Usually I’m fairly creative with gifts, but I am stymied every year for the brother’s birthday. I already got him creative and thoughtful gifts at Christmas and I’ve got nothin’!
The food is part of his present, I suppose (all of our Xmas dinner hits: enchiladas, tortilla soup and Roquemole,) but, it IS the big four oh and I’d like to come up with something meaningful.
He’s a fairly conservative Christian who loves finer wine than he usually buys and enjoys getting his drink on with us, so I’ll be getting him a fine bottle, but what else? He’s into running, working on/fixing up computers with parts from other computers, aviation, vegetarianism, Star Trek and Calvin and Hobbes, to name a few.
He lives in St. Louis, so I could always do a gift card to a fave dining spot. Anyway, just hoping for some unique suggestions from some fresh eyes. Hopefully, you’ll come up with something I’ve never thought of.
I’ll probably go ahead and borrow from my SIL and get him 40 cheap/silly gifts to open, as well. He has a daughter (4) and a son (2) Anyway, we’re having an intimate family gathering Friday. All ideas will be most welcome!
Is there some experience he would like? A skydiving lesson, or a helicopter ride, maybe?
A friend of mine recently went to a weekend long racecar driving school. There are some resort hotels near here that offer theme weekends such as mystery weekends, or gather with other history buffs, or cooking lessons.
I’m sorry I guess I’m not good at this - the best gift I got for my 40th was a beautiful piece of jewelry from my sister. I’m guessing your brother wouldn’t enjoy the same ring. (it’s beautiful, with 4 colors of semi-precious stones!)
Oh, please don’t do that to him. Unless all the presentoids are things he’ll like very much, it is annoying and frustrating.
My mother did that to me on my 30th. She’s pretty crap at getting good presents, but even knowing that going in, after opening up thirty separate junky gifts, I was pretty steamed and it basically ruined the whole night for me. (which got blamed on me, to boot. swell birthday gift.)
If he’s a foodie in the St. Louis area, gift certificates to Annie Gunn’s give the option of not only a fabulous dinner, but he could also use them on gourmet food from the Smokehouse. Bit far out in Chesterfield valley, though. And though I’ve been there with a vegetarian who enjoyed herself, meat is the star there…
My vinophile friends love their doohicky that they use to suck the air out of an opened bottle to reseal it. I know nothing about wine, though, so have no further details other than it looks like a cool gadget.
See if you can get him tickets to the new Star Trek movie at one of the area’s giant-screen theaters?
As a guy who turns 40 next month, I’d say that a brand new Mustang GT would be a great way to kick off his mid-life crisis. Or a big screen TV – 52" or bigger. (I hope my wife is reading this thread…)
As an aviation buff, a trip to a local aviation museum or a flying lesson (if he doesn’t have his wings), might be an idea.
If I were living in St. Louis, tix to a Blues game or a Cardinals game might be a good idea. But if he’s not that into sports, maybe not…
A gift card to a great local restaurant would also work nicely.
I got my brother a couple of those battle helicopter things from Think Geek. He absolutely loves them as do his kids. And his friends. And his father. And his fathers friends.
You are absolutely right! I started reconsidering it earlier, picturing my brother having to open all of those gifts. That is so not something he would enjoy. Thanks for spelling it out for me!
