Our Favorite 50th Birthday Gifts for Women

A 50th birthday is a huge milestone and one that's worth marking with a special gift. If a lady in your life is reaching the half-century mark this year, these thoughtful gift ideas provide inspiration for a present that she will absolutely adore!

Something Inspiring

For many women, turning 50 is a reminder that they are getting older. It's common at this time to start to reflect on all that has happened in decades past and start thinking about getting onto those bucket list items.

At this critical juncture in a lady's life, a gift featuring an inspirational quote or goals for the future will help her to stay motivated and focused on the things to come.

Intention Necklace or Bracelet

An intention necklace or bracelet gives a special 50-year-old the chance to write down one hope, wish, or goal for the future to keep in a beautiful piece of gemstone jewelry and wear every day. These pieces are often made from gemstones like coral jade, lapis lazuli, and rose quartz and are very pretty to wear.

Inspirational Quote Wall Art

For an uplifting, personalized gift, consider wood-framed wall art. For a 50th birthday, we love signs like:

• "I still remember the days I prayed for the things I have now" sign for the bedroom
• "Happiness is homemade" sign or “This kitchen is for dancing” sign for the kitchen
• "These are the good old days" sign for the living room 
• Create your own wood-framed sign!

If the birthday gal is having a party, the sign can even be used as part of the birthday decorations. Match the frame and text colors to her existing decor and make sure the sign comes ready to hang.

Wish Jar or Signed Wall Poster

There's nothing like warm fuzzies from friends and family to feel appreciated. If you have the chance to get family members, neighbors, friends, and colleagues in on the act, consider a "wish jar" containing her loved ones' wishes for her future or a wall poster signed by all of the people whose lives she's touched.

Something Beautiful

For a milestone birthday, it's appropriate to give something especially beautiful and expensive. If your budget doesn’t allow you to buy this kind of gift on your own, consider asking family and friends to pitch in for one of these extra special gifts.

Birthstone Jewelry

Gemstone jewelry is something that many women wouldn't buy for themselves but deep down would love to have. For a 50th birthday, consider working as a group to purchase a customized birthstone ring, pendant, earrings, or jewelry set. If she doesn't like wearing jewelry but loves being outside, you could get her a birthstone-colored glass hummingbird feeder for the garden instead.

Luxury Watch

A luxury watch is another high-ticket item that many women admire but few would buy for themselves. Consider her current jewelry and clothing choices (gold vs silver, favorite colors) and pick out a special lady's watch from a high-end brand. Pro tip: Diamonds and sparkles in the design are a must!

Leather Makeup Bag

For a lady who regularly wears makeup, a personalized leather makeup bag can be a beautiful surprise. Make sure it's large enough for all the items she uses on a regular basis and go for vegan leather if that's something she'd prefer.

Floral Bouquet

A bouquet of flowers is a classic gift that never gets old. For a 50th birthday, go big with an enormous bouquet of colorful, seasonal flowers featuring her favorite species and colors. Or create a bouquet of 50 pink roses for 50 years making this world a more beautiful place. Aww!

Something Nostalgic

A lot happens in 50 years—fashions come and go, families grow and change, and all of those experiences have contributed to the person she is today. To encapsulate half a century of memories, consider these gifts:

• A birthday book featuring the front page of the newspaper on her birthday each year since the year she was born (leaving space for more!)
• A journal where she can write her life story so far
• A custom wood-framed photo or photo collage that she can hang on the wall
• Framed memorabilia from the year you met, such as a yearbook, class photo, or baby photo

Something to Help Her Relax

Many 50-year-old women have spent decades looking after others. Now, give her a gift that will help her relax and enjoy this new phase.

A Pair of Comfortable Slippers

There's nothing like a pair of slippers to rest tired feet. A pair of luxuriously comfortable slippers with a wool lining or made from memory foam makes a great gift for a 50th birthday.

An Organic Cotton Kimono Robe

Take things up a notch with an organic cotton kimono robe for drying off after a sumptuous bath. There are lots of beautiful fair-trade designs available featuring hand-dyeing techniques and you’ll be supporting a traditional community at the same time!

A Hammock

The birthday girl may or may not have made it to the Caribbean, but every 50-year-old can kick back and feel tropical with a colorful hammock for the backyard. If she doesn't have anywhere to put a hammock in her current setup, pair the gift with a portable hammock stand.

Gifts that Delight the Senses

Sensory gifts can easily be paired with relaxation gifts for a relaxing afternoon or a sensuous bathing experience. These gifts can help her truly be in the moment:

• A honey gift set featuring varieties made with different flowers
• A tea-tasting set with flavors she's never tried before
• Four seasons dried flower candles featuring the fragrance of each season
• A lavender gift set with a candle, essential oils, a lavender pillow, and a lavender pot plant

Something for Her Hobby

At 50, the special lady in your life might just be starting to develop her career after her children have grown up and left home, might be moving into a more senior leadership position, or might be starting to wind down on the professional front. Whichever of these is the case, a birthday gift that will spur her on in her hobby is sure to be greatly appreciated.

Gifts for the Home Cook

• A curated basket of gourmet cooking ingredients
• An organic ingredients-in-a-box subscription
• A spice subscription
• A personalized wooden cutting board
• A personalized chef’s knife

Gifts for the Avid Gardener

• A harvest basket
• A garden kneeler
• A pair of ergonomic secateurs

Gifts for the Craft Lover

• A candle-making set
• A knitting caddy and yarn bowl

Gifts for the Bibliophile

• A book club subscription
• An inspiring biography

Gifts for the Proud Pet Parent

• A pet subscription box

Gifts for the Games Lover

• A new board game
• A personalized puzzle

Gifts for the Active Woman

• An electric bicycle
• An under-desk cycle

No matter what her hobbies are, a gift box with a curated selection of items relating to her hobby makes for an extra-special gift!

Something for Her Next Adventures

50 is only halfway to 100 (and we hope she lives to 120, right?), so there's plenty of time for new adventures! Ignite her adventurous spirit and inspire her to make new memories with:

• An e-reader so she can read on the go
• An experience like horse riding or hot air ballooning
• A national parks color map mug so that she can check off each park that she sees
• A portable barbecue grill for her next camping trip
• A portable metal fire pit for low-smoke campfires
• A language course so she can travel abroad
• An adventure notebook for documenting her journeys 

Make the Gift Personalized to Her

Here, we've covered 43 birthday gift ideas for a special lady who's turning 50. But ultimately, the perfect gift for celebrating a half-century well lived will be highly unique to her.

If you're planning a birthday celebration as well as a gift, find out if she'd like to mark this momentous occasion with a big party or perhaps enjoy a quiet dinner at a restaurant or have friends visit her at home. 

When the big day comes, be sure to tell her all the ways she's made a difference in your life and in the lives of others as a way to show her how much you appreciate her. Knowing her life so far has made a difference will spur her on for the years and decades ahead.