Those last few awkward presents

There are always one or two, aren't there? You know what I mean. Those people who, for various reasons, are really difficult to buy Christmas presents for. I have just come back from three hours of plodding round the shops in search of the following:
(i) Something for our dear 97-year-old next door neighbour who is crippled and half blind but possessed of a heart of gold
(ii) Something for Mr Grumpy's nephew and his wife, whose tastes I haven't a clue about. Last year I gave them a picture frame for photos of their latest grandchild. The year before I gave them an ornate candle
(iii) Something for Mr G's step-daughter, who had her 29th birthday last week (one present already given), and has just bought her first flat (DAB radio already purchased as a flat-warming gift)

When it comes to (i), there are only two things she really appreciates, house plants and Lindt chocolate. But last time I was round there she said she couldn't cope with any more plants and she already had a fridge full of bars of Lindt!

(iii) said she would like one of the fashionable knitted ponchos, but it had to be beige, with no pattern, and look groovy rather than grannyfied. Well, in the whole of Uxbridge, which has two shopping malls, I could not find one poncho without an Aztec-style pattern on it. So I couldn't cross (iii) off my list.

As for (ii), I was in Debenhams and saw a stack of large boxes of yummy Thorntons chocs, reduced from £15 to £9 'for today only'. Perfect, I thought; they can share them with the rest of their family. I queued to pay and had just handed over the cash when the lady behind me said, "They're doing those same boxes for £5 in Tesco's." Guess who works in Tesco? Mr G's nephew's wife!!! How could I give her a present that she would think I'd only paid a fiver for! I turned, glared at the woman and said, "You know what? You've just ruined my day, especially as the Co-op has ripped me off for £3 as well." (I got back from yesterday's food shop to find I'd been charged twice for a single item but it was too cold to walk the mile back there and another mile back home.) Do you know what the lady behind me said? She smiled sweetly and assured me, "You must have some good karma coming your way then."

I got home in a really bad mood, exacerbated by the fact that my bottle of water had sprung a leak in my handbag and I'd had to sit upstairs on the bus surrounded by a gaggle of foul-mouthed young Asian students - female at that! I thought Indian girls were better brought up than that but all I could hear was effing this and effing that. We'd run out of coffee and Mr G had gone to Sainsburys but forgotten to get our favourite brand. I had bought a jar of M&S coffee, have just made myself an eagerly anticipated cup and found it to be quite vile. Grrrr!

So now I am sitting here with the three awkward presents still to get. Unless... Maybe I can convert (i) to Thorntons. She might even think they're Lindt! Good. That's settled. As for (iii), I'll give her a gift voucher and she can spend three hours trekking round the ruddy shops. At least the sales will be on.

But (ii)... Oh dear! Back to the shops, I suppose, praying for inspiration. Maybe that good karma will visit me just in time.