80 presents for 80th birthday...help!

[tessiegirl]

My nan is shortly turning 80 and I wanted to try and come up with 80 presents for her
Is it possible?!
Presents can be small and cheap to some which can be more expensive...
Can anyone please help with ideas?

80 things to be tactfully disposed of in the charity shop?
Honestly - this is a truly awful idea! The older you get, the more you appreciate quality over quantity. Even 80 bits of tat from the poundshop is £80 - you could buy her something nice or a lovely bunch of flowers.
As for sitting there unwrapping it all and trying to look pleased ...

I agree with others, 80 presents is a bad idea! Why not 10 presents, 1 for each decade of her life? If you could get hold of them, maybe a set of photographs of her life for each decade in a nice album?

@Soontobe60

I agree with others, 80 presents is a bad idea! Why not 10 presents, 1 for each decade of her life? If you could get hold of them, maybe a set of photographs of her life for each decade in a nice album?

Duh of course I mean 8 presents!

For my DH’s 50th, my sis got him 50 chocolate bars. Does Nan have a sweet tooth? Lol

And if she's trying to stretch a pension, she'll probably think, 'What a stupid waste - when I'd really have loved xyz that I can't often afford.'

No one wants 80 things, especially at 80.

Honestly the photos and memories book is a really lovely idea that she will absolutely treasure.

soontobe60 I don’t know why but that made me absolutely laugh - loud and long - good laugh.
Think also cos I read it without thinking anything was amiss. (Too busy thinking what a good idea)

Eighty words. Nice words, in a card.

"I agree with others, 80 presents is a bad idea! Why not 10 presents, 1 for each decade of her life?"

You mean 8. She's not 100 yet

80 trees is pretty cool though 😁

Agree on ditching the 80 presents idea and going with a combination of 80 memories and pictures or one really really great gift. Plus flowers if she likes them.

The 80 photos in an album or memories is a much nicer idea

Every 80 year old is downsizing and getting rid of stuff they don't want to add to it

I got 30 presents for my 30 th many moons ago.
It was shit!
Sitting there unwrapping gift after gift and faking pleasure.
Please don't do this to anyone.
They will say it was fun and good and lovely but they will be not telling the truth!
Just buy her a nice piece of jewellery or scarf or whatever.
But for the love of god not 80 gifts!

There always has to be someone on a thread who summarises so I'll be the one this time:

OP: I want to get 80 presents for my Nan

98% of posters: it's a terrible, wasteful idea going to be embarrassing for your Nan to try and say thank you for 80 mid to cheap, unwanted gifts

OP: So, I still want to buy 80 gifts for my Nan...

98% of posters:

I did this for my Dad's 75th and he was absolutely thrilled! He laid them all out on the table in numbered order, and spent a happy day coming back every so often to open and enjoy the next few presents. He wasn't overwhelmed or disappointed, and he didn't think they were 'tat,' simply because some of them were cheap.

You know your own family, OP. If you think she'll like it, she will.

I did 40 memories along with 40 photos of the people who wrote the memories for my DGDads 80th.

A photobook with 80 photos from her life, in chronological order?

I'm not sure how many times different posters can say the same thing! I get it...the majority think its a terrible idea...
Anyway, moving on...my thread wasn't asking for opinions whether it sounds a good idea...
My thread was asking for present ideas. So please, stop saying the same thing!

Does she have hobby - buy items connected to that.

Seeds for the garden.
Teabags - the sort that come individually wrapped

I think it's a bad idea and a bit cheap. A main quality present would be better

For my 40th birthday I'd rather have a bottle of my favourite expensive perfume rather than 40 pieces of plastic tat.

I like the idea someone suggested of 10 different types of things × 8.
8 favourite foods, 8 favourite bubble baths etc.
If she is a reader maybe a copy of a popular book from each decade (I am actually curious what one would be for 1941 so I am going to Google when I have finished writing this...)
I hate the Mumsnet word 'tat'. I am not even sure what it actually means.

@LoosingTheChristmasBattle

I did something similar for my mum but rather than 70 presents, I did 70 memories. I asked her friends and family to write down their favourite memories and put them all in envelopes, she had such a lovely time opening them all and re-living the memories, she still goes through the bundle now.

This is very nice

Quite honestly I don't think an 80 year old would want to open that many gifts.
I think the 80 memories would be a much better idea.

It wouldn't have to be 'opening 80 gifts' if they are things grouped together. For example 8 favourite food items plus 8 favourite drinks could be put in a hamper together. That's one to open - not 16.
If the OP went for the 8 books (one for each decade) I would just put them in a pile and tie them up with a pretty ribbon.
Another idea for one of the groups of gifts could be a nostalgia collection - a reproduction copy of a newspaper from the day she was born, a recipe for a cake of the era, a homemade photo album of 'this is your life' type things.