Many birthdays come and go each year, yet we often pay more attention to the birthdays of children and young people than the birthdays of our friends and relatives who are over 50s. It's ironic in a way, because as we get older we have spent more time on planet earth and have much more to celebrate. There's also a lot more to reminisce over, talk about and be thankful for.



Lots of us begin to think about retirement after we pass our fiftieth birthday. We spend more time day dreaming about our hobbies and interests and we relish the thought of spending more time enjoying them.

It's also nice to think that soon we won't have to worry as much about our children or our careers! That means any post-50 birthday is just as important as any birthday in your 20s, if not more. So, don't let your friends downplay their special day.

50th birthday gifts

The 50th birthday gifts that you choose for your friends and family will largely depend on their interests. Most of us are passionate about something specific and many older people are taking to travelling.

If you know someone with the travel bug, who's approaching their birthday think about getting them a leather travel journal. It can be wonderful to write notes on the things you see and the places you go to, as well as take photographs.

If you still need some inspiration for 50th Birthday Gifts think hard about the type of person you're buying for. A whisky connoisseur friend would love a bottle of personalised birthday whiskey. A bottle of 12 year old Lowland Malt whisky can be personalised with a special label that says any name and date you like.

Finding fab gifts for people over fifty raises a few problems. They've probably already got so many things from years of cheerful accumulation that finding 50th birthday gifts can prove difficult. Realising this dilemma, one friend recently gave her mother the 51st birthday present of an 'online clear out.'

She helped her mother to go through her things and her mother told her what she no longer wanted in the house. Then, instead of throwing items away her daughter went online and sold them, making enough money for her mother to renovate the house and also go on a small holiday.

Sometimes the best gifts are like that, ingenious, frugal and fun. You don't have to spend a lot of money on 50th birthday gifts, just invest some time and effort. Helping someone to re-decorate their home, for example, only takes a long weekend and if they're not as sprightly as they used to be a few young hands on deck can make all the difference.

Interests and dreams

When you're looking into 50th Birthday Gifts think about helping your friends to achieve lifelong dreams. You could find that fanciful wishes that were made 30 or 40 years ago are more achievable today. For example, those who have always dreamt of flying a plane can easily get an experience day flying lesson gift.

Or, those who love gardening could be helped to find an allotment and given a gardening calendar or a pad to rest their knees on. If you're not sure what interests your recipient has, or you think your birthday boy or girl might be a bit stumped as to what they're interests are too, why not help them to find something new that they'll love?

While some people approaching retirement know exactly how they'll spend their free time, many other people don't. They could be slightly anxious about leaving their job and simply not want to. However, if you can help them get interested in a new hobby by giving them 50th Birthday Gifts that cheer them up, you could help them to find something worth quitting the day job for.

Ask your birthday friend or relative about their past and try to get them to do activities with you. Before you know it, you'll both have a new hobby and you'll be able to choose the perfect presents for your loved one.

Parties for friends over fifty

As we said at the beginning of the article it's sad but true that we often forget about the older friends and relatives on their birthday because we focus so much on children's birthdays and young people. So, it's important to throw your 50+ friends birthday parties, or encourage them to at least go out for a meal to celebrate the passing of another happy year.

Birthdays are an opportunity to get together and have a laugh, no matter how young or old you are. Make sure your older friends have a fun time. No one should miss the chance to party!