My sis-in-law which I am very close with, just turned 40... I want to do a really special gift, any suggestions? I would like to make a basket of 40 items... but am at lose of what kind of items I can do without making me broke? What do you all think?! Thanks!!!!
*** I am looking to spend about $50-$75, but up to $100... if that helps any :-) thanks again!!
Go with something that she likes and do 40 of those things, like if she is a coffee fan, 40 different coffees, or chocolate or 40 pairs of earrings or get certificates for $40 to her favorite places.
The dollar tree has wonderful items that you could create a basket for her. Take a hobby or something that she loves very much and create the basket just to her likings for example if she loves to read and write. They have books and pens, and notebooks with notepaper and envelopes. You can get her a pretty class that she could drink something as she is reading. Or you can make her a spa basket, with facial cleanser, body wash, a candle, you can make her some bath salt. The list is endless, I hope this helps.God Bless
2 words... Dollar Store:) You can Google Dollar Tree for your locations, and would be SO surprised when you wander -- that store was MADE for women:)
Hi Cheryl
Honestly, when I turned forty I just wanted to relax. The children were older and I needed to start taking care of myself. A spa day with a friend, you perhaps, would be an amazing present. Or just a massage and nails and pedicure with a glass of champagne and maybe a memento she can keep, a picture frame with herself all done up (and her sis in law). When she is 50 or 60 she can look at that and look in the mirror and say "I haven't changed a bit" and be just as happy with herself then as she is now. Just my take on what someone did for me... PS, maybe a friend or her husband can help toward the cost if it is more than what you want to spend.
The best gift I got for my 40th was something I really wanted but would never spend the money on to buy for myself (it was a Vera Bradley purse set) Is there something you can think of that she would really like that's a name brand? Does she have a small name brand thing and you can get her a bigger one or another one?
are you set on a gift basket with 40 items? that is a lot of things to purchase. well some ideas, you can do a memory book using snapfish.com for her. ask arround family members for photos of her from childhood, 40 photos total, and using snapfish you can add funny comments and such, even add illustrations i believe. it will cost you about 15-20 bucks but really cool memory.
but if you do decide to go with 40 different items, then you could ask family members to chip in and then get more expensive stuff, like a gift for pedicure, movie tix for 2, photo frames (fun ones), candles etc. wow it's a great idea but won't be cheap.
dollar store get soap shampoo conditioner socks underwear flowers etc.
You may want to inventory what kind of things she like. For instance, does she like to send note cards, have a favorite tea or coffee, a favorite perfume. Is she into crafts? How about a gift certificate for her favorite restaurant or beauty saloon. Is she a collector? There are so many things you can put in a nice basket. Each item doesn't have to be expensive. The fact that you are taking the time to choose the different items will delight her..... maybe a favorite book.... Maybe she has complimented you on something in your house. Perhaps you could find her something similar. Do you sew or do crafts? Maybe you could actually make her something nice.... Hope all goes well! Happy 40th to your special friend...
I would try to make a list of things that you know she likes even small things that she has only mentioned casually.To lessen the cost, you could do some things like a notepad with her favorite flower on it instead of the actual flowers (depending on what she likes, flowers can be really expensive), a $5 gift card for her favorite coffee shop, a bottle of nail polish in a color she loves, a small framed picture of fun time you've shared... stuff like that. I'm sure she would appreciate all of the thought you put into it and it would be a great gift even if it isn't a total of 40 items. Another idea is to treat her to a facial and a pedicure at a local spa. I don't know any woman that wouldn't love a little pampering. :)
How about a brag book with 4o pictures in it? Go get a cheap book at a Dollar store or maybe even Wal-Mart, then get 40 pics of you and her or even start with her as a little girl...........
If you are good on the computer, you could do a powerpoint presentation and put it on a CD and give that to her.....you could include pics in it too.....and that would give you room to talk about the pictures. If you are good at scrapping, you could do a scrapbook.
Or get her a bracelet with 40 charms on it. They don't have to be expensive, if you can find ones she likes at places.........
If you want to do the basket thing, go to Big Lots, Family Dollar, Dollar General or any Party shop and scout out what you can find that she might like.
Good Luck and take care.
I don't how important the basket idea is, but I think the memory book is a great idea! I am making them for my husband's and Mom's birthdays, because scrapbooking isn't my thing. For the one for my husband, I made a worksheet for close friends and family to record their favorite funny stories, three words to describe him, how they know him, etc. I then asked them to write a note to him on a piece of cardstock. I scanned the notes in on my computer, and I used that as the centerpiece for each person's page. Then, I surrounded that with scanned in photos they sent and the funny stories they sent that I typed in. The apple store makes a hardback book for a really good price, and I got a Groupon coupon for some other place in my area that does them. My Mom's is more a memory book of her life from birth until now. It has been a lot of fun to make, since I got to hear a lot of funny stories from my grandmother about my Mom when she was little., and this might be the way to go if you are crunched for time.
I also like the idea of a charm bracelet if you think she would be into that. If she likes to be pampered, you could do a "40 hour vacation" and take her to lunch, for a massage and a mani/pedi, etc. over the course of two days. (If you have any of those Massage Envy places near you, they will do an hour massage for $40.)
For my Mom's 40th a while back, we each brought 40 of something that reminded us of her. One person brought 40 packs of peanut M&Ms, I found 40 one dollar bills from her birth year, someone else completed 40 volunteer hours in her honor, there were 40 terrible jokes, 40 fire/ice roses from my stepdad, etc. It was cool to see how creative people were and what reminded them of my mother.
Hope some of these ideas are helpful!
