What Are the Best 50th Birthday Gifts for Women?
What do women really want? That’s the question that many of us find ourselves asking as a friend approaches her 50th birthday.
After all, 50 today is not what it was a generation or two ago. 50-year-old women today are vibrant, passionate, and active. Most of them are still enjoying their careers, although they may have begun to dream about retirement.
Well, since we have over 150,000 women over 50 in our community, I hope that we can help to answer this age-old question together.
What Is the Best Gift for a Woman on Her 50th Birthday?
Is it best to go with something that reflects one of her passions? Or would most women appreciate something more relaxing, like a spa treatment or massage? Should you mark the passing of her 50th birthday with something memorable, like a piece of jewelry? Or should you give her something handmade and personal?
Here are 21 50th birthday present ideas for her:
Something Involving One of Her Passions
Subscription to MasterClass Online Classes
MasterClass is an online platform with thousands of classes and lessons from world-renowned professionals. She can take photography tips and tricks from Annie Leibovitz, cooking advice from Gordon Ramsey, or even a creative writing class from Margaret Atwood (plus so much more).
It works on a monthly or yearly subscription, and she can have access to all the classes. We’re never too old to learn!
Craft Store Gift Card
Is your friend crafty? Why not get her a gift card at a craft store. Sometimes we don’t want to splurge on our hobbies, so this way she can go in and pick what she needs to pursue her crafting.
Classes – Pottery/Candle Making/Painting/Cooking
Check the local class offerings in her area and book classes for something that you know she truly enjoys.
Sports Club Membership
Is she into sports and training? Why not pay for her gym membership for the year for her 50th birthday.
An Adventure/Experience
Sometimes gifts don’t have to be physical things or objects. Online businesses, like Tinggly, offer vouchers that the recipients can exchange for an experience or activity of their choice. There are more than 400 options to choose from and the number is always growing. Tinggly offers activities in more than 100 countries!
Something Travel-Related
So you have a travel-loving birthday girl celebrating her 50th soon? Here are some ideas for the traveling woman on your list.
Weekend Getaway
Who doesn’t enjoy going away for a weekend? It can be a short car ride away or a plane trip to another country. We all need those alone times, but don’t always find the time to do it. This way, if it’s planned out for her, there’s no excuse not to go.
Read WHAT TO WEAR ON A ROAD TRIP – OUTFITS TO INSPIRE YOU.
A Cruise
Cruises are extremely popular, especially as we get older. Now would be a great time to offer the birthday girl a cruise vacation. Why not go with her if you can?
Bucket-List Trip
How well do you know the birthday girl turning 50? Almost everyone has a bucket list of things that they would like to do or accomplish before they… well, kick the bucket. You may be aware of some things on her list and surprising her with one of them for her 50th would be memorable!
Read 9 UNFORGETTABLE TRIPS FOR A 50TH BIRTHDAY.
Luggage
All good travelers love their luggage. Why not get her a brand new set of luggage. Another great traveling accessory that well-seasoned adventurers appreciate is packing cubes.
Read BEST WAY TO USE PACKING CUBES – YOU’LL NEVER TRAVEL WITHOUT THEM AGAIN!
A Celebration with Friends and Family
Big Surprise Party
Throwing a surprise party takes some planning and organizing. But it’s always fun to see the person’s face when they walk in and have no idea that they are getting a surprise party. Look for event planners in your area to help with putting the party together.
Close Friends and Family Picnic/Backyard Lunch
Is your friend quiet and not into big parties? A backyard BBQ or a picnic in a park with friends and family may be exactly what she would love for her 50th.
Fancy Dinner Out
We don’t always like to splurge on expensive meals. But we only turn 50 once, so why not go for it!
Theme Party
Theme parties are a lot of fun. Did she enjoy the 80s? How about a black & white party? Or even a beach party in the middle of winter!
Something Practical
A Domestic Item
Has your friend mentioned that an appliance broke in her kitchen or that she needs something for her home? Maybe her car broke down? Possibly, she can’t afford to replace it at the moment.
For more expensive items, you can pool together with friends and family to make the purchase.
Something Personal and Handmade
Photo Book
Gather photos of her through the years and make a photo book. You can either craft it yourself or send the digital photos to a printing service, like Shutterfly, that can design the book and ship it directly to her on her birthday.
Handmade Drawing/Painting
You can offer something that you made yourself. You can also hire an artist to make a drawing or a painting of her.
Something Soothing
Because we all love to be pampered!
Luxury Night at a Hotel
A luxurious night at a fancy hotel including room service can very well be what your friend needs.
Massage
Gift her a massage if you know she enjoys massages.
Spa Treatment
Spafinder will help her find the best spa in her area.
Something Memorable
Engraved Watch or Jewelry
Check with your local jewelers and engravers to commemorate her big 50 with something that she can cherish forever.
A Life-Changing Book
Books have the power to change your life. Here is a list of inspiring life-changing books:
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Here is a list of 40 inspirational books all women should read in their lifetime.
Technology and Gadgets
Smartwatch
A smartwatch can be a fantastic gift, offering health tracking, notifications, and convenience.
E-Reader
For book lovers, an e-reader like a Kindle is a thoughtful gift that allows them to carry an entire library wherever they go.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
Perfect for relaxing or working in peace, noise-canceling headphones are a luxurious yet practical gift.
Sony WH-1000XM5 The Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones with Auto Noise Canceling Optimizer
Personalized and Unique Gifts
Adding a touch of personalization makes a gift feel extra special.
Custom Jewelry
Engrave a piece of jewelry with her initials, a special date, or a meaningful quote.
Star Naming
Name a star after her with a star-naming kit, which comes with a certificate and a star map.
Personalized Perfume
Some companies offer personalized perfume creation experiences, where she can create her unique scent.
Experiences and Memories
Creating memories can be one of the most cherished gifts.
Photography Session
Gift her a professional photography session to capture beautiful moments and memories.
Concert or Theater Tickets
Tickets to a concert, theater show, or any event she loves can create lasting memories.
Whether it’s something that indulges her hobbies, pampers her, or creates lasting memories, the perfect 50th birthday gift is one that shows you understand and appreciate her unique personality and passions. Remember that the most important aspect of any gift is the love and thoughtfulness behind it.
Something Else (Please Add in the Comments)
One thing is clear. Even if we don’t need gifts from our friends and family, it’s always nice to know that people care! If you know a woman who is turning 50 soon, don’t forget to reach out and tell her how much she means to you!
Did we miss any important gift categories? What do you think are the best 50th birthday gifts for women? What is the best gift that you have ever received? Please join the conversation. Let’s Have a Conversation!
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I loved this!
When my younger brother was seventeen, he got his girlfriend a fancy bra as a birthday gift. After she opened it, she took one look at the bra, rolled her eyes, and then thwack!! She slapped his face and walked off. She interpreted his gift as a not so subtle hint he wanted “more” out of the relationship.
I ended up using the bra since it was my size (34D) as well. lol! Just a quirky story of a brother buying a bra for his sister, though that’s certainly not what he intended.
I should add that I did really like the bra, so I told my brother that his girlfriend probably didn’t like the color of the first bra, and that’s why she reacted so strongly. Therefore, he could make amends by getting her another bra of the same type but with a different color. He could easily see through my not so clever way of obtaining another bra :)
I do admire that young woman’s chutzpah and I’m sure he’ll never forget his first slap from a woman since the circumstances were quite memorable. He said the impact from the slap dislodged his glasses and left them crooked on his face, but he was grateful they did not fly across the room. lol! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that episode.