Aunties are one of life’s great and wonderful groups of people. They’re not your mum (so they tend to tell you off less), but they are A Proper Adult (so they can take you places, buy you things, spoil you rotten and Be Awesome).

Aunties are also some of the most interesting of our users of wishli.st. They tend to be shopping for their nephews and nieces which is great for us, but with Aunties Day fast approaching (25th July in fact) what should you be buying them as a thank you?

Well, very few of our aunties have presents on their wishlists. We’d love to have written a post about some of the cool thinks aunties actually wanted, but we just don’t know.

We solicited some advice from Melanie Notkin of SavvyAuntie.com (aka. @savvyauntie) who runs one of the sites we love poking though (despite being boys, and not even uncles), who’s looking forward to receiving:

“Handmade cards from my nephew and nieces and a ‘thank you’ from my siblings for loving their kids”

Interestingly home-made gifts made the top of our Gift Giving Scale a few months ago.

We’re a bit stuck though. Being aged 29 and 23 respectively, handmade cards don’t go down amazingly well, so what should we be getting out aunties? Here’s our best guesses…

A bottle of wine doesn’t show a lot of thought, but with its light and refreshing flavour, might a bottle of Croft’s Pink Port be up your funky auny’s street? Over the last few years the port market has changed beyond recognition, moving from bewhiskered judges in leather buttonbacked chairs in their club to one of the fastest growing popular drinks. Pink Port is that little bit lighter and more fun, just like our aunties.

A little more mature and richer in texture, tawny port is more grown up and sophisticated. Graham’s 10 year old is just gorgeous, rich and silky yet still light and sippable.

There’s a few things you can buy your aunty that you can’t quite get your mum. As nephews we’d not feel comfortable posting our aunty a Silk V-Neck Spaghetti Strap Chemise, but we’re pretty sure there’s a cheeky niece or two out there who could get away with it. After all, it’s from Rigby and Peller (by appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second).

Nightwear aside, how many aunties wouldn’t love a little retro number from Vivien of Holloway? This classic lined Halterneck Pencil Dress is just one of their amazing creations.

Now there’s no point having a fabulous dress and not somewhere to show it off a little, so how about some tickets to a proper night out? Whether it’s opera, the ballet, theater, stand up comedy or sports tickets depends on your aunty, but here’s the bit tip: buy pairs. A single ticket will save you money, but how much fun will your aunty have on her own? Buy a pair and you’ve set up either a perfect romantic night out with your uncle, or a start of girls night out.

Remember: 25th July – this Sunday – make sure you show your aunty some love.