Great Gift Ideas for the over 50s Kendal

Buying a gift for someone who is over 50 means making an effort, using your imagination, and starting your planning well in advance. In fact, all the things you should be doing when buying a gift for anyone at any age!

Following these few tips will ensure that you find a gift which is original and appropriate and will be welcomed and treasured whatever the occasion:


• Avoid the obvious. By the time someone is over 50 they will have a number of long-standing interests and hobbies, whether playing golf or collecting old Rolling Stones albums. It’s all too easy to assume that buying a gift connected with this may be a wonderful solution.

Wrong. They may in fact already have everything they want/need, you may not have the required level of specialist knowledge to buy them something appropriate, or they may be feeling somewhat bored with the activity themselves. So unless they’ve mentioned that there is something specific connected with their hobby that they really would like (and if so make sure you get the details absolutely right) steer clear.

• Don’t buy them what they’ve already got. You may think that because someone’s hairdryer, shaver, toaster or whatever is a few years old that they would love a brand spanking new one as a present. Once again, unless they’ve mentioned that they would, don’t buy one. They probably like what they’ve already got and would have bought a replacement themselves if they thought they needed it, or wanted one.

• Ask for ideas. Don’t think you have to be wildly original. Most over 50s hate waste and know what they like, so asking them in a general fashion what they might like as a present, well in advance of the event, might get them to think about it and give you some ideas.

• Think activities rather than objects. Buying tickets for an event or organising a shared activity can be a fantastic present for an over 50, particularly if it’s something a bit different that they haven’t done before, or something they’ve indicated they’ve always wanted to do. There are numerous sites on the internet where you can buy vouchers for gift experiences, or put together something yourself e.g. concert tickets, a weekend away….

• How about a service or specialist interest? Depending on the recipient, pre-paying for a service – either one-off or a series – can be a great gift. Think manicure, massage, car wash, dance lesson. Or maybe sign them up to a period of monthly deliveries of chocolate, coffee, pâté, cake, etc. – all of which can be arranged through appropriate specialist internet suppliers.

• Buy together. Finally, don’t overlook the advantages of getting together with one or more other people to buy a joint gift. It may enable you to buy something better and more expensive that you know the recipient will really, really love - and the other people will love you for coming up with a great suggestion.

Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.