# Please help me decide on a gift: I am driving myself nuts!!!



## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

My parents are 85 and 77. Their 50th wedding anniversary is next month. Here is the problem with my getting them a gift:


They do NOT go to restaurants: Mom would but Dad no way!!
They will not go anywhere overnight; travel Mom is limited; on oxygen

They have all the plaques, photos, portraits, dishes, tools, books, gadgets and gizmos and basically everything imaginable...And I am on a budget; I cant go more than $200 and even that will put a dent in my wallet.

What do I get them? It's driving me crazy.

THANKS in advance....[/list]


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

My sisters and I had the same problem for my folks 50th anniversary.  They were also tethered to the house because of Dad's health and oxygen and lived in a small apartment with no room for more "knicknacks".

We put together a big basket of 50 things they would eat or use but probably wouldn't buy themselves on a fixed income - things like a small ham, specialty crackers and good cheeses (camembert, etc.), small bottles of wine and wine coolers, good coffee, etc.  It was fun going through the grocery store and picking things out.  One of the 50 items was a gift bag of 50 gold $1 coins.  We also had their weddings pictures put on to a dvd.  They loved it all.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

DO they have a stack of old Super 8 films, or slides, or even VHS tapes (home movies of their early years together) that you could have put onto DVD for them?


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

When my hubby turned 40, I made him a photo book (through snapfish) titled: 40 things we love about Patrick.  I included pictures of his favorite people, memories and things and asked relatives and friends for quotes and memories about pat.  (for ex. He's a great cook! with a picture of him grilling.  or, "I love the time he took me to my first baseball game!" with a picture of him and the kids at the ballpark.

You could do 50 things you love about "xxxx"  and ask friends and family to submit a favorite memory or what they love about the couple, along with a picture of them, preferably with the anniversary couple.  It certainly would take some time, but my husband loved that book and everyone enjoyed looking at it.  You could also title it "50 favorite memories of xxxx"

Good luck and congrats on the big milestone!


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

I'm going to second the photo book. We've done it a few times and it always is well received.

We've also done picture cookies. I really didn't think they would be as much of a hit as they were. It might be fun to do pictures of them through the years.
http://www.goodfortunes.com/
There are a few companies that do this but I know Good Fortune to be good.

Good luck with it.


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## Ann Herrick (Sep 24, 2010)

I just wanted to say I love all these ideas!


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

Forgot to mention, for milestone birthdays I've also bought say thirty lottery tickets--a combination of scratch offs and powerball etc.  Never any big winners, but it was fun for the birthday folks to see all those tickets and scratch them off.  Maybe you could say "Here's to 50 lucky years together" or something like that.


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## ChrisHewitt (Dec 24, 2011)

How about doing something practical for them such as redecorating or gardening instead of buying something.  It would be more personal that way as well.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Cook them a nice meal...or...pick one up from a nice restaurant.  A lot of restaurants now do curbside take away.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Lisa Scott said:


> Forgot to mention, for milestone birthdays I've also bought say thirty lottery tickets--a combination of scratch offs and powerball etc. Never any big winners, but it was fun for the birthday folks to see all those tickets and scratch them off. Maybe you could say "Here's to 50 lucky years together" or something like that.


That was another thing in the basket! They actually got a $100 winner!


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Last Christmas I gave my mother a box of 1940s style candy from Amazon. She, my aunt, and stepfather had a great time pulling each piece out, remembering the brand, and talking about each one and which was their favorite or that they didn't like. She took it to their bridge club and everyone enjoyed it again. The point was seeing the old brands and wrappers and remembering, not so much the eating. It was a great idea. Find em easily with a search on amazon and I am sure they are available elsewhere too. Other decades available of course. 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

The Hooded Claw said:


> Last Christmas I gave my mother a box of 1940s style candy from Amazon. She, my aunt, and stepfather had a great time pulling each piece out, remembering the brand, and talking about each one and which was their favorite or that they didn't like. She took it to their bridge club and everyone enjoyed it again. The point was seeing the old brands and wrappers and remembering, not so much the eating. It was a great idea. Find em easily with a search on amazon and I am sure they are available elsewhere too. Other decades available of course.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


I was thinking of doing that for my mother in law but didn't know if it was worth it. I'll have to try it sometime.


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## William Peter Grasso (May 1, 2011)

My experiences with aging parents (of which I will be one sooner rather than later, I suppose) have taught me they love nostalgia...

Old b&w movies, old photographs (especially if loved ones are in them), old books (especially if they feature memorabilia from their youth), vintage icons like signs (especially relating to things/companies that don't exist anymore), etc.

In short, anything that brings back fond memories of their youth.

WPG


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## sheiler1963 (Nov 23, 2011)

William Peter Grasso said:


> My experiences with aging parents (of which I will be one sooner rather than later, I suppose) have taught me they love nostalgia...
> 
> Old b&w movies, old photographs (especially if loved ones are in them), old books (especially if they feature memorabilia from their youth), vintage icons like signs (especially relating to things/companies that don't exist anymore), etc.
> 
> ...


^ and your time is what I vote for. One of the most treasured times I spent with my Grandma was when I spent a week with her and she mentioned a box of old photos and said, 'I've been meaning to go through them...' So that is what we did for the next few days. I would hold up a photo and ask, 'Who is this?' and just let her talk. By the end of the visit she said it was the best time she'd had in yrs.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Could try to surreptitiously collect items from the history of their marriage and put together a shadow box.  Or even try to find things to represent those years they were married that you think would have meaning to them.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

Love all of the ideas.  Candy is out because of Dad being diabetic.  Maybe the photo book.  Kind of hard to get their earlier pics without them catching me; as they hardly ever leave the house!!  Will try though...

I think I will do a book; as I did a couple (thanks Betsy) before and they were a big hit!!  THANKS!!


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Don't get their photos, ask older family & friends if you can make copies of theirs. That way they are still older pictures of your parents, but they may be ones they are not as familiar with.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> Don't get their photos, ask older family & friends if you can make copies of theirs. That way they are still older pictures of your parents, but they may be ones they are not as familiar with.


I've started doing that; only with those that I can trust not to let the cat out of the bag. THANKS


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

sjc said:


> I've started doing that; only with those that I can trust not to let the cat out of the bag. THANKS


you could tell a small fib and say you're trying to preserve family history in digital form (which is kinda sorta true)


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## rla1996 (Oct 28, 2008)

AS strange as it may seem Digital Photo Frames are AWESOME when filled with old pictures.  They allow all of the pictures to be displayed and don't take up too much space.  The ever changing photos make good conversation pieces when they have people over... "that one was from the first time we took the kids to Sea World.  Look at how small they were..."


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

I LOVE all of the personalized ideas here!  I think a gift from the heart means so much.  My family has five children in it and we each came up with 10 things someone should know about our parents (for a total of 50 things - i.e. My mom dropped out of college to join the peace movement in San Francisco in 196.  I then printed up the lists and made a collage in a shadow box for them to hang on their wall.  Anytime they have guests over, it becomes a really nice conversation piece.

And when the holidays roll around and you need something that isn't so personal, I bought my parents and my grandpa a Roku player and they LOVE it.  My grandpa (age 95) has trouble working a DVD player, but can do the Roku.  And it seems like every time I talk to my mom, they've discovered another PBS show that they missed when it first aired but are now completely addicted to it.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

SJC I know you said you were having a problem getting things from their home as they rarely leave... If you can, try and sneak out any old home movies they have, those old reel-to-reel tapes, 16mm, 8mm, super8mm... there are conversion places. I've been looking at http://www.imemories.com/microsite/transfer/super8film/ myself, I am thinking that would be great for my parents' 50th, get everything transferred over to DVD.


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> SJC I know you said you were having a problem getting things from their home as they rarely leave... If you can, try and sneak out any old home movies they have, those old reel-to-reel tapes, 16mm, 8mm, super8mm... there are conversion places. I've been looking at http://www.imemories.com/microsite/transfer/super8film/ myself, I am thinking that would be great for my parents' 50th, get everything transferred over to DVD.


Yes! I was going to suggest that as well. Happy Anniversary to them!


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks all;  I am trying to work on photo book (my publisher) but may not finish in time to get book back in time for the big day:  WHICH, if I don't get it all scanned and lay it out the way I want in time:  I will then instead:  go with all the photos I've managed to get and put them on an sd card and go with the photo frame option. 

I enjoyed all of the ideas.  The super8 would have been great; but I have no clue where they are in their house...and if I ask for it; they'll know.  Shadow boxes...nice; but my father the grouch won't put any holes in his walls!!  He's 85 who the hell is he preserving the house for?  Lol.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.  I'll keep you posted. sjc


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

I have to ask - do they have a Kindle?


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

sjc said:


> The super8 would have been great; but I have no clue where they are in their house...and if I ask for it; they'll know.


I am lucky, my lil bro still lives with mom & dad. He can sneak them out anytime for me.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> I have to ask - do they have a Kindle?


I'm lucky they have a telephone!

I tried that with the K1. No dice. They still think I "waste" film.


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