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need birthday present ideas
my mom turns 65 late this month and my step-dad and I were going to put on a nice, surprise dinner party at their house for her (inviting several old friends). I had already designed some pretty invitations and menu cards and I know that my mom would have loved it. I had also started putting together a video montage of pictures of her, we've been planning this for 2 months
However, my step-dad changed his mind and decided to buy her an iPhone and some concert tickets instead. I am pretty ticked off that he up and changed his mind without even consulting me about it, especially since I have started working on all this stuff. But more than that, while I know my mom will like the concert he got her tickets to and will enjoy the iPhone, it's just not as special as putting the time and effort into throwing a party, IMO. And I can't think of a feasible way to go ahead and do the party on my own. None of her friends live near me and without my stepdad being on board, I can't really do the party at their house on my own...not to mention it would be a lot more than I can commit to spending.
Ugh, okay, maybe this was also a big vent, lol.
Anyway, I can spend around $100-$150 and I'm looking for ideas for something that would be a unique, memorable gift. I've done spa days for her in the past, so I'd like to stay away from those. She's really into flowers, cooking, reading and like home decorating...she also likes shopping and eating at nice restaurants. (and I'm still going to finish the picture/video montage and put it on a dvd for her.) So give me your best ideas, please!
TIA!!
Re: need birthday present ideas
I always like giving "experience' gifts to people. So I am thinking really nice dinner out with you, a garden or home tour combined with afternoon tea, something along those lines.
wtf to your stepdad? i'd be seriously pissed about that change in plans without a discussion first!
i agree about some kind of mother/daughter activities. are your sisters in on this or just you?
or, could you get some of her friends involved and do dinner near her somewhere? perhaps she thinks she's have dinner with friend A but when she gets there, a bunch of her friends & her daughters are there?
yeah, I am really pissed...ugh, I just can't fathom what he was thinking. but when he told me this (last week), he'd already bought the concert tickets and the iPhone, so it was a done deal. grrrr.
and my sisters are both out. one sister just had a baby and both money and time are super tight right now. and my other sister is having some weird cold war with my mom right now that no one can figure out. so I'm on my own here.
the dinner idea is good...but I feel like I'd need to pay for everyone and that can get really pricey. I'll have to think about it.
How about going to one of those websites where you can make a recipe book of either family recipes or her favorite recipes? Pretty sure you can upload photos too usually, so maybe you can mix in some family and/or friend photos?
Are you close enough to your stepfather to say "hey this is really something that I think that she would have enjoyed and I'd still like to do a scaled back version of it at your house" and maybe just do a two hour cocktail party with just some fall sangria or a spiked cider, and a nice cheese and meat tray and some petit fours and chocolates or something? I'm sure that good friends will just be happy to be involved (and if they ask if they can bring something tell them of course! bring a hot dip, or something like that?)
I know where you're coming from on the dinner part. We just had my mom's 70th birthday party here and I did almost everything from apps, dinner, dessert from scratch and even had family bring wine, etc, and it still cost a huge amount more than I thought that it would.
GL! You're super creative, you'll come up with something awesome.
do any of the friends that you planned to invite live near her? would one of them (her BFF?) be willing to host the party or help you host it?
didn't you say in the past that your Mom loves photos of family? how about a gift certificate to a pro photographer to be used once your DS#2 arrives, to include all your sisters' kids and your boys
and maybe a photo frame for the future photo