Let’s face it, 40 can be a difficult age to buy for. Your loved one is hopefully pretty satisfied with their lot, and if they want something small they’ll tend to buy it for themselves. Chances are there is something they really want, but it’s so far out of your price range you hadn’t given it much thought. That’s where we come in – set up a patchwork on their behalf and ask friends and family to chip in towards that one special gift or experience. Then you can surprise your unsuspecting partner/sister/best mate with the one thing they really want, but never thought they’d get.
Of course, you can use Patchwork to organise and fund anything, so if you’re reading this and you already know what that one thing is, what are you waiting for? Get started. Create a patchwork to show everyone what it is you’re asking them to contribute towards. Collect cash gifts direct to your PayPal. Then buy the gift when and where you like.
But if you do need some gift ideas we’ve collected some of our favourite presents below for people turning the big 4-0.
Buy a bike
Does the excitement of getting a shiny new bike ever wear off? No. It doesn’t. If you know this is the one present that will put a big birthday smile on your loved one’s face, all you need to do is customise this patchwork. Then friends can choose whether to spend a fiver on the bell, or shell out £50 for a wheel. Soon enough you’ll have enough to buy a beautiful new (or vintage) bike from your chosen shop ready to tie up in a giant comedy bow. You can write everyone’s names on tag so the birthday boy/girl will know it’s from all the people who love them. Then they can cycle off into the sunset. Or around the block.
Send them on a sky-dive
Is your loved one an adrenaline junkie? Do they have all the trinkets, tablets and household things they could ever want? Forget stuff and give them an experience they’ll never forget. Just have a think about whether it’s going to be the best day of their life, or the very worst. Now’s not the time to force your partner into conquering their fear of heights. If you know they’ll love this, just customise our sky-diving patchwork and send it out for everyone to contribute towards. Then invite them all to come and watch.
A week on a wellness retreat
From one extreme to the other. Maybe your mate could do with total relaxation in a blissfully calm environment. Get friends and family to club together and whisk them away for a few days on a wellness retreat, where they won’t have to think about anything except when their next massage is booked in and whether to have mint or green tea.
Sign them up to a photography course
Now’s the time to pursue those creative endeavours that may have been pushed aside in favour of careers and kids and food shopping and all that other grown-up stuff. Send your loved one off on a photography course where they can pick up all the skills they need to get going with their hobby. Then they can bring out their camera with confidence at every special occasion. Or just walks in the park and drinks in the pub. Everyone who chips in will get to see the lovely photos and know they helped bring them to life.
Chip in for a tattoo
What do you give the person who has everything? A permanent drawing on their skin. Of course. What better way to mark this momentous occasion than with a needle full of ink? Show friends and family this patchwork and get them to each buy a piece – whether it’s £100 for ‘an hour of pain’ or a fiver for the ink. Obviously, you’ll need to leave the actual design up to your loved one – all you need to do is present them with the cash or voucher for their favourite tattoo artist and get them booked in. Then throw a party so everyone can see the new tat they helped paid for.
Give them *that* handbag
We all know how it feels to fall in love with a special pair of shoes, a certain coat, or a beautiful handbag. And how it feels to turn the tag over and see the price. If you know someone who’s fallen deeply in lust with a bag that’s way out of their price range, surprise them by getting all of their friends and family to chip in and then present them with it on their birthday. The bond between a woman and her bag will last a lifetime. And she’ll be pretty happy with you lot too. Customise our handbag patchwork here.
Plan a party
If your loved one has insisted on no fuss this year, just go behind their back and organise a party. Simple. They don’t really mean no fuss. Maybe they mean no socks, toiletries or flannel shirts, which is fair enough. But they don’t mean no getting everyone they love together in one room. What kind of party you throw is up to you, but we’ve created a Karaoke Party patchwork that could be perfect. Get everyone to chip in for the karaoke machine, then just ask people to bring a bottle, make a dish, help decorate. And before you know it you’ll have a great party on your hands. Just make sure you have all the birthday girl/boy’s favourite songs lined up and champagne at the ready.
Send them flowers, every week
What could be more special than receiving a bunch of beautiful flowers every week for a whole year? If you have someone in your life who’s deserving of an incredible treat, this is it. Just customise this patchwork, send it out to friends and family to chip in, then let the flowers roll in. Your loved one will be reminded of the people who love them every single week, and their house will smell blooming lovely.