What to get mum, dad and your mother-in-law for Christmas? Ideas and a last-minute gift without leaving home

Parents and in-laws usually say “I don't need anything”. When it comes to things, that is often true — the cupboards are full. What they are short of is time, convenience and an excuse to do something together. Below are ideas for each person, and at the end, gifts you can buy even on Christmas Eve without leaving the house.

What should I get my mum for Christmas?

Something that takes at least one everyday chore off her plate — especially if she has been cooking for the whole family for years.

• A good frying pan or casserole dish, if the old ones remember the last decade.
• A night out for two: a concert, the theatre or dinner at a restaurant.
• A few weeks of grocery delivery — fewer heavy bags to carry.
• A year of Amamable Premium as a gift with a family account: your mum, you and your siblings see the same dinner plan and the same shopping list, so anyone can add what is missing and pick it up on the way.

What to get a dad who has everything?

An experience or something for his hobby, not another gadget.

• A barbecue, smoking or bread-baking workshop.
• A good knife or a sharpener — if he is the one carving the roast.
• Tickets to a match or a fishing trip together.
• If he cooks from recipes he finds online: with Amamable Premium he can import them without limit from Instagram, websites, photos and PDFs, and the week's plan is built from them in one tap.

What is a safe Christmas gift for a mother-in-law?

Something elegant that gets used up, or time with the grandchildren.

• Good tea, coffee or olive oil in a nice box.
• A photo book of the grandchildren from the past year.
• An invitation to cook together: let her show you her signature dish, and write the recipe down so it is not lost.
• If she cooks for a family where someone has an allergy, some order in the planning helps. Amamable builds the plan around the allergens of everyone in the family account. It helps with planning and does not replace reading the labels.

How do I choose a gift for parents who say they need nothing?

Ask what wears them out day to day, not what they want. Answers like “the food shop”, “thinking up dinners” or “carrying heavy bags” point to a gift better than any wish list. A gift that gets used all year reminds them of you more often than something put away on a shelf.

What is a good last-minute gift without leaving home?

A digital gift you can buy in a few minutes that arrives by e-mail on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

• A voucher for their favourite bookshop, cinema or restaurant — many send it by e-mail.
• Tickets to a concert or a show in the new year: a gift and a day out in one.
• A subscription to audiobooks, music or an online course.
• A year of Amamable Premium: choose a card, add your wishes and schedule it for 24 or 25 December, at 8 am for example. If you would rather hand it over at the table, choose the printable card with the code.

E-mail card or printed card?

For the last minute, the e-mail card is the easiest. It arrives on the day and at the time you choose, and you can change the date or your wishes until it is sent — the link is in your purchase confirmation. If you want something to put under the tree, the printable card comes to your own inbox with the code and short instructions for redeeming it. Both are on the Amamable gift page.

More ideas are in the gift guide for a husband, a wife and a colleague, and small office presents in the article about Secret Santa gifts under £20.

Questions and answers

What to get parents for Christmas when they say they need nothing?

Something that saves them time or gives you time together: grocery delivery, a night out, a workshop or a year of meal planning with a family account in Amamable.

What is a good last-minute gift to buy on Christmas Eve?

A digital gift sent by e-mail: a voucher, tickets or a subscription. A card with Amamable Premium takes a few minutes to buy, and you can schedule it for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

Do my parents need a smartphone to use the gift?

No. The gift is redeemed on the website, and Amamable works in the app on iPhone, Android or in the browser on a computer. Premium starts on the day it is redeemed and does not renew by itself.

Can I give it to parents who live in another country?

Yes. The e-mail card reaches any address, and the printable card can go into a parcel or a Christmas card you are sending anyway.