Need Birthday help/advice, this is a challenge

[FINFAN]

My SIL is turning 50 next month, right before Thanksgiving. She has always hoped ot go to Italy for her 50th, but sadly, finances are not permitting it. It is bittersweet as there ARE deals, but still to $$$$. So, I was thinking about an Italian themed gift, but I am also trying to be sensitive, I do not want to pour salt in the wound, draw attention to the fact that she can't go by shoving Italy in her face, KWIM? They do not have kids, so I really feel bad as they should be able to splurge, and we thought about a travel gift certificate but that is a drop in the bucket. I tried t talk to my brother, but he feels so bad/guilty about not being able to give her the trip he is not keen on talking about alternatives.
So, should I ditch the Italy idea, just g for a nice 50th gift, or is there a budget way to bring Italy to her? They did a very nice gift for me a few years back, pasta bowl, pasta, Dean Martin C/D and wine glasses.....at the time I did not know she was hoping for a trip to Italy, that came out when I was oening the gift, how it was her inspiration for the idea. I obviuously can't duplicate the same idea so that makes things trickier still. I love her to death, but am SOOOOO stumped! I do have a generous gift card to one of her favorite stores as a back up, or my mom can give her that...HELP! Grazi (sp?)

 

[jennyopenny]

I like the themed gift idea. It is very thoughtful, and sweet.
Also, a friend of mine did a honeymoon registry when she got married. It was basically an account with a travel agent where others could add money. Maybe she could do that-it might not get her to Italy now, but in the next year. Kind of like our change jars for Disney.

 

[hhartill]

My SIL is turning 50 next month, right before Thanksgiving. She has always hoped ot go to Italy for her 50th, but sadly, finances are not permitting it. It is bittersweet as there ARE deals, but still to $$$$. So, I was thinking about an Italian themed gift, but I am also trying to be sensitive, I do not want to pour salt in the wound, draw attention to the fact that she can't go by shoving Italy in her face, KWIM? They do not have kids, so I really feel bad as they should be able to splurge, and we thought about a travel gift certificate but that is a drop in the bucket. I tried t talk to my brother, but he feels so bad/guilty about not being able to give her the trip he is not keen on talking about alternatives.
So, should I ditch the Italy idea, just g for a nice 50th gift, or is there a budget way to bring Italy to her? They did a very nice gift for me a few years back, pasta bowl, pasta, Dean Martin C/D and wine glasses.....at the time I did not know she was hoping for a trip to Italy, that came out when I was oening the gift, how it was her inspiration for the idea. I obviuously can't duplicate the same idea so that makes things trickier still. I love her to death, but am SOOOOO stumped! I do have a generous gift card to one of her favorite stores as a back up, or my mom can give her that...HELP! Grazi (sp?)

That is so sweet that you want to make it special for her! I only wish I had a SIL like you. Italy is not going anywhere, she can still go, just not for her 50th. How about a nice book on travel in Italy, travel info from a travel agency and a nicely decorated piggy bank with a little ching in there. Make it fun, a list of things that they can do to make extra money for the trip, yard sales, give up eating out and make items found in an italian cookbook. The best part of any trip is the anticipation, maybe if your brother commits to taking steps to make it happen, she will not feel slighted. I hope she gets to go someday!

 

[FINFAN]

Ohhhh...CHANGE JAR!!!!!!!!!!!! You just gave me an awesome idea...I am going to look for some cool wine bottles, or Italian style jar etc., put a "start" in it....that can be from my kids. I think if I rollup $50 worth of bills, that is too ahrd to get out, she will have to break the bottle so it is a good deterrrent from dipping into it. Thank you, my spirits just lifted a bit!
The book is also a great idea..time to look for a Borders coupon!

 

[pixiewings71]

My BFF and her new DH are right now honeymooning in Italy. Venice & Rome to be exact. I gave her a nice wine pourer/stopper and a wine book so she could go tasting and make notes on what she liked the best. She really liked them both. Of course I gave her others too, but these were the Italy/wine related gifts I gave her.

Here's a thought, is there a really nice Italian restaurant in your area? What about a nice hotel that is themed Italian? Or a spa? Maybe you could give her some time away in Italy without going to Italy......a night in a nice hotel, a spa package, a nice Italian dinner.....just some thoughts.

What a sweet thing for you to do!! Good luck!

 

[clh2]

Too bad that a trip didn't work out for your SIL.

If you need an idea for a cake - this is what I had made for DH's 50th. Kind of a wine-vinyard picnic sort of atmosphere. I searched high and low to find a cake that just didn't have an "over-the-hill" type of sentiment.

GOod luck finding the perfect present...DD and I took DH on a hot air balloon ride for his b-day. A very fun outing ( but we had to do it months after his birthday).

 

[FINFAN]

Love the cake, awesome idea! It is really hard as Travelzoo posted a long weekend trip for around $600 I think, but I know she would like to stay longer than that. I am pretty sure no big party/hoopla, if there was big bucks for that they would apply that to a trip, so low key Italian, ( my Italian neighbor says no such thing ) anyway, great ideas, and budget friendly as well. Thanks everyone!