If you have a 50ish year old man in your life, what’s his favourite material possession?

[ThisIsMy]

My husband has a milestone birthday coming up and he’s quite difficult to buy for, so looking for some inspiration, please. I’m taking him away to celebrate, but did also want to get him some gifts.

His very expensive Canon Camera and lenses, various automatic watches. Expensive ones! Cheaper - Hermes ties and belt, LV belt. LV wallet.

My DH is 52 and not at all materialistic. I bought him expensive running shoes for his 50th as he looks at, but never buys the dearer ones!

Expensive (ie more than I can afford) watches; keyboard and music orientated stuff as he pretends he's a DJ), old vinyl.

For a milestone birthday you're best asking him to avoid disappointment and to prepare your bank balance.

My DH will be upset with me for considering him in the "50ish" bracket 😂 (to be fair, it's the decade nearest him!).
He has a 3d printer. It's forever on the go. This week it made slug deterrent collars for his courgette plants. The children are forever placing orders for pointless toys they have no need for.

My DP dislikes 'things' as gifts and prefers experiences so when he was 50 I bought tickets to a major sporting event and built a weekend trip around that.

In my experience, this man is right. If a 50 something man is passionate about a hobby he either has what he needs or what he wants is so niche, you’ll get it wrong. He needs to choose it.

An experience sounds the best bet. If he’s into rugby - tickets for a major match. If he loves computers a weekend city break with a convention he can attend on one day of the break. That kind of thing.

His vinyl record collection. But I wouldn't know how to buy him anything for that, as it's very specific, and I wouldn't know what he wants/needs for it.

So for a special birthday, if I had already booked a trip away, I'd probably get him a watch, or some clothes for the trip

His Brompton folding bike

His bikes. His many, many bikes...

His custom gaming table, I hope - i gave it to him for his birthday, by which I mean I said ‘I’d like to buy you a custom gaming table, tell me exactly what you want and which company to order it from and I will pay for it’. I think with that sort of thing the process of researching and choosing is part of the fun.

I will say that dp is exceptionally good at presents for me, to the point where I have to just throw money at the problem to keep up.

Lego Millennium Falcon

Bike/Car

Another husband that loves bikes.... however, I would never buy him one. His last bike was chosen after extensive online research and he travelled accross to the country to a specialised bike shop to pick it up.

However, you cant go wrong with cycling sport socks.... hes always super pleased with them.

Montegrappa pen
Japanese knives (kitchen not swords and used daily)
LV wallet (a 50th birthday present)

His bean to cup coffee maker, bought for his 50th

Possibly his teddy bear, though I would have to ask...

Bike(s) and cello - and I would never buy him anything to do with either. For his 50th I organised for his three closest but geographically far flung friends to come down and sorted a day out for them.

I just asked - he says his watch. Which was his 45th birthday present, it wasn't eye wateringly expensive but it was quite rare (a tissot).

DH isn’t very materialistic, and has a few (not hugely expensive) bikes. He doesn’t buy himself many clothes so that’s always an option. He jokes about getting a Rolex Submariner but (baring a lottery win) would be horrified if I spent £10k or whatever they cost on one. Like a few PP experiences, meals and weekends away are more his thing. For his 50th I can’t remember the pressie but I spent over £1k on a meal for close family in a private room at a local Michelin starred restaurant. This year I got Eurostar tickets and we had a night in northern France. His 60th is on the horizon and maybe I’ll book a special holiday. Or maybe I should organise a party….

Interesting thread as I have a nearly (ish) 50 yr old white man so suppose I had better start putting some thought into what he might like for his own milestone birthday. Tech and cycle related stuff is generally quite up there for him.

I have the ADHD version. Take your pick from computers, cameras, gym equipment, 3D printers and fish pond pumps.

The best gifts i got were the ones i bought myself 😆 maybe just ask him and get some smaller items too

Ha! The “home server set up” as struck a chord as my own is extremely interested in our home server set up too….(total yawn as far as I’m concerned but at least I know it functions well, albeit sometime a little ‘too’ secure…..).

His noise cancelling bluetooth headphones (they are BOSE I think). He has tinnitus and they are good for that.

He loves material possessions - especially his Prada trainers, Walsh trainers, paddleboard, Sonos speakers, custom made swimming goggles, big rings, barbecue & smoker, Paul Smith stuff etc. He likes trees too, I always think a tree is a good big birthday present and his mum often gets him one. He doesn't really have any hobbies and he has a particular bugbear about men who are into watches (no idea why given his love of expensive crap).

I only ever get him experiences like gig tickets and outings though. Because we live in a small house and I get fed up of the clutter.

I know that feeling…..I think our household (of two people) contains 8 bikes (albeit I’ve lost track) - only one of those is mine.