Anniversary gifts for parents?
September 30, 2015 9:22 AM Subscribe
My parents' anniversary is coming up, and once again I'm stumped. I never know what makes an appropriate, welcome gift to parents from their kids. Outside of big-anniversary gifts like parties, crystal, silver, and super handcrafted scrapbooks and the like, what are some good ideas for anniversary presents in an affordable, say $25-50 range?
Would a doing-gift work for them?
For example - a pair of cinema tickets for their local, or tickets for a show or concert. A meal voucher for a restaurant that they like. An activity they could do together like wine tasting - kind of cheesy but ends up being fun because booze.
posted by greenish at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
For example - a pair of cinema tickets for their local, or tickets for a show or concert. A meal voucher for a restaurant that they like. An activity they could do together like wine tasting - kind of cheesy but ends up being fun because booze.
posted by greenish at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
What's the commodity for this year? Can you do a fun riff on it?
posted by Don Pepino at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by Don Pepino at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015
Something between the "purchase something" and "super handcrafted scrapbook" might be making a nice photo album on Shutterfly or similar. For $50, you can get a good-sized book, especially if you look for sales. I know this has gone over very well with various older relatives in my family. Another option in this category would be the various "items" that Shutterfly (and similar sites) sells - things like photo mugs, calendars, etc. These tend to be less work than putting together a whole book because there are less photos, but also have gone over very well with older members of my family, who really like showing off their grandkids on a water bottle, kids on a calendar at work, etc. etc.
Alternately, if you have a local pottery shop near you, you might go in and take a look and see if something appeals - something like a vase or a platter might fall in that price range (or maybe a bit above). Simiarly, any local shop is a nice option since it gives your parents something from where you live and has more of a personal feel than something purchased in a chain store.
And finally, you could think about their shared interests and select something that allows them to continue pursuing that interest together. For example, my parents are both big fans of fancypants coffee, but rarely purchase it themselves because they can't justify the cost on an everyday basis. I will frequently get them a couple of bags of really good-quality beans as a gift because I know it will make them happy and be able to enjoy sipping espresso together. Or if you know they both really like a certain museum, you could purchase a membership (we did this for my in-laws and they have been delighted). Basically any gift that is appropriate for Christmas/birthday, but relevant to both of them rather than just one half of the couple!
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015
Alternately, if you have a local pottery shop near you, you might go in and take a look and see if something appeals - something like a vase or a platter might fall in that price range (or maybe a bit above). Simiarly, any local shop is a nice option since it gives your parents something from where you live and has more of a personal feel than something purchased in a chain store.
And finally, you could think about their shared interests and select something that allows them to continue pursuing that interest together. For example, my parents are both big fans of fancypants coffee, but rarely purchase it themselves because they can't justify the cost on an everyday basis. I will frequently get them a couple of bags of really good-quality beans as a gift because I know it will make them happy and be able to enjoy sipping espresso together. Or if you know they both really like a certain museum, you could purchase a membership (we did this for my in-laws and they have been delighted). Basically any gift that is appropriate for Christmas/birthday, but relevant to both of them rather than just one half of the couple!
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:33 AM on September 30, 2015
My parents seldom want more stuff as they are trying to downsize their life into a smaller house, so they like gift cards for experiences -- and their idea of an experience is really just an evening out. They're okay with partially covering dinner and movie passes, and it gives them an excuse to plan a night out rather than just watching TV.
If you'd rather the gift was more personal, I took one of their formal portraits from their wedding album and had it reproduced and gave it to them in a nice frame. I'm not crafty at all, so I also used a Living Social deal for an online publisher and made a photo book. It took time to scan old photos, but the result was really nice.
posted by gladly at 9:34 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you'd rather the gift was more personal, I took one of their formal portraits from their wedding album and had it reproduced and gave it to them in a nice frame. I'm not crafty at all, so I also used a Living Social deal for an online publisher and made a photo book. It took time to scan old photos, but the result was really nice.
posted by gladly at 9:34 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
My best purchased gift was a hotel food delivery (a bit past their anniversary since they went a few weeks later) -- they were given a dish of fresh fruit and yogurt (which they both like a lot). I've also done well with theatre tickets but that's slightly out of your range -- maybe museum tickets.
posted by jeather at 9:35 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jeather at 9:35 AM on September 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
I always do flowers for parent anniversaries. It's OK to send them every year, and they don't really want more stuff (and we're not really in a position to give them experience-type gifts that we could be sure they would both enjoy and be able to attend).
posted by chickenmagazine at 9:52 AM on September 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by chickenmagazine at 9:52 AM on September 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
Alcohol.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:58 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:58 AM on September 30, 2015
Special coffee or teas that they both/individually enjoy?
posted by kuanes at 10:19 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by kuanes at 10:19 AM on September 30, 2015
If you have access to digital photos, a family photo calendar was popular with my folks.
posted by maryr at 10:52 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by maryr at 10:52 AM on September 30, 2015
My parents' 50th anniversary "gift" from me and my sister pretty much rocked their world. We secretly e-mailed 50 of their friends and family members, asking friends and family to send my parents a memory of them as a couple on the actual anniversary day. It took some investigating and collaboration with some of their current friends, but when my parents woke up and looked at their e-mail, they were flooded with surprise congratulatory wishes and memories over 50 years. According to my mother, my father actually cried; he denies it.
posted by fiery.hogue at 11:00 AM on September 30, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by fiery.hogue at 11:00 AM on September 30, 2015 [13 favorites]
As a parent, now a grandparent, framed photos. Esp. if you stick to a type of frame, in a few years they'll have a lovely photo gallery.
posted by theora55 at 11:44 AM on September 30, 2015
posted by theora55 at 11:44 AM on September 30, 2015
Married over 36 years with two adult sons. What means the most are things that take effort and thoughtfulness. One son lives not far from us. He came over and did yard work for us. If he'd cleaned/painted/moved something for us that needed it, that would have been a wonderful gift as well. Son who doesn't live nearby sent us pics we could display of his art.
What we crave from our children is connection with them and/or knowing that we are still relevant in their full and busy lives. However that happens--notes and letters, gifts of service or work, promises of time spent together (think walks with parents alone or together, old-fashioned family movie night where you bring the snacks and rent the movie, you make a meal/soup/bread/afternoon tea and scones for them)--is, however much it costs, priceless.
posted by angiep at 12:46 PM on September 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
What we crave from our children is connection with them and/or knowing that we are still relevant in their full and busy lives. However that happens--notes and letters, gifts of service or work, promises of time spent together (think walks with parents alone or together, old-fashioned family movie night where you bring the snacks and rent the movie, you make a meal/soup/bread/afternoon tea and scones for them)--is, however much it costs, priceless.
posted by angiep at 12:46 PM on September 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
I usually go for a slightly-nicer-than usual version of something they both like. My folks both like rose wine, so I gave them a bottle of sparkling rose. They don't exactly go buying $20 bottles of wine for themselves, so this feels special enough within my family - ymmv, of course.
posted by brackish.line at 2:58 PM on October 1, 2015
posted by brackish.line at 2:58 PM on October 1, 2015
Response by poster: Good responses, everyone, thank you. I know that more stuff is not what they want or need, and I've always struggled to figure out what would be welcome as well as appropriate to the occasion. These are great ideas!
posted by Miko at 7:54 PM on October 1, 2015
posted by Miko at 7:54 PM on October 1, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Sophie1 at 9:32 AM on September 30, 2015 [2 favorites]