50th Birthday Gift Ideas

Although turning fifty is still a milestone, these days it's no longer about getting into the "senior citizen" bracket, as it used to be even as recently as a decade ago. The 50 year olds of today are healthy, with-it, and full of joie de vivre. Hence, you need to keep this in mind while selecting 50th birthday gifts.

Convenient, compact, and portable are the buzzwords for the ideal 50th birthday gifts. Spiking it up with a sprinkling of nostalgia will give you the perfect 50th gift ideas. Think videos, music, and photos – all very popular in any age group. An iPod loaded with the Beatles' numbers, or Elvis Presley songs, and other musical greats of the 60s' era would make a great 50th birthday gift.

Or, how about any of the smart, function-rich, trendy cellphones in the market today? If you don't want to go over your budget, there are stylish cellphones that are easy on your pocket, like the Samsung flip or the Motorola Razr. Or, if budget is not a consideration, why not splurge on the ultimate in cellphones, to date – the BlackBerry or an iPhone? Plus, there are whole ranges of cellphone accessories that you can give, if the person you are thinking about gifting to already has a phone, like a bluetooth headset, memory card, phone holders, cellphone handsfrees, and so on.

Activity and fitness are usually high on the list of people in their fifties today. Go to any gym in your area, and you will find fifty year olds sweating it out and even keeping pace with people much younger than them. This is because the fifty year olds these days know the importance of staying healthy and keeping fit in order to preserve their youthful looks and energy levels well into the future. Hence, fitness tools that help to firm, tone, and keep the body young and beautiful will be appreciated by anybody who is into health and fitness. There are plenty compact exercise equipment that can make great 50th birthday gifts, such as exercise chairs, pedal exercisers, exercise balls, resistance bands, aquatic exercise equipment, and even portable home gyms.

If you have something more traditional in mind, especially if it's your spouse's 50th birthday, why not give a photo album filled with pictures of the special moments shared together through the years, which you have captured on film? It will help you both to relive those cherished moments together and strengthen the bonds you share with each other.

Since 50 years is considered a golden jubilee, gifting something made of gold can be a part of the jubilation. For example, how about gifting a gold bracelet, or a ring, or a pendant? You can personalize these with a special message or the name of the person you are gifting it to. These gold items come in various designs, and can also be embellished with beautifully crafted precious stones.

Or you could pamper them with a spa break meant for two at a luxurious spa resort with full use of all the facilities and top-notch treatments. Or maybe you could gift them a holiday to some exotic destination, where they can experience the sun, sea and sand, and all the seaside activities these holiday resorts usually have, like scuba diving, water-skiing, fishing, shopping, fine dining - the works! Or perhaps a mountain resort, if skiing is their passion. Or, why not just a weekend stay at a 5 Star deluxe hotel?

Gag gifts can be a great way to make turning fifty full of laughter and fun. However, when you shop for these gifts, make sure that they don't hurt the feelings of the recipient. Hence, look for fun-filled, lighthearted gifts like humorous stickers, embarrassing pictures framed in wacky frames, quilts with funny characters or quotes on them, funny key chains, card cases, table lamps, pen holders, and paperweights, silly hats or towels, and T-shirts with outrageous one-liners – any of these can bring on a smile and a big hug.

As is quite evident, there is no dearth of memorable and unique 50th birthday gift ideas. After you buy the gift you could even plan a 50th birthday party to top it off.