Present ideas for a gran spending Christmas alone

What is your budget? My granny was always overwhelmed with toiletries, diaries, sippers, nighties, paperbacks etc. However she loved beautiful wool - either cashmere socks for wearing with slippers, a cashmere scarf or perhaps a high quality super soft lap blanket. She would never have bought herself such items. Elderly people often have smaller towels. What about a gigantic super soft pure white towel D——-m have lovely ones for a very reasonable price. Remember though that it is the thought that counts. Or would she use a vshaped pillow that gives great back support and also supports the elbows if knitting, crocheting or writing. If she knits and has arthritis the bamboo knitting needles are much kinder to the hands. You could take her shopping for them then tea and cake.

I’m sure she’d love a small hello with a box of chocolates and tell her you’ve organised a subscription to a magazine she likes - Saga, Women’s Weekly - whatever. Always a welcome delivery I’ve found.

My mother is 84 and has severe macular degeneration. She hates getting flowers sent to her - moans about it! She has great difficulty opening the boxes. I try to explain that it is a kind thing people are doing but she says her heart sinks when she gets a delivery of flowers. She is happier when we bring her flowers from local shops and arrange them for her. She has decided this year to stop sending cards as she can't write clearly now and won't allow us to help write them. It is a pity because she loves the cards she receives however has telephoned lots of her friends to explain and really enjoyed the contact.

Well done you for respecting her wish to be alone. I have friends who go to an hotel as their family, who all live away, won't let them be home alone (which is what they would like). They would come to stay and make work for the friends, when they would really like a quiet day.

From my own experience 'smellies' especially soap are a big no no.
I'd go for flowers and chocolates

If I was alone at Christmas, I'd have a duvet day so wouldn't welcome anyone coming to see me out of the blue. I would need a good supply of chocolates and a good quality ready meal, plus chocolate ice cream in the freezer. Phone calls would be acceptable as long as they didn't interrupt my box set binge. Presents? A voucher for buying books for my Kindle. Smellies - no way. I don't want to be stuck with a load of toiletries I can't stand. I could choose my own scent with a voucher for a well-known department store.
So if the oldie who wants to be alone, beware: she might be as bloody minded as me.

Hi, Rosierabbit, would your dear granny in law like a kindle? You could load it with books, favourite photos, games like Wordscapes, even set up gransnet for her? I know I spend hours on my kindle, it might be a great 'companion ' for a person on her own.

A kindle sounds like a good idea, or a hamper. I can't have any flowers or smellies in the house, due to allergies. People forget but I don't dare try anything new just in case so they have to go to someone else or the charity shhop.

Michael Buble cd, a dvd/blu ray, chocs, puzzle, book, a phone call/skype call at an agreed time. A promise to catch up for meal out or even coffee after Xmas.

I'm possibly about your mother in law's age, 88. I like a quirky thing maybe a small amusing antique, or book of jokes. Or a bottle of Patou Joy.

Alexa - your name inspired me. A great present my DS gave me for mother's day is an Echo Dot with Alexa to listen to my instructions and play what ever music I want; any radio station; podcasts - you name it. It would be an ideal gift for a lone granny, provided she has wi-fi.

As a nana and greatnana do you kniw what I would like best is the afternoon tea with my granddaughter a while after Christmas. Okay a small token on Christmas day but it would mean so much to me to spend an afternoon with one of my grandchildren.