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!

I'd definitely be happy with 50 bottles of booze though

OK, I am older than your aunt.

I would be happy with 50 bottles of craft beer.
Tickets to a gig
50 bottles of nice wine (v expensive, obv)
A year's subscription to a cinema chain local to us (PIcturehouse)

Not fucking hot chocolate and hankies.

Oh I'd be delighted to see the Majestic Wines delivery van pull up outside my house and 50 bottles be presented to me.

"WTF is wrong with pens, badges, key rings or soaps?!"

It's just a mountain of small stocking fillers, no one is going to turn somersaults over a bright pink gel pen or a yellow highlighter. The 'idea' of 50 pressies is one thing. An endless procession of pens and tea bags...well, exhausting, and not living up to the grand idea of 50 presents.

Ooh yes, a cinema unlimited pass for a year would be great.

Badges and key rings are definitely pointless tat, and I don't want soap, because there's little difference between soap and things like washing up liquid of toothpaste.

OK you can get nicer versions, but it's still just soap at the end of the day, and if someone is interested in soap or other toiletries, they can almost certainly afford to buy their own when they want, and I don't like being bought toiletries, because that means when I do want to choose a new and different shower gel or whatever, I can't because I'm having to use up all the other stuff foisted on me as gifts.

I'm never short of a pen myself because I pick up nice ones at conferences etc, and again, I don't see them as a nice gift. I'm a grown up, I've managed to master aquisition of pens. Ditto for hankies etc. I just buy them when I see them in the sale and I've lost most of the last pack I bought.

This thread has demonstrated that almost no-one likes receiving this sort of crap, and gift giving is all about the giver and their desire to buy and distribute tat.

Can someone quickly divert the Majestic Wine delivery to EdWinchester* before she takes her own life choking herself to death on posh teabags?

I am worried.

Seriously. If someone be gave me pens/badges/key rings/hankies or soap, I’d be questioning what sort of vibe I give off.

They are gifts for a 90 year old maiden aunt in 1950.

I got my bf a really nice silver photo frame from The White Company and got a selection of photos printed of us making tits of ourselves but looking fabulous which she could choose - or not - to put inside for her 50th. Mind you, she loves photo frames.

This thread has demonstrated that almost no-one likes receiving this sort of crap, and gift giving is all about the giver and their desire to buy and distribute tat.

No, not really. I think this thread has demonstrated some MNers love of disagreeing with stuff and not getting into the spirit of things.

I listed 50 things I like, personally. People are arguing with something like 5 of them, so I assume the gin, prosecco, chocolates, vouchers for spending time, scarf and books were good for you then?

If you don't like nice soap, good for you, but I love it, personally. The OP knows her aunt, and will know what she likes, presumably.

It’s painful enough arranging your face when opening one gift “ooh, lovely, thank you, that’s so kind, really what a treat” 😐

The horror of having to do it a further 49 times in one session, varying your response slightly with each new item of tat. Then sitting looking at it all piled up in front of you and wondering why on earth anyone would do that!

To be fair, this thread has amused my pelvic floor no end.

One of the people in an interest group I’m in came up with the same idea for a members 60th. She was wanting to get rid of stuff not accumulate more and it seemed not the greatest idea. The group went ahead though and it was easy to see how tiring and difficult it was for the recipient to show appreciation and enthusiasm 50 times!

I’m nearly 60 and most of my friends are older than me and I can’t think of anyone who would really like getting all those gifts. No one I know uses real handkies and I also worked with older people and can’t remember any who still used them either.

If OPs aunt works in a school and is in a role where she’s likely to get Christmas/end of year presents, she will have had enough mugs, picture frames, key rings, chocolates and sweets both home made and bought, soaps and other toiletries over the years to last her a bloody lifetime I imagine.

I’d only go ahead with the idea If you are 99% sure your aunt would love the concept and the actual gifts you are planning to give.

It sort of reminds me of the Christmas threads where posters suggest all manner of cheap shit they can buy for their children’s stockings. Buying for the sake of buying. Consumerism at work. Wrap up a toothbrush. Wrap up a pair of socks - separately - what a hoot! Wrap up a pack of polo mints - maybe individually? Hilarious.

It’s just about the thrill of making purchases and opening rubbish for the sake of it.

I genuinely hate prosecco and I have a few very nice expensive scarves. The gin would need to be decent quality. I only like posh chocs. Honestly, I feel mean saying this and everyone's heart is in the right place but I would hate this.

Once you get to 50 some people spend their life avoiding cheap rubbish that they don't want or need.

I have racked my brain to think of small things I'd like and really can't think of anywhere near 50.

Books - yes
Scarves - no, I keep getting given these and I never wear them
Soap - no, got enough to last years from previous birthdays, Christmases.
Gin - no, my current stock will last years as I rarely drink it.
Prosecco - no, awful stuff
Wine - maybe one bottle, but we don't really drink it
Hankies - no way, my late 70s mum would hate these too.
Seeds - well, yes but I have loads, voucher would be handy
Craft stuff - possibly
Posh tea - no, I prefer Yorkshire or PG Tips to fancy ones.
Notebooks and pens - no, got loads already
Decaff coffee beans - yes
Posh cheese and chutney - yes

You are a really thoughtful niece but unless your aunt is one of these rare 50 year olds that loves accumulating shit - however well-intentioned, I'd be surprised if she would genuinely appreciate it.

And the thing is, even the nice small things would cost a small fortune once you'd bought 50 of them. I don't actually mind a bar of nice soap or similar, but the stuff I'd really appreciate as a treat I wouldn't buy myself costs a tenner. A bar of bog-standard soap for £1 I can chuck in with the weekly shop at Sainsbury's.

Likewise books, cheese, wine, gin, chocs, for nice versions of these that are an actual treat and not part of the normal weekly shop, it's going to cost a fortune.

Hankies and keyrings. Dear Lord, just no.

howmany I’m the target age range and of your list I would only want the nice soap , and the soap I’d want would be L’occitane , so not cheap . I don’t drink any alcohol , hot chocolate or eat chocolate , like most people 50+ I have enough mugs , pens etc to last the rest of my life . Seriously apart from bulbs / seeds / plants if she’s a keen gardener it’s not a good idea .

It’s painful enough arranging your face when opening one gift “ooh, lovely, thank you, that’s so kind, really what a treat” 😐

The horror of having to do it a further 49 times in one session, varying your response slightly with each new item of tat.

If you don't actually like gifts, you can always ask your family to not give you any, you know.

howmany you know that's not what she was saying. There is a big difference between opening one lovely thoughtful well-chosen gift that cost £10 and having to open 50 pieces of tat that cost 5 times more and pretend to be delighted.

I'll be 50 soon and personally I'd much prefer one or two lovely things than lots of smaller items. By this age you have a house full of stuff and I always have masses to declutter. How about something luxurious that she wouldn't normally treat herself to or a voucher for afternoon tea for two or a meal at somewhere lovely?

Or a subscription thingy? I was given one from the spicery and I love it because I enjoy cooking. I'd love a beauty one or a flowers one.

Awww - OP hasn't been back for ages. Hope she hasn't been frightened off.
It is a lovely, lovely thought and your aunt would be so pleased to know OP.
We could be potentially saving you a lot of wasted money and trying to help.

My idea of a nightmare present. A book, tickets to a concert we could all go to maybe, but 50 sodding parcels to have to feign interest in and gratitude for? No thanks.