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So in the not too distant future I shall reach half a century......
My wife & daughter have been asking me what I want since Christmas and I have no idea....
I keep saying to them I have pretty much everything I could want (except for that nice new sparkly Lamborghini........), but they're adamant they want to gete something.
Budget of around £300-£400.
Only thing I could think of was Hope brakes, but that hasn't gone down too well 😄
I already have (far too many) watches, don't do jewellery - I already have a wedding ring & St Christopher.
Any ideas other than a truck load of socks & pants......
Porcelain poppy.
A blacksmithing day of hammering and twisting red-hot metal into useful things.
I don't know any 50 year for whom the gift of time is not the most appropriate. Time on your own or with friends without your loved ones doing the thing you like doing without them the most that you usually don't get enough of. Or time with loved ones doing something that makes lifetime memories. If you want to monetise that it can be money towards an event - DIY or organised to do a thing to spend that time. Or an object that allows you to do a thing.
I got a packraft to do a thing I like on my own with. Mrs C got a weekend away with me (yes -ve) to swim the Gulf of Corryvreckan that was on her bucket list.
I’m taking my wife away for a few days - Girona, somewhere we have not been before. We both ride.
If you like seeing wildlife while out on the bike, a quality pair of binoculars are perfect to fit in a pack or handlebar bag. I really enjoy having mine.
Power Kite
Paid uplift day at the venue of your choice. Would also include a nice lunch and a few beers after.
My normal birthday request to the wife is a full days riding by myself. Pure bliss, especially if in the middle of the week. Maybe I'm just an antisocial git though.
Experiences .. My wifes been asking me for years what I want for birthdays and xmas. Im lucky I really dont covert anything and Ive I need something I just end up buying it myself. For my wifes 50th we just buggered off to Seville for 72 hours , never been and it was somnething differnt . If you want some Hope brakes just buy them and go and do something differnt for your birthday. Or as she got me this year a Faulty Towers meal experience .. if you like you will love it
I’d get some Hope XCR brakes, and let me know if there any good 👍🤣
I went to Amsterdam. I’d recommend an activity or trip along similar lines.
https://www.trackdays.co.uk/driving-experience/lamborghini/
I just typed a reply and tried to add this as a link, but the link button was not available on my phone.
Any way; other companies/venues are available. Find one that suits, take the family to watch and have a pub lunch on the way home. Lamborghini + family time sounds good to me.
Bit outside of the budget but a pair of tricker's shoes. You'll still be wearing them when you leave the house feet first.
The most memorable thing I got for my 50th was a hot air balloon trip. The day out gliding was cool too but weather conditions weren't great.
Turbo trainer , something with long term usefulness - wahoo kickr smart trainer. Also lots of good second hand ones around.
My view on significant gifts is to aim for something with longevity at a budget a bit beyond comfort level; the premium version of something. For my 50th i got a pair of top level binoculars.
Ooni pizza oven. Not something I thought I wanted or needed, but was my surprise 50th present. Glad I’ve got it, used most weekends.
What's wrong with the Hope brakes idea? I mean, if that's what you want, then why not?
Something I'll have to think about soon too, under a year away... Not sure how it's happened, other than every day I've got a day older and it's all mounted up over the years 🤯
there are a lot of good suggestions above. Just make sure that your wife/family receptive to hints. Mine aren’t. I got an air compressor for my 50th despite all the hints for things I wanted. It’s still in the box.
If they (wife and child) hadn’t been so excited I’d have returned it. If you want a compressor, let me know.
1. Coke
2. Hookers
the budget was £3-400. if this was his 21st that budget may have worked.
A puppy.
Revolver, good bottle of single malt, crystal glass tumbler.
Another for time away/experience. We spent a weekend in London of eating and theatre for my 50th.
I'd say go for doing something different that you would love to do, but don't necessarily feel you could justify normally...
I had a day out in the hills flying birds of prey for my 50th... which was just amazing... the birds are just absolutely awesome.
And I recently got my wife a pottery throwing day.
Some kind of music device? Speakers, amp, turntable etc, whatever your preference. I got speakers that I listed to every day.
My wife is going up in a glider for her birthday experience.
Something you've often coveted, but which is too extravagant to splash out on for yourself?
I turned 60 last week. Family and friends clubbed together to buy me a nice espresso machine. It's something I'd quite fancied for a few years, but was a bit of an indulgence/extravagance. Whenever I considered getting myself one, there was always something more pressing to spend the cash on. So it was a lovely gift, something I'll use every day, which without their thoughtfulness and generosity I wouldn't be able to enjoy.
Posh foodie night away with your wife
Some nice ideas here – if it was me, for that sort of budget I'd like something like a pizza oven, BBQ or coffee machine.
Definitely value experiences over objects, despite how shiny and desirable Hope brakes are.
If I had a £3-400 budget I'd take everyone hot air ballooning. Great shared memories and a relatively exciting event.
It was mine last year, and I went to the Alps for a couple of weeks. Best thing I could have done, and it included quite a tough four-day ride of the Tour of Mont Blanc to make it extra-memorable.
So I'd agree with the holiday suggestions.
I went to Amsterdam. I’d recommend an activity or trip along similar lines.
C&H was among the first responses, yeah.
Thanks all, some great ideas - I'll have a think.
I like the idea of a shared experience.
We got my Dad a glider flight for his 50th, he was a bit perturbed when the pilot gave him a parachute, and when he asked what to do with it he said "just sit on it".....
I'm reaching the same milestone soon. Wife keeps asking what I want to do. The truth is, I'm not fussed and honestly don't want to a thing just for the sake of it. After nearly 20 years together you'd think she understood this by now. In fairness, her and the boy are going away with her friends for a week to the lake district, leaving me at home with the cats. It's the kind of birthday present I wish I got every year!
Pro bike fitting?
New teeth?
That what im getting myself for my 50s this summer after getting a root fracture on one of the teeth holding my bridge, which was needed when i smashed my teeth crashing on bike 35 years ago.
I got a 10 day pass from the family and hiked the TMB, it will be at least 7.5 years before I get another one 🙂
when I was 30 a couple of mates of mine were turning 50. On his birthday the other guy brought him a walking stick into the pub, said you'll be needing this soon! 😂
I thought it was funny!!
For my 50th I...
- Treated myself to a surfing lesson at the Wave in Bristol then spent two days at a millpond-flat Porthcawl, utterly unable to put the lesson into practice
- Treated myself to a couple of days plane spotting at the Mach Loop
- Celebrated the actual day at a festival in Takayama, drinking sake and eating street food (best actual birthday day ever)
- Had a party when we got back from Japan. Not normally a party person but seemed a big enough occasion to make the effort, saw a bunch of people I hadn't caught up with in years and I had a fantastic time. 🙂
So I'd say do SOMETHING - doesn't have to be big, doesn't even have to be new, but you may as well mark the day. 🙂
Lots of once in a lifetime holiday ideas. I would 2nd that idea.
I did the stone king rally tour. It was absolutely amazing and not something i would have organised myself at any other time. A real treat and memories will be with me forever.
Only issue is, i now want to do that sort of holiday each year😅
Only issue is, i now want to do that sort of holiday each year😅
I identify with this.
Just been wondering if I can sneak another Alps trip into the diary/budget this year.
Ive just had my 58th, and Mrs B paid for me and her to go out for a full day in sea kayaks with Sea Kayak Guides based in Solva, Pembroke.
We had the very best time with Martin our guide and it was super informative and fun. I would 100% recommend.
Ian
Weekend in London with a trip up the oxo tower ?
I had loads of good ideas for my 50th (5 weeks ago). Climb the Matterhorn or go to a ski academy. In the end I decided to buy a guitar and get lessons for a year. Played it every day so far and I sounds pretty awful. 🙂
A Labrador.
(OK, they'll have to raise their budget significantly or roll it into your 51s and 52nd too unless you want one with 1.5 legs and half an ear missing). But fully functioning ones are ace. If you like dogs thst is (and if you don't, you don't deserve anything other than £3-400 of contempt !)
@robertajobb a Lab would be ace, be we already have 2 dogs and not sure we could cope with a third!
For my 50th my sister got me and the wife a vineyard tour. Seemed odd to me at the time, but I booked an AirBnB right next door and we went along. Had an absolutely cracking day, learnt something, ate some lovely food, got absolutely smashed, and then went back to the AirBnB to get even more smashed in the hot tub.
It was the first proper time we'd had together since the kids were born (10+ years) and it was so worth it.
I like whisky but can’t usually stretch to spending more than £35ish on a bottle.
With that budget I’d be asking for 3 or 4 bottles, from my choice of distilleries, all in the £80-130 price range.
That would last me a while and I’d be happy!