Ideas/Suggestions for 50th Birthday gift

[Calamity Jane]

husband and I were invited to his colleague's wife's surprise 50th Birthday party. It's going to be a fancy affair, held in a nearby hotel in about a month. I've met this woman at business events a few times and she is wonderful - a down-to-earth family gal who loves to cook, keep house and in general, love her family.
They are hard working, and they are quite wealthy - I've never been to their home, but husband has, and he says they have a magnificent home and whatever they want or need, they have the means to buy it.
My problem is that I have no idea what to get her, and I've asked her husband for suggestions, and got nowhere. I asked about her favorite salon, restaurant, department store, cooking supply store, favorite perfume etc., and (like a typical man) he said he thinks she likes to shop at Macy's. They entertain a lot, but he wouldn't tell me what kind of wine they like, etc. They've been married 30 years, like me, and I swear my husband wouldn't know how to respond either!
I could give her a Macy's gift card, and I will if I can't come up with anything else, but I feel that's kind of impersonal. Jewelry is sort of too personal, I don't know her color scheme at home, and I can't buy her clothes or a pocketbook.
I have to buy something nice. Other than Macy's card, any suggestions? I've hit a wall here. Thanks!

 

[recoveringenabler]

What about a spa day gift certificate? Where I live there are local spas where you can get a facial, massage, mud bath, reflexology, etc. in one beautiful setting. I think most woman love to be pampered. And, you can figure a price, just a massage, or a facial and massage, or the whole enchilada, depending on what you want to spend.

Here we have hot air balloon rides, a champagne serving ride at sunrise for a couple, very romantic and cool for the more adventurous type.

You said she was family oriented, how about a gift certificate to a local photographer for a family portrait? Moms really like those.

Know any gourmet food shops in your area where she could take a cooking class or you could buy a gift certificate for their food?

 

[DDD]

I'm sure you'll come up with a great gift. (by the way, are gifts permitted?) I hate to shop and rarely do so I'm not of much help. Just wanted you to know that I've read your post and have confidence you'll come up with a winner. Hugs DDD

 

[klmno]

Well I had mine last year and hoped no one knew it was my 50th. LOL! But since you do, some people like the small humurous gifts about turning 50 and some just like small thoughtful things- a good book, movie tickets, whatever. I'm sure you'll find something appropriate that she'll be grateful for. The wine is a good idea.

 

[hearts and roses]

If you know of an intimate spa in your area that is known for good service and cleanliness, I think that would be ...by far...the best gift for a family woman, wife of a professional and mother. A day of relaxation. You could get her a spa pedi/mani, which is fancier than a regular mani/pedi. Or an hour massage, or my personal favorite, an hour of reflexology. It really also depends on what you want to spend. Realizing they can afford to get anything she wants isn't the point, it's the personalization, the thought.

I will be turning 50 this year also...gah...and I would LOVE a spa day!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Stuff I wish somebody had given me for my 50th...
- certificates to a really top-end bakery... for the one time in a year that I want an over-the-top dessert for entertaining but don't have the energy to pull it off.
- certificate for fresh flowers... because unless you have an allergy to flowers, most of us never get enough
- certificate for car detailing, because it's one of those things that while I "can" afford it, I won't pay for... but would love for someone else to do

 

[witzend]

Go to a grocer or a wine store with a Sommelier. Get a good $30 - $40 bottle of wine and a nice wine box from a craft store. Often with good wines you can either get the Sommelier to give you a print out regarding the wine and any awards it might have won, or get one online from the winery. Wine is marked up about 600% in a restaurant, so if you get a $30 - $40 bottle you can count on it being sold for about $200 - $240 in a nice restaurant. Look at an online menu or stop into a Ruths Chris Steakhouse or something similar to get ideas. I bet if you called the wine steward at one of those restaurants and asked for several recommendations of $100 - $150 bottle off their menu, they could give you some good ideas. Or, just get the $40 bottle of Moet Chandon and call it good. Everyone who drinks wine knows what that is.

Good luck!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Thanks so much - you've all been so helpful. Whenever I have a brain cramp, I'll know where to go for ideas. You're terrific, thanks again!

 

[DammitJanet]

Well my go to gift is always Edible Arrangements. I have yet to meet anyone who doesnt love them!

 

[Star*]

How about something different? Fifty one dollar bills --------and with ever bill ? A small note on the back that lists something that she can get for a buck?

To me this shows that you
Thought about HER
TOOK TIME to be creative
MADE the gift
made the GIFT about her....
MADE it interesting and FUNNY for her to remember.......
ALLOWED her to choose how to spend it.....

Everything a gift should be......

You could do it in pennies - but you don't know her that well.....(look out Janet when you are SIXTY.......bwhahahah)

 

[Star*]

AND ----------

My favorite things are to have people DO things in MY name ------that because I have no money and don't want anything - LIKE _------


You got me a goat for a family of four in Some foreign country that will be able to do something with the goat milk and make a new living --------

There are all kinds of world businesses out there for women that are BEGGING for money to get their sewing companies off the ground so that women can get out of domestic violence ---------

THAT to me speaks VOLUMES about your character and thoughts for ME.....because while I'd love to have a new purse? When you pay it forward and do soemthing UNSELFISH but think about others? IT"S a true testament of how you thought about me.....and someone else and I'd talk about THAT to others for a long time.......

 

[Star*]

There is one organization right now for runaway kids - that is asking for school supplies to help ------you'd have to google it - but it may be COVENANT house - ...........

WHY not donate like $10.00 to five organizations in her name.......or something like that....

find out if her family member may have passed from heart failure ------and donate $50 to the heart foundation? etc? I think that would touch her deeply. Shows you did some homework.

Just thinking out loud

 

[Calamity Jane]

Great ideas, Star. I'm going to ask her husband (not like he was any help in the past) for his wife's favorite charity or favorite organization. Girl Scouts do the goat fundraiser thing at our church once a year, and it always sound hilarious, but it's wonderful. Matt Damon has a charity also that provides clean drinking water to families, and this lady is a real family person, so she'd love that, I assume. Thoughtful, caring and worthwhile ideas from everyone...for this specific party and even other events to come. Thanks so much.

 

[mstang67chic]

I didn't read all of the replies so if I've duplicated, I apologize.

When my mom turned 50, one of my aunts gave her 50 new dollar coins (look like gold) and put them loose in a velvet lined box that looked like a treasure chest. It was pretty cute actually.

 

[susiestar]

Heifer International is the group that does the farm animals for developing countries. Many scouting troops raise $ for them, but you don't have to go through a scouting troop. Heifer International is very well regarded for NOT using most of the donations for 'administrative' costs and for making sure that the money gets to the people. they have all sorts of gift levels and programs - and MANY employers will match a donation (not that that really matters here, but . . . ) http://www.heifer.org/

Kiva is another group you might think about. Kive works with microloans to people who want to start businesses. You pick the recipient and how much you watn to give to them. You are paid back by that person and you can roll that over to another person or y ou can accept the money back. This allows you a LOT of leeway in who and what you want your loan to go for. It isn't so much a way to get rich but is a way to help the world. Your friend seems like the type to roll it over, so she might enjoy this. The amount of the loan can be as low as $25. If a borrower is asking for $100 and you only want to donate $25 to her, then Kiva will find other people to donate the rest of the $100 - you don't have to donate the whole loan amt that someone is asking for. Kiva is a registered nonprofit and seems to be pretty respectable from all I have seen. http://www.kiva.org/

Another thing to think about is if she has grandkids. Maybe some basket to do something wiht her grandkids.

One of the coolest gift ideas I have come across is to look for new things and old faves of YOURS and buy 2-3 when you see them. Put a note wtih the items as to why it is a fave and then when you need a gift put some of your fave's into a basket with a note explaning why each item is cool.