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The date is fast approaching and I'm getting a few questions asking what I'd like as a gift.
My wife has her side of it sorted, I don't know exactly what but I think it's some time away somewhere, likely with a Michelin starred meal, and that is just about perfect.
However...
In-laws and parents are requesting a gift to buy, they don't like to give money and I don't like to receive vouchers, so...
I'm told they'd like to spend £400 or £500 so not an insignificant amount of money.
The thing is, particularly over the last few months, I've wanted for very little. I live in gym shorts and t-shirts as I'm working from home, I have more than enough watches, my bikes are not really used enough to spend more money on bar consumables (I'm not asking for tyres for my birthday!). The only thing I seem to spend money on at the moment is running shoes and I'm not sure asking for a new pair of Nike's is the way forward either!
So in order to help inspire me, what did you get bought for your 40th?
Divorced 👌
**** all from my wife and family. See also my 50th.
I spent the day of my 40th riding my very first sportive.
Are you me? I could have written this same OP so watching with interest!
A weekend at a lovely boutique hotel in Krakow and a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Maybe another posh weeekend away with appropriate food. If that's what you like then why not...?
Scotty Cameron California Monterey putter.
My partner bought me a Citizen eco drive watch - still used daily 18years later never changed the battery- and also the most expensive present ever. A weeks holiday in the Isles of Scilly. Expensive? Well, we have been back 16 times over the past 18 years......
I wanted to do a tandem jump. With one thing and another, that never happened, nor did the Michelin starred meal that my mum had planned.
I only have a few years left before 50, but I plan on spending that whole day somewhere we blue skies and light winds skydiving.
A guitar and a heck of a party.
a mistress??
I got a deposit on my FlareMax; My 3rd ever new-to-me bike and first in over 10 years...
Hand made Roberts road bike in Columbus SL (thanks Mrs Kilo)
Went to the Alps to ride my bikes.
**** all from my wife and family. See also my 50th.
An 'Outlaw' T Shirt, hoody, and cycling top. I had to the Ironman distance triathlon part, but I did get bought the clothes to show I'd finished....
Something I wish I'd learned years ago,
Experiences rather than gifts. That sort of money will get you a hell of a track day! You know better than I do what you're into but there's red letter days for all manner of tastes. I flew a helicopter for my 40th.
a bottle of whisky something the same age as you? Or at least out of the ordinary - not in itself an experience but I remember with who and when I drank mine.
I don't remember. We didn't do a lot, I wasn't really in the mood I think.
VD
I'd take the money.
Might be asking a bit much to ask for coke and hookers from the inlaws/parents.
Mine is next year, the last thing I want is fuss and a big event. Might book a guided trip away somewhere, would probably get a cake on top of a mountain or similar, that'll do me.
Experiences rather than gifts.
We also went to the Ghent 6, on the night of my 40th one of the riders was killed right in front of us. Obviously I’m not implying Mrs kilo arranged a human sacrifice for my birthday.
Experiences rather than gifts.
Hmm, maybe. But, I was bought watches on my 18th and 30th birthdays. I still wear them both and they still make me smile when I see them on my watchbox each morning. An experience is a fleeting memory after a while...
I’d take the money.
So would I ideally, but it's not an option. They want to buy me something.
Maybe another posh weeekend away with appropriate food
The sensible, if a tad boring option
a bottle of whisky something the same age as you?
Replace whisky with Port or a good red wine and we may be on to something, though £400 on wine is a tad excessive!
At the time I did want a nice bike. A Steve Potts 29er if you're interested. Instead I ended up buying a cheaper bike and went to Molini with friends. I'll remember that holiday at lot longer than I'll remember a bike no matter how nice it would have been. And I still have the bike.
My family clubbed together to get me a paddleboard. Great present, lovely to be out on it and it's been used loads.
I got myself a trip to BPW with loads of friends - & some money that I bought myself a GPS watch with that lasted approx 3 years.
I would definitely go for something experience wise as you are unlikely to forget.
I got @p20 tickets to Silverstone F1. His first ever time at a GP and watching his face through the whole weekend was worth every penny.
A baby. She's still going strong some 6 and half years later.
Promised ourselves a European weekend away at some point as Mrs G and I have both crossed the 40's!
Exactly the same words as molgrips typed. Too bleedin long ago.
Was to be a custom road bike, cancelled that when wife was diagnosed with cancer. She then bought me a Dirty Disco and we had the weekend at the TdF in Yorks. Brilliant.
An experience is a fleeting memory after a while…
You say that like it's a bad thing. No-one ever lay on their death bed thinking, "man, I wish I'd done less in my life." At that point I'd rather have jumped out of an aeroplane than had a nice set of pans.
Maybe I'm slightly biased but I'm in the process of moving house and I've got 40 years of accumulated shit to go through. Two Billy Bookcases full of DVDs and another of CDs, now mostly obsolete thanks to streaming services. And that's the more recent stuff. Anyone want a laserdisc player? Piles of Lego? An original Big Trak? It's a nightmare and I regret buying a lot of it, though I'm too idle to sell it and tossing it all out is killing me.
You say that like it’s a bad thing. No-one ever lay on their death bed thinking, “man, I wish I’d done less in my life.” At that point I’d rather have jumped out of an aeroplane than had a nice set of pans.
This.
I was going to get a big guided holiday this year but that obviously went by the wayside. Got a road bike instead.
Nothing
Never been one for 'experiences' like Red Letter Day stuff.
A nice holiday yes, but a lot of these experiences seem like a glimpse into a world you can't afford to live in. As Jim Bowen would say - "look at what ya could've won"! 🙂
I've had a few bought for me over the years and to me they also feel like forced fun, like New Years Eve.
But everyones different!
As for me on my 40th - just had a big party...
...and went bankrupt - that was memorable! 🙂
**** all from my wife and family. See also my 50th.
Generally I get enough to cover my wife’s birthday a month later, or the first school trip
We had a long WE in New York for my 40th, was pretty nippy as it was in February.
Never been one for ‘experiences’ like Red Letter Day stuff.
I got a load for my last big birthday (50th) as I had a big garden party so everyone felt like they should get me something. I cashed them all in for a full day rally driving in a Scooby at the Bill Glynne Rally School. I enjoyed it. 🙂
For my 40th I had similar (from my friends, Krakow was from my wife, see above) but it was a day driving a Lotus Exige around Silverstone.
A tandoori feast with friends at local restaurant. 10 years later we had another one, but ordered delivery for house party
Dinner at a barbecue joint with the wife, a gravel bike from the family (which I now realise should've been a proper road bike...), and a steak dinner with friends.
Perfect, really!
reading this it seems I'm not the only one who got bugger all on their 40th, couple of years until im 50 and I've basically said Le Mans is 100 years old when I hit 50 so I'm going!
we climbed a mountain in the lakes for my 40th.
bliss.
was with immediate family, no party, no real presents
had a few beers with the lads a few days laters. Nothing planned though
Ask me again in a few years; the day before my 50th, my daughter is 21. Could be interesting (or of course I could be replying to the latest email telling me where she is on her round the world travels)
But having a birthday so close to a child means you don't really celebrate (and there's 4 family bdays in 3 days at that time. Busy busy).
All I'd suggest is do what makes you happy. If it's sitting in a bath of baked beans, sipping warm lager, do it. If it's having a bash everyone you've ever met, do it.
A piano and lessons.
Still playing 10 years later and it's lead to the amazing experience of playing in a band: It was a group made up of work colleagues and we played to sold-out audiences of up to 300 work colleagues and friends. Amazing!
Missus got me a flying lesson. We threw a big party for 50 of my friends and family at the house so ended up with 7 bottles of scotch, and I bought myself a vintage Rolex.
A 1999 Marin Mount Vision.
We went on amazing trip to Iceland and money from parents paid for a meal in the fancy pants Michelin start restaurant in Reykjavik.
If you really need to get something for them to wrap up then I think every ageing gentleman should own a decent pair of binoculars. If they are a gift you can justify getting a pair more expensive then you would otherwise pay
I got a canoe. 😎
My 40th is at the end of this year. I'm hiring a Caterham for the weekend in the summer courteousy of my family.
Big party on the day, marquee in the garden, that sort of thing. Some exceedingly good value hiking kit from Decathlon as a physical pressie and a couple of weeks to myself to do the Pennine Way from Tan Hill to the top (had done bottom bit already).
Day out at Meatopia and overnight stay in the area, beer and meat, so much beer and meat .... and a trip to another smaller BBQ festival which was nice, but would go to Smoke and Fire next time.
There's a theme here isn't there.
Never been one for ‘experiences’ like Red Letter Day stuff.
A nice holiday yes, but a lot of these experiences seem like a glimpse into a world you can’t afford to live in.
How's a holiday any different in that regard? That's a glimpse of a different life also. You could make the same argument about a fancy restaurant, "oh, I don't want to get a taste for champagne, I can't afford to drink it every day!"
An experience doesn't have to be tasters of expensive adrenaline sports if that's not your bag. How about a cooking course or a weekend spa break? I mentioned Red Letter Days as they were one of the first companies to come up with the concept but they're really just proxies aggregating (and thus advertising) the services of other businesses, and there's many others doing a similar function these days.
Point is, go do something rather than spending half a grand on some tat you don't really want just because you've (probably, fingers crossed) succeeded in staying alive for 14,600 days. Because if a birthday should tell you anything it's that you're not getting any younger. You'll likely fare better windsurfing / riding a black route / climbing a mountain / learning to whip up a kick-ass authentic stir fry whilst aged 40 than when you're pondering what to do for your 80th.
If you absolutely must get $stuff, start a hobby. I'm surprised no-one's suggested a power kite yet.
Big party on the day, marquee in the garden, that sort of thing.
Actually, that's an idea. Ask them to throw you a party and supply all the booze for the guests. (-:
A trip to Canada to do the BC Bike Race followed by a few days in Whistler.
A new snowboard and reet good piss up! Roll on 50....
https://www.bamboobicycleclub.org/en/product/cyclocross-kit/
The experience of building it and then the thing of riding it.
How about some nice art?
If only there was some artists on the forum who had lovely art such as paintings, digital art, knives, or even furniture to share with us.
@mcmoonter
@binners
@kayak23
@Who was the knife guy?
My wife bought me a watch which I absolutely love.
In laws bought me a painting - they asked me to pick one I wanted and I had a budget set by Mrs Infidel!
Ask them to throw you a party
Hell no.
I have already told my wife that if there’s a party I will walk out of it.
There will be a small gathering of maybe 10 people at the local pub and no more.
On the Red Letter Day Thing, they just don’t appeal. If I wanted to sky dive I’d go and do it myself (in fact, I have), and I don’t want to spend £400 on driving a car round a track for the morning. Spa days are fine, but again, we do those from time to time anyway.
At 49 I feel wanting special gifts for "significant" birthdays is a bit odd. It's a day like any other for me.
I'm 40 in February, after this year, just a weekend riding with a few mates would be enough, you know like I used to do, in the olden times.
40th - can't really remember.
50th - a nice new violin, a new bow, and a framed print for the wall - all special to me, make me smile every day, and remind me of the special people who gave them to me. Oh ... and some Lego - not planning to grow up any time soon.
I got a nice Bering watch from my parents and siblings.
My Wife got me a flight in a Tiger Moth from Duxford. It was AMAZING!
We were aloft for about 30mins and I probably spent 20mins of that flying the thing.
If you have a gliding club nearby, I imagine that would get you a lot of flights.
How would I know what I got for my 40th? It was 24 years ago. Can't remember what happened last week never mind 24 years ago!
A Cotic Soul frame.
3 years ago for me. I got a bean to cup coffee machine and a vasectomy! 😎
I got a unicycle, I'm 48 now and still can't ride it
If you’re into wine, how about a trip to one of the better vineyards/regions for a bit of sampling? Or the Douro Valley.
A light blue steel On One 456 frame.
I still have it along with a Ti456 & a C456.
Sadly I don't have the lovely wife that bought them for me 🙁
Rest in peace Carolyn.
These days I DGAF what I get only the friends I have talking to me.
I spent my fortieth birthday it my sister in law’s place in Spain. I spent most of the day floating on an inflatable unicorn drinking beer in the sun. I couldn’t have been happier....
What about a signed TDF jersey? A frame/wheel building or bike maintenance course? There must be something you’d like to do or have in your life?
How about some nice art?
If only there was some artists on the forum who had lovely art such as paintings, digital art, knives, or even furniture to share with us.
@mcmoonter
@binners
@kayak23
@Who was the knife guy?
Don't forget @JoB, also of this parish, and the STW mag art department could likely rustle up one or two bits and pieces, photographically or scribbled too while cashflow is tight.
@MrOvershoot - sounds like you have great perspective....respect 👊🏻
Wife and kids gave me a bunch of guitar lessons, lovely leather belt, dozen golf balls and a nice golf glove. We are also going to go on a city break next year hopefully as our trip to Berlin got cancelled this year.
Father: I asked for a day out playing golf with him as I don’t need more stuff and I like spending time with my dad.
Mother: Green fee at Royal Dornoch
Sister: TBC
A weekend in mid wales and dragged the kids up pen y fan on my birthday. Was fab.
A mate got a group of us together for his 40th and we did the velodrome taster at Manchester and then went to a climbing wall. Was a cracking day, saw Sir Chris Hoy
I got a Ceilidh for mine, with a bunch of friends and family. Was amaze balls.
Another year older and deeper in debt
Albanach
Member@MrOvershoot – sounds like you have great perspective….respect 👊🏻
I guess its born out of loss. Father, Mother, both step parents and my beautiful wife all by the time your 53 gives you a window on mortality.
I have some wonderful friends that have kept me sane and looking forward during these dark times.
Cherish your true friends as they will not judge you only help you through the worst of times.
Thank you my friends you know who you are.
A weekend mtbing in Afan with mates and another weekend hill walking with my wife. Ace.
Sounds that you’re keen to avoid waste and disposable carp.
Well, on that theme I’ve been working over the last few years to replace my every day items with top notch quality items that are a pleasure to use and will outlast me.
Look around you at the things, tools, furnishings you use everyday. What crap are you left with from your student days that should long ago have been replaced? Jolly dull, but this is you’re 40th not your 16th
Had a week riding in Spain with a few mates for my 50th
https://flic.kr/p/25PwY9j
My 50th next year, thinking if hiring a chalet in the Alps for some big col road rides with friends, might see if I can still manage the Marmot course without completely dying, been a while since I've ridden that.