40th Birthday present ideas??

[kirsty b]

Hi all.

My big sister hits the 4-0 this year and I would like to get/make something special for her.
Due to my nephew's cancer, she hasn't had a birthday for two of the last three years (diagnosed 10 Oct, her bithday 14 Oct, the most recent tumour being diagnosed two years to the day of the first one) because all she cared about was getting him treated and - hopefully - well again.

She is not hard to please, but I am hitting a mental block on trying to find something original/different.
We do have something in the works for her as a family/friends, but I want to get her something to remind her how special she is.
Any ideas at all would be gratefully received

Ta

[ginger ninger]

How about a photo album, i know it sounds corny but if you have photos of her from being a baby up to now, ask her friends for photos (they usually have the most silliest ones) you could put them all together with silly captions and comments from other family members/friends, there always nice to look back on, and sometimes a real good giggle.
I sincerely wish your Nephew a Bright, Happy and Healthy Future. XXX

[bobleponge]

Do you have a special memory of the two of you as youngsters, fave holiday, something you both shared somewhere, that you could perhaps recreate somehow?
Its a bit vague but I know what I mean.

Likewise, best wishes to your nephew.

[TPeers]

Only thing I can think of is a Spa Day - just a complete day of pampering for her.

Does she have any hobbies that you could get bits for or are there any shows comming up for her hobbies so you could treat her to tickets?

[SueA]

I think the Spa day is a great idea or anywhere else where maybe just the two of you could go to have a good time together, or take her to one of those personal shoppers in a big store & buy her something to wear. If you're not able to spend so much how about baking a batch of cakes, getting out some soppy dvds & having her friends round for a girlie pyjama party? Best wishes to your nephew too, hope he's doing O.K.

[janeyo]

-Spa day
-vouchers for her hair or nails
-hot air ballon ride or another of those red-letter day out things
-a course of lessons for something she's always wanted to to do
- I OWE YOU notes that she can cash in that various family and friends members have pledged to do stuff for her (ie bit of gardening, baby sitting, cleaning, diy, decorating... that sort of thing)

[janeyo]

forgot to mention I had little money when it was OH's special b-day so asked all our family for contributions and we all bought him a flying lesson. He loved it and said it was miles better than getting loads of small random pressies he had no use for. I bought a big card and wrote a poem about the special day and stuck inside with clues about the pressie before giving him the voucher and he was really touched!

[HeyWayne]

Have you tried this place Kirsty:

Gift Ideas, Unique Gifts and Personalised Gifts | notonthehighstreet.com

I've used it for inspiration several times.

[OverWyreGrower]

forgot to mention I had little money when it was OH's special b-day so asked all our family for contributions and we all bought him a flying lesson. He loved it and said it was miles better than getting loads of small random pressies he had no use for. I bought a big card and wrote a poem about the special day and stuck inside with clues about the pressie before giving him the voucher and he was really touched!

We did a similar thing for Mr OWG - lots of family chipped in and got him a day driving supercars - he was gobsmacked and had the time of his life on the actual day...