40th & 50th Birthday Gift Ideas

WatchesOn my good pal Kai's 50th birthday, I sported him with a vintage watch that was both unique and stylish.  I knew he liked watches because every time we got together he wore a different watch coordinated to his outfit. You can shop for memorable timepieces at antique stores, boutiques and watch shops. Or, even go online to Worldofwatches.com for a great selection. Domestic Diva A professional chef knife makes a wonderful 40th or 50th birthday gift for the domestic diva in your life.  A good 8" or 10" chef knife  will last a lifetime! Global is a Japanese knife company that produces several striking, yet functional knivesâ��a favorite for many chefs and myself. Shun also manufactures terrific chef knives out of Japanese VG-10 steel.  Mac knives made here in the USA, are durable and would make for welcome additions in any kitchen.Pair a chef's knife with any one of the following gastronomical reads and you have the perfect culinary gift! My top "foodie" reads:Julia Child's "My Life in France," Jacques Pépin's "The Apprentice, My Life in the Kitchen," Auguste Escoffier's "Memories of My Life." Escoffier is a legendary French chef who changed the course of culinary history.Cooking Themes Keeping with this â��tastyâ�� theme, cooking lessons with a pro make a delicious 40th or 50th birthday gift.If your friend has been yearning to learn how to make homemade pasta, what better gift than some personal instruction. (Just be sure that you stop by for the leftovers!)Contact a local cooking or culinary school to find a chef whoâ��s available for cooking lessons. You might also be able to hire the chef from your friend's favorite restaurant to set up in-home or in-restaurant cooking instruction.Or, find a Culinary School or Program in your city!  At a restaurant If you know that your good friend will be dining at his/her favorite restaurant on a particular night, call ahead and spring for a flight of champagnes or wine pairing for their dinner.For one of my best gals' 40th I arranged for a champagne tasting to be sent to her table. She loved the surprise!Jewelry From bubbles to baubles, you can't go wrong with a gift from Tiffany's Elsa Peretti, one of Tiffany's designers, has created many gorgeous sterling silver pieces that are affordable and can be engraved--perfect for any best pal's 40th!BooksBooks make wonderful gifts, especially coffee table tomes inscribed with a heartfelt handwritten message. For the art lover, how about a book on Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, or, for the impeccable artist in your life, a book about Ray and Charles Eames or legendary designer Tony Duquette. Those interested in self growth and personal manifestation will certainly enjoy Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" or "The Power of Now," Lama Surya Das' "Awakening the Buddha Within," and Gahl Sasson and Steve Weinstein's "A Wish Can Change Your Life." All are wonderful, inspired reads. Photo GiftsA homemade photo book for either a 40th or 50th birthday is a great personal gift.  Photo labs and most Walgreen's, CVS, and Wal-Mart can turn your own digital photographs into amusing photo books for under $20.00.  Simply visit the store's photo center with a CD of your pictures or order a custom photo book on-line.For more creative and advanced photo ideas, like making stickers, postcards, mugs, stationery, playing cards and more try moo.com or snapfish.com (just sign up for a free account).

40th birthdays are often filled with light-hearted jokes and gag gifts. But that doesn't mean you have to go the whoppie cushion route. There are a lot of quotes both inspirational and humorous about turning 40 that you can include as an insert in a photo book or along with one of these personalized gift suggestions.Smile Book Capture all the moments in your guest of honor's life that you know will crack him or her up or put a smile on their face! Smile Books are professionally bound books made from personal snapshots. These high-quality albums are so nice you can display them on a coffee table for all to enjoy. Choose from a variety of sizes, prices, and styles in just a few easy online steps.Engraved Locket Key Chain Perfect for those "on the go," this elegant little key chain is also a photo locket. Insert a recent photo of your birthday pal as well as one of their baby pictures. With a brushed nickel finish and block letter engraving, this gift will work for both men and women.Engraved Pewter Medallion on a Pilsner Glass Raise a glass in celebration of yourself! This handsome pilsner glass has a medallion on the side that can be engraved with the guest of honor's initials. Also available on this website are mugs with medallions and etched glasses.Watch The gift of time is always poignant for an older birthday. Personalize this gift by engraving a message on the back or enclosing a quote in its beautiful gift box.Treasure Charms Here's a little something that is very inexpensive and sentimental. Purchase little pocket charms and place them in an organza bag with a quote or poem inside to personalize it even more for the birthday guy or gal.40th and 50th Birthday Jokes and Quotes Check out these 40th and 50th birthday jokes and quotes for ideas on how to personalize your gift.

Turning 50 marks a milestone. As it's usually a time of nostalgia for the guest of honor, you can go for a thought-provoking gift or something that will give them a good laugh. Try one of these ideas to help make the occasion of one's 50th birthday memorable.

You can never go wrong with jewelry as a birthday gift, especially when the setting features your sweetie's birthstone.  Check out local jewelers in your area to create a unique piece of jewelry designed just for her, or browse through our suggestions below to find a stunning ring, pendant, or bracelet that sparkles with her birthstone gem. 

If your birthday girl is like me, she has plenty of stuff.  A Party Experience is a great way to go where she can celebrate her birthday by taking a helicopter trip to a vineyard, learning to sail, or touring a TV studio as a VIP. This gift idea is truly one for the girl who has everything.

Almost every woman I know would love to own a designer handbag or pair of shoes.  But for many, $500 or more on an accessory may not be practical - unless it's a 40th or 50th birthday gift! Buy that Louis Vuitton purse that your sweetie has been dreaming of for years or a sassy pair of Jimmy Choo shoes for a knockout birthday gift that will celebrate her in style!

Here's an idea that will mean the world to your sweetie and can be achieved at a very affordable price if you do it yourself. Genealogy is the study of one's family history. This research can be done by any individual at a variety of websites of the Internet, or you can hire a professional genealogist to find out facts about one's ancestry.  For starters, check out Ellis Island's website where a wealth of information and tools can be accessed to discover one's family history. After you've compiled all the info available, put it in a scrapbook or include the documents in a nicely bound photo book as a birthday gift.  

There's no better favor to give your friends than a cookbook after you've spent the afternoon cooking together.If the chef or school that gave the class has a book, buy a copy for each of your guests and give it to them as a favor.If not, we recommend Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor From Simple Ingredients.