Gift Suggestions - 50th Anniversary

[SweetSpot]

My IL's celebrate their 50th anniversary next month and I've been racking by brain for months trying to find the perfect gift but and still coming up empty. They are great people but they aren't very open so I don't know them as well as most DIL normally would. They are very difficult because if you ask them straight out what they want they change the subject. They are comfortable and have everything that they want and need. Other family members are making photo albums and memory based gifts so that has been taken care of. They have been enjoying travelling lately and would love to send them somewhere special but all I know is Disney and they don't really enjoy things associated with Disney (see told you they were difficult!)

I'm desperate and I've always found DISers to be filled with the best answers so any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[KarenC]

Do you know what they did for their honeymoon? Is there any way you could use that as a starting point for a special trip? If they were like my folks in the 50's, the honeymoon wasn't terribly extravagent. But maybe they could revisit the location in a more upscale way???

 

[TINKTWINS]

Im selfish, I'd send em to Disney anyway!

 

[SweetSpot]

KarenC:

They never went on a honeymoon so I was thinking of sending them to Philadelphia or NY to stay at the Four Seasons, see a show and have dinner at an upscale restaurant. I know if I ask them if they would go so I could get a date to book it all they would say it was too much and wouldn't give me a date. I feel strange booking it and telling them when they are going away so I have been going back and forth with a trip. Is a trip too personal a thing to book for someone else?

TINKTWINS:

Trust me I really, really wanted to send them on a Disney Cruise but they wouldn't go.

 

[Kimberle]

How close are you to NYC?

How abt sending them in for a nice Broadway show & dinner via Limo?

If you're closer to Atlantic City, a show & dinner there, via Limo.

 

[Kallison]

I love your NYC idea. Are they comfortable in the city. My FIL was a nutcase in NYC. I was working in the city and he would freak out if you took two steps in front of him, he acted like a mugger was on every corner. It was kind of funny. I would say that or a bed and breakfast somewhere, like Cape May or Annapolis. Depends on what they like to do. Just book it, if they are not forthcoming with ideas then they get what they get.

 

[CookieGVB]

My parents are on their 50th Anniversary Caribbean cruise as we speak. Last time they were on a cruise was for their 25th Anniversary. They've missed about 4 snowstorms while they've been away, so I'm sure they're happy.

We had a party for them back in June, and gave the guests the information to buy certificates from the cruiseline as their gift, if they were so inclined. Happily, many people did just that.

I never ASK my parents what they want - they always tell me not to spend my money on them.

Dinner and a show in AC, NYC or Philly sounds like a great idea.

 

[Alice28]

Okay, this is a MUCH simpler answer than the previous posts....for my grandparent's 50th, everyone gave them golden daffodil bulbs. (my parents and aunt and uncle did a HUGE deal for the 50th- my grandparents had a mini wedding as they eloped to Carson City 50 years prior- this was the first time my grandma wore a wedding dress and there was dinner, dancing, cake- the whole 9 yards). As gifts, guests were asked to simply bring daffodil bulbs (this was early Oct, so prime planting time). They received 1000's. For the next 4 years my grandma was alive, she just was amazed at her field of daffodils in the backyard and it made her so happy to think of her friends and family, and her special anniversary day. My grandfather died last year, and I hope the folks who bought there house are happily surprised at the field of daffodils this spring.

 

[chager]

This is a little different but my grandparents really found it neat. My cousin made a big 50 out of coins (I can't remember what he used but I think it was all quarters. It may have been half dollars now that I think about it ) Anyway somehow he found one from each year they were married. He attached them to a board and framed them with a picture of when they were first married and a more recent picture on each side.

 

[kadaten]

Just to mark the day...

I know you're looking for something bigger for the present, but just to mark the day (especially if the trip is later....)..

For my MIL's 50th birthday we sent her flowers....since 50 is the "golden anniversary" I called around and found one of her local florists who would do a custom arrangement for me... of 50 yellow (gold) flowers, all arranged in a gold vase. (Can't do this sort of thing through FTD or other wire services.) The florist I used was so tickled with the idea that she only charged me $50....(the others I called were $125-150 and this was 5 years ago!!) MIL was *so* impressed with the idea, the flowers, everything! Said it was the largest arrangement she'd ever gotten, and still has the vase displayed in her living room

We did the "night on the town" for her and FIL's 35th anniversary, but in their hometown. not NYC, so no Broadway. Got on the phone to a fancy new restaurant they'd been wanting to try but hadn't...arranged it all ahead to be taken care of...left credit card number and called back the next morning to authorize the total and gratuity (based on how much they bragged about dinner!). Let them know it was their anniversary and the dinner was a present from their children. MIL&FIL couldn't stop talking about how well they were treated... the best table in the restaurant had been saved for them, the staff was top-notch, catering to every need, chef and manager came out to wish them happy anniversary, etc. They were made to feel absolutely special...which was just what we wanted since none of us could be there to celebrate with them Had told them ahead of time not to make plans for that night, and that morning, emailed them a certificate with all the details, along with loving wishes from their sons and DILs. They loved it! And they're not usually the type to do stuff like that, at least not for themselves. So I say go ahead and book something for them! What a sweet thing to do!!

 

[ncbyrne]

For Christmas last year, our kids gave us a weekend in NYC. It included ressies at Marriott Grand Marquis (right in Times Square), gift certificates Morton's Steakhouse, and $ for tickets to a Broadway show. We chose to go the end of March. It was a great gift! We had a wonderful time!