Special birthday present for a 70 year old

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Just thought would she like a hot air balloon trip? Might appeal and be a bit different. As others have said we still feel we are that 25 year old but get a shock looking in the mirror! Whatever you used to like you probably still do! A day at the races??

i think it is a case of know your audience. Some suggestions on here would appeal to me and some would have me wondering if my loved ones have ever met me.

From a 71 year old so maybe too old to judge.

Ditto to no more ‘stuff’ - unless you know of some specific thing they want. A meal out, or a theatre or concert, to something you know they’d enjoy.

For a Big birthday of my mother, I made a late afternoon tea at home (with mini sandwiches, crusts cut off, sponge cake etc.) before we left for the theatre.

Chocolatelovinggran

It sounds as if she'd enjoy a meal out with you.
When my mother was seventy, I did seven tiny parcels to represent each decade of her life - her favourite sweets for the first ( she would have been a child during sweet rationing) , a framed picture of the family to denote the start of her family years, a sudoku book for her seventh decade, celebrating the leisure period, etc.
None of these cost much, and she enjoyed opening each one and talking about each life stage.

That's a good idea!

flappergirl

theworriedwell

We all like different things even at 70. I'd have been very disappointed if I'd got an afternoon tea as a present for my 70th. I've had them a couple of times and basically had to drive to the arse end of nowhere to have a tea I could have got locally for half the price. So I suppose where the afternoon tea is would be a big part of it but for me I'd rather have a meal than a tea.

I'd like CocoPops idea but I've already had my 70th so it doesn't help does it.

I agree. Afternoon tea is OK if you absolutely love scoffing lots of cakes. You can't have lunch and it spoils your evening meal and, as you say, they're usually in the arse end of nowhere. I'd much rather have a slap up meal and a glass or two of wine.

I would enjoy an afternoon tea if they gave you twice as many little savoury sandwiches and half as many cakes. In fact I wouldn’t much mind if they didn’t bother with cakes at all. Some gougere would be nice, though - I really must have a stab at making that.

We recently gave an original “dated” newspaper from their wedding day to a couple having a Diamond celebration. As a joint present from a number of family members, it was a reasonable cost, but I agree with lots of posters who say they’d rather have something that’s a treat out, than something physical. The newspaper, however, is still going the rounds of family and friends, and has been a great talking point.

At Christmas time, I give groups of young relatives joint donations to appropriate small charities, like one which provides children going through surgery for a stoma a teddy bear with the same stoma “button” as theirs - or more appropriate Teen Pack for young adults. It’s like giving a gift twice.

I used to give animal adoptions, but found that once you sign up for these, either you or the gift receiver, is bombarded with further requests from the original charity, or other similar ones.

That’s why a small, local charity (albeit with a UK-wide beneficiary range) is a better bet.