to someone you love.

  14. #14
    Master jukeboxs's Avatar
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    National Trust or English Heritage subscription (accept somewhat limited just now though).

    On the photo session, similarly not sure how that works currently with separate households under Covid? E.g. restricted to max. 6 (including photographer) with separate households socially distancing (could use a wide lens!)...

  15. #15
    Master subseastu's Avatar
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    Thank you so much everyone for you ideas and suggestions, you've given me a fair bit to think on. The last few years I've been trying to spend more time with my folks (I work way over half the year so time is precious) so things like dinners etc are sort of covered throughout the year, both casual and more upmarket. The photo session we actually did about 5 years ago but it's a great idea regardless.

    As it goes for the suggestions so far the cloud appreciation society is a winning idea for my dad, if slightly over budget. I think he'll find it properly funny.

    The poem for mum is a nice idea as she's getting more sentimental as time goes on.

    My brother and I stopped doing presents a good while ago, we buy stuff for their kids.

    Sent from my H8314 using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    A bird feeder or nesting box.

    plenty of garden centres in your area - go for a wander round, you won’t leave with an empty basket - that’s for sure.

  17. #17
    Master Kirk280's Avatar
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    Buy them both a gerbil.

  18. #18
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk280 View Post
    Buy them both a gerbil.
    Armageddon!!
    Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH

  19. #19
    Master subseastu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Curta View Post
    Armageddon!!
    Proper laughed at that, must dig that clip out

    Sent from my H8314 using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Master
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    My family took the gift amount cap one stage further...
    ...we now do a Secret Santa, so only have to buy one present, one original idea, everyone gets something to unwrap on the day.
    [Kids are the exception to the rule]
    Makes for a less stressful run up to Christmas, and the day runs a lot more smoothly.

  21. #21
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    Sometime ago my sister limited Christmas presents to each other and family to £5. Much more important is the getting together - we don't see each other much.

  22. #22

    Smile

    House Plants

  23. #23
    Master andyjay's Avatar
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    Recently we’ve had much success with two gifts, one is a calendar made from our photos of the kids which we did for the last 5 or 6 years and got told off the first year we didn’t do it as it was so well liked. We originally used the Apple calendar, but this is now no longer available so used one of the other online providers which was also very good.

    The second thing which has been really good is a jigsaw using one of our photo’s, so we were able to personalise the jigsaw, we did one of grand-children, one of a local landscape etc. which again was well received. Both take a bit of effort, but it was well worth it.

  24. #24
    Journeyman
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    Quote Originally Posted by subseastu View Post
    I know its early to be thinking about this, or maybe its not but I've a bit of a problem. Speaking to my mum the other day she's come up with the idea of limiting the amount of money we spend on presents this year. Before we just used to ask and we'd get what generally asked for (within reason). Thing is this means there are very few surprises and its getting boring asking for amazon vouchers and all we're doing is essentially shifting the same amount of money about. The other problem both my folks are in their early 70's so to be honest generally have everything they want, or if they want something they just get it. I'm the same in that generally I'm lucky enough to be able to buy most things I want so become a nightmare at birthdays / xmas.

    So its now £20 limit each for my 74 year old folks. I've been thinking about and I'm drawing a blank due to lack of imagination so open it to the TZUK hive. My folks like rambling, being outdoors, have a nice garden, mum likes jigsaws (hang on I may have just solved one!). It can be fun / useful / serious. What do you guys get your elderly parents?
    Absolutely agree with this. It got to the stage one year with my sibling where we effectively all bought our own presents and for me it kills the joy in giving.

    I’ve taken to giving cuttings of houseplants as housewarming gifts and in simple decorative pots they always seem to go down well and don’t cost me any money

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