Help please - 50th birthday ideas (male)

flowerofthewest

My brother is VERY difficult to buy for and he is going to be 50 in April :beer: .
I've been thinking of putting together a 50th hamper with things dated 1959 (I've seen sixpences for sale on ebay very cheaply), I'm also going to put in some homemade stuff he likes.
Anybody got any other idea?
Thanks for reading

gettingthereslowly

How about adding a nice picture of you both (and other family members possibly)when you were younger?

Also a 50s survival jokey style additions -

marbles (for when you lose yours)
hair dye (for when you feel like a change)
Deep heat (for the aches and pains)
slippers and pipe (now your an old man oops)
Safety Pin (to hold everything together)

Can't think of anything else at the moment xx

Sukatoko

Photos are nice ideas or something he used to have as child that he liked but would not buy. Maybe a toy that he had.

flowerofthewest

Thanks for the ideas. The photos sound good. There was a fire at his house a few years ago (used to be the family home until Dad passed), and most of the nik-naks we had collected as a family were destroyed, although a box of photographs did survive. I've been nagging him to have them for a while so that I can scan them, so will nag some more

The_Saver_2

For my OH's 50th (later this year), I'm collecting 50 x 50p's. I was also going to give him a football programme for his fave team from 1959 but I ended up giving him that for Valentine's Day instead (I found one cheaply on E-bay).

diable

If he has any hobbies or interest then a magazine from the year and month of his birthday + the usual flat cap and a walking stick and some real ale ;o))

steerpike

How about a selection of old style sweets from the 50's ....there are still little shops that sell sweets in paper bags from big jars such as sherbert lemons, dolly mixtures, midget gems, rosy apples, bananas & custard boiled sweets. You could pack the individual bags into a cardboard tuck box or fill small (reycled) jars. Spar shops sell items such as candy sticks, parma violets, fruit salad, blackjacks and such like. Other 50's sweets still on the go are lovehearts, swizzel lollies, cherrylips, mint rock, licquorice sticks... I'm sure that other old stylers will have their own favourites

flowerofthewest

Thanks for the ideas everyone. After some discussion with my SIL (other brother's wife), I've decided to get him some enameled 1959 sixpence cufflicks to give him a week early as he's getting married then. And for his birthday (when he gets back from his honeymoon), I'll make up a gift basket with the stuff we used to have as kids - tablet, clootie dumpling, shortbread, etc. I'm also gonna get hold of the old photos and do a kind of scrapbook type thing with them. He's also used to be a Scout Leader so thought I'd try and get hold of the 1959 Scout Annual.

Thanks again for all the ideas. You guys are great.

Fi