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Original poster

Present to represent every year alive

88 replies

Bluesprinkles12 · 06/11/2024 19:33

Hi all!

Hoping for your help. It’s my best friends 30th this year and hoping to do 30 presents each representing every year of her life. So either something personal, something that represents that age or an event that year.

So far this is what I’ve got (very early planing days) and looking for some more ideas!

1994- the year you were born card
1-95 milk bottle with a drink in it
2-96
3-97
4-98
5-99 Younger sibiling was born- picture of her brother

6-00
7-01
8-02
9-03
10-04
11-05
12-06
13-07
14- 08 First Marvel movie come out- get the DVD
15-09
16-10 paracetamol that you’re going to need tomorrow
17-11 Year you’ve learned to drive
18-12 drinking age/lottery
19-13 First time
20-14 Ice bucket challenge
21-15
22-16
23-17 The year you’ve met me- art of the both of us
24-18
25-19 year we went Italy- Italian desert, pizza making kit?
26-20 COVID- something covid themed
27-21
28-22 Year she met her other half
29-23
30-24

OP posts:
Oreyt · 06/11/2024 22:16

Why would she want something Ice Bucket and Covid Themed?

Surely she has photos of her brother and bf?

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 06/11/2024 22:13

I would hate this. Couldn’t you create something that represents a few things she’s enjoyed so far in her life, maybe a collage or a quilt? You could commission it if you’re not confident of your ability.

SilverChampagne · 06/11/2024 22:13

Sorry, op, but it’s just going to be a whole pile of tat.
Why on earth is the ice bucket challenge being celebrated, btw? Hmm.
As to her first time, words fail me.

DoublePasta · 06/11/2024 22:13

PalisadesPatty · 06/11/2024 22:11

Sorry but this is nuts 😂 A present to represent her first time?!

To go with a photo of her brother and some milk.

PalisadesPatty · 06/11/2024 22:11

Sorry but this is nuts 😂 A present to represent her first time?!

OliviaRodrighost · 06/11/2024 22:10

Is one of the presents a bucket of ice?! 😭

Onlyvisiting · 06/11/2024 22:06

Bluesprinkles12 · 06/11/2024 19:33

Hi all!

Hoping for your help. It’s my best friends 30th this year and hoping to do 30 presents each representing every year of her life. So either something personal, something that represents that age or an event that year.

So far this is what I’ve got (very early planing days) and looking for some more ideas!

1994- the year you were born card
1-95 milk bottle with a drink in it
2-96
3-97
4-98
5-99 Younger sibiling was born- picture of her brother

6-00
7-01
8-02
9-03
10-04
11-05
12-06
13-07
14- 08 First Marvel movie come out- get the DVD
15-09
16-10 paracetamol that you’re going to need tomorrow
17-11 Year you’ve learned to drive
18-12 drinking age/lottery
19-13 First time
20-14 Ice bucket challenge
21-15
22-16
23-17 The year you’ve met me- art of the both of us
24-18
25-19 year we went Italy- Italian desert, pizza making kit?
26-20 COVID- something covid themed
27-21
28-22 Year she met her other half
29-23
30-24

Have to say I am also horrified at the idea of you commenting her 'first time' with a gift. The mind boggles 😅

Onlyvisiting · 06/11/2024 22:05

I don't understand the paracetamol one for 16..... surely should be for 18/drinking?
I'm afraid I agree with some of the others, it's a sweet idea but going to be hard to present without looking like a lucky dip of random bits.
I think I'd be temped to go more scrapbook. Lots of photos if you can get them, but you could also find photos of eg her first school. However given you didn't know her then and weren't part of this memories it is maybe a bit random.

Other ideas if you are sticking to gifts.
Is she too young to have been into Harry Potter? Or anything else she was really into and waited for it to come out?

I quite like the idea of things from the year/date she was born.
Must be a spirit or wine you could get that is from her birth year? And if she likes alcohol then it could be a really nice but still thoughtful gift.
Newspaper from the day she was born? I'm pretty sure that's a thing you can get.

NerrSnerr · 06/11/2024 22:04

I wouldn't do this though, you didn't know her through her childhood so you have no idea what those years represented to her. It appears to be a sweet idea but she'll just end up with a load of crap.

Buy her a couple of actual nice gifts.

MissHalloween · 06/11/2024 22:04

I’d hate this.

Proudestmumofone1 · 06/11/2024 22:03

I realise it’s beside the point, but really confused why you need paracetamol for the day after turning 16?!

surely that would be to represent drinking age?

To be fair I was definitely sneaking around clubbing and drinking at 16, but the OP wasn’t there to see if that was the case….!

NerrSnerr · 06/11/2024 22:02

Ihaveneedofwaternear · 06/11/2024 20:45

Massively curious what you planned to get for the "first time" gift.

Me too!

Proudestmumofone1 · 06/11/2024 22:00

Oh lord please just buy her a spa day / special meal / theatre trip etc. Have a lovely experience together and create memories.

I find this bizarre for even a sister or friend who has been in their life since birth / early years, but seeing as you met at 23, how can you accurately represent 23 years out of 30 you weren’t present for?!

Very sweet thinking but just no.

Itisjustmyopinion · 06/11/2024 21:57

Alwaystired23 · 06/11/2024 21:28

I was thinking the same, maybe a condom? I wouldn't want anything off a friend on my 30th birthday to remember "my first time," tbh. I'd rather block it out.

Show quote history

This reminds me of when my friends and I all turned 16. It became a bit of joke that we all bought each other a box of condoms and a lottery ticket for a birthday present

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 06/11/2024 21:39

30 lollipops labelled 30 sucks.

verycloakanddaggers · 06/11/2024 21:32

Sorry but I also think this is too weird.

Get one nice present.

TyneTeas · 06/11/2024 21:29

On my Dad's 60th or 70th (can't remember offhand) I did whiskeys and brandies and stuff that added up to the year

Or you could find a meaningful eg fact or quote from each year and write that out on a little card and put it in a chest or jar for her

Alwaystired23 · 06/11/2024 21:28

Ihaveneedofwaternear · 06/11/2024 20:45

Massively curious what you planned to get for the "first time" gift.

I was thinking the same, maybe a condom? I wouldn't want anything off a friend on my 30th birthday to remember "my first time," tbh. I'd rather block it out.

BeerForMyHorses · 06/11/2024 21:26

You have good intentions but are you sure your friend will appreciate this?

You're putting loads of pressure on her to return the over the top gifting for your 30th. Or even I'm worse the shame If she didn't put in this much effort.

Also opening 30 very random presents is time consuming and awkward.

Ifsheloses · 06/11/2024 21:19

ThatOpenSwan · 06/11/2024 20:21

This is a really fun idea, OP, and I'd be so touched. Just want to throw some positivity in as you've somehow hit a seam of miserable people.

As always, mumsnet is weird.

It's not weird at all. The question is in AIBU and it's mnet
Where posters are honest thank god.

Ifsheloses · 06/11/2024 21:18

MargaretThursday · 06/11/2024 20:44

I think this sounds quite fun.
What about Sparklers for 2000, and a nice face mask for covid? Or there's some really nice hand sanitiser here. It smells gloriously lemony.
Botanical Hand Sanitiser 50ml – Made For Life Organics

What about a Union Jack flag for the coronation in 2023, and you've got her start school date or maybe go to secondary.
Ask her younger sibling for ideas - maybe even a photo from each year (if mum wasn't like my mil and did several years before realising there was no film).

A nice face mask to remember COVID?? Wtaf!

DoublePasta · 06/11/2024 21:18

A DVD! Confused

I think it's quite weird and even intrusive for someone you only met when you were twenty three to get you a gift for every year of your life.

Vitriolinsanity · 06/11/2024 21:05

One of my friends did this for a mutual friend's 30th. The whole lot went into a shoe box. It was really well done and received. It had things like a silver Jubilee mug (we is old and it was some years ago), stamps, newspaper clippings, 21st birthday photos etc.

More a memory box than "a load of tat".

Russiandollsaresofullofthemselves · 06/11/2024 21:02

sounds like my worst nightmare. last thing I need is a big unwanted pile of junk that i’m obliged to keep because you were apparently being thoughtful

TeamPolin · 06/11/2024 20:56

It's a sweet idea but will just end up with loads of tat if you're insisting on theming to each year.

I agree with this. Kind gesture but honestly I think there are better ways to mark the day.

Why don't you make a photo album full of all your favourite moments together. That is equally thoughtful and more likely to be appreciated.

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