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VettedGifts
Erica Finamore Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Forbes Vetted
A 50th birthday is kind of a big deal. We’re talking about a half-century of experiences and five decades of fun all leading up to this one special celebration. And since finding the right birthday present for an important person in your life can be tough enough as it is, figuring out the best 50th birthday gift ideas can be intimidating, even for the most experienced shoppers. At this point in their life, they have acquired a lot of meaningful things on their own, so the question is—what will be memorable, fun and different enough for this important occasion?
The key is to focus on who you’re shopping for and hone in on their hobbies, collections and passions. Try to find something that feels like them—perhaps a Bluetooth speaker for your dad who enjoys listening to music or a cheeky card game for your fun-loving friend. Yes, turning 50 is a big milestone, but it’s also a time to celebrate and show your appreciation for the person you know and love. To get you started, we rounded up a list of 30 thoughtful 50th birthday gift ideas, fit for family, friends and everyone in between. And if you’re looking for more inspiration, check out our guides to the best birthday gifts for him and the best birthday gifts for her.
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Women: Flamingo Estate Night Blooming Jasmine & Rose Body Duo
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Men: Mark & Graham Waxed Canvas Weekender Bag
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Husband: Nixon Sentry Leather Watch
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Wife: Catbird Yellow Gold Dollhouse Locket
- Best Personalized 50th Birthday Gift: Laura Row Studio Custom Restaurant Matchbook Art
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Mom: Kodak Step Instant Photo Printer
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Dad: Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Speaker
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Sister: Tangerine Pickleball Paddle
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Brother: Uncommon Good Personalized Whiskey Barrel
- Best 50th Birthday Gift For Friends: Custom Shortbread Cookies
- Best Luxury 50th Birthday Gift: Ooni Volt Indoor & Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Best Unique 50th Birthday Gift: Thirsty Throwback: 80’s Cocktail Class
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Best 50th Birthday Gift For Women
A Set of Luxuriously Scented Soaps
MOST POPULAR
Flamingo Estate Night Blooming Jasmine & Rose Body Duo
Flamingo Estate’s body duo boasts a gorgeous fragrance of jasmine blooms and citrus that create the perfect at-home spa moment for the lady of the day. The hand soap has essential oils like rosehip seed oil to defend against dryness, while the wash has a Castille-like consistency that feels smooth and silky.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Men
A Rugged Bag He’ll Take Everywhere
Mark & Graham Waxed Canvas Weekender Bag
He’ll happily ditch his dingy gym duffel for this sophisticated waxed canvas bag. Sure, it looks cool, but the coating also makes the canvas more durable and helps it to age beautifully. Shoulder straps take it from a tote to shoulder bag in seconds, and you can add an embroidered monogram or single initial to help commemorate the big birthday in style.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Husband
A Timeless Watch Upgrade
Nixon Sentry Leather Watch
Watches tend to skew super fancy or very casual, which is why this one is so special. It’s somewhere in between, so it works for any occasion—weddings, work, errand-running, you name it. This piece has a stainless steel frame, Japanese quartz movement and an intricate top-stitching on the leather band that gives it a handcrafted look. If your husband’s a bit accident-prone, fear not—it’s also water resistant up to 100 meters (over 300 feet).
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Wife
A Chic Little Locket
Catbird Yellow Gold Dollhouse Locket
When it comes to sentimental gifts, lockets are queen. This dainty 14kt gold stunner can be engraved with a letter or number of your choice and is basically an instant heirloom. Just insert a teeny tiny picture of you, your kids or your dog (the favorite kid) to commemorate the life she’s built.
Best Personalized 50th Birthday Gift
A Deliciously Personal Piece Of Art
Laura Row Studio Custom Restaurant Matchbook Art
Showcase their favorite places to eat with this print featuring eight restaurant matchbooks of your choice. Fill it with memorable locations like their go-to coffee shop, a family-favorite diner or the fancy five-star eatery they got engaged at. Rest assured, they won’t already have this.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Mom
A Portable Printer For Instant Momentos
Kodak Step Instant Photo Printer
Mom has access to your shared photo groups, family Shutterfly album and your Instagram, but sometimes it’s nice to have those special moments printed to admire off-screen. They just have to pair this travel-sized 6-inch x 4-inch printer with any Bluetooth device and download the Kodak app to instantly (under 60 seconds) print their faves onto a 2-inch x 3-inch sticker. It also has Zink Zero Ink technology, so they won’t have to keep replacing expensive cartridges.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Dad
A Vintage-Inspired Speaker For His Tunes
Marshall Action III Bluetooth Speaker
Marshall has been an iconic speaker brand since the mid 1960’s, and were probably a big part of your dad’s peak teen angst rock years. This speaker looks just like the one he probably had growing up, but it has kept up with the times and now offers Bluetooth capabilities and a 45-20,000 Hz frequency range. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to tell your dad to turn his music down.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Sister
A Patterned Paddle To Up Her Game
Tangerine Pickleball Paddle
If she’s a pickleball pro, this chic racquet is sure to be a grand slam gift. Tangerine paddles rock an elongated face for added power, a fiberglass surface for durability and a textured grip for easy handling. They also come in tons of retro-inspired patterns, a subtle jab at her half-century status. It is your sister, after all.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Brother
A Bar Tool He Definitely Doesn’t Have
Uncommon Goods Personalized Whiskey Barrel
If your brother likes to kick back with a good glass of hooch at the end of the night, he’ll have a barrel of fun with this. The tiny cask, which comes in five liters or two liters, can be personalized with your brother’s name. He can use it to quickly age his favorite drinks to perfection or make his own whiskey with an add-on flavor kit. Cheers!
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Friends
A Custom Tasty Treat
Custom Message Shortbread Cookies
How about a sweet message delivered via an equally sweet vehicle? DeLight bakery, based in Los Angeles, can imprint your favorite inside joke, quote, date or short birthday note on 24 of their delicious vanilla shortbread cookies and send them straight to your friend’s door.
Best Luxury 50th Birthday Gift
A Pro-Level Indoor Pizza Maker
Ooni Volt Indoor & Outdoor Pizza Oven
This pricey piece is the ideal gift for the pizza snob in your life—or really, anyone who gets impatient with takeout. It’s a portable indoor-outdoor pizza oven that can reach 850 degrees in just 20 minutes and cooks Neapolitan-style pizza in 90 seconds. Now, they can have a slice any time they’d like, from the comfort of their own kitchen or backyard.
Best Unique 50th Birthday Gift
A Nostalgic Cocktail Class
Thirsty Throwback: 80’s Cocktail Class
It’s time for them to get out their spandex pants and neon tops! This gift offers a delicious deep dive into the 80’s with this 90-minute live class with pro bartender Kat Olson. They can schedule it at their leisure, and she’ll teach the “students” how to make three ridiculously 1980’s-style drinks including a blue hawaiian, amaretto sour and tequila sunrise. It’s totally tubular.
Best Funny 50th Birthday Gift
A Pillow That Says It All
Furbish Patience Needlepoint Pillow
Remember when needlepoint pillows were the stuff of grandmas? Now, they’re the go-to décor gift thanks to their modern makeover with snarkier messages. This one, which reads: “I had my patience tested, I’m negative” is a great gift for a quick-witted friend or sarcastic sibling. Plus, it’s pretty!
Best Useful 50th Birthday Gift
An At-Home Massage
Therabody Theragun Mini
A milestone this big should be celebrated with fun, family and friends, and definitely not with neck and shoulder pain. The Theragun Mini is a pocket-sized tool they can use to relieve aches and pains at a moment's notice. Plus, there’s no thought or physical therapy experience required–it’s Bluetooth-enabled and can access a huge library of wellness routines.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Those With A Sweet Tooth
An Artful Bouquet Of Cupcakes
We Take The Cake Spring Bouquet Mini Cakes
Sure, flowers are pretty, but sugary sweet flowers are pretty and tasty. We Take The Cake, a beloved Fort Lauderdale-based bakery, makes this set of eight cupcakes covered in a beautiful buttercream garden. Four are golden butter-flavored and four are rich chocolate, but all eight will be happily eaten by the end of the birthday celebration.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Globetrotter
A Comfy Flight Accessory
Ostrich Pillow Go Travel Pillow
High density foam core and a 360-degree brace-like design make this the most luxurious and supportive travel pillow around. When not in use, it can be compressed by 60%, so they can bring it on every trip without wasting precious carry-on space.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Life Of The Party
A Cheeky Card Game
Brass Monkey I’ve Venn Thinking Card Game
We’ve all played Cards Against Humanity and Uno, but this boxed set is about to kick game night up a notch. They’ll just draw the red and blue circle cards to make unexpected pairings, you know, like a Venn Diagram. Then they’ll compete with other players to find the funniest thing the two cards have in common.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Décor Enthusiast
A Chic Design Book To Spark New Ideas
The Art Of Home By Shea McGee
Interior designer Shea McGee has a TV show, a Target line and now, a second book. This new coffee table book, The Art of Home, is packed with beautiful spaces and inspiring ideas for every room, but possibly the coolest part is the guides section in the back. She takes readers through the ins and outs of everything from upholstery fabric to countertop materials. It’s an incredible resource for anyone but an especially great gift for those who live and breathe design.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Fitness Guru
A Smart Piece Of Jewelry
Oura Ring
Since you really like them (and it is their birthday), put a ring on it. A smart ring, that is. The Oura Ring comes in two styles and four finishes and is sleek enough to function as regular jewelry, but it’s actually a smart ring that can monitor sleep, activity and biometric signals. Health is the greatest gift of all, and this unexpected present will help them feel their best.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Plant Lover
A Standout Option For Their Collection
The Sill Aglaonema Wishes Plant
For the person that makes plant parenthood look easy, this colorful cultivar will be the jewel of their indoor garden. The pink-tinted plant is said to bring good luck, good fortune and positivity to the grower. It’s easy, too: It can thrive in medium to bright indirect sunlight and only needs watering every one to two weeks.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Coffee Lover
A Smart Mug That Keeps Cappuccinos Hot
Ember Cup
Latte lovers or flat white fans all struggle with the same issue—getting the chance to finish their cup of joy before it cools down and becomes much less appealing. This mug fixes that problem thanks to a built-in battery that keeps beverages at their desired temperature. They can control it with the Ember app, and while the cup itself has a 90-minute battery life, the charging coaster will keep their cup hot all day.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Pet Parent
A Cute Paw-trait Of Their Fur Baby
Mini Pet Portrait
A hand-painted watercolor portrait of their furry BFF is the perfect addition to their gallery wall and a guaranteed way to make it to favorite gift status. This artist can use a photo of the quinquagenarian’s (yes, that’s really the word) cat or dog as a reference to create a one-of-a-kind piece they’ll treasure.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Homebody
A Tabletop Fire Pit That Burns Clean
Flikr Fire Personal Concrete Fireplace
If there’s nowhere they’d rather be than on their couch in loungewear, this portable indoor fireplace will inspire their next staycation. The 5-inch x 5-inch concrete fire pit fits on a tabletop and burns indoor-safe isopropyl alcohol. Five ounces will give them 50 minutes of flickering flames that burn clean without any mess. S’mores, anyone?
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Foodie
A Collector’s Cookbook Worthy Of Display
Joy Of Cooking Cookbook, Black Leather Edition
There are few cookbooks as iconic as Joy of Cooking, which was first published in 1931 and has since been released in various editions all over the world. It’s a staple in any cookbook collection, but this black leather version with painted edges is a celebration-worthy take on the beloved classic. Any home chef will be thrilled to get their oven mitts on it.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Beauty Guru
A Face Mask Trio That Will Get Them Glowing
Drunk Elephant Face Mask Parade Trio
Drunk Elephant has a cult following in the beauty world because of its focus on clean, non-toxic formulas. This set comes with three travel-size facials you can take on the road and use for different results. There’s a T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial with chickpea flour for soft skin, a Bouncy Brightfacial with azelaic and salicylic acid for brightness and the F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial packed with vitamin F for moisture.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Tech Lover
A Smart Notebook To Digitize Their Thoughts
Moleskin Smart Writing Set
Moleskin’s classic leather notebooks are a great gift on their own, but this smart version is a present worthy of a big birthday. The set comes with a notebook, smart pen and charger, and as they write down their thoughts and memories, a digital copy is instantly created on the Moleskin Notes app. They’ll never misplace a to-do list again.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For The Aspiring Mixologist
High End Tools For Their Drinkable Masterpieces
Crafthouse By Fortessa Bar Tool Set
Many of us have that friend who can whip up a Negroni in under a minute. These experts likely already have the standard shaker and jigger duo, so dazzle them with this black walnut and stainless set from Fortessa. It includes a bar board, bar knife, peeler and channel knife. They’ll think of you every time they attempt a lemon twist.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For An Outdoor Adventurer
A Trusted Camp Blanket
Pendleton Yakima Camp Throw
Pendleton is a beloved American brand that has been making rugged wool blankets since 1876. When it's cold at the campout, a trusted blanket is a lifesaver (just ask any camping enthusiast who has used the same one for decades). As a bonus, this style works just as well thrown over a couch when the recipient isn’t out there roughing it.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Candle Collectors
A Fresh Scent With Luxe Packaging
Baobab Collection Black Pearls Candle
A candle is always a welcome gift, especially when it’s as beautifully designed as this one. Baobab’s luxurious fragrances are handmade and then placed in a unique hand-blown vessel that can be reused long after the candle is finished. The Black Pearls Candle has refreshing notes of grapefruit, ginger and rose, and a burn time of 60 hours.
Best 50th Birthday Gift For Tailgating Pros
A Modern Cooler That Brings The Party Anywhere
Igloo Party Bar Wheeled Cooler
Yes, it’s their birthday, but what they’re really focused on is game day. Give them more to love about their pre-game rituals with the best tailgating cooler out there. It has heavy duty wheels, a super insulated interior and can hold 121 cans at a time. The coolest part? Just add in the dividers, open the lid and you’ve got a true mobile bar.
Personal Creations
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Personal Creations
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ProFlowers
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Personalization Mall
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1800 Flowers
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Snapfish
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