Any ideas please help! 60th birthday present for..

[Molly1418]

Hi all,

So, we are invited to our daughter’s boyfriend’s mum’s 60th birthday party at a venue. They have been friends since year 8-9 and we also socialised with his parents a few times - they invited us for a dinner at theirs and we returned hosting too! I also worked with his dad at the same company some years ago. Her birthday is in July; and I have no idea what to get her. I would always love a fancy afternoon tea for example- do you think this would be a good idea like Claridges or similar afternoon tea or flowers and drinks?
Look forward to some ideas

Many thanks ☺️

Flowers tacky,cream tea and easy option. What a miserable lot! My DD took me to the Dorchester for afternoon tea on my 60th I loved it

We got a friend a local cinema membership as it had an over 60 discount.... So win win they got free tickets and started them looking for discount cards .which has become a bit of a mission with them now ..

Yes, but I would have hated that, it's all subjective isn't it? It doesn't make anyone "miserable".
I think it's best to think about the recipient, rather than what others would like.

Empress of the thread, I did say you need to know the persons taste, but I cannot imagine getting flowers would be considered tacky.

I went indoor skydiving for my 60th.

Ok fair enough, I always thought flowers were a universal gift, too.

goodness some people seem difficult to buy for. Am I the only one that is grateful for the thought rather than gift? Flowers for me are perfect, as I don’t tend to treat myself to a beautiful florist bouquet just generic supermarket ones.

i presume she is a similar age to you, so you must have some sort of idea @Molly1418

I am 51 this year but regardless of the number I was thinking it is one of these big birthdays ending with zero☺️☺️ we got together a few times, not enough to actually know her but as far as I know her, she would appreciate a nice bouquet of flowers, white wine (she likes more than fizzy apparently) and a book ( she likes reading) I think this is where I am at, at the moment

For me, that is still OTT in quantity for someone you are not close to, it's embarrassing. Just one, quality gift is sufficient, either the flowers or the wine.

If she likes reading, then maybe a posh bookmark and/or a good quality clip-on reading light?

Theatre vouchers? Liz Earle voucher? Bottle of vintage port or desert wine? I'd like all of those.

I am slightly older. I think the afternoon tea would be something I might expect from my children or brother, too much from anyone else. A bottle of gin, champagne or nice flowers sound appropriate. An overly generous present can be a bit embarrassing. It does depend on the circles you move in though. I had a do for my 50th and got a lovely silver necklace, a John Lewis voucher and various flowers, chocolates and bottles, all lovely.

Posh afternoon tea sounds like a lovely idea. I think most of my friends (in our 50s) would like that. I'd just check with you son's girlfriend that she thinks her mother would like it.

I wouldn’t want or expect gifts from everyone invited at all - are you sure it’s appropriate to splash out on a gift ?

wrong thread

Thanks all, your comments and suggestions put me in the right direction. And I feel much better now - you are all very right in saying simplicity is the best practice ☺️ my DD will get her a book, I might go with a nice bookmark or a bottle of nice white wine and a card would be enough and good 👍🏻

My bad! Make that a zNew Order/Madonna/Smiths poster!

It totally depends on the person but no need to go overboard £50 is an ample amount to spend.

Maybe:

Three to six nice bottles of white wine.

Nice bunch of flowers.

Waterstones or local bookshop voucher.

Cinema voucher.

Nice candle.

An afternoon tea somewhere local.

My entire family love our NT membership, from a 12 year old through to me at 62.

Good grief! So bloody rude and judgemental.