80th Birthday, present & party ideas (merged)

lynnemcf

Although you might want the pressie to be a surprise, I suggest you start by asking your Gran if there is anything she might particularly like. My dad (who is 80 next year) surprised me by asking for a CD player and CDs of the old time singers. There might be somewhere she would like to visit or something she has always wanted to try.

kipper_2-2

Don't know where abouts you are based, but for my grandad's 80th we took him on the London Eye.... he was absolutely thrilled!!!

We held a surprise dinner for him at a restaurant in the evening with his closest relatives

margaretclare

Don't assume that *all* older people want to know about 'the war' (meaning WWII). Some do, but not all. You'll know by the way Gran talks. Some people of my age-group (born 1935) and older, can't resist mentioning WWII in every conversation. Others do not, and wouldn't thank you for old war films.

Mention of the London Eye made me think - yes, what a great idea. What I'd like myself is a weekend break in London taking in a West End theatre, a trip on the river, a tour on top of a sightseeing bus, and of course, the London Eye. Wonderful!

Many people of age 80-ish do not want 'things'. They want memories - things they'd always wanted to do but never had the time, money or opportunity before.

How about going to Paris via Eurostar?

Aunty Margaret

Robert_Sterling_3

For a maiden aunts 90th birthday we organised a surprise party for the family and friends at a local hotel.
We have a video of the event.

Maisie

I did post last night while MSE was having problems but can't see my post here.

How about a day trip on the Orient Express? The train goes all over Britain and it's great fun with a champagne lunch and afternoon tea with cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches etc. The carriages are 1930's style and inlaid with beautiful woods.

This was my birthday treat one year and it was such a great day. One to remember.

Have fun whatever you do.

Jay-Jay_4

Blimey! I can't wait until I'm 80 if I've got all this to look forward too :j (only 50 years to go!!!)


We had a surpise party for my Nan's 80th which she loved. If I could do it all over again I would have taken some of her old photos mounted on cards for folks to pass around. Her old work colleagues were there and some photos would have brought back shared memories that would otherwise be forgotten. One of the loveliest moments was everyone singing happy birthday as she stood by her cake beaming The video of that night is priceless to us since she recently passed away.

On birthdays I always gave my Nan a framed up-to-date collection of photos of my family which she loved.

Hope your Gran is really happy on her birthday Becles. I'm sure that knowing she has such a caring grandaughter means more to her than all the gifts in the world. x x

Ellie2758

kdee wrote:

It's my dad's tomorrow!

I bought him a dvd player (which he never would have bought in a million years :lol) and The World At War" collection (£70 worth of stuff about the war.)
On a similar note, why not a load of black and white classics, or romantic movies or musicals. ?

It's my Dad's 80th next month. I wanted to get him a DVD player and a load of Gilbert and Sullivan DVDs, but my bro informs me that there is only one scart socket on my dad's tv and he doesnt think he will be bothered to change it over so it wont get used. I dunno. Anyway, can your Dad manage to use the DVD player Kdee? I have trouble with ours, goodness knows what an octogenarian would make of it.

Ellie

scroogey

Ellie2758 wrote:

my bro informs me that there is only one scart socket on my dad's tv and he doesnt think he will be bothered to change it over so it wont get used.
Ellie

Just get a multi scart adapter, that's what I use. they are only a few pound, for example
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=rts&page=title&r=ELEC&title=172089
you could probably find it cheaper.

As for the 80th birthday present, how about a painting of one of your aunts favourite places? For my mum and dad's sliver anniversery I got them a picture of Hemsley in yorkshire, which is one of their favourite places to go when they are on holiday.
Or for my OH's grans birthday we got her one of those books that's just full of old pictures of certain areas, I think the one we got her was called something like remembering tyneside or something like that and we spent a lovely day with her reminising about when she was younger and various places in the book. I was facisinated by her stories and liked the book so much I ended up gettting a copy for myself!

kiwichick

Hiya,

It was my great nans 90th recently. She livesin NZ and doesnt get to see us so I made her up a really lovely album of photos of us and the kids. I also had pictures that the kids had drawn.

We decorated it with ribbon and nice coloured card, pressed flowers etc. I hadplanned it in advance so also got familyin NZ to send loadsofoldfamily snaps top addfor her along with their own captions aboutthe day and what it meant to them. She loved it.

I know its different as your nan sounds local to you but it might be something to give thought to?

Whatever you decide on, I am sure she will love the celebration.
Al.

Becles

scroogey wrote:

Or for my OH's grans birthday we got her one of those books that's just full of old pictures of certain areas, I think the one we got her was called something like remembering tyneside

I bought my Grandpa a similar book about Houghton-le-Spring. He was looking through the pictures with me and there was a class of primary children having their school photo taken. He said it looked familiar then realised he was in the picture as it was his class