<p>Help! A friend is turning 50 in a couple of days. A good friend. She’s not into any girly stuff (no jewelry, no watches). Doesn’t drink. Not very sentimental. She’s an exercise fanatic (a runner). Loves chocolate.</p>
<p>Any ideas for a special gift? I’d like to get something that she could use, but nothing overly sentimental/mushy…</p>
<p>Gift certificate to the local running store? Taped on top a box of truffles?</p>
<p>approx budget?</p>
<p>My best friend gave me a magnifying make-up mirror for my 50th. </p>
<p>My husband got a miniature decoy for his 50th(an old coot).</p>
<p>Oh, yes, she is still my favorite.</p>
<p>I’ve done two things that were fun.</p>
<p>For one very good friend, I got 50 gifts. Most were very small…but the 50th was something she really wanted and liked. Total cost $100.</p>
<p>The other thing I did was get a friend $50 worth of gifts. Again…wrapped nicely. The funny thing on that one is that I actually spent a little under $50 so I put the change in a bag and wrapped that up too. You could do that with chocolates…$50 worth of different kinds of chocolates.</p>
<p>If she’s a runner I might give her a gift certificate to a nice spa to get a pedicure. If you are afraid she won’t go you might make it a girlfriend event and go with her. You could package this with some really nice chocolates, foot lotion, and cozy socks.</p>
<p>go ahead and splurge on the best chocolate in the world: [url=<a href=“http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/fr/index.php#/home]La”>http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/fr/index.php#/home]La</a> Maison du Chocolat - Cr</p>
<p>For my recent birthday a friend took me to the “foot spa” one of those new reflexology places where for $25 each we got one hour of total body (through the clothes) massage including our feet soaked in a tub. It was delightful and memorable. Not like a real massage, but very nice all over, so might be a good thing for an avid exerciser.</p>
<p>I had friends take me to lunch on my 50th birthday. I enjoyed both the lunch & their company.</p>
<p>An AARP membership? :)</p>
<p>Though not on the actual day, my college friend and I spent a weekend together in Clearwater. She lives in St. Pete, and I wanted a “getaway weekend”, and really didn’t expect her to tag along with me. We had the best time. As we were both marine biology majors, we did stuff from our youth, like visit aquariums and marine research centers and bird sanctuaries. Though our old bodies suffered from it, it was great to relive our youth and remember the dreams we had as young girls, before we became wives and mothers.</p>
<p>And for mine? Take me horseback riding.</p>
<p>I’d go with the pampering /massage idea.</p>
<p>For the last several years my W and her close girlfriend have gven each other a night at a casino that is within a few hours drive. They leave the husbands at home for the two days and overnight. </p>
<p>I have heard of room service and spa treatments.</p>
<p>For my 50th I took two friends to a casino. Spa, dinner and overnight stay. No gambling. We had a great time.</p>
<p>W just called. She and her girlfriend are both up $200.</p>
<p>Time to come home…</p>
<p>She’s back. Ultimate outcome? Stories to tell me. An invaluable gift in a long-term relationship. </p>
<p>Net of $71 (including all costs and gambling stake). She said she’s buying dinner tonight.</p>
<p>Win-win for you, 07DAD.</p>
<p>Yes, win-win for you 07Dad.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the ideas. This friend is particularly difficult to buy for - she would not have appreciated a spa/massage or a casino trip. I should pass on those ideas to my friends when it is my turn :)</p>
<p>Boring - but I ended up getting her a box of her favorite kind of chocolates and a gift card. I painted myself into a corner, leaving this to the very last minute :(</p>