Birthday Gift Ideas for Older Women

All women like to be pampered, especially on their most important day of the year. So just because the woman you want to give a present to is on the other side of forty or fifty does not mean that she should be saddled with something drab or boring on her birthday. Here are a few smart and thoughtful gift ideas for older women which would make their birthdays just perfect.
 
Say it with flowers

No woman, no matter how old or young, can resist the charm of flowers. You are sure to light up a woman’s special day if she receives a wonderful bouquet from you. If it is for someone you are close to, you would probably know what her favorite blooms are and that would make it easier to choose from a variety of flowers. Alternatively you can always pick a bouquet from an online flower shop and have it delivered to her place. However don’t forget to accompany the flowers with a personal note written in your own hand as this final touch is bound to make all the difference.

Something to help stay fighting fit

An older woman may be as interested in staying in shape as any other woman in her twenties and thirties. However the sight of many young bodies working out in the gym may not be inviting enough for her to join a health club. So it would be wonderful if you could gift her an exercise machine – something simple and not with too many fancy buttons and dials. An eliptical bike would be a good choice as would be a basic treadmill. However since most of these need to be assembled at home, if the recipient is not very mechanically gifted, make sure there is someone to put it together for her.

A night at the theater

If the woman you wish to make a birthday gift to is a lover of the performing arts, why not present her with tickets to a show she would love to watch. It could be tickets to a popular musical, a Shakespearean play or something more classical like a concert or ballet. Study the offerings in your area and pick something that she would enjoy. A plus for you is that many theaters offer senior persons discount which means that you could get her something very enjoyable as well as reasonably affordable. However keep in mind that just because she is older does not automatically mean that she would like to watch only revivals or the moldy oldies.

Something to browse through

Older women in general no longer feel the need to be hanging out in the pub during their free time. They would rather spend their leisure hours pursuing an activity they love. So if the woman is a lover of books, why not gift her a work by her favorite author or poet. Another good pick would be a book that deals with choices of older women like The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller. On the other hand, if reading for too long is a strain, a photography book like Women by Annie Lebowitz can make a good choice. The book has photographic portraits of women from all walks of life and is particularly rich in images of older women. The introductory essay by Susan Sontag is an added bonus.

Away to the land of dreams

As people get older, they often begin to think of the many things they have not been able to do or the different places they would have liked to see in their lifetime. As such you are unlikely to go wrong if you gift the woman with tickets to a place she has always dreamt of visiting. The perfect destination would of course depend on the kind of things she enjoys doing. If she likes to explore different cultures and cuisines, how about a trip to Mexico or India. On the other hand, if she would like to escape the chilly winters of the North and sunbathe on the beaches, a tropical vacation would be just the thing for her. If your older woman is an adrenaline junkie – and believe me, there are many of them out there – gift her a scuba-diving or bungee-jumping trip. However when choosing the destination, also keep in mind things like her safety and security in a foreign country and the state of her health.

A time to pamper the self

What better gift for an older woman than a spa session to rejuvenate her mind and body. Salons and spas have numerous packages specially meant for older people whose skin and hair need that extra care to look young and gorgeous. However if the person is not comfortable going out to a spa and being treated by other people, you could also gift her a range of beauty and bath products. These would include beauty lotions, bath salts, aromatic oils and soaps and would make a wonderful excuse to indulge oneself.

Something to help her relax

As people get on in age, some of them may experience difficulty in getting regular sleep. It would make an extremely thoughtful gift if you find something to help your lady relax and get a good night’s sleep. Aromatic oils known to calm the senses and induce a soothing effect like lavender and marjoram would make nice gifts. A nifty yet much-appreciated luxury would be an eyepillow with a satin cover and preferably imbued with therapeutic scents.

Music for her ears

It is hard to come across a person who does not like music. So if you are looking for a birthday gift to charm an older woman, you are unlikely to go wrong with a CD album of her favorite songs. If she is in her fifties and sixties, she would have probably grown up with rock and roll and would appreciate albums of Elvis Presley or the Beatles. Again if the lady is forty-something, you could gift her a collection of the best-loved numbers from the 1980s disco or pop music.

Keep in mind is that while high-tech gadgets and naughty gifts would be unsuitable for mature women, you should still try to go for something attractive. Women after all like to feel special and your gift should make them feel just that.