50th Anniversary Quandry

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Mom and Dad’s 50th Wedding Anniversary is coming up (actually we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of their wedding DAY, not 50 FULL years of married bliss - BIG family discussion over this, but I digress). The whole family is going to Hawaii for a week to hang out at my brother’s time-share condo (EEK!).

Use of the condo is my brother’s “gift” to mom and dad, although I think this is sorta cheap, considering he’s already paying for the time-share in the first place, and he and his entire family will be right there using it too. Frankly, I can tell you that mom and dad would much rather have their own hotel room than share a two-bdr condo with five other people - and I would too!

Originally I wanted to get all their old friends to write funny little stories about each of my parents when they were younger, etc., and put it all together in an album for them, but my dad absolutely would not cooperate in getting me the names and addresses of their old friends out of my mother’s address book (he hemmed and hawed about this for two months before telling me he “couldn’t get the addresses”). Thanks dad for the timely response…

Then I thought about making them a web page of photos of their life together, but my mother was wholly unimpressed with the idea of having their own web page.

Since I just found out the other day that my bro is not going to purchase any kind of gift together with me, I’m kinda stuck. I need to come up with a terrific gift by Jan. 5 and about all I can spare is $200.

The biggest problem here is, my parents have just about every thing they could ever possibly need, and the financial security to buy any thing they could ever possibly want. I had thought a generator would be a terrific gift for them (one of the few things they don’t have), but I can’t afford this on my own.

I started thinking of the 50 aspect, decided to make it a theme, fifty of this and fifty of that - little small things that can travel to Hawaii and back:

$50 gift cert. for dad at Barnes & Noble
$50 gift cert. for mom at Michael’s
50 Hershey’s kisses for dad (loves chocolate)
50 Jordan Almonds for mom
50-song CD of classical music for dad
Big bunch of 50 tropical flowers for mom (once we get to Kauai) - or -
50 flower bulbs for mom (can these travel to HI and back?)

WHAT ELSE?!

Any clever ideas will be VERY much appreciated!

2

Well I don’t know your folks but have you thought of putting on the clothes they wore in that time period & serving food, etc, putting out period things for that time. All that is a lot of work & some money & ah, youll be your folks’ favorite then.

3

I like the ‘50 things’ idea. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is buying your Mom 50 flowers in Kauai…that could run you over $100! Bulbs are not a good idea either, because you’ll have a hell of a time getting them through Customs. All the merchants will tell you that they’re ok to take back to the mainland, but they lie. If your Mom likes gardening, save the 50 bulbs for her at home, and give them to her when you get back. You didn’t metion if you ever went to Kauai before, so in case you didn’t, here are a few suggestions.
Things to do in Kauai
The Queen’s Bath is a must-see, as long as you don’t mind a little hike. If your parents are on the elderly side, don’t bring them.
If you like a great steak dinner, go to the Bull Shed. This place is a little pricey, but I had the best steaks I’ve ever eaten there.
Smith’s Tropical Paradise throws a nice luau. The food is good, the grounds are beautiful, and there is a dance show after dinner.
If your parents are adventurous, take them on a helicopter ride of the Napali Coast. If they aren’t that adventurous, Eco-Tours has a nice boat trip to the Napali coast, and if the weather permits, they stop for snorkeling half way.
There are so many things to do on Kauai, maybe treating them to something special like that could be your gift.
Hope I was of some help,
Blue

“I wore an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time…”

4

How about a genealogical history? BEcause my grandfather had already spent countless hours researching the family tree, what we did was to have the info put into a piece of artwork… in other words, had it beautifully illustrated and framed.

They loved it :slight_smile:

Mom always said there’d be days like this…she just never said there’d be so MANY of them!!!

5

I like this idea, but this has to be accomplished in Kauai… can’t imagine dragging all the clothes and decorations back and forth.

I figured as much. I was just trying to come up with something small that I could bring 50 of to Kauai. BTW, I lived in Honolulu for a short time years ago, but have never to Kauai, so your suggestions are really appreciated!

Andrea, this is a terrific idea, as my father is quite interested in this, and has been working very hard on our family tree. But where did you find someone who would “put [it] into a piece of artwork”? Dad’s got the whole thing on a geneaology program, so it can be printed out as an actual tree, but it’s HUGE and not particularly attractive…

Thanks all for the suggestions! Any more about more ideas on little things that I can give them 50 of? Like maybe 50 brand new pennies to signify - uhh… you know, something… ?

StoryTyler
I am too in shape! :::muttering::: Round is a shape.
C’mon up and see me sometime.

6

Perhaps you could try to find 50 pennies from the last 50 years (one penny from 1999, one from 1998, etc.). That might take a lot of work if any of the years are rare pennies.

Your Official Cat Goddess since 10/20/99.

“I get along well with everybody.” --I.M.F.

7

I like the “50’s” theme too.

How about - Fifty green m&m’s for your dad
and fifty tylenol for your mom :slight_smile:

8

Tyler… I don’t know offhand about who could do the artwork, but if you check some geneaology websites or message boards they might be able to help ya out :slight_smile:

Mom always said there’d be days like this…she just never said there’d be so MANY of them!!!