# Gift ideas for the Mother in law who has everything?



## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Okay, I'm stumped.

We drew names for Christmas gift giving this year and I drew my mother in law's name. Now I am stumped. So is everyone else in the family. And this is ONE of the reasons why I hate the gift exchanging part of Christmas.

MIL already has everything she could possibly want or need.

She enjoys a little bit of gardening (during the 3 months of thaw here in MN!)
She enjoys her grandkids.
She enjoys reading, but I am not sure what she has and hasn't read.
She likes birds but already has a million bird houses and feeders from previous gift-giving occasions.

I can't understand people who don't have hobbies, lol. Hubby and I have at least a dozen hobbies, each, and we are so EASY to buy for!

I'm open to suggestions. She is the BEST mil and I'd rally like to get her something special.


----------



## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Well how about a gift card to a bookstore, or a nursery? 
I usually do not like gift cards htey do not seem as personal, but sometimes when you get a hard to buy for person they are the way to go. 
If you really hate that idea how about getting a wicker basket and putting in seeds, a gardening book, trovel, gardening gloves and things like that?


----------



## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Gift certificate for a garden center.

Gift certificate for a book store.

Coupon stating that you will take her out to dinner at her favorite restaurant.


----------



## LamiPub (Nov 10, 2006)

Bookmarks, a neck pillow or a reading light? You could cross stitch her a personalized bookmark or if you are artistic make her another type of bookmark. How about making her a calendar with pics of all the grandkids? A magazine script to a garden magazine? What music does she like? You can get her some cds and put in a pretty gift basket with bookmarks and flower seeds or something.


----------



## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

> How about making her a calendar with pics of all the grandkids?


Great idea. I thought of this last year and intended to take pictures of the kids throughout the year. In the end I forgot to do it and don't have enough good pics now. Definitely on th list for next year though. My brother and his wife used to do this for my mom and it was her absolute favorite gift. 

%^$#@ those who have produced grand kids. We haven't.:Bawling:


----------



## BamaNana (Dec 31, 2004)

Have someone make her a special DVD "movie" of all her children and grandkids throughout the years.

She would love it!!!

I would be more than happy to make one for you... free of course!

Just get me the pictures... either snail mail or on line w/photobucket 

If you act NOW we have time!!!


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

How about a subscription to a bird magazine? Or a book on birdwatching, or one to identify birds?


----------



## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

I got my 'has everything' MIL a digital picture frame - we preloaded it with pictures of all of her grandkids and great grandkids. She loves having framed pictures of the family setting around her house but She's running out of places to put up new pictures of everybody, so we thought a frame that would hold a bunch of pictures would be perfect for her. 

If you have spending limits for your gift exchange, you might want to look at doing the same thing with one of those digital keychains.


----------



## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Bird food for the feeders?

Blue


----------



## Tracy (May 2, 2002)

You didnt mention price but for a gardener this is a good gift
http://www.aerogardenofficialstore....hp?promoName=catalog&pageName=compare_gardens


----------



## Guest (Dec 17, 2008)

How about a tape of all of those grandchildren saying "Merry Christmas Grammy..here's what I love the BEST about you." wrap the tape up and attach it to the new bird seed mouse-proof container full of seed  

(You know, that sounds SO good, I think I'll ask for that myself next year) LOL.


----------



## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

I'm just going to offer one thought - think comfort. . . perhaps a soft fleece throw with her initials/name, or soft flannel pj's with soft socks to match. Comfort is a personal luxury especially as we age.


----------



## Itsme (Jan 12, 2008)

paint by number kit

woodburning kit

word search/crossword puzzle books

puzzle of birds or garden theme

garden sculpture

pretty smelling lotion

Animal slippers!!! I gave a pair of animal slippers (bought in the kids dept.) for my grandmother when she was still alive....what ahoot! She loved them!

Lottery tickets/scratch offs....we do this for dad on fathers day and his b-day. $20 worth. *shrug..... its fun, and heck! ya never know!

Subscription to birds and bloom magazine or country woman or one of those type.

Maple syrup

Cheese and fruit

Restraunt gift card


----------



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

I once bought my grandma who has everything a pair of brightly-colored garden clogs. She absolutely LOVED them. I don't know that she ever wore them, but she sure liked to look at them sitting by her door. She pointed them out to people when they visited and told folks that I bought them for her. Sigh...she's in a nursing home now. I should go see if they are still sitting by her door so I can bring them home and sit them by my door. Now I'm getting all weepy.


----------



## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

My first thought was pictures in frames or an electronic frame.

My second was a magazine subscription. That's one of my favorite things to get as well as give. Every month you are reminded of the person.


----------



## MN Gardener (Jan 23, 2008)

Maybe a membership to the MN Horticultural Society? or something from the MN Master Gardeners.


----------



## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

Binoculars and a bird book for her area. Binoculars sell for $10 on up so they're actually an affordable gift.

 RedTartan


----------



## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

We have the same problem and this year made a contribution in my MIL's name to the local food bank. In years past we've done the same with Heifer Project International.


----------



## ArkansasLady (Jan 1, 2003)

we had some photo mugs made up for our people who have everything...

~C~


----------



## happysmyly (Mar 18, 2008)

For those that have everything--I try to come up with a way to give them my time... so with a reader--you could coupon her that during each month you'll both read the same book and then meet for lunch to discuss... or coupon for helping her get the pre-garden setup work done... or a new raised bed or something fun like that... where you are spending time together.
My mom LOVES the digital photo thing--I set her computer up where her screen saver goes through her favorite photos and she leaves her computer on now all day and will still stop and watch sometimes as the pics go by... so the digital photo frame with a promise to help collect some of her favorite photos from all in the family to put on it (you could ask them all to bring their greatest ones on memory sticks to the family gathering).
Good luck--I know you'll discover the perfect thing--something will just hit you (I always pray and ideas come or I'll be in the right place at the right time to find something that they end up loving).
Merry Christmas!!
 Liz


----------



## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

Most women can use another really soft and nice gown/pjs, I think.

Depending on her garden, you could do this. My aunt put up a large mail box for holding her gardening handtools in the garden. It's actually one of the handiest things I've ever seen and I'd LOVE to have one in my garden.

or you could do what I did with my FIL today... I flat out called and asked. He said, as he hates to shop, and as he has slimmed down recently, he'd love a pair of black slacks (told me the size) that he didn't have to search for. Wow, how easy is that.... He also thanked me for asking...

dawn


----------



## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

I gave my "person who has everything" a pint of apple butter and a pint of grape jam. She loved it.


----------



## LvDemWings (Sep 11, 2005)

Ask the other family members to see what job in the garden she dislikes and make up a gift certificate saying you will do that job for her. 

Make up a gardening apron that has pockets full of goodies like a hand towel, tweezers, and gardening gloves.

If she still drives and is the practical sort get gift certificates for an oil change and car wash. If she keeps a spotless car have the interior cleaned and shampooed. 

If she is into a "day with the girls" make arrangements for her and her friends to have a manicure party. You can do this even if she travels by calling her hair dresser for a recommendation.


----------



## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

Give her a card explaining you donated a fruitcake (one of the good ones, with the jumbo sized pecan halves and the large cherries on top) to be given away in a random drawing on this site. Maybe give her a subscription to some kind of homesteady type of magazine to go along with it. She can read about all kinds of folks doing homesteady things and enjoying killer fruitcake while doing it.


----------



## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

I think a magazine subscription is a great gift. Most are pretty inexpensive and they get a new gift every month or two.


----------



## stirfamily (Jun 18, 2002)

coalroadcabin said:


> I got my 'has everything' MIL a digital picture frame - we preloaded it with pictures of all of her grandkids and great grandkids. She loves having framed pictures of the family setting around her house but She's running out of places to put up new pictures of everybody, so we thought a frame that would hold a bunch of pictures would be perfect for her.
> 
> If you have spending limits for your gift exchange, you might want to look at doing the same thing with one of those digital keychains.


Our kids gave us one of those last year of our grands and we love it! I thought it was the most thoughtful gift we had ever gotten.
grandma chicken
aka karen in NE Indiana


----------



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

If she has a computer and printer - get ink cartridges for the printer. I asked and got a set for my printer last year, and it was so good - I asked for it again.

Angie


----------



## Shepherd (Jan 23, 2005)

How about matching picture frames for her to put grandkid pictures in? Better yet, if you could get a pic of all the grandkids and maybe frame a couple of them yourself.


----------



## tiffnzacsmom (Jan 26, 2006)

My one friend had a hard time thinking of something for her mom who has four great grandchildren now but the none of three mothers get along so she can never get all four together. A friend of mine on line is an artist and he did some work for me based on pictures so she's sending him pictures of the four kids and making her mom a drawing as if they were all together.


----------



## jamala (May 4, 2007)

A photo calendar of grandkids is my parents favorite gift each year. I also got all the greatgrandkids together to bake cookies with my grandmother and made a scrapbook for her.


----------



## DianeWV (Feb 1, 2007)

mammabooh said:


> I once bought my grandma who has everything a pair of brightly-colored garden clogs. She absolutely LOVED them. I don't know that she ever wore them, but she sure liked to look at them sitting by her door. She pointed them out to people when they visited and told folks that I bought them for her. Sigh...she's in a nursing home now. I should go see if they are still sitting by her door so I can bring them home and sit them by my door. Now I'm getting all weepy.


Now that's a great idea! thanks!


----------

