Chucky Mama Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Help! I want to buy a birthday gift for an 80 year old lady and am stuck for ideas. She is a bit of a home bird and cooks a lot - traditional cooking. Hubby grows his own fruit and veg and keeps bees so she has to do all the preserving etc. She watches a lot of TV. The only thing that I could think of was a nice photo frame. Any ideas would be greatfully received - budget £20 ish. Her birthday is Tuesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 What about some nice jam labels or some fancy jars for her preserves? Could do her a gift basket with some new wooden spoons and bits and bobs for £20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 My Dad will be 80 on 1.1.11 and I've bought him a Robert Opie book - 1930s - and a 1931 Birthday Card/dvd of the Thirties. My sister will be getting the Robert Opie book of the War Years. We recently bought the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s books and everyone loved them and spent ages passing them around. He doesn't need anything and doesn't really have any hobbies though so I was a bit stuck but thought I'd mention them anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I find it difficult to get nice things for my Grandma, but she was very appreciative of the lavender wardrobe and drawer sachets I got her one year. Made all her clothes smell heavenly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I bought a gift for my 100 year old aunt last year of a digital photo frame loaded up with photos of her family and her birthday party - it was a bit more than £20, but prices have come down and it was very well received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Have a look at http://www.lakeland.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I was going to suggest Lakeland, if she loves baking and preserving then there's plenty there! I like the idea of a basket with e.g. jam labels, maybe some cheap items like those really useful flexible spatulas, cake pan liners, or perhaps some fancy ingredients like their really good vanilla essence. Or how about Nigella 'Domestic Goddess' or another baking book? I know they don't sound very exciting, but as my parents got older we found it harder and harder to buy things as they had most of what they needed - my dad ended up with an awful lot of 'coffee table' books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 The River Cottage series of cook books is fantastic. The preserves one is a mine of information and yummy recipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bradley bunch Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 What about some nice jam labels or some fancy jars for her preserves? Could do her a gift basket with some new wooden spoons and bits and bobs for £20 i was going to suggest jam jars with fancy personalised labels too! i think it's a great idea from snowy to make up a little gift basket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bradley bunch Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 just thought ...you could even add some lovely fresh eggs to the basket too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 The great british book of baking. It's £20 at WhSmiths, but I got mine for £12.50 & free p&p from a famous auction site. You could put that with a nice baking bowl & a wooden spoon tied with ribbon! I have in the past burnt onto wooden spoons, special dates for weddings etc - might be an idea? Matalan have some nice baking bits in at the moment - as do TKMaxx. I can't recommend that book enough, it's fab! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchens Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 As she watches a lot of TV how about a DVD box set of a costume drama or something like that. The Darling Buds of May is my fave (not that its a costume drama but I watch it over and over and over again)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I love the idea of a basket with some lovely jam jars and labels in, maybe with a few 'traditional' recipes? We got my Grandmother in law a digital photo frame for Christmas last year. I bought them from Jessops and I think they were only about £20. It had a slot for a USB key which I loaded up with lots of photos and set it up as a slide show. Or maybe a photo session with you and your family with her? I'm not sure how much they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
