Help me with birthday gift ideas for a quirky and wonderful 70yo woman

[ApolloandDaphne]

Relative of ours turns 70 soon. She is holding a birthday afternoon for friends and family and I need a gift to take.

Facts about relative:
Single. Never married and no children.
Fun loving and youthful outlook on life.
Adores crafting and is very creative. She has every craft item she needs!
Deeply religious but would never foist her views on anyone.
Loves the theatre. We have been to a few NFT live things with her.
Likes to cook but doesn't drink much.
Has a garden but I'm not certain how keen she is on actually gardening. She prefers to make pizza in her pizza oven!
Very quirky sense of style.
Cat lady.
She has been wonderfully supportive to me and my family over the years.
She is a wonderful aunt/god mother to many.

I would have loved to make her something but sadly I am not at all creative. The gift doesn't need to be expensive but needs to express gratitude and possibly be fun.

I am all out of ideas and would be grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.

Basket of posh antipasto jars for pizza toppings - olives, artichokes, sweety drop peppers etc

Liberty silk scarf

A selection of colourful socks- Oliver Bonas or Arket have nice ones

Tbh though, I suspect she’d most like a day out with you. An exhibition and lunch maybe?

Bay tree? Easy to maintain and gives fresh bay leaves for cooking

Whereabouts in the country are you? If she is not already replete with memberships, etc I’d have said something like

V&A Memnbership

might be welcome - as it’s a place very focussed on all sorts of craft work. Or something similar for wherever she lives.

I do think a collective gift - so people connected to her can get something grand, might be more memorable than lots of small gifts. If possible, of course.

What about a planter filled with fresh herbs? Oregano and basil go well with pizza, I would add parsley and time and maybe chives (which I always add to potato salad as a pizza side). Buy the plants and plant up yourself.

Or a pre-planted planter for the garden.

Alternatively a homemade voucher to take her for afternoon tea (or whatever else she’d enjoy.)

I’m over 60 - and would prefer a long night at a cocktail bar to afternoon tea …

Does she like reading?
You could try and get copies of popular books from 70 years ago (new or secondhand - secondhand might be more fun).

Hence my comment ‘or whatever she’d prefer’
Make that a A food/drink related outing’ instead then!

I’m not over 60, but I’d rather like both. Afternoon tea can be lovely at any age. You’re just choosing to be offended and snipey.

But you're not who OP is posting about. The woman she's writing about doesn't drink much.

I don't think she would like afternoon tea or a cocktail bar. Her clothing style veers towards kaftan/African print rather than Liberty. She is a statuesque women. Fresh herbs in pots sounds like a lovely idea and something I could put together myself fairly creatively. Thank you.

Portrait of her cat

A day at a fancy cookery course including lunch

Piece of sculpture for her garden

Piece of jewellery, something unusual from a gallery or local craftsman

A theatre trip to Stratford or London

Depending on your budget…
A cookery/pottery/screen printing/something else creative class would be good

Lots of bakeries will do bread making or cakes, you could go together....

Cookery course/workshop
Any craft workshop of a medium she isn't that secure yet or wouldn't have the set-up, jewellery, pottery, glassblowing

Theatre tokens. Or arrange to take her to a play of her choice.
Definitely an activity or experience, rather than yet more "stuff" (and especially not anything excruciatingly described as "posh"!).

probably not a course or workshop. Over the years she has been to many of these, often with a godchild in tow! I could look at jewellery. We have some local jewellery makers around here. Lots of food for thought. Thanks.

i would go for theatre tokens, then book a pre theatre dinner. Or ask her what show she’d like to see and accompany her.
At 70, she probably has most things she wants