So what's a good gift to give someone for a special birthday

[CamdenTownie]

So following on from the thread about bad gifts, what is deemed a good gift to give or receive?

I'm at the point where a few of my close friends are about to celebrate big birthdays, I'm not usually an extravagant gift giver but I would like to give a nice gift that can be kept and remembered.

Personally I like most things, so am happy to be given a thoughtful gift regardless of cost.

With a budget of say £50 what would you buy for a close friend or like to receive yourself?

A lovely frame with a photo of the two of us
Something that i am regularly seen with or use, but that is more luxurious than i would buy for myself
A day out together with no children 😬

I don't think there are generic good gifts for special birthdays. It has to be relevant to the birthday person.

Eg I wouldnt particularly want a framed photo of the two of us. (And what if several of you all separately did that for the birthday person?! 😄)

Similarly I don't enjoy candles or alcohol.

I have a friends birthday coming up and I was thinking of buying her a rose named after her.

Tea for two normally goes down well. I have had a few of these as gifts, and also bought similar for others. Somewhere nice in a manor house or stately home where you can roam the gardens afterwards (weather permitting of course) or admire the views.

Or do they have a particular hobby? Something related to that.

I have also just bought someone a beautiful vase with their age and a message engraved on it (together with some flowers to put in it). Not everyone's cup of tea, but it seemed apt for the recipient.

My latest luxury gift is a silk pillowcase, £45 from John Lewis. I’ve bought them for my daughters, my friends and my mum. So suitable for all ages and possibly something you wouldn’t buy yourself.

Afternoon tea.

I'm lazy when it comes to presents its usually
Jo Malone Candle
Flowers
Perfume
Alcohol

I definitely wouldn't want a photo frame with a picture of a friend and I in it.

I'd go for cashmere wrist warmers, or a vase, plus a good bottle of wine and some flowers.

Or my other default, a lovely edition of a book or a really beautiful notebook. Fountain pen ink in gorgeous colours and a pen.

A voucher for a massage or to have a pedicure would make a wonderful present.

I bought my friend the Vogue from the month she was born for her 60th. She loved it.

It totally depends on the person. I love nice candles, hand lotions or any nice body lotions or oils that I can't afford to buy myself right now with three young children. Meal vouchers for a nice restaurant is usually appreciated and if they have young children also offer to do an evenings babysitting when they go for the meal if the person lives locally to you. Someone mentioned a photo frame and to be honest I personally couldn't imagine getting anything worse. I got lots of frames as wedding and christening presents and they all just sat in the garage until Ingave them to a charity shop. My bil was recently 50 and he got lots of vouchers for a particular store and he bought himself a new suit so he was delighted .

Posh PJ's - Hush or Whistles at sale time so some advance planning required.
Whistles PJ's on sale

Love the posh PJs suggestion. I'd be thrilled to bits to receive.

A friend once bought me a pair of gorgeous silk knickers and a posh nail varnish in the same colour. One of my best presents ever!

Afternoon tea is a horrific gift, that would never be used.

Silk pillowcases would add to the dry cleaning bill and not match

It's got to be personal!

A good tip is to have a note on your phone for present ideas and then when you're with someone and they mention liking/wanting something you make a covert note that you can check when it gets close to their bday/Xmas

Hey!

I checked this thread a few times and there were no replies, so only just back to add to it.

I thought about buying a silk scarf, because I know my friend likes nice things, navy is her colour. But the ones I think she'd like were out of my price range.

There are some great ideas here and it's given me something to think about, ideally I'd like to give her something she can keep and remember she was given it for a special birthday.

It's likely we will spend a day together out for lunch or dinner too.

I'd love:

• a spa voucher
• one of those DNA kits (although cheapest price I've seen is £60 whilst on a discounted offer)
• An annual subscription to a specialised magazine for a hobby s/he likes?
• An engraved memory box with one or two things already inside.
• A return visit to a place special to you two (e.g. somewhere you had the best day out, where you used to meet, a place you said you would like to go together, etc).
• A "mixtape" with the music you used to sing to, plus some of the food or drink you used to have together (a bit of "party memory lane").
• A beauty treatment voucher for a nice place where you are.

I like the website Notonthehighstreet for gift ideas too.