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It’s amongst the most anticipated, and subsequently terrifying years to celebrate a birthday: the big five-oh.
By 50, most people have developed a strong taste for likes and dislikes, picked up some pretty specific hobbies, and developed a personal style that could make shopping for them a bit more difficult — or perhaps easier.
With the right ideas to consider, searching for a gift for someone who has been around for half a century shouldn’t be an arduous task. In light of this momentous milestone, the shopping team has hand-selected some of our top birthdays gifting ideas for every type of 50-year-old.
We’ve included everything from whiskey tasting sets and wine glasses for those who need to unwind, to a record player for someone who enjoys listening, and some personal care items to keep everyone looking and feeling their best. There’s truly a gift for everyone — no matter your budget or criteria. Take a look at some of our top finds from Amazon, Bloomingdales, West Elm and more top retailers.
And, for more shopping needs, be sure to check out our top gift ideas for women, men, and kids. For those with foodie friends, check out this roundup on the tastiest treats. Or, if your loved one loves to curl up on the couch, head to our edit of the coziest gifts. Finally, for those who are obsessed with the outdoors, consider shopping our camping gift guide.
The candle is a classic unfussy gift for anyone in your life, but this sweet-smelling “you still look twenty-one” accent peice truly brings the witty charm that every 50-year-old-to-be needs to get through their big day. Available in seven scents, including fresh linen, balsam and lavender.
For those who appreciate their downtime, the Gripper Slipper is about to become their next best friend. These soft slide-on shoes have an ultra-warm brushed lining, and special grips on the outside designed to help prevent slips (key to avoiding future knee or hip surgery!), plus they come with a separate travel bag for easy packing.
As one gets older and wiser, they tend to appreciate looking back on memories. For a more sentimental, heat-warming gift opt for a beautiful custom photo book. Shutterfly offers a range of options so you can bring your vision to life. Simply choose from professional layouts and add text and embellishments, tweak or change fonts and colors.
For more experienced whiskey-sipping affectionados, drinking accessories are a must. This personalizable whiskey decanter set will be a long-lasting keepsake. Reviewers have said that recipients were more than satisfied. One shopper who purchased it as a gift wrote, “He was floored. He loved it. It is engraved so beautifully and the set is the best that I have seen.”
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must upgrade their skincare game. This moisturizer contains retinol which boosts the skin’s renewal process and removes dull, old skin cells while aiding in the growth of new skin cells for a refreshed appearance. The eye cream formula includes Vitamin E to help reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and under-eye bags.
While the title is a tad cryptic, this coffee table book does really put life into perspective. Travel planning is just around the corner for anyone counting down the days (or years) until retirement, and this book will come in handy. “1000 Places to See Before You Die” tells you where to go and how to get there.
The belt bag is truly the bag for anyone; it’s unisex, ageless, and comes in a variety of colors to suit different styles. We particularly recommend it for this specific birthday, because there comes a time in everyone’s life when you need to wear your belongings on your waist to remember where they are. Convenience, convenience, convenience.
You may be tempted to gift a wine lover turning 50 with their favorite bottle of wine. While this is certainly a much-appreciated gift, it can also lack some originality. If you’re looking for another angle, consider giving them with this chic brass wine rack that holds up to six bottles of vino.
By age 50, most fishermen and women already have all the essential pieces of equipment: rods, line, tackle, waiters, etc. That’s why we picked the fishing rod case — something that is probably not already in their toolkit, but will surely come in handy when it comes time to carry everything down to the dock or boat.
If you’re looking to bring a smile to their face, look no further. This ridiculous oversized birthday card is the perfect gift for a birthday as big of a deal as this one. Pro tip: have all birthday attendees add their message to the card. There is plenty of room for paragraphs!
The truth is that most 50-year-olds already have collected a plethora of material things, but food never fails to please as a gift. Goldbelly offers an array of unique finds from the best vendors across the world. For meat lovers, we recommend these Olympia Provisions sausages. The Sampler Pack includes four salamis.
For the man who practically lives on the golf course, you can’t go wrong with a simple polo shirt. The slim-fitting tea is designed with minimal seams to reduce chafe. Choose from a few different shades like soft denim, true navy, and sport red.
Take it from one of the reviews: “Beyond its comedic value, this beer glass makes for a unique and memorable keepsake. It’s not just a drinking vessel; it’s a conversation starter and a reminder that age is just a number, meant to be celebrated with laughter and good company.”
Is is true that our ears become pickier as we age? Either way — for someone who loves vinyl, this is one of the best gifts they could receive. With the right speakers, space, and audio system, the sound produced by a turntable should create a more natural, surround-sound quality that elevates one’s music-listening experience.
Of course, there are physical elements of aging we can’t avoid: sore muscles, achy joints and reduced blood circulation. Fortunately, some tools can help anyone entering the 50-club feel a bit better. This deep-tissue massage gun is one of them. It features 10 different massage heads, each of which is aimed at different muscles.
As we get older, a good night’s sleep just becomes that much more important. If you’re going to splurge on pajamas as a present, let them be from Cozy Earth. Their sleepwear is not only fashionable but also exceptionally lightweight and made out of bamboo-based viscose, which helps regulate the body’s temperature and avoid night sweats.
It’s time for a toast! Hosting a casual happy hour is a favorite activity for those 50 and up. This vintage wine glass is not only beautiful — but will also serve them well. The glass holds 16-ounces of wine and comes with an elegant gift box. For just $19.99, this set makes a great budget-friendly gift option.
Spa visits and invasive skincare treatments can wrack up a big bill, but this Kardashian-approved skincare tool could provide lasting results for just a fraction of the cost. The at-home microdermabrasion device uses TruTier technology to combine variable vacuum suction and tri-speed capabilities for tighter, smoother skin and fewer wrinkles.
For the home chef, consider this delicious, Tuscan-style ravioli-making kit. We love that this set not only includes fresh ingredients (authentic Italian “00” flour and signature Genovese Pesto Sauce), but also comes with a 12-piece ravioli mold and beechwood rolling pin for all future kitchen experiments and cooking nights.
When in doubt, go with someone everyone loves: chocolate. Vosges Haut-Chocolat Dark Chocolate Truffle Collection is a best-selling gift. The 16-piece collection merges truffles from their Exotic, Italian, Groove, and Aztec Collection. Truffles range from 62% to 75% cacao (a good baseline for most dark chocolate lovers).
We love the Love Knot Bag. It seems that as we get older, our bags get bigger — the more items we collect over time, the more important it becomes to have a larger tote on hand to throw everything into. This casual slouchy bag makes a lovely gift to anyone ready to graduate to a big bag.
If you know a 50-year-old with a green thumb, there’s a good chance they already have a particular taste when it comes to picking their favorite bouquet. If you want a safer option for the flower fan, consider gifting them with a lovely vase. Kosta Boda offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making them perfect for standalone centerpieces or grouping.
Once you reach 50, a skincare routine can get a bit more complicated. There are just so many products to remember — serum, moisturizer, under-eye cream, night cream, lip care, primer, overnight masks and treatment salves for after-sun care. That’s why we recommend Le Balm, an 8-in-1 solution that targets visible aging and enhances elasticity. Some reviewers say it’s the only product they use.
Consider this the staple coming-of-age gift. Everything from UGG just makes us want to curl up on the couch — this robe included. Per the website, “it feels like wrapping yourself in a blanket,” and between the double knit fleece and shawl collar, we believe them.
Oprah selected one of these fabulous spreads from Boarderie on her coveted ‘Favorite Things’ List in 2022, and we think it would make an excellent gift for anyone who loves snacking. Try a bit of everything — from rosemary crackers to truffle salami, figs and merlot pecorino. Servings range from two to nine.
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