50 gifts for a 50th birthday

[PurpleSock]

My auntie turns 50 in July and she's been like a mum to me since my own mum died when I was a teenager so I want to go all out for her birthday

I was thinking about getting her 50 smaller gifts that I could maybe make into a hamper (or maybe gift separately depending on what they are) but I need some inspiration.

I also don't want to fall in the trap of getting cheap rubbish just because it's cheap and I need to get the number of gifts up

Any suggestions or recommendations would be great, for background, she works in a school full time but not a teacher, and dotes on her 3 grand children, she also speeds a fair amount of time caring for/helping out her mother in law and is the most wonderful loving and generous person I know and I really would like her give her something wonderful back after all she's done for me!

Does she have a garden? Packets of seeds of lovely flowers. Not too expensive.

‘I also don't want to fall in the trap of getting cheap rubbish just because it's cheap and I need to get the number of gifts up.’

I think it’s going to be very difficult not to end up doing that.

Hankies in quirky modern prints (look on etsy)

I’m over 50 and I’m sorry but that sort of gift would have driven me barmy , I’d rather have one or two really well meaning gifts . What’s the budget , a few days away would be nice if she’s usually really busy .

Foods ideal for school, mug with lid, teas, book bag, then maybe beauty bits, toiletries etc. For the house mini candles. Garden gloves, seeds etc. 50 is a tall order but with imagination you can do it

Honestly? Don’t you think she’d rather have One Lovely Thing?

I’ve seen your suggestion quite a few times here and personally cannot imagine receiving a more frustrating gift. Surely the amount you spend buying 50 things that are not utter tat could just as well buy something valuable and memorable - whether a tangible object or an experience.

But obviously you know her best!

A friend of mine did this for her mum. Some of the presents were simple things like a printed photograph, a poem she wrote for her mum, her baby’s hand and footprint. She also bought travel sized shampoo/body wash type things and wrapped them separately. A nice notepad and pen (separate, 2 gifts!), Poundland mug with a posh teabag in it. She also spent months scouring charity shops for decent but cheap gifts, she bought an amazing scarf for 50p and some gold shoes for £5, labels intact!
Lovely idea OP. Good luck. Are you crafty? Could you make jam or sew a cushion?

I don’t want to be a wet blanket but as I’ve got older I find my desire for “stuff” has dramatically declined. I have a drawer full of soap, hand cream and talc, a display cabinet of knickknacks and ornaments, boxes of jewellery, a fridge covered in magnets, a kitchen full of gadgets and shelves full of books. The idea of fifty things is lovely but the practicality is a lot of unnecessary stuff, I would much rather have one substantial present.

One good present is a better idea than 50 okayish cheaper ones. 50 gifts from one person could be quite overwhelming.

A boyfriend bought me 30 gifts for my 30th and it was a bit rubbish, although the sentiment was sweet!

Tea lights
Gloves
Scarf
Make up brushes
Nail polish
Bubble bath
Ear rings
Costume jewellery
Clutch bag
Shower gel
Plant
Chocolates
Wine/fizz
Gin/vodka/spirit
Wine glasses
Mug and saucer
Special jar of hot chocolate, tea, coffee
Cosmetic bag
Wash bag
Purse
Dressing gown

I would suggest going to tk Maxx and looking at the sale stuff, if you time it right you can pick up some lovely things for very little.

No, I think it's doable. You want inexpensive but meaningful gifts, right? The seeds packet idea is brilliant, I love that. Garden-related gifts could work and another theme you could try is stationery: cute little notebooks, pens, stuff like that. Try TKMaxx as they have some gorgeous stuff.

Your auntie sounds like a lovely woman and you sound like a lovely niece - I bet she feels very lucky to have you in her Iife.

That’s quite a sweet idea

Personalised mug of some sort
Voucher for manicure / pedicure - both
Nice biscuits
Nice chocolate
Small earrings
Hand cream
Card holder
A fancy candle
Mini cake / or cupcake
Scarf
Travel mug
Pen / notebook - if she works in a school they’re always handy
Bath soak

Hope that helps to get you started!

My Mum did this for my 40th and I did it for my sister's 40th.

Some useful 'boring' things, some things for the garden etc.

I would set a budget, and then you roughly know how much you have per present, but you can then also do a mix of cheaper things and more expensive.

@notsold -great for 21st birthday!

It’s lovely that you want to treat your auntie and that you’re so close. But I’m in the same age bracket and I echo the other posters - I’d much rather have one or two lovely things than lots of stuff.

I would rather have one nice thing. 50 things would drive me batshit. Especially if they were seeds or hankies (she's 50, not 90).

Would you not prefer it if she had something to treasure or use regularly than a load of everyday things? Cheap pens and candles will just be lost in her everyday life. A really beautiful pen, on the other hand, would remind her of you every time she uses it.

If you were my best beloved niece and it was my 50th birthday I’d really, really love to receive two tickets to a play or concert I wanted to attend (not something random) that we could enjoy together. Or a day trip / weekend away with you.

If it weren’t possible for you to spend the time, I’d be very happy with one or two of the more expensive and significant books on my never ending list.

We did this for my mum (and dad). We did it between a group of close family so nobody had to buy too much and people could afford a mix of cheap but meaningful things and some more expensive stuff. I've probably got the list somewhere but off the top of my head, there were quite a few edible bits (chocolate, condiments, booze), useful things (tea towels, coasters) and more treat type things (nice candles, bath stuff etc). Not on the High Street was quite useful for this kind of thing.

It's a really lovely idea but I think 50 gifts is too much. In my experience as people get older they want less "stuff". I'm in my 40s and wouldn't want to receive 50 items. It's not very sustainable and I don't have enough space. My friend's grandmother turned 80 recently and he got her 8 books. One book from each decade of her life. I thought that was a lovely, meaningful gift and she was over the moon. For older relatives (and no I don't think 50 is old! I'm not far off myself) I like to get experience gifts. I bet she'd love to have a afternoon tea with you - or dinner out and a trip to the theatre. This is the sort of thing she'd remember forever. You sound like a wonderful neice.

A friend did 50 memories/thoughts in a jar

50 large jars of nutella would have made me very happy :).

I'd love 50 gifts! (My next big birthday will be 50, too).

The key is things she'll actually like / use, of course. Can you tell us a bit more about her?

EdWinchester - Not one of my octogenarian relatives would be in the least grateful for handkerchiefs. They would just do this face and turn back to their iPads.

Can you share with another family member, or several - so you have a bigger budget?