What do you put on you Christmas list, if you have what you need already .

Charity donations.

Oh dear I must be very materialistic, I can always think of things I would like. I am sure it goes back to my childhood as I had so very very little in those days and I do appreciate and treasure things. I know DH has already bought something I saw at a quilting exhibition, and has asked what else I would like. I love nice indulgent smellies. Amazon token to buy for my kindle, soft scarves and gloves, undies and pyjamas. Little pieces of costume jewellery. Nice china to use. My children come up with some lovely things, I don't know where they get the ideas from. Am off to have a champagne tea for two this weekend which they bought me for my birthday, very spoilt. I do get much enjoyment buying for DH, DC's and DGC's, love to wrap up prettily. Also like to buy for our two dogs

There is always something you can say - books, sweets, CD, DVD, smellies, hottie, jimjams, gloves, purse/wallet etc - that way you can give a list of lots of little things which cost very little and I'm sure there are one or two bigger things/luxuries - tickets for a play/concert/film thay they can club together to buy. Or explain that at present you have everything you need, but would really appreciate a gift card for one of your favourite shops or Amazon where you can get almost everything you could possibly win.

Sorry - that last word should have been "want"!

Lovely scarf, hat, gloves, bag? You could choose and send them the link to website. Ive seen some nice Kath Kidson bags around £40. As someone else says, in the run up to Xmas I avoid buying stuff for myself which i need like new pyjamas and write it on a list, and encourage DH to do the same, as when people ask I can never remember. What about a plant or bulbs in a pot? Look on Waterstones website (or amazon) and choose some books youd like, or CDs. Or indeed DVDs.
Agre about pics of grandchildren, especially if professional and or framed. That's something they could get together to organise and pay for

My Christmas list - from DD & her OH new blind for kitchen window & if funds allow one for my bedroom - I only moved last year & want to replace existing ones. DGS usually buys me something small (& silly!!)

From DM hoping for money as I want more solar lights for garden (got my eye on expensive glass ones) or a planter with obelisk trellis (for sweet peas next summer)

I always go for something practical as I've downsized & don't need any "clutter" (I've got plenty already)

I couldn't think of anything for my birthday and then a friend told me about a charity providing safe, clean , hygienic toilets in various parts of the world. So I know have 2 framed photos in our 2 loos of the toilets that they are now twinned with!! One in Africa and one in India.
It makes a unique gift and helps so many people.
www.toilettwinning.org/what-is-toilet-twinning/

The other ideal present if you don't want " things" is vouchers for or towards experiences eg spa days, afternoon tea, art workshops, days out etc etc. whatever takes your interest.

What about a fancy family tree that you can get from Amazon although maybe too late to order for this Xmas . What about jewellery? I like things like afternoon tea so I can spend time with others ?☕️

LouiseMLP Toilet Twinning. What a great Idea! On my list. My DH and DS like gifts for themselves but giving one of there as one of few would be perfect

Charity donations. People have given in my name, clean water, goats, bicycles and maternity care for those who would not normally be able to access the facilities.

Love the Toilet Twinning! I have asked my son for a voucher for a trailer load of horse manure. His wife has three horses and we are in need of the poo for our large garden, so I thought this would spur him into action in January, instead of me reminding him every few months and getting nowhere!
I would love some perfume - Chanel or similar - something I'd never buy myself. My daughter gave us a voucher for cinema tickets one year, very useful and appreciated. Handmade gifts are very welcome, too, my granddaughter made us a lovely painted sign to hang outside the front door saying "We're in the garden", it is so pretty and guides any callers round to the back of the house.
Only a few weeks to go now, must get that shopping done!

I'm going to ask for the latest Cecelia Ahern book. I could buy it myself but it gives them something to get me! I also love yarn to knit with. I've seen mugs that you can get photos printed on. They would be nice with the grandchildren's photos. My daughter gets me a good moisturiser for "mature" skin. She pays more than I'd pay for myself. A new purse. I'm sick of searching for my black one which gets lost in my black handbag.

Whats happened to Christmas! its a time for giving not to have a Christmas list! or ask for something! Bah Humbug!

Flossie
Have you tried Beauty Naturals on line? They have some lovely stuff. The Martha Hill Evening Primrose moisturiser is the only one I can use now, even Simple makes my eyes itch but the Martha Hill stuff can be slathered on and is very good.

DH and the children were so generous when it was my birthday recently, I would rather they didn't have to get me anything else ever! We have given theatre vouchers and cinema tickets in the past and they have always gone down well.

.......or food? Though that could be heavy to take on a train.

I chose time - short or long but a chance to be one to one with the person who wants to give me a present. Go to the cinema or a talk or have a coffee or inexpensive meal. Time please

For me? I have no idea...

But for friends [mostly elderly] I have given them : A veggie box once a month for 6 months; a book of vouchers of things for me to give over time - things like a cake, granny-sitting, an outing to a coffee shop or whatever, clean the brass/silver, and so on. They were all greeted with great pleasure and used! If only the DCs would do something like that for me; they insist on spending money rather than time on me!

Just to be clear, they ask me to give a long list so that they and the grandchildren can choose something from it. I spend lots of days out with them. They all love Christmas and have their own way of doing thing which I am happy to go along with. One of their traditions is gift giving while lunch is cooking. The children get more excited about other people's presents. The thank you's, the hugs, the how did you know what I wanted. I just posted, because as I get older, I don't know what to put on the list.

I think the best present I ever got my own mother was a photo, but one I'd had 'doctored'.
There was a very old, very small, black and white snap of her mother, her elder sister aged about 2, and her granny. She had never really got on with her sister, so I had the snap blown up, cut the sister right out (!) and put the blown up pics of her mother and her granny into a really nice frame with two side by side ovals.
I wasn't with her that Christmas, but my father told me afterwards that he'd never seen her so pleased with anything.

A soft fluffy dressing gown. (Not for me as I love my onesie.)
I shall ask for fingerless mittens to wear when I am using the computer, which is in a rather cold room.

WE just don't know what to buy each other for Christmas. We did think about jointly buying an Art deco wall mirror, but we cannot find one we like, have scoured the internet. Also our children don't want us to buy the GC much as they have too much already, they are spaced so that each gets hand me downs. Even I, don't want another Ukulele.

Three of my most successful presents have been my Kindle, my iPOD and my iPhone, all given by clubbing together. Another lovely gift was a Spa visit for DDs and me given by our husbands, with a treatment and dinner.

Ask fr a photo of all the children / grandchildren together in a nice frame.