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Frivolous gift ideas please!

Frivolous gift ideas please!

Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:17 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by iaink
There was a lot of mileage in the stuff on the "as seen on TV" website in the tread last week... comedy gold.

more pointless crap than you can shake a stick at...
http://www.asseenontv.com/
I really think there should be a wiki on this, seeing as buying decent gifts from abroad seems to be an issue which affects so many. The website you reference above is a wonderful resource, one that I feel could make the lives of expats across the country a whole lot easier.

I am giving serious consideration to the dog snuggie.
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:43 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Guys! Guys! Something classy please!

Thought about maybe Manalos or Jimmy Choos, but she does love her Gina shoes (about 50 pairs).

She's a young 60 with very little hair (thinned and baby birdish from all the treatments she's had).

She's always been particularly hard to buy for as she never wants anything, she doesn't read (much) or really listen to music, we want to get her something that my Stepdad can't sell after and really we want it just for her, she's never really faffed with herself, to the point she used to wash her hair and leave it wet when she went to the hairdressers (used to come down to her bum).

She's just an awkward women, she loves to cook but now she has no appetite and little energy that joy seems to have left her now. It's really crappy.
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:45 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by Piff Poff
we want to get her something that my Stepdad can't sell after
How about a tattoo?
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:48 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by iaink
How about a tattoo?
Now there's a thought
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:50 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by Piff Poff
Guys! Guys! Something classy please!

Thought about maybe Manalos or Jimmy Choos, but she does love her Gina shoes (about 50 pairs).

She's a young 60 with very little hair (thinned and baby birdish from all the treatments she's had).

She's always been particularly hard to buy for as she never wants anything, she doesn't read (much) or really listen to music, we want to get her something that my Stepdad can't sell after and really we want it just for her, she's never really faffed with herself, to the point she used to wash her hair and leave it wet when she went to the hairdressers (used to come down to her bum).

She's just an awkward women, she loves to cook but now she has no appetite and little energy that joy seems to have left her now. It's really crappy.
With all that in mind, then I think the spa day is perfect. A bit of pampering for her and time spent with you.
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 1:53 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by victorfoxtrot
Oh I just saw she's not up for days out, so scrap my idea! How about a Kindle - does she read?
The kindle fire from my playing around with a colleagues one he received on Monday, is actually half decent. It's not an iPad slayer, but for the amount of formats it supports, the ability to show up on your PC as a flash drive, and the cataloguing system, makes it worth the $199 price

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Old Nov 16th 2011, 2:08 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

I like the spa day, to splurge even more you could have a chauffeur come & collect you in a stupidly large car

I am sure you going to visit is more than she could ever want for, make some good memories, no one can ever sell or take them away from you.

Helen
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 3:58 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

your time with her will be the best gift she could get.

when my gran got older, for her birthday i used to take her out for afternoon tea, then to the hairdresser to get a shampoo and set. some very happy memories of lovely afternoons spent just me and my gran.
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 4:18 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

So sorry to hear about your Mum, it must be heartbreaking for all of you.

I think the spa day is a great idea and also the idea of having a group picture taken by a professional - perhaps they could supply your Mum with a wig or a fabulous hat so she wouldn't feel so bad about losing her hair.

Is there something else on her bucket list that you could fulfil? One of the crazier things?

Do you have any photo's available of you and your sister and Mum (and Dad?) when you were growing up? Perhaps you could have one blown up and framed for her. Another alternative would be a photobook of your family when you were growing up.. sweet memories that she could look at, or a digital photo frame preloaded with the same kind of memoriable pictures that she could have next to her bed.

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Old Nov 16th 2011, 9:25 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

feel for you, I have been there so my two penneth:

DVD of slides / photo books of cherished family / friend memories

time / days planned for friends to visit (treats of special splurge foods)

luxury pampering cosmetics - hand creams - some french stuff, the name escapes me - ah, L'Occintene, those microwave warmers, perfumes etc went down well with my mum as it just helped her feel a little better each day
!
new nightwear/slippers / duvet for same reason as above

new phone / tv for bedroom / kindle similar idea

Last edited by Bali2010; Nov 16th 2011 at 9:27 pm. Reason: came to me
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 9:35 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

A nice woolly hat. Everyone likes woolly hats - they keep your head toasty and warm.
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 11:03 pm
  #27  
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

I know people have touched on the whole photo album thing but I made one of these for my Mum a couple of years ago. It takes quite a bit of work but she loved it!
http://photo.jessops.com/photo-books.html
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Old Nov 16th 2011, 11:24 pm
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

A vajazzle?
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Old Nov 17th 2011, 12:54 am
  #29  
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by Oink
A vajazzle?
Had to google - HOW do you know about these?

Thanks everyone else, the photo thing was done last year for her 60th, my niece did the most amazing collages (too many photos for one) poster sized, I have also got a photo book started for her Birthday in January.

I'm really liking the limo to spa day thing, she does want to do in door sky diving but I don't think they'll let her, we will find out though.

Thanks for the good thoughts, she has done us all proud with the way she has handled the whole thing and she still is showing no signs of giving up mentally, she's one strong little lady!
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Old Nov 17th 2011, 4:57 am
  #30  
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Default Re: Frivolous gift ideas please!

Originally Posted by Oink
A vajazzle?
pmsl
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