h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm at a total and utter loss. I've always been useless at thinking of presents for people. I have the rest of my family sorted out, but I cannot for the life of me decide what to get for my Mum and Dad.

So, the question is, "what is everyone else getting their parents for christmas?". A bit cheeky I know, but there you go. Any suggestions are welcome.

Ta

Ste

Always the hardest ones to buy! Actually, second hardest. What is everyone getting their in-laws?

Mum, so far: the Anne Robinson Biog, a new pair of slippers and a classical music CD. Couldn't think of one big thing for her this year.

Dad: I mixed up a case of wine on a well-know wine-selling website. It took ages finding ones I think he will like.

As for the in-laws...?

k

Books are always good (though I work in a bookshop, so I would say that). Walk in and talk to the staff and they should give you some suggestions.

Frankie

The best present a son has ever bought me was my beautiful Irish cashmere cape a couple of years ago. It took some heavy duty hinting. Other things that have been successful (in no particular order) are scented drawer liners, the right perfume, a screwdriver with magnetic heads, rose bushes, (very) good writing paper with first class stamps already on some of the envelopes, carved African bookends, a pillow stuffed with lavender, green glass earrings and the DVDs of Walking with Dinosaurs. Very old malt whisky also went down well,as would good heavy glassware to drink it out of.
Books would also be good always, but I have a pretty extensive 'library' - so book tokens might be better. There are several magazines that I would welcome a year's subscription to. Membership of societies like the National Trust, or Friends of a local theatre would be good - if I weren't the other side of the world. I'd like new light fittings, but am not sure I would trust their taste I love gift vouchers of any sort as I like the fun of buying something in the sales, but YOUR mother might think this was a cop out. I used to have a weakness for expensive chocs, but am not allowed to eat them any more and I guess I could force myself to accept gold or diamonds

I'm getting my father some good whiskey. It's a secret, but I'm sure he won't be reading h2g2 to find out.

I've got my dad a jigsaw (1000 piece picture of the London Eye) as he's back doing jigsaws to pass the time now he's retired.
For my mum I've got a Tom Lehrer CD. I hope she likes it (she does like good comedy, but if she doesn't I can keep hold of it and get her something else )

How about a week or weekend getaway at a bed and breakfast somewhere nice for just the two of them. Just some quite time to be to lazy together.

Mostly Harmless

Somebody's already suggested the magazine subscription idea I was going to add but that is a really good one if there's a mag they like cos it keeps coming back every month when the envelope lands.
Another thing I've done for my mother a couple of times is just to get lots of really silly little things into a big box cos she never wants anything but loves unwrapping presents

I've got my dad and borhter a collective present (4 disc set of mummy/mummy returns dvd) I'm thnking of getting my mum the blue planet on dvd...I've got lots of points on my whsmith card I've been saving up for the past couple of years. Don't know about gran..she doesn't go in for all this new techincal stuff.

I found a lovey kenwood juicer in argos for £25 which I am getting for my mum and Dad.
My In Laws have asked for a set of heatproff mats for £120 but they are not getting them!

Last year I got the In Laws a coffee grinder.

Hope this helps
Let us know what you end up getting.

Have a fantastic Christmas

Thanks for all the help, I like the idea of alcohol.... perhaps a bottle of expensive wine....

I'll keep you posted



Ste

What did you decide in the end?

My most successful present was a "Friends of the Abbey" year's theatre subscription.

This year, for the first time in at least 2 years, I was able to get my mum something she actually wanted - in this case a cordless phone. The snag with my mum is that she's at the age where she has everything she needs, and doesn't want any ornamental stuff because she doesn't want to have to deal with the clutter. (Plus it reduces the arguments over who gets what when she dies.)

I got them a quality bottle of red wine in a nice wooden presentation box. I hear it was very good indeed, but was unable to sample it personally due to the fact that I live on the other side of the planet from them. Ah, the wonders of the internet shopping experience.

Ste

Went a bit mad and spent some of my redundancy payout on a new washing machine for them. Quite a hefty purchase but I went home on the day before christmas eve to find them manhandling their 15-year-old prehistoric one into the garden so they could tip it for dad to fix for the umpteenth time that week. Caught myself thinking 'I wish I could do something about this' and then in a blinding flash realised I COULD do something about it, went down to the shops the next morning and just bought one.

The earliest it could be delivered was the saturday after christmas so I put the sale confirmation in a card and put that on the tree. It was the best feeling in the world when mum opened it and realised that she would be getting her first brand new machine ever. They have always had second hand ones that dad fixed up before

So often when we are kids we take the stuff they do for us for granted and it felt wonderful to be in a position to give a little bit back

not so k