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Son's 21st and not a clue...

97 replies

ElephantOfRisk · 26/06/2021 20:44

DS1 will be 21 in just over a week.

He's always hard to buy for but this seems impossible. We made more of his 18th so he knows this is a sort of special but not big ticket birthday in terms of presents. It also doesn't seem the birthday where I can buy a few bits (beer/snacks etc) and bung some money in a card.

He has terrible social anxiety and barely leaves the house except to walk round the estate for fresh air or if he comes out for dinner with DH and I.

He's studying computer science but has everything he needs for that and he got new keyboard and mouse etc for Christmas. He has a newish phone.

He's not into clothes or music or sport and has plenty of money to buy himself anything he wants anyway so I don't really want to just give money. There is no point doing balloons and cake if it's just us 3 here and it's not something i think that he'd appreciate. I've asked him what he'd like and he doesn't know.

I came up with a desperation list: toolkit, hip flask, traditional shaving gear, getting a personal trainer (bought him a gym membership but he hasn't really used it when the gym has been open), new glasses, teeth whitening, having his v small group of friends from school that he's met up with three times in the last few years but last time was only a few months ago, round for the afternoon/evening and i'd cater some food and booze and he could have the run of the back of the house. DH and I could drop them back up for the train to the next town where they live/home after.

He looked at the list but didn't go for anything.

I feel so bad when i see what other folk have done for DCs 21st and I've literally organised and bought nothing.

OP posts:
Charliecatpaws · 30/06/2021 22:06

I bought my son a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses for his 21st, he did actually ask for them though, they had his name etched on them.

ElephantOfRisk · 30/06/2021 22:16

Good choice! DS has prescription sunglasses, they are a designer make but not RayBan. These sorts of things are classics. To be fair it probably cost me more just for the lenses than a pair or raybans might, then DS2 saw some (also prescription) that he loved so I couldn't say no and he has some fancy pancy Balmain ones that are bit John lennon like.

Such good ideas on this thread for anyone else looking.

OP posts:
ssd · 30/06/2021 22:17

Has a set of good earphones been mentioned?

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:18

Or a wallet that stops your credit cards being copief

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:19

Or a map of all the munros, if hes ever been into climbing

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:22

Does he have a mini fridge in his room for drinks? Or if he likes coffee or hot choc. .a dulce gusto thingy with pods?

ElephantOfRisk · 30/06/2021 22:29

Rifid wallet - yes he has.

He has good headphones but keeping that back for Christmas in case he wants an upgrade then. He also has some nice retro ones for using on the train (in the days he travelled). I'm also wary at the moment as he has some unexplained hearing loss and tinitus in one ear and we've been waiting (quite a long time) for his appointment with the consultant, he eventually got one but they cancelled it and rescheduled so it's in 3 weeks time. I've been pretty worried but trying not to show it as this can be a sign of some not very nice things.. He should have been seen by last October. It's quite unusual I believe for a young person to have one sided hearing loss with no other issues. He's had all the initial tests and simple stuff has been ruled out. I think its an MRI/head scan next.

OP posts:
ElephantOfRisk · 30/06/2021 22:33

DH is the munro man in the house, he just has a normal map and adds a dot. He's done over 200 as well as many more lower peaks plus most of the Lake District and Wales but he won't finish, he's nearly 60 and has a few that he doesn't think he's able for anymore and the rest are the remote ones I think. I don't think he is too bothered, he didn't start until he was 40 and with two small children and work etc, i think he's done pretty well.

He has a mini fridge but doesn't use it.

OP posts:
ssd · 30/06/2021 22:38

That's a shame to hear about his hearing loss and tinnitus. I can understand your worries, i hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

I sometimes look on notonthehighstreet.com for fun gift ideas too.

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:42

Just looked, they have a personalised wooden headphones stand? Or some coloured phone chargers?

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:43

Or a personalised pizza board and cutter? Ds would love that

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:45

100 movies scratch bucket list poster a tenner?

ssd · 30/06/2021 22:47

I need to get off that site Grin

ElephantOfRisk · 30/06/2021 22:49

Thanks, he has headphone stand already but not personalised and he uses an induction phone charger. If I can manage to navigate my way round the 7 million monitor stands on the market then I'm probably happy enough with what i have/got coming. I'll get him some fancy snacks/nuts to make up a box of stuff for his to have with his gins and other booze. To be fair I've also recently bought him new storage stuff for his room, plus paint and bedding and curtains and he got new shorts and t-shirts for our holidays so he's not done too badly out of us!

DS2 also got some new clobber for the holidays but I think i'll need to buy him something for moving in to his new flat to even the score a bit.

OP posts:
ElephantOfRisk · 30/06/2021 22:51

Glad you are enjoying that @ssd!!

You've just reminded me, when it was Next sale I got a 21st birthday scratch poster (reduced to a couple of quid) and put it away so I'll need to dig that out from wherever I might have stored it...

OP posts:
Newmum110 · 01/07/2021 08:49

I think what you are organising sounds fantastic. My DS is the same, I wouldn't really call him antisocial just happier in his own company. I think inviting the friends puts too much pressure. Let him enjoy the day as is, you are making a fuss of his birthday which is all that is needed.

ssd · 01/07/2021 11:25

Yes it sounds perfect what you have organised for him, i hope he has a great day when it comes.

ssd · 01/07/2021 11:26

PS i did well not spending any money on that site last night Grin

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 01/07/2021 12:59

Beer brew kit? Beer subscription box, beer 52 do an intro offer free except for delivery, gin subscription, make a photo book from childhood to date, st christopher necklace, what you have planned already sounds good though.

goose1964 · 01/07/2021 13:02

We didn't do anything for 21sts, but took them to Prague. It wasn't that expensive as we got easy jet flights and we went in winter when hotels are a lot cheaper you could do something similar in the future for him or a weekend in London to go to the Science Museum

sashh · 01/07/2021 14:55

Is he a gamer?

My local cinema has started hiring out screens for gamers, you take your own console and games along and play with big screen sound and vision.

He could get a few friends to play.

Flying lesson?

What about some old tech to take apart? Or on the other end a 3D printer?

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