topic Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday in Among Friends

Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

BunSnoop — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:48:05 GMT

My father-in-law will be 90 years old in May. We will (myself and husband) take him and step-mother-in law out for a nice dinner. What to buy for a gift???

One gift I purchased last year was a book that was about 1932 (the year he was born). Another year I purchased a large lantern from QVC with a remote that they put on the patio and enjoyed. Another year I purchased the Halo battery recharger and they have used it a few times when they return from their winter home to their summer home and the car battery is dead when they return.

I have no ideas for this year - and it's such a special birthday - 90th. I don't want to do gift cards - been there/done that.

Any suggestions please??

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

PA Mom-mom — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:16:56 GMT

@BunSnoop My in-laws are 95 and 91, and they really don't need any more things for their apartment. They just love it when the family visits, so you taking them out to dinner will be very much appreciated. The one thing I can think of is a digital photo frame. If they don't have one, and their eyes are relatively good, they can look at any family photos you have loaded. Other things would be a new bird feeder or a weather station.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Group 5 minus 1 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:01:58 GMT

When our Mom turned 90 the kids got her a case of wine w/a Happy 90th birthday,Grandma on the label. When she passed we found the the wine bottles hidden in the back of her closet. She didn't want anyone to know she was 90.

This was 8 years later and the wine was ruined.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

LindaSal — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:02:11 GMT

Seems like you have had great ideas in the past. My MIL will be 90 also this year. We normally would take her out to dinner and to a play but this isn't so much a possibility anymore. She doesn't get around well now, so we may just bring her a to go dinner. Depending on his health maybe a play or a nice bottle of whisky?? My Grandpa drank whisky until his last day on earth, but so much depends on how he is at this age. Best wishes.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

depglass — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:08:03 GMT

There is a great lesson in this thread. If you are the recipient of a gift you postively don't care for, don't leave it hanging around for your heirs to find. I remember my mother's stuff, there was a turquoise sweatshirt I had given her, never worn. Obviously she didn't like sweatshirts, the color was OK. Also found an unworn screaming chartreuse cable knit sweater from my sister. I wouldn't have worn that one either.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Love my grandkids — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:19:01 GMT

@LindaSal I had to laugh. You are assuming they drink! I don't and all my friends know it and yet one year a person who knew me well gave me a bottle of wine. I handed it back and said "you know I don't drink". She said "I just thought you might change your mind." The friendship kinda went downhill after that.

PS: She drank quite a bit!

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

henderson — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:32:12 GMT

At my mom's 100th birthday party she got a lot of food baskets.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

sann — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:42:45 GMT

Champagne brunch🍸🍷🧀

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

eadu4 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:50:40 GMT

@BunSnoop They make MP3 music players for seniors. They have large buttons and can be loaded with their favorite music.. Google MP3 players for seniors. They have ones that will play audio books as well. They are simple and easy to use.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Mz iMac — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:52:52 GMT

Last year for my mother's 97th birthday, we got her balloons shaped as the number 97, bottle of her favorite wine & a box of chocolates. She's a chocolate addict. Took her to her favorite restaurant.

The above is all she wants. We have been doing the above since she turned 90.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

ThinkingOutLoud — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:54:54 GMT

I suggest something more personal. For instance:

- get as many people as possible to write or record memories of him (they don't need to be long) and put them in an album, etc

- 90 reasons thankful for him framed

- 90 things admire about him

- a family fan chart

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Sooner — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:59:07 GMT

@Mz iMac Simple answer! Ask him! If he says he doesn't want anything then a sweet card and letter. Maybe frame a handwritten note about what he means to you. Otherwise, do what the man says!

If you need something, I'll suggest this oddball gift: We got some little bee lights that are solar operated, and blink on and off from dark to almost dusk. We just think they are so cute.

So maybe some little string of some kind of solar powered lights for a deck rail or a plant outside? Got them from Amazon and they lasted for years on the patio. Until the softball sized hail took 'em out! We bought more!

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Mz iMac — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 19:11:12 GMT

@Sooner I don't think your comment was meant for me. The original OP maybe?

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

LizzieInSRQ — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 19:38:29 GMT

Tom Brokaw's book The Greatest Generation

Otherwise I'd need to know more about him. What his favorite hobby is/was. Is he into the arts? Theater? Can he walk for long periods? Zoo? Hard to think of things when we don't know him.

I knew a history buff that I literally bought a dinosaur Toth for in eBay for about 50 bucks. Certified. I wrote on the card I got him something that was older than him lol

But I agree, they don't want more stuff.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

BunSnoop — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 20:21:59 GMT

@LizzieInSRQ, I looked on-line about the book and it looks like that may be a great item for him - thank you!! Maybe the book, a box of nice chocolates will work.

He was in the air force (we've purchased many related items for him over the year) and a retired pilot (we purchased over the years air plane related items too).

He does not have any hobbies that I know of. He can walk a little, but not too far - he has to push his wife (my husband's step-mother) in a wheelchair.

I've never heard them mention going to theater or concerts. In the past they loved to go on cruises; however, the last one did not work out well, and he said it will be the last one, as his wife had a difficult time breathing.

He does not drink alcoholic beverages.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

colliemom4 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 21:25:33 GMT

@depglass wrote:
There is a great lesson in this thread. If you are the recipient of a gift you postively don't care for, don't leave it hanging around for your heirs to find. I remember my mother's stuff, there was a turquoise sweatshirt I had given her, never worn. Obviously she didn't like sweatshirts, the color was OK. Also found an unworn screaming chartreuse cable knit sweater from my sister. I wouldn't have worn that one either.

@depglass I found some things I had given my Grandma in her house after she died. They were unused though she claimed to love them. It didn't hurt my feelings but I definitely learned the lesson you are speaking of from it.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

gnomie1 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 21:45:49 GMT

When my mother turned 90, I gave her a book that I had ordered from The New York Times store - it is a coffee table book and included the front page of the day the individual was born and the front page for every birthday afterwards. It is a very impressive gift, esp if here are 90 front pages.

It is not inexpensive, about $145, however the NYT store usually has sales (20% off) around "gifting" holidays and Mother's Day is coming up.

My Mom keeps the book on the coffee table and guests enjoy reading it.

Another gift she has received and enjoyed - a one year subscription to StoryWorth. She enjoyed answering the questions and the finished book will become a family heirloom. How it works is that the receipient is provided a question about themselves every week and then the stories are bound into a book.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

Cookie2025 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 22:28:40 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:
When our Mom turned 90 the kids got her a case of wine w/a Happy 90th birthday,Grandma on the label. When she passed we found the the wine bottles hidden in the back of her closet. She didn't want anyone to know she was 90.
This was 8 years later and the wine was ruined.

How long can you keep wine ? 18 months ago I had 2 cases of wine sent to me over the Holidays. I still haven't broken into either one.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

on the bay — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 22:44:47 GMT

@BunSnoop,

The most memorable gift we gave to my 90 year old step father and 90 year old uncle was a note from each person about how much they meant to them. We tied it with ribbons and put pictures in too.

And other than that, I agree about asking. Sometimes unless it is something you absolutely know they will like, its better not to get something just to get something.

Sometimes too, I know with my mother, the cards and calls, flowers were the most treasured "gifts" to her. We took her out too or celebrated at home. Mostly she loved having everyone there.

Re: Any Suggestions - Gifts for 90th Birthday

debfau — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 23:01:46 GMT

@BunSnoop

You could make a donation in his name to a local charity or you said he was in Air Force, you could donate to Air Force Aid Society (The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the U.S. Air Force and has been meeting the unique needs of Airmen and their families since 1942.)