50 Gifts

[Challdell]

Hi
My Sister will be 50th at the beginning of March and we have just found out that she will be having her long awaited surgery 2 weeks before so will be unable to celebrate the way we / she had planned. She also will be pretty much out of action for atleast 6 months.

i have foolishly agreed with my Mum to give her 50 gifts as her present.

Im looking for various value of gifts but it’s not as easy as I first thought.
Has anyone done anything similar or lead me to where I can find some inspiration please?

Yes she wouldnt like that or crafts either.

I think spontaneous treats when she is recuperating are a lovely idea: daffodils when they're in season, plan a massage, drop in with cream cakes and make tea one afternoon etc etc. But the regimental 'fun' of fifty consecutive treats, ticking off the days, just kills it dead. A big part of the joy of treats is a little surprise and spontaneity.

I got random crap for my birthday. What I really wanted was:

Expensive set of matching photo frames
Cashmere sweater
Luxury toiletries
Deluxe bathrobe
Voucher to an expensive restaurant

Or one luxury handbag/watch

You are welcome 😁

I asked for ideas and suggestions not to have the idea ridiculed.

My sister has just done this for me. I turned 50 this week. We live 500 miles apart and tho we are not ‘close’ we love each other dearly. She did ask what I wanted but I couldn’t think of anything. She sent me a box with instructions, and now I have a small parcel a day for 50 days. So far I have received a meal voucher (my main present), a key ring and a small can of beer.
I’ll be opening a daily present till March. I know that most of them will be tiny things like sweets or lip salve but the huge amount of effort and thought makes me very grateful. She had said that she has thought about sustainability and avoided plastic tat.
I realise it’s not for everyone but I adore her for it and feel so loved. It’s so thoughtful.

But why?

If I were going to be laid up for ages and had a £500 gift budget I'd like:

1. Lovely new pyjamas (fable and eve or yawn, both only in the sale!).
2. A cashmere cardigan or jumper (depending how much I can move my arms after the op) that goes with the PJs.
3. A volunteer to pick up books from the library for me.
4. A Bluetooth speaker/Alexa/Google nest mini to play audiobooks and podcasts on if I didn't already have one.
5. Cashmere socks to wear in bed/other good quality bed socks.
6. A lap tray for meals and insulated mug for hot drinks (if I didn't have them)
7. Regular visitors with board games/ jigsaw puzzles.
8. Someone to drive me somewhere nice once I could leave the house if I couldn't drive yet.

I make that about £250 so far. I'd avoid things like a £50 note as they eat more than their fair share of the gift.

The idea of a home hairdresser visit is an excellent one as well.

Unfortunately that’s not going to be so easy due to logistics but the times I will see her I definitely will bring a treat and do things for her.

PS @Challdell if you want to quote people (like this) you can't use the reply button, you have to use "quote" instead. You click on the three dots on the top right of a post and you'll see it there.

@pyjamaphile

I’d hate colouring and pens. I’m not a toddler.

Ah well - I did say it was down to individual choice . Sounds like it's not OP's sister's choice either .

Still - if anyone ever wants to get me anything I've provided a few suggestions!

Thank you, exactly what I need to hear, the thoughtfulness of it.
i will give her the gifts on her bday and a scratch off with number behind so she randomly gets a numbered gift to open each day.
I would gratefully like to hear of other things you get.

Well you're bloody determined, OP, that's for sure...

We did a photo book for my sister on her 40th, starting page 1 as a baby and then a photo from every year up to present day on page 40 it was really funny to flick through and see all the different styles. You could do something similar as one of your presents? I think it's a lovely idea and I would like it!

How about 50 helpful acts. Like 50 meals you will prepare for her, 50 times you do a chore or 50 coffees you will treat her to or something like that?

For £500 I’d rather a fabulous gift that I’d never buy myself than 50 things I will remember as being stuff to cheer me up from an operation! Nailvouchers/Euros for a holiday are just meh and thoughtlesss! £500 could buy something fabulous & memorable.

I see that you are determined to do this but I am turning 50 in March. I don't have many people in my life who have money or buy gifts for me, so hardly ever get anything and certainly nothing of value. There are so many things I would like. I would be appalled.if someone spent £500 on me, but even more so if it was just a load of little things. With that sort of money I would be much happier with something that I really wanted and couldn't buy myself. For me this would be a terrible idea and gift. I guess you must know your sister well enough to know that she is different to just about everyone who has posted on this thread and would like it.

These are nice things. I got 30 bits of crap for my 30th. It was really, 'meh'.

I would hate this. Way too much clutter.
£50 would be more appreciated.

But for all of that, I'd much rather choose my own than have someone else guess what I like. Plus candles, diffuser, lippy, wineglass would be straight to the charity shop! What a dreadful waste of money.

I might have said the same but my kids did this for my big birthday last year and it was fun!

If you did it the way they did, it would be 50 presents for 50 days up and including the actual birthday. It was "something to read, something to eat, something to drink, something you need and something you'd like".

So I got things like pony tail baubles, a bag of sweets, a bar of chocolate, gin, wine, books, mascara, the hairspray I use, things like that, not tat at all, as well as my main gifts, a week in the sun and an expensive handbag - yes I was spoiled! It was all put in a big plastic box from Home Bargains decorated with photos and balloons.

Never mind the negative nellies.

I got some bendy pencils. I still don't know why.

😂

I would hate 50 items of tat. I would rather one really nice thoughtful present

As I described above, it doesn't have to be tat.

I don't do tat either!!

I did this for my DC’s 18th, set out across a room all tagged with a number.
They had to open in order.

Bought lots of things from the year they were born ( stamps, comemorative coin, tax disc(framed) , some favourite childhood toys/books ( annuals were especially good and a little piece of history) and savings from birth with the last 18 labelled present a cheque. (£1800).

18 presents were definitely enough.