Let's see. She is exactly my age, so what would I want? I love earring and would be happy for some gold (or faux gold) hoops. I love pretty scarves and would like either a really long warm one or some lighter ones to wear with sweaters and suits. I want a Roku box to use with Netflix and I wouldn't mind a year of pre-paid Netflix! Maybe a slow cooker to set up in the morning and have a nice hot meal waiting when I get home.

An ipod!

Every year I get a wall calendar with pretty pictures -- nature or gardening.

Please send this list to my sons! :)

I am not quite that age but I don't like a lot of "things" to find places for either. The exceptions for me are scarves and leather gloves. I have leather gloves in many great colors and love being able to coordinate or contrast based on my mood!

I read the previous email much earlier this morning and don't remember if you nixed jewelry. I really like the pieces that have meaning or "stories" and can be added to over the holidays and special occasions. I have a few.. the most expensive being Heather Moore custom charms, then storywheels and Trollbeads. A started Trollbead bracelet (chain, lock and a couple of silver or glass charms) would be about $200. I believe Pandora is less expensive but I just don't like them as much.

Last year my sister gave me a metal tree (perhaps for photos?) to which she attached a number of gift cards with ribbons. It was lovely.. and much as I don't like giving gift certificates, I'd consider a gift like this. She mixed it up-- some restaurants, homegoods, homedepot. It was a nice way to enjoy her gift all through the year.

My grandmother passed away this week so things are a little hectic and stalled here.. but for the first time in years, my parents will be able to travel. My sister and I are going to assemble a "travel gift".. in years past, we'd have given them gift certs to a travel package or airline tickets. We just don't know where they'd like to go at this point. They need to take some time to breath and adjust so I am not sure how we will deliver it. We may just use VISA cards with some fun travel accessories. There are many places that will allow you to purchase a weekend travel package in a gift certificate though. I have also had some dealings with Select Registry -- they'll package a GC that can be used at any of their inns & b&Bs across the country.. and it's packaged nicely along with a beautiful book of their inns (selectregistry.com)

Perhaps a private chef or food delivery service? Membership to a local theater or museum?

And well.. if she loved coffee in the past, why not do that again? If you'd like something different, I can vouch for One Good Woman here in my area. You can order online but I'd recommend calling them and having them assemble a custom package. I use their coffee myself (I'd be happy to recommend some blends or flavors) .. and in addition to a wide range of interesting and unusual gifts, they have a number of "signature" gift items with "One Good Woman" printed on them. I gave my grandmother a OGW tshirt as kind of a throw away in a larger gift package and she adored it-- she was just darling in her black OGW tshirt, black jeans and sparkly belt and shoes. LOL. You can find them at onegoodwoman.com .. I am going there this afternoon to get a selection of coffees to add to my niece's gift.

That's all I have for now.. I am actually still trying to come up with ideas myself.

The California Association of Boutique and Breakfast Inns sells gift certificates that can be used at many inns throughout the state. Maybe there is something similar in your area.

We actually included this on our wedding registry as a way to get fewer "things" as gifts. We ended up with a really nice weekend away in the Gold Country.

Here is a link that might be useful: CABBI

If she enjoys flowers you could get a "subscription" for once a month or every other month of seasonal flowers delivered from Pro Flowers or similar internet site. Our friends did this for us one year as a thank you and it was fun to receive the box each month and see the colors, etc...and it's something most people would not do for themselves. You could give her a pretty crystal vase with a card detailing the subscription inside.

Great ideas! I like the ideas of scarves, earrings/jewelry, and the gift card tree. Last year Oakley said Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate. Since they have free shipping this weekend, maybe that will work.

For her birthday we are taking her to dinner tonight and getting her some wine.

DH suggested maybe the antique mall has gift cards, but I'm trying to avoid "stuff."

I've had great success in the past with older relatives when I fill a tote with a few books,CDs, crossword puzzle books, and luxurious snacks, lotions and a throw blanket.

My MIL loved a gift of kindle and gift card for book downloads.

My own mother is a young 64. The best gift she received in the last few years was a prana yoga mat and a bag. It started her down a path of daily yoga and meditation.

My MIL also loved a Kindle as a gift. Another gift we give a few of our older relatives that is well received is car wash gift certificates.

My sister and I did several trip gifts for our parents and they loved those gifts.

tina

One gift that has been enjoyed by a couple of Grandparents in their 80's in my family, has been creating a "feel good" jar. It's more of a homemade, personal gift.

Take a large, pretty glass jar/canister. Print out a collection of inspirational quotes, jokes, happy family memories/stories etc. on the white plain side of decorative scrapbooking paper, then cut them into individual strips. Fold the pieces of paper in half, decorative side out. You can pick out decorative papers that can be personalized with a person's favorite things, or just nice patterns, and colors that go well together. Anytime the person is feeling lonely, or just needs a pick me up, or even as a morning or evening routine, they can pull out a slip of paper or a couple etc. The jar becomes an easy interactive personal gift/reminder of caring, even after a visit ends.

You can make/print out a simple, decorative, label for the front of the jar that says something like "The feel good jar, take one as needed. . ."

You can choose to decorate the outside of the jar with personal stickers, ribbon, or just do a label and have the pretty mixture of decorative paper show through the glass.

It also can be a gift that can be sort of "re-gifted", in that you could always add new quotes, jokes, etc. to the jar, or replace the ones already read with a new batch.

My favorite gift in recent years was a donation to my favorite charity. Another was a digital photo frame.

I like the idea of a gift of the month - there are many such clubs to choose from and it spreads the enjoyment throughout the year.

At my age I prefer consumable gifts as have too much 'stuff' and am downsizing.

Does she live close by? Or is she some distance away?

I would think time with you, your hubby and her doing something together once a month might be something she'd like? Like a Sunday afternoon movie-and-late lunch or dinner. You could make up your own "gift card" on the computer.

Are there any things that she needs done around the house? A gift certificate for a handyman service, or a cleaning service? How about paying in advance for some of her hair-salon visits (with a surprise mani or pedi)?

Or maybe a photo book for her? (If you have a scanner -- it's getting kind of late to have photos professionally scanned to a disk now.)

Yeah, I tried to talk to DH about an iPad mini or Kindle fire since she likes to read, but she is really not interested in these at all.

Perhaps services such as gutter cleaning or carpet cleaning would also work.

As I am about to get on my galoshes and winter gear to go out shoveling, I can only imagine how nice a gift certificate for snow plowing service would feel to me right now....I like the handyman GCert. idea too. I'm only a little younger and working hard at downsizing which does NOT come easy to me, so I absolutely don't want more stuff...

Does she wear department store makeup?

I know me and both my DDs would love a big ole Clinique gift basket.

But be careful. Sometimes DHs really don't understand the a, ah, a, amount of expense involved with these sorts of ladies' "basics". Don't want to open a can of worms on that.

It is kind of personal, so you might just have to "guess" on some colors and then make sure it is at a department store close to her so she can easily change it for a different shade or product that is what she uses.

Does she get her nails done? Maincure certificate at the salon she uses would be a good thing too.

If she works, where does she eat lunch or get coffee by her office? I would love restaurant or coffee shop gift cards.

Last year we got her some Clinique items, so that is always good. I will ask again about that. That is a good reminder.

She cuts and colors her own hair and doesn't go to salons, unfortunately.

Her office moved this past year and she has a much longer commute. I know there are food trucks that visit her office complex. Don't know if they do gift cards.

She lives about 20 min away. We do take her out about once a month for dinner, otherwise we'd never see her between her and my work schedules. She will go out with friends occasionally, so maybe one of those restaurants will work. She is not culinary adventurous. For example, last night she said "no Thai food" though I'm not sure she's ever had Thai food, LOL.

Tickets to theater productions work for our challenging gift recipients.

Has anyone ever given Gourmet meals delivered? Just wondering if there is any particular company that someone has used before. I never know what to get my dad and stepmom. They work a LOT during tax season so I thought that might be a good gift??? :) I can not come up with anything else so far. :(

Boop, I have used Diamond Organics, Zabars and Zingermans.. none are gourmet. I believe I ordered soup and bread from Diamond Organics (for a sick friend) and deli items (pastrami, corned beef, jewish rye) from the other two. Personally, I find the price of the deliverable gourmet meals outrageous and I imagine the food isnt all that good. I generally cook meals if I want to give meals (like for new moms) or give gift certificates to restaurants.

I generally don't like to give gift certificates but I do give them for restaurants, inns and spas-- I consider them "experience" gifts.