60 gifts for 60th birthday

[CrockyBetter]

My mum will be 60 in October. We will be away on holiday but in UK. Her main gift is a "This is your life" type memory book I'm making.

I'd like to gift her 60 gifts. But only small/cheapish.

She doesn't drink alcohol, smoke, drink hot drinks or have baths (only showers)

Suggestions on things to get that will be easyish to transport? I can leave them in a bag in my boot until the day. Her and my dad will be going in their own car.

Ideas??

[CommunistLegoBloc]

I don't mean to shit on your idea, but are you sure she'll like it? As my parents get older they want less stuff, not more. And 60 cheap things just means 60 bits of tat. If you do it make them consumables I think, so shower gel / oil, candle, chocolates. But spreading that out over 60 items is hard!

[Walkerbean16]

I'd hate to receive 60 things!

[CompleteBarstool]

IME this idea is never popular on here.

By the time you've bought 60 things you will have spent a fortune but on what? Cheap bits and pieces, non-exciting food items she would have bought herself anyway.

Would it be better to buy something she would enjoy? Something lovely that she wouldn't buy for herself or a voucher towards a weekend away or special theatre trip etc.

[Laufeythejust]

I tried to do it for DPs 30th. I got to about 15 and had spent a fortune on rubbish, I gave up spent the rest on a good gift instead! How about 60 or 6 as a theme instead- box of 60 chocolates, 6 nice shower gels, 60ml of perfume, something from the year she was born.

[Ragwort]

agree with others, I am over 60 and would hate this idea ... most people our age are fortunate to have the things they like and really, really don't want 60 small presents... where would you put them all?

I manage a charity shop and one of the largest type of donations we get is endless 'novelty' gifts ... that no one wants and no one buys eg; 'Best Teacher Mugs', items with 'big birthdays' on. Most end up in landfill ... can't even give them away. .

[Mmsnet101]

I done 30 things for 30th for my DP last year as I was due to give birth any day so meant I could prep loads in advance... It was hard enough coming up with 30 tbh so good luck!

Gloves/slippers/scarf
Necklace
Candle
Perfume
Nail polish
Nice moisturiser
Voucher for meal out
Favourite snack
Fancy pen
Purse
Fancy tea or coffee
Phone case
Photo frame
Lipstick
Signed book or print
60 things we love about you (lots of little cards that everyone in the family can join in and write a few each, then put them all together in a nice jar or something)

[Sofasogood1]

How cheap is cheap? If you spend just ten quid per thing that's £600! Just spend £600 on one lovely thing.

I would hate a bag of tat. Can't think of anyone who would like it.

[SometimesItRains]

Even if every item was only £2 on average, you’ve still spent £120 overall - an amount that could get you a lovely gift instead of a heap of tat/things she would normally buy herself. 60 cheap gifts would be my idea of a nightmare - in fact if my enemies want to really wind me up this would be an ideal way to do it

[Purplewithred]

60 diamonds maybe. 60 bottles of wine, or indeed 60 of any one thing I absolutely love, definitely. 60 small cheap things I could have bought for myself that I dont want or don’t need - really, I’d just about appreciate the thought but would hate the actual gift.

[Sofasogood1]

I wouldn't appreciate the thought! There is no thought. Sixty cheap items - pick them up in Poundland. Much trickier to think of one thing they'll love

[orangejuicer]

It's a nice idea but I'm not sure it would land well.

[clary]

Yh I agree, I am 60 in a few years and I would hate this from my dc. 60 things costing a tenner each is £600!

I mean, a book, a DVD, nice moisturiser ditto shower gel, chocs, recipe book, candle of she likes them, for these things to be nice they will not cost £1-2.

I would rather have one nice thing id like - in my case new running shoes or swim kit or a spa day or concert tickets. Or yes pp's idea of 6 or 60 things - row 6 in the theatre, a day out somewhere 60 miles away...

[Nowisthemonthofmaying]

I would like
60 books
60 bottles of good wine
60 chocolates from somewhere fancy

But that's it. I did 30 for my DH's 30th but they were all 'proper' things like t-shirts, mixed in with homemade vouchers for massages etc so he wasn't too overwhelmed with stuff.

I like a pp's idea of a list of '60 things I love about you'. Something small but meaningful she could read and keep.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

Just Don't.

Your mother, deliberately or not, is doing splendid work in helping the environment. So why on earth would you want to pile up (forgive me!) a load of junk at her door?

I'm speaking as one who will soon have a similar birthday. I would be frankly outraged if anyone did this. Unless we're talking sixty apple trees and an empty plot of land ... Even sixty sets of seeds would be too much.

There are plenty of things I'd still like to own - I definitely would not want sixty random small/cheapish "gifts".

[CakeMiddleton]

Thank God sense is finally prevailing on MN!

[AfterSchoolWorry]

Oh God, please don't. No offense but nobody wants 60 cheap find someone else chose.

I'd be really irritated with it all.

[AfterSchoolWorry]

I'd also be slightly miffed to receive a 'this is your life' book at 60 !

She's 60, not 80 !

[Jenny70]

What about 60 envelopes with memories (other people can write some, via email and you print/rewrite) or 60 photographs? Put them in cute box, she can open through day or take it home to do in her own space.

[Collision]

Agree with everything everyone has said.

Please don’t do it.

Have a spa day with her or a weekend away......something she will love.

[CrockyBetter]

Thanks all. I'll scrap the idea

[user1493494961]

I would hate a spa day.

[Undies1990]

The thought is lovely, the reality is not!

Even 60 'cheap' gifts will soon add up - sounds like a waste of money to me. Surely to ask what she would like and go from there. Personally, I'd hate to receive 60 gifts. Quality over quantity is better?!

[doyounothavegoogle]

The memory book sounds lovely and/or @Jenny70's idea above, but please don't do the gift thing. I am 60 next year and would be horrified by 60 bits of tat (plus the utter waste of money).

[MadameBrioche]

My friend’s DH did this for her 40th and there were a LOT of things. It would be overwhelming I think.

[TJ17]

@CrockyBetter you could do 60 notes in a jar instead?

Like 60 traits you and family love about her, kind things she's done for you in the past you are grateful for etc...?