A cousin of mine, someone I haven't had much to do with in the past, has had an awful 18 months. Her husband walked out on her just before Covid and went back to his native USA. Soon after that she had an apparently minor accident that has left her in chronic pain and then at this time last year her 80-something mother became ill and needed support at home and she ended up losing her job because of her need to step in to look after her mum.
Her mother died in June and now my cousin is facing having to start her life anew. I've spent several weeks with her and her mum over the last six months, trying to make a crap situation a bit easier. We are chalk and cheese. My cousin is very feminine and likes pink, 'nice' , 'posh' ladylike things and I'm the kind of alternative, greenish, feminist who lives in boots and trousers and doesn't do jewellery and make-up.
She turns 50 in September. She has no parents, no partner, no children, no siblings and no job and her husband seems set on a messy divorce. She has a few friends she talks about but doesn't seem to see very often. Even though we're different we get on well and I would like to do something a bit special to mark her birthday.
I'm going to take her out to dinner at a very good restaurant I think she'll like and I'm trying to track down a couple of the friends she's mentioned to see if they'll come too. I'd also like to ensure that she gets at least one gift on the day — but what? She likes jewellery but would a piece of jewellery from me seem a bit weird? I know that someone gave her a Jo Malone candle for Christmas and she was dismissive and put it in a drawer. That's made me very nervous.
Can anyone think of something lovely, feminine and a bit special that it would be appropriate for a cousin to give? Happy to spend three figures if necessary.