Unusual nice presents for Christmas

[coccinelle]

Did anybody get any unusual nice presents for Christmas which can give me an idea for presents next year? I'm rather a practical person giver so presents would have to be practical not just ornaments.

[Psybbo]

A lovely leather shoulder bag with a good broad strap and useful compartments

[ubasses]

not that unusual but useful, kindle plus a cover to read on holiday. Mini food processor, my last one smashed and they are absolutely brilliant for small amounts of chopping. The rest were more frivolous

[cathfromsaron]

we gave 'hampers' of local chutneys, homemade biscuits and cakes! x

[maggiebee]

Was given tickets for the "Elvis Extravaganza" at the Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow in March 2012. Saw this about 12 years ago and it was fantastic - can't wait!

[Mosaic]

An external hard drive can only be at the minimum useful but might also save all your files in the coming year if your computer crashes.

[atalanta]

The absolutely most luxurious gift ( which I gave myself ! ) would be silk pillowcases. Wonderful for the complexion, since your skin spends one third of every 24 hrs against the silk.

[craft1948]

I got a beautiful pashmina...................and some tulip bulbs.

[nungate]

Daughter bought me a cross stitch chart I've wanted for ages, and the threads to stitch it with. It's practical in that it keeps me amused and I'll have something nice at the end of it, she also got me a kindle as I've arthritis and I keep dropping books as my grip isn't great - causes problems with the stitching too but ever so slowly I get there

[coccinelle]

Thank you for those lovely ideas. Didn't know silk pillowcases existed so will look into those.

[boxtops]

Very easy to slide out of silk (or satin) sheets - especially if you wear slippery nightwear!)

[naomi24]

I doubt you'll want to use the idea, but it might amuse you. I have quite a bit of land and have always wondered if there's any treasure buried out there - so this year some bright spark bought me a metal detector! :o)

[vodkancoke]

I got 3 days cookery at the Edinburgh Cookery School and 3 days at Bettys in York.
White Company pillows and bed linen
Subscriptions to my fave mags
Hampers are a great idea...I do that a lot and make mini xmas puds, chutneys, and cakes and add a bottle of wine/prosecco. It's a really personal gift.

[B00]

I got a paper watch! You make your own designs on the strap, bit daft, but definitely in the unusual category and certainly useful.

[vodkancoke]

FGS, I really need to read the question titles properly! I didn't read the "unusual" part! Sorry I just read practical lol

[NoMercy]

Bobjugs bought me a giftcard for Dunelm Mill. We had our new sofa delivered two days before Christmas so I almost had an orgasm going round the store buying beautiful cushions and throws. I got some kitchen equipment too and I have still got a bit of money left on there so I will plump for some memory foam pillows on my next trip.

[coccinelle]

Thanks again. Well, vodkancoke that wasn't the norm present so quite unusual. I do think hampers are good things but costly to deliver. Now a paper watch is that practical? Won't it just tear or something within a few weeks? Must say, Nomercy I do have a tendancy to go for vouchers myself as practical and you get what you want but wanted something a bit different. I wonder what Kate & William got this year in their stocking.....

[China Doll]

I think it depends on how well you know a person for unusual nice presents because you get them something weird but you know they'll like it if that makes sense... we got an A4 sized calculator as part of a gift for one family member. She had asked for a calculator and we're pretty sure she can neither lose or not be able to see this one :c)

[Eve]

I got a relax day spa voucher which is just perfect!

Cinema vouchers and tickets are nice too - people can choose what they want to go and see.

I quite like bringing more "city" things back home which are a bit different as you can't get them locally where I'm from like things from the foreign Christmas markets or somewhere like Harvey Nics/Selfridges food court like a nice posh cake or tea or chutney or similar. You can get all kinds of one offs from special markets.

I got my dad a bonsai tree one Christmas as he is a very keen gardener.

[Anngel123]

My mum made home-made apple chutney and gave all the men in family chutney with a small waxed round cheese....