Parents 50Th Anniversary Gift Idea

What about a trip or a weekend somewhere quaint. I don't know if they'd be up for that, but it could be fun and a it's a nice special thing that they can do for themselves.

When my parents had their 50th, I got a memory book from a company called Exposures - you mail out the individual pages to family and friends, and ask them each to complete a page entitled "Remember When..." They send the pages back to you and you put them all together in a bound book. There is room on each page for people to include photos, clippings, etc. I don't know if you would have time to do this, but it's a great idea. When my parents opened it and read all the wonderful tributes, they were so thrilled. Now that they are both gone, I look through it from time to time and really cherish it. Hope this helps!

How awesome!
I love hearing about people who can stay married so long.
I have to say, it makes me sad that it's a milestone I will never have the privelege of meeting in my own life. Unless I get married tomorrow and live to be 98.
Nobody knows your grandparents as well as you and their own children do.
Do they love to travel?
Do you have anyone in the family who can put together a memory montage on a disc?
My step son did one for his brother's wedding and let me tell you, it is so beautiful. It has music in the background and photos of the couple from the time they were babies, etc. That was his wedding gift to them. He did it so wonderfully, it makes me want to cry just telling you about it.
If you have a gathering, maybe you can find a way to show something like that for everyone who attends.
Maybe each of you can write a note or letter to them and have photos of you with them in a big frame.
I hope you get some great ideas. 50 is so special.

I don't even know them and I think they rock!

Very best wishes!

You can get a commendation certificate from the White House and your State Rep. They are really lovely. And, they're free!
Ask them what they want. The parents of friends of ours only wanted to have a dinner with everyone... They wanted to enjoy the grandchildren and all the members of the family. They didn't want a big to do... just a simple picnic that was relaxed and fun for all.
LBC

when my grandparents had their 50th, my dad and his brothers and sisters went together and bought them a really nice mattress set. The one they had before was so old there were two people size dents in it from where they'd slept for so many years. Maybe there's something that they could use but wouldn't necessarily buy themselves.

I gave my parents a watercolor of their home for their 50th. They loved it!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

For my parents 40th, we three kids gave them a surprise party and a book of collected memories. Luckily enough I was getting married that year and told my parents I needed a copy of their address book so I could let people know and invite some....

then my sister and I set out on a mission - we would have conversations with our parents at different times asking for different people's names that weren't in the book.....or something else - blah - blah - blah! (SMILES!). I used People Search to find people that I remembered their names and didn't have their addresses....

We sent out a ton of letters - requesting a memory, picture, something of a time they spent with our parents in their lifetime - we got a WONDERFUL turn out - I had my mom write a memory of my dad - we planned this as their birthdays are one month apart...and it was hard to get them to do - but we did it - theirs were in the very front of the album...the album is maybe 4" thick - i put all the responses in alphabetical order with the letters and/or pictures...at the party - the people who were able to make it - read their memories to my parents...it was very touching.

For their 50th - we had a party at their home - we paid a caterer to come in - their neighbors got together and bought them a balloon ride. The invite for this party had a picture of them on their wedding day and a current picture of them in a gold and black frame - it was LOVELY!!!

I have a box of set of eight glasses with gold lettering and the rims are gold, 8X10 porcelin frames, several vases, something that looks like a medium sized soup bowl with lid...just a bunch of neat stuff....all is really pretty and not cheap..all has 50th anniversary written on it in gold. I am in Newport News if you wanna stop by and pick it up....you are welcome to it, never could find anyone that was having a 50th anniversary!!! I think this stuff would add to the party, they deserve it for 50 years! Let me know!

We had a 50th anniversary for my parents and we were equally stumped as to what to get them. We ended up asking all the kids, grandkids, their sisters/brothers for memories of my parents. We collected them and then I put them together in a book for them. We also then put out note cards at the party we through for them and asked guests to note down their memories. My parents loved the memories and truly cherished them. The family and guests also had a great time remembering...

I've been to two of these...both were low key. At the request of the kids, the first one everyone from siblings, offspring, cousins, etc. told a favorite story about them and provided photos. and then a slide show was compiled.

The other one everyone just got together and celebrated at a local restaurant - courtesy of their sons. Some people told stories of them, but was not very formal.

When my parents celebrated their 50th they didn't want anything big - just family. We just had a cookout for the family. For our gift, once again, they didn't want (or really need) anything. So.... we "stole" their old reels of home movies, watched them to put them in chronological order, and then had them put on VHS. That was the best at the time, but of course now, you could have them put on DVD. They loved that they could watch them any time they felt like it without getting out the screen and projector, plus, they were preserved for the future and we all could get copies.

My friend's husband recently contacted all of her friends secretly via her email contacts/facebook friends to help make her 40th memorable. He asked us to call in a memory/birthday greeting. Not sure if it's through facebook, but it's called a 'voicequilt'. I loved this idea. We responded by a certain date, then all messages were put together for her. Not sure of results but the idea is great for memories. I checked it out on facebook before I called in my memory!

A memory book with contributions by all the relatives and friends? A cruise (or some other trip they would enjoy)? Fifty gold dollars? It's a golden anniversary, after all.

Give them an adventure! A trip or a Honeymoon.. Or a family trip.. Ask them if they have been saving up for something.. I

liked the mattress idea. even a new TV.. not glamorous, but if they watch a lot of TV.. they will love a new flat screen.
New den furniture..

A screened in deck or porch with BBQ pit. , speakers and a sound system. if they entertain. A raised garden, so they stay active, but do not have to bend over to work in it..
New Garden Furniture, Green house..

I do Estate Sales and all of the things like frames, memory books are great. But I have not once had families that kept these items from their parents anniversaries. I notice they do keep the VHS and DVDs that are personalized..

Just FYI..

We all chipped in and got my grandparents a grandfather clock. 50th is the golden anniversary, so anything with gold works :)