A Special 18th Birthday

Dear Sweet Gifts @ powersugoi.net.

My sister-in-law is turning 18 on Tuesday. What do you suggest for
this special day, that she wouldn’t usually get for Xmases or other
birthdays?

Sincerely,

Spent Sistah. :)

There are so many possibilities for birthday gifts, particularly on the years with a little extra special meaning attached to them. Try these out for size…

Gift of Adventure

The greatest value in a gift is the experience that goes along with it. Some of the best gifts aren’t “given”, but experiences to be had.

Plummeting to the ground from thousands of feet above can give the coming-of-age a new lease on life. Skydiving tends to be pricey for the unlicensed (between $200-$600), so you may want to chip in with a few friends for the deluxe package.

Bungee jumping also offers that freefall experience for the less daring. And a more affordable gift option for tighter budgets.

Because adventure is all about creating a day to remember, supplement your gift with lots of photos, mementos from the day or even video footage if you can!

Girl Time

A little girl time goes a long way, particularly if the birthday babe deals with stress (or boys) on a daily basis. A group session at a day spa, followed by shopping, snacks and the latest goss makes for a lovely, low-key birthday.

Or for something a bit more exciting, arrange a girls’ night out. If 18 is the legal partying age where you live, then a club hop or pub crawl will go down very well. To up the novelty factor, work in a dress code, colour code or common item of clothing. For larger groups, party buses are available for hire to keep everyone going at the same pace.

Wrappable Gifts

If you’re into wrappable gifts, the ‘old faithfuls’ can’t go wrong, and can easily be worked on to create a more unique offering.

Although alcohol is somewhat of a tradition on the barely-legal birthday, you can make this gift a little more interesting by hunting down exotic or uncommon drinks, such as absinthe with wormwood, dark tequila or tequila with a ‘worm’. Be sure to check the legalities before importing exotic liquors.

Alternatively, finer tastes can be catered to with a bottle of red wine intended for aging. If you pick one that takes three years to mature, you can celebrate again on her 21st birthday.

Commemoration has been in fashion since the dawn of civilisation, and 21st century 18th birthdays are no exception. Simple gifts such as jewellery, stationery and ornaments can be engraved with personalised messages for that extra special touch.

The 18th year isn’t just about coming of age, but also about a new beginning, which brings with it all sorts of learning curves and new experiences. Check your local bookstore for books written especially for new beginnings, such as Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch) and 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace (Wayne Dyer).

When looking for a gift for the individual as well as the “birthday girl”, the answers are hard to find unless you ask the right questions…

• Think of the last few conversations you’ve had with the birthday girl. What did you talk about? What topics made her eyes light up the most?
• Has she been saving up for anything that you can buy for her or contribute towards?
• Are any of her favourites (band, dj, comedy act, etc.) coming to town?
• Has she been looking for a new responsibility? (eg. pet, job, car, moving out, etc.)
• Has she made any recent lifestyle changes that you can show your support for? (eg. moving out, dietary, sexuality, etc.)

Whether shopping online or on foot, whether you give wrappable gifts or precious moments, the celebration will be as special as you can make it.

Good luck!