What would you like for your birthday?

My DC bought DH a hot air balloon ride for his 70th birthday. We then bought a ticket for me so we could go together. It was fantastic.

For my 70th, my sons and their families gave a lovely party, complete with a magician to entertain the children - and all the grandparents - and a bagpiper to greet the guests on arrival. Old friends from University and work colleagues as well as extended family plus in-laws. I still treasure the memory of not-quite-three-year-old GS presiding behind the bar. . DS1 had found all sorts of old photographs of me and put on a Powerpoint presentation, not entirely embarrassing! It would be fantastic if your family could do something similar for you, OP.

It's my 70th tomorrow and as luck would have it, it is a holiday here so my son and his family will be able to spend the day with us. Good meal, play on the beach and apart from that I'm with Ian Drury too. A lovely long weekend in Galicia in the Autumn when we wont be looking after our grandson every day is one present I have to look forward to.
Sorry, I digress. As to a present for your mother, I agree a visit, if this is possible, and a posh afternoon tea would be lovely.

Of course it depends on the sort of thing she likes! For my 70th my hisband and the three children paid for a photoshoot with a professional photographer of all of us, plus pics of family groups, grandchildren individually and together etc - in the grounds of a lovely hotel where we had lunch together afterwards. Then we wentvto our dons house nearby for cake and champagne. It was a lovely day and a brilliant present As a surprise my husband booked us an evening meal and night in the hotel (just the two of us) afterwards as well.
Other things i would really like include theatre tickets or a posh afternoon tea,

For my sixtieth, we went out for a meal and my children bought me some Swarovski crystals and paid for afternoon tea at Harvey Nicks in Leeds.

My son gave me the money to pay for semi-permanent eyebrows but I paid the mortgage with it instead. Shame on me.

For my birthday this year I would like all the family to be together. I'm not bothered about presents. Just the people I love around me would be perfect.

How can we make any apposite suggestions when we know absolutely nothing about the lady concerned. All we know is that she has children and grandchildren and we can deduce that she is about to reach a birthday with a '0' at the end. Is she 50, 60 70,100? We have no idea. What does she enjoy doing? What did she do in life? Is she a social person, so likes a party, or does she prefer to socialise with just a few people at a time? Is she fit and active or disabled, does she live in the town or country?

With so little information to go on how can anyone make a suitable suggestion? Personally, if I was the lady involved I would prefer to be asked what I wanted rather than receive something that somebody who knows absolutely nothing about me suggests because they would like it and my daughter(?) knows me so little that they think that something another woman my age would like would suit me, presumably because they know the real me so little.

Thanks for the suggestions. Am very impressed with some of your very thoughtful families.

I've given a few more details below. I didn't put many initially as I wanted to remain anonymous and I'm not sure if my mother uses gransnet - if you do then this will 'out' me in which case hello mum! ?

It's for her 70th. I do appreciate what a lot of posters are saying regarding doing something together being the best present but it's difficult. Its too far to drive, it's a short flight but I have small children (the youngest being a baby) and I'm not sure how Id manage them on a flight on my own. If it was an emergency then I'd manage somehow but I'm still up with night feeds so am pretty shattered - I don't think a stressful journey with young children would be the best start to any visit. Similarly many 'things' that you can do are out even when we do meet up.

Absolutely! MOnica

Lona - the Welsh zip wires is original! A friend of mine is almost 90, was enjoying a few days with daughter and son in law on the South Coast. She saw a zip wire going over the sea and said she'd never been on one. Half an hour later she had, and loved it, with photos to prove it!

I can't wait!

Monica. If you don't want to suggest anything that is of course your choice.
Thanks to those that are.

Check out www.don't buy her flowers.com The thoughtful packages contain things to encourage the recipient to take some time for themselves. and they come beautifully wrapped with a handwritten message - They are ideal for a new mum, birthday get well or thankyou or for anyone that deserves some TLC.

My children clubbed together and gave me a voucher for a helicopter ride. Maybe an acquired taste!

Hi Winifred01.
This may not be a gift, but after reading your post I just had to send you a birthday wish.
I wish you a Very, Very Happy 80th Birthday for next week.
I really hope that you have a wonderful day. x

If you can't go to Mum, could you not pay for her to come and see you? Perhaps put her up in a local BnB if you don't have room, but I am sure what would mean most would be to see her new grandchildren?

I had a 70th birthday gift of a box of flowers to come through the letterbox each month. The postie gets a bit anxious in case he squashes them so bangs on the door but they should go through the letter box. They have to be arranged and although I'm ham fisted with flowers each delivery has looked good. I'm not advertising but they are called something like bloom and wild on line.

I was trying to find "don't her flowers" website mentioned by HellsBells. It's www.dontbuyherflowers.com. Nice idea.

The best gift can give is your time.

Lagging behind with this I know, but I am 70 in November and there is absolutely NOTHING that I would rather have than my family's presence (not presents!)

yellowdaffodils it isn't that I do not want to suggest anything, it is just I find it impossible to suggest presents for someone you know nothing about.

If it is any help, for my 70th birthday DH brought me, at auction, a very dilapidated mid 19th century sewing table and then he repaired and restored it. I had wanted one for years to put all my tapestry wools and knitting in, but they do not often come up for sale and are very expensive when bought fully restored from an antique shop. It wasn't specifically a 70th birthday present, but that birthday was the one coming up at the time when he acquired the table. It has since been much used and admired.

And that is the point, only DH and DD would have known how much I coveted one of these tables and it is probably not something that many other people would want.

For my significant birthdays my 4 children have put together and given me big things I couldn't have bought for myself, a short holiday they all took me on, my i pad and, the best part, them all coming here and taking me out for a meal. To get all my children and grandchildren together again a week after Christmas despite work and weather and overdraughts takes a lot of effort which I really appreciate.

Vouchers for treats that she likes are IMO always welcome. I have just had a birthday and received a voucher for a facial with back massage. It was glorious! As we get older, treats to look forward to are preferable to things which add to the clutter of our lives.

Could you arrange for your mum to come and visit you for her birthday? Then you can arrange something locally.

1974cookie
Many thanks for your kind wishes for my 80th birthday.
Yes I had a lovely day in fact several, the celebrations are ongoing. I am very fortunate to have good family and friends.