Mum's 70th

Soontobe4, I love your enthusiasm and forward thinking. Well done. Only you know what your Mother would enjoy so go for it. Me? I would absolutely hate it. All my hopes are forward looking and my memories are well embedded in my heart. Don't need physical reminders. I hope you get the result you want for your Mum from the huge effort you are putting into it. Good luck.

Some lovely ideas, and I take note that you don’t want things to fall flat on the day. there are some really good board games around that include all ages and abilities have a look on Amazon, you might also find some fun adult ones for when the younger members have gone to bed! Relax and enjoy lovely lady.

Following on the idea of a newspaper or other memorabilia from the date of her birth, here is a link to a place that can supply it.
www.gettingpersonal.co.uk/gifts/original-newspaper-70th-birthday.htm
I'm going to be 70 in May and have decided to spend it with all my old friends in South Africa. Nothing quite like being with people you care about on an occasion like this.
I surprised my son (only child) in New Zealand last year on his 40th, so not able to go back there so soon, also the flights are horrendous!
Your mum is lucky to have someone as loving as you. {flowers}

A vintage brooch to wear on a coat? I remember my mother (and grandmother) always having a brooch.

I have a small collection which I bought from vintage shops online and also ebay. Even if they're notaithentic, they are reminiscent of a past time.

My mother was always wearing an apron, so a hand made one to wear while cooking might be another thought.

Vintage books can also be an unusual gift too.

I think as we get older we are inclined to clear out items from past decades so suggest you don't add to that problem! Memories and photos are different and always welcome. See if there is an internet/Facebook community page of where she grew up - my husband is absolutely enthralled with the page I found for him and writes about the past with old friends all over the world!

What a lovely family she has. I'm sure she will enjoy spending time with you all. Just remember that 70 is not old by today's standard. Was your mum an Elvis fan - there are some new recordings of him with an orchestra. How about a 60/70 s night - music food and maybe clear a space for a quick dance. Don't forget the Beatles!!
Do have fun and give her a time to remember. Don't worry about having to find gifts - time with the family is far more important...

My mum is 75 and I can remember her talking about how excited she was to get one of those cardboard 'dress up' dolls - you can get magnetic ones now - I got her one as a stocking filler and she loved it. All the grandkids play with it too as its on her fridge.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-piece-magnetic-dress-up-doll-set-Once-the-dolls-dressed-up-sick-on-fridge/282694205487?hash=item41d1e3402f:g:FOgAAOSwCL9Zt9Jm

I think this is a lovely idea. Good suggestions for music/songs from the early decades. Also, as someone pointed out, her early years coincided with rationing. We owned a sweet shop and I remember the queues down the street the day sweets came off rationing. You can get modern day equivalents of these in the Olde World Sweet Shops around. I haven't read all the posts so apologies if this has already been put forward - a collage of photos of her, her family and friends, events of earlier times are all good starting points for younger ones to initiate the conversation of "Gran, did you really have a beehive hairdo?" or the like. It is good to remember times past on occasions like this.

Talking of presents it was my 75th a year ago almost exactly a year ago, from my Daughter and famiy I received a home made voucher for a weekend with my Daughter to Malta, a place I have always wanted to visit, however a YEAR on we still havent been there! she keeps saying, "well you are never at home" meaning we travel in our motorhome a lot, and visit the UK a lot, granted we do this, but I feel disappointed she hasnt made the effort to just book a weekend so that we can get there, she is a travel consultatnt!
If you do something nice for Mums 70th, please see that you get it done and not waste time!

I got my dear dad the newspaper from his year of birth it was a great idea he loved it and we all saw how different things were in those days as it shows food prices house prices wages etc everyone showed interest.I think online there called Historic papers.Do you have any old photos you could frame for her to keep that have been hidden in albums.Have a lovely time I’m sure you will all enjoy it.

I'm 70 and I would far rather enjoy the company of friends and family than be given material things. If you do want to give presents, the sorts of things I would appreciate are items like jewellery and scarves. Some of the more unusual items can be purchased from places like the National Trust or various museum/art gallery shops.

Another idea is you can send away and have the daily paper of the day printed and put in a lovely leather bound folder - I got this for my dad on his 80th Birthday. He absolutely LOVED it.

We all went away for my birthday, 16 of us. What i really loved was watching all the grandchildren play together. For the special day We had a food delivery from Cook, and Sainsburys for the GC! the family got together to pay for all the food, i had a cake with sparklers, we played silly board games, went for long walks. You dont need lots of presents when you have your family all around you, just lots of love and laughter.

I’m guessing at 70 your mum has most things she wants and needs. If I still had my mum what would I do - I would do a photo book (can easily do on the internet) and would do the book in 7 chapters. Each chapter would include something from that era. You can include pictures, memorable things from those years (you could use photo’s from the internet - like a film review of a favourite film she might have had, or a favourite book) and you could include messages from friends and family - the list is endless and the book would be priceless. You could then have one small present for each era wrapped up that appears in the book - you could do so much with it

Wow! I’d love to get some of these for myself. Nostalgia rules OK.

Best Movies from the 50s

harrigran she’s not doing it for you but for her mother. I think it’s a lovely idea and what’s wrong with a lovely old film from the 50s or music from the 60s ???.

I despair sometimes

No, Anya’s right. The OP has asked for ideas for the earlier decades only.

Like others, I don't think I would like gifts based on the earlier decades. For my 70th I was given modern technology and vouchers for luxury breaks, I was happy not to relive the austerity years.

No Anya she’s taking about 40 s.? 50 s 60 s 70 s 80 s 90s 00 s and 10s

Yes, what Anya says - you know your mum best and if she’d enjoy themed presents, go for it! It’d be lovely to incorporate a film and music into the weekend, as well as maybe a fun quiz (easy to find online) and a themed dinner (if not for all decades then just for one). I hope you can delegate some of the work though! Maybe tickets for the theatre or a day out she’d enjoy as a finale? I hope you all have a great weekend.

So you’re talking about the 40s, 50s, 60s and possibly 70s?

Well, a copy of a newspaper for the day she was born (40s) is a good idea.
50s.....perhaps a DVD of a film that came out that decade. This was when rationing ended too.
60s has to be music, that’s when everything changed. Perhaps make a compilation of songs (one for each year) that stayed at No 1 the longest or were the most iconic. One beautiful one I remember is Acker Bilk’s Stranger on the Shore . It was also the decade of Pirate Radio Stations.
70s was this the decade she married and/or had you children. A favourite photo perhaps?

I think it’s a lovely idea. Pay no attention to the odd GNetter who ‘doesn't want anything’ you asked for ideas not their opinions.

Does you mum use coasters for her coffee table? I had coasters made with photos of my daughters and grandchildren. They were more natural photos of them laughing rather than the 'posed, smiley' ones.

What about seven copies of The Times from her birthday in 1947 and then every decade since.

In theory the gifts through the decades sounds a lovely idea, but I wouldn't want it. The memory of the here and now sounds a better idea. Have you asked your mum? I have already decided what I want to do for my 70th. I did a parachute jump for my 60th- that was memorable!