What to get my brother for 50th anniversary?

[cronewitch]

They wouldn't enjoy gold crap like my grandparents did. Grandparents got gold carpet, gold drapes and a gold chair. Grandma lived with that stuff for 30 more years. I don't want to do gold picture frames or a rose dipped in gold.


So far I came up with the idea of a buffalo gold $50 gold coin that is about 1,600 and has a 14 day money back guarantee so if I buy at the last minute they could return it and if they keep it someday sell it or leave it to the kids so not a true waste of money.


My other idea is $50 gold colored dollars. Their grandson collected them when he was young and everyone gave them to him for birthdays and Christmas a few year like 7 when he turned 7 from several people so the will have fond memories of them.


I don't care how much the gift cost but don't want the other people to feel bad if they don't spend as much so thinking the gold colored dollars might be the right gift. Give me more ideas the anniversary is in March. 

[zibazinski]

How about a $50 gift certificate to something he’d enjoy?

[resolution]

For my parents' 50th we gave them an anniversary quilt. My sister and I designed a lot of the squares based on important things in their lives, and their grandkids each designed a square. So it ended up being a pretty big family effort but everyone got involved.

We were able to do this because my mother-in-law is a big quilter, so she made the squares and she knew someone that we could hire to do the final quilting on it.

[zibazinski]

That's a great idea. Or can you transfer favorite pictures into something? I did a calendar for my great grandma with everyone's birthdays on it and their picture was in the month they were born. The ones where there was no ones birthday became family photos. Or how about a party? 

[alabamagal]

DH made a video by scanning old family pictures. They played the video at the party and gave copies to anyone who wanted them.

Restore wedding picture in a gold leaf or nice frame.

[plugginaway22]

We paid for a dinner at an historic old mill restaurant for about 20 people (all family) for my parent's 50th anniversary.  They loved it, we brought old pictures, had several toasts, made them cut a mini wedding cake, it was great fun for all.

[dee27]

We gave my parents a catered party at a local venue. My parents were surprised to see their relatives and close friends and had a great time. 

[weltschmerz]

Oct 21, 2017 2:42:43 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

They wouldn't enjoy gold crap like my grandparents did. Grandparents got gold carpet, gold drapes and a gold chair. Grandma lived with that stuff for 30 more years. I don't want to do gold picture frames or a rose dipped in gold.


So far I came up with the idea of a buffalo gold $50 gold coin that is about 1,600 and has a 14 day money back guarantee so if I buy at the last minute they could return it and if they keep it someday sell it or leave it to the kids so not a true waste of money.


My other idea is $50 gold colored dollars. Their grandson collected them when he was young and everyone gave them to him for birthdays and Christmas a few year like 7 when he turned 7 from several people so the will have fond memories of them.


I don't care how much the gift cost but don't want the other people to feel bad if they don't spend as much so thinking the gold colored dollars might be the right gift. Give me more ideas the anniversary is in March. 

A trip to the Gold Coast?

[seriousthistime]

Do they have a favorite charitable organization where you could make a donation in their honor? 

Since money is not an object for you, and you don't want to make other people feel bad about spending less, you could donate $1 for each anniversary, so $1 for the first one, $2 for the second, $3 for the third, etc. Add it all up, and donate that amount.  If I'm calculating correctly, it should be around $1,300.  If anyone else asks, they can just be told you made a donation in their name, $1 for each year of marriage.  You don't have to tell them how you calculated it. 

Just thinking what I might like... I would not want more "stuff."  


ETA: Golden Retriever?

[thyme4change]

Golden Oreos.

[Deleted]

This was actually an interview question when I was considering working for Merrill Lynch.  It was a couple of years after the divorce.  I made it to the final 3.   The guy in charge asked me what to give his parents for their 50th anniversary.

I suggested anything that was 50 years old (wine) or with 50 as part of the name.  I told him that if he was trying to be cheap (he laughed), he could give them 50 one dollar bills.  50 is the magic here.  I think gold less so.  But the 50 dollar gold piece works.  My husband collects coins and would love it.  Does your brother? 

By the way, I got offered the job but turned it down.  I didn't like their business model back then.

[sesfw]

We have friends that just celebrated their 50th anniversary and they invited 50 people to go to the Grand Canyon on the train with them ......... We had a wonderful time, lots of pictures and memories shared.

I like the 50 'gold' dollars idea also.

[ners]

Is there going to be a party. ( Provide transportation costs for a family member that would not otherwise attend.)  That was my plan for a my ex's aunt & uncle until the ex mother in law would not allow my ex brother in law to travel.   Ended up giving them a gold picture frame collage.  

[cronewitch]

Their kids are planning the party, DD is looking for venues. I suggested a local cruise and she is pricing harbor cruises for 30. I think more than 30 will want to come, the wife has 5 living siblings with kids, spouses and grandkids even some great grandkids.

[Happy prose]

I'm more practical. I would like a gift card for 50 car washes or something like that.

[thyme4change]

It sounds like you have two tracks here

1. Something retrospective, emotional, reminiscing, etc.

2. Something hooked to the number 50 or the color gold.

Which one of those categories feels right?

[empress of self-improvement]

50 gold four leaf clovers? It's March. 50 small gold pots with gift cards of some sort in them? Or maybe have them, family members or spouse, write 50 things about each other and give them each a pot of their own.

[hoops902]

Gold carpets, drapes, and chairs seems like a LOT of gold in one room/house. What about something smaller like a golden shower?

[finnime]

I think the $50 buffalo gold coin is perfect. Most people won't notice the relative value, really, and it's small and not in your face.Plus it's a wonderful acknowledgement of a rare thing - 50 years of marriage. Plus, he's your brother. Go for it.

[NastyWoman]

Oct 22, 2017 22:06:01 GMT -5 hoops902 said:

Gold carpets, drapes, and chairs seems like a LOT of gold in one room/house. What about something smaller like a golden shower?

Are you inciting divorce after 50 years?