Present for friend at Christmas (or birthday).

BlueBelle
Put it in a big box with lots of recyclable paper packaging.

I have a friend who buys me inappropriate presents. I mean she spends too much. This year we have a £10 limit and the gift has to be eco friendly. I’ve bought her half a dozen second hand, rusty plant supports. I’m sooo pleased with myself. Even if she doesn’t like them I’ve had a great time wrapping them up. Must tell her not to unwrap on her sitting room carpet.

I have a friend for whom I always buy a present and definitely do not expect to receive anything back. The pleasure I get from thinking about her and choosing something I know she will like, that doesn’t cost a fortune and is light enough to post is the gift for me. I just wish I lived nearby so I could see her pleasure when she opens it!

I've sent you a PM Suzette 1613

I am the other woman (well not completely) but I love giving presents always have, get so much pleasure out of choosing, thinking about the person getting it, opening it and being happy, however my very best friend told me a few years ago not to get her anything as she didn’t need anything, I took that on board and the following year got her a plant (she loves plants and gardening etc) thinking it wasn’t bits and bobs so she’d be happy however I got a lighthearted telling off again the next year I just gave her an inexpensive bunch of flowers thinking they re not really a present and no one objects to flowers, however I got told off again I ve definitly got the hint the rather large capital letter hint now .....but I might have the last laugh as when she called at mine the other week to use the toilet she told me how she loved the wrights coal tar soap I had for her hand wash, how the smell took her back to her childhood and how she hadn’t seen it around for ages . So I m going to do a bar up it multi layer Christmas paper and wait for her to ‘get cross’

Ooh Ginsberg-bordering on stalking! Time to back off I think!

A small gift, sent with love is sufficient. A house plant, pointsetta or a bottle of wine. It really is just being kind.

Maybe I’ll be brave this year and just drop off some homemade cakes and pastries to an elderly couple on a drive by next week.
I always end up buying them chocolates and wine and they usually dig out something that someone has given them 50 years ago and they have forgotten to dust, so it doesn’t seem as though either of us enjoys the experience.

Our newish neighbour buys us presents for all occasions. Makes cakes for birthdays, even an Easter egg left in the doorstep (from the Easter Bunny) . I have reciprocated but feel it’s unecessary . I really don’t want to continue with this . They ask us In for morning coffee afternoon tea and even evening meals. It’s all getting too much!

We knew a (younger) couple who kept giving us Christmas gifts even though we had little to do with them so I just brazened it out and didn’t buy anything-they are v comfortable btw-and after a few years it stopped. Listen to Martin Lewis last year on unnecessary gift giving-I felt v emotional listening to him saying we must stop this nonsense of buying gifts for folk especially by people who can’t afford to, to buy things people don’t want/need either! We stopped buying adult gifts in our family years ago and amongst our close group of adult friends too!

I can imagine how you feel. It’s difficult thinking of something different, often for people who have all they want or need, and just seems like swapping gifts for the sake of it.

I’m sure you will get lots of suggestions from others.
Flowers, plants, chocs, toiletries, magazine subscription, theatre tickets, charity donation,......

Bit pointless, but as you say, you feel mean if she keeps insisting on doing it.