To buy a decent ballpoint pen for thirty y.o. Daughter

[Maykid]

I was thinking of buy my 30 year old daughter a nice ballpoint pen for Christmas, my OH says youngsters don’t use them these days. Is he right? Don’t want to waste my money.

Cannot use your tablet to write a cheque, and not everything child-related takes cash/electronic payments. Same with the associated forms.
Cant remember the last time I wrote a cheque.

And if people don't use pens anymore, can someone explain how handwritten envelopes, cards, letters, postcards etc get written?
Cant remember the last time I wrote a letter or postcard. I wouldn't buy a nice pen just to write the occasional birthday card with 6 words in.

My dd loves a pen and she does write for her job she gets a new pen every year , if your Dd likes a pen then why not

I think a nice pen is a good choice. Personally, I like writing with a fountain pen. I splashed out on a Mont Blanc many years ago but I actually prefer using my much cheaper Lamy.

Cheap plastic pens are not very environmentally friendly, as well as bring horrible to write with.

It's a retirement present from the 1980s.

Not really. I remember some relatives retiring then. The little gold carriage clock seemed to be the main gift given. I remember my nan saying at the time - a bloody clock, what do I need that for? Not like I have to get up for work.

Sounds ungrateful but all said in humour. She loved it and had it on her mantlepiece.

My Nana said something similar when she retired . A bloody clock to watch the hours tick past she was secretly proud of it I think

Quite scary the number of people that say they wouldn't "appreciate" it. Isn't it the thought that counts and the fact someone took the time to get it for you and thought you may like it?

I am actually now as confused as ever, the comments are so mixed! Thanks to everyone who took the time to give their opinion .

Oh god, please don't. My mum bought me a £50 ballpoint pen with blue ink as a birthday present about five years ago because 'you're always writing'.
Yes. With a cheapy WH Smith fountain pen with black ink cartridges - because that's what I like to write with. I've never used the pen she bought me, it's still in the original box, it was a complete waste of her money. I'd rather have had either the cash or nothing at all.

Sorry, but I don't think anyone even writes anymore on paper, much less with a ballpoint pen.

This is clearly ridiculous.

If your not sure about the pen, what about a chilly water bottle?

They are very trendy, and everyone in work carries a water bottle now?

www.chillysbottles.com/uk/categories/bottles

I also use a pen to write my diaryjournal. Somethings I don't want to be stored digitally.
Occasionally the machine the delivery drivers have doesn't work and need to sign paper. They don't always have one, but I always know where a decent pen is.
A quick note in school diaries.
I don't like split page reading, so if I'm reading something I need to take notes of - reading new policies, updating skills etc, I find it easier to read on the screen and write on paper.

I could go on.

Ooh I love pens!

Not got anything expensive, just Parker & Papermate.

I still write shopping lists, Christmas & birthday cards, notes/postcards to parent.

I'm 39 so a bit older than your daughter but I would love a really nice pen. I work mostly paperless these days and do most of my notes in OneNote, but still like to scribble notes on reports etc. And I'm forever filling in school things, writing birthday cards and doing the odd crossword or sudoku.

My pens are mostly just biros that write decently that I've got from work but I'd love a beautiful pen that I could refill.

Another vote for the Swarovski pens. I've bought two for family members and they've loved them. They do special editions online like Disney etc. that you can't get in the shop.

I like a good pen. There's loads of cheapy biros around the house, but I write neater with a good pen.

Lots of people use pens, they're not going to be obsolete anytime soon. My office is aiming to be paperless, but we all still use notebooks, and some things need printing out for signatures, etc.

Personally I use fountain pens, which are still very popular, despite what some on here think. A refillable fountain pen is environmentally friendly, I've had my pens for years.

Parker pens are nice quality and can be bought for under £20 - I have one in my handbag. I feel it adds instant gravitas when writing the shopping list - should anyone glance up and see what Im doing - I bet they're secretly impressed!

I write A LOT (and I'm confused by the posters who seem to think that pens and paper are now extinct 🤔 What utterly strange lifestyles you must be leading if you NEVER have need of a pen or piece of paper!). Really? Not ever?

Anyway...even given the fact that I use pens constantly in my daily life (teacher...it's an occupational necessity!), I wouldn't wish to own an expensive pen. It's just a writing implement isn't it? Once the ink is on the paper, the reader has no idea of its provenance. Also...I'd have lost it within a week, so there's that 🤷‍♀️

I love nice pens but my favourites are fine liners, my handwriting looks much nicer in them than any ballpoint pen. I also have some cheap pens around the house (of course) for day to day quick notes etc. but would worry about losing a specific expensive pen.

For the budget, for something small, I'd prefer a pop socket grip for my phone, or a Klean Kanteen bottle, or nice bamboo socks (Seasalt or Thought)...

I’d like a pen!! I need black though for nursing notes but as she is a manager she would be okay with blue or black I guess.

I would love a nice pen - I'm mid 30s. I am a bit of a stationery geek though.

I think the Swarovski pens are lovely! As she's a project manager she probably takes lots of notes so I agree with PP that a nice notebook would be a good idea too. I love nice pens but unfortunately in my job I wouldn't use them a lot (and they would definitely go walkabouts in other people's uniform pockets!).

I have asked my mum for exactly this this year .

I turned 30 this year and got given a pen (LAMY tricolour). Totally unexpected gift, but I love it. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I feel quite sad at the number of people saying they'd think it's a rubbish present. I'm a project manager and use a fountain pen to take notes in meetings most days. The tricolour is great when travelling because I don't need to take more than one thing (it's a ballpoint, pencil and highlighter in one)

An old colleague of mine would only buy what he needed, but he would buy the "best" (ie the best for him, not necessarily the most expensive or fashionable). That way he got pleasure from the most mundane of things and activities. And a nice pen was part of that. I always thought that was a nice way to live

Pens rule. Especially fountain pens.