The Ultimate Milestone Birthday Gift Guide
Cue the confetti! Milestone birthdays are a BIG deal. Whether it’s a Sweet 16, Nifty 50, or other milestone birthday, these occasions are important and should be celebrated with a meaningful and thoughtful gift. Read on for a wide range of gift ideas the birthday honoree is sure to love.
Gifts for Any Milestone Birthday
Check out the gifts below that are perfect for a birthday honoree, no matter what their age.
Time spent with loved ones is the most precious birthday gift you can give. With this in mind, gather friends and family to celebrate your special someone’s milestone birthday. Whether it’s an intimate dinner party or a full-blown bash with a live band, send online birthday invitations to share important event details and easily manage RSVPs.
For a truly special and one-of-a-kind gift, create a Happy Birthday video from the honoree’s family and friends. Ask participants to record well wishes then combine the birthday video messages to create an unforgettable group video gift. Once you customize the video with background colors, music, and a message, send the birthday VIP a link to the final video, or – if you’re hosting a party – play the video on a big screen for everyone to enjoy! Check out the video below for inspiration.
16th Birthday Gift Ideas
At this age, teens are able to get a job and driver’s license, which marks a significant step towards adulthood. Check out these ideas to help celebrate this important milestone birthday.
- Scavenger Hunt Surprise: Plan a city- or town-wide scavenger hunt with clues that lead to different locations the recipient has frequented over the years, with the last clue leading to a small present or gift card. The birthday boy or girl will love to see and reminisce about their favorite local spots and hunt down their gift!
- Personalized Jewelry: Customize a watch, necklace, bracelet, or cuff links with the recipient’s birthstone or initials. Quality, personalized jewelry is one of the best ways to create a sentimental keepsake.
- Tech-Friendly Wallet: Get them a wallet that uses Radio Frequency Identification technology to store their new driver’s license in and keep credit card information safe. Add a bluetooth tracking device to ensure their IDs and cash are never misplaced!
21st Birthday Gift Ideas
Whether they’re finishing up college or working full-time, twenty-one-year-olds are independent, but still appreciate a little TLC on their big day. Make them feel special with these gift ideas.
- Weekend Getaway: Students and those just starting their careers might not have a ton of cash to spend on a special trip. Spoil them with a weekend away so they can relax, have fun, and make memories.
- Personalized Champagne: Create a custom label or engraving design on a bottle of bubbly so the recipient can toast with friends then proudly display the bottle in their home.
- Subscription Box: Surprise a 21-year-old with a monthly subscription box that’s delivered right to their front door and aligns with their interests. Clothing, snacks, beauty, or gaming boxes are all good choices for this age group.
30th Birthday Gift Ideas
The third decade of life is often a time when one has a steady job or established career, and perhaps a family of their own. Read on for gift ideas that are perfect for this age group.
- Concert or Sports Tickets: Look into when your loved one’s favorite team or band is playing and surprise them with tickets. This gift might take some calendar coordination, but will be well worth the effort when you get to enjoy an awesome performance together.
- Monogrammed Gifts: Golf clubs, silk pajamas, nice luggage, a luxurious bathrobe. All of these items can be customized with the honoree’s name or initials and make for a very personalized gift that the recipient likely wouldn’t splurge on themselves.
- 30 To-Dos: Create a list of 30 fun things for them to see or do locally and from the comfort of their own home. Try that new sushi place, hike a historic trail, or watch that classic movie they’ve never seen. Anything goes, as long as you help them complete the list before they turn 31!
40th Birthday Gift Ideas
A fortieth birthday is the perfect time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Help them make the most of this monumental year with these gift ideas.
- Adventure Experience: Start their fourth decade off with a bang! Give the gift of adventure and create lasting memories with a bungee jump, hot-air balloon ride, or surf lesson. No matter what experience you choose, the recipient is sure to have an exciting time.
- Custom Portrait Art: Turn a cherished photo into a beautiful watercolor, vibrant pop art, or bold acrylic piece. Artistic custom portraits are the perfect way for the birthday honoree to capture and showcase a favorite memory.
- Life Story Scrapbook. Recruit family and friends to send you their favorite photos of the birthday VIP and put together a scrapbook of his or her first 40 years. Incorporate small mementos and captions to make the gift extra special.
50th Birthday Gift Ideas
This birthday is often referred to as the Golden Jubilee, a significant milestone that should be celebrated with joy and enthusiasm. Check out these 50th birthday gift ideas for inspiration.
- Photo Wine Glasses: Commemorate this special birthday with a wine glass featuring a custom-engraved photo. Whether it’s a funny picture or a heartwarming one, immortalize the moment on a wine glass that can also be customized with text. Pair this gift with a good bottle of wine so you can toast to the birthday honoree together.
- Nostalgic Candy Box: Take the birthday honoree back to their childhood with sweet treats from way back when. Browse nostalgic candy boxes online and enter your loved one’s birth year for a customized box of goodies that were popular that decade. It’s a fun and delicious way for them to reminisce!
- Sports Car Rental: For gearheads or those that simply appreciate the finer things in life, a day driving a luxury sports car is the ultimate gift. Whether it’s a Lamborghini, Porsche, or Ferrari, let your special someone cruise the open road in style on their big day.
60th Birthday Gift Ideas
With over half a century under their belt, these birthday VIPs have seen it all when it comes to gifts. Help them mark the start of their golden years with these unique and memorable gift ideas.
- Heritage Trip: Let the birthday honoree explore the land of their roots. Plan a trip to a destination connected to their cultural heritage so they can learn more about their family’s origins, local customs, food, and more.
- Custom Star Map: To mark someone’s 60th journey around the sun, gift a gorgeous map of the night sky that captures the exact alignment of the stars on the date and location of their birth. It’s a sweet and touching way to acknowledge and celebrate the very beginning of a loved one’s life.
- Musical Memory Frame: Celebrate a 60th birthday with a musical photo frame that plays a song of your choosing. Once you pick a frame, upload a photo and add the Spotify code to a beloved tune that your loved one can listen to anytime they scan the code.
70th Birthday Gift Ideas
Septuagenarians are likely to be retired at this stage in life, which means they’ll have more time to spend with loved ones and enjoy favorite hobbies or explore new ones. Keep this in mind when brainstorming gift ideas!
- Workshop or Class: It’s never too late to learn new things. Treat someone special to a lesson in pottery throwing, soap making, salsa dancing, or anything else that might tickle their fancy. Remember: 1) There are plenty of classes taught online if you can’t find something local, and 2) the recipient will probably have more fun if you join them!
- Personalized Puzzle Keepsake: A jigsaw puzzle that features a favorite photo of the honoree and special birthday message is the perfect way to commemorate a 70th birthday. Not only will the recipient enjoy putting it together, but the finished product can be glued, framed, and displayed proudly in their home.
- Michelin-Star Dining: Dinner at a swanky, top-rated restaurant is sure to thrill anyone, foodie or not. The birthday VIP will no doubt appreciate the innovative dishes, quality ingredients, ritzy atmosphere, and unparalleled service that only the very finest restaurants can provide.
80th & Beyond Birthday Gift Ideas
Those in their eighth, ninth, or tenth decade have traveled far in this journey called life and deserve special recognition on their birthday. Check out these ideas for inspiration.
- Personal Chef: Treat the birthday VIP to a gourmet dinner party. Book a personal chef and work with them to prepare the menu and accommodate any dietary restrictions your guests might have. The best part about this gift? An incredible meal served to the birthday VIP and their friends without any of the grocery shopping, mess, or dirty dishes.
- International Wine Club: Give the honoree a taste of faraway places from the comfort of their own home with wines from around the world. Gift a membership to an international wine club so that expertly curated Chardonnays, Cabernets, and Pinot Noirs can be delivered right to a loved one’s front door.
- Five-Star Hotel Stay: Indulge your special someone with a relaxing getaway to a high-end hotel. Let them unwind in lavish accommodations that provide outstanding service, upscale dining, and luxurious spa treatments for a truly memorable gift.
Remember, it’s the thought that counts. Regardless of what gift you give, it’s the intention behind the gesture that matters. When this special person and their milestone come to mind, think about what would be really meaningful for them and you can’t go wrong!
