Gift Guides #2: Mama

For me, my mum is one of the most important people in my life, so I always want to get her something a little bit special come Christmas time. She can be quite hard to buy for as she doesn't really wear make-up or perfume, or use hair products, she doesn't use a handbag, and let's just say the football fan in my parents' house is not my Dad.. She isn't your typical woman, so I've tried to go for gifts which are thoughtful and feminine but would still suit my mama.

My Mum has her ears pierced and wears a pair of plain gold studs, at all times. I'd like to get her something a little bit prettier to wear for special occasions, especially since she's recently had her hair cut a bit shorter so her earrings are now on show more. One thing I inherited from my Mum is her sense of humour, and so Christmas socks are a must; I really like this super-cute set of four reindeer-themed socks from George at Asda. I unfortunately also inherited her perpetually cold feet, so I know these cosy boot-style slippers would be gratefully received, as would the gorgeous hand-knitted hot water bottle cover. I've already mentioned her sense of humour, and recently my Mum and I went to see John Bishop - he's a very funny and exceptionally nice man (we had a chat after his show) and if my Mum didn't already own his book, I'd be buying it for her. She's also a massive fan of Bruce Springsteen, who is releasing a new album in January - it's a bit late for Christmas, but I've pre-ordered it for her - shhh! Keeping track of my brother's activities is no easy task, even now he's moved away to Uni, so a diary is an essential item for my Mum, and this one is super pretty. I'd hate to be misconstrued as sexist, but it's a statement of fact that my Mum does the vast majority of the cooking, so this lovely spotty oven mitt would be a cheerful addition to her kitchen, whilst the metal wall sign is a frighteningly accurate representation of my mother's view on picky eaters... Finally, as an avid coffee drinker, I think a travel mug would be a perfect gift - my Mum has a battered plain steel one at the moment, so this pretty one would be a nice change.