OK, so that post title doesn’t make it sound like the best present ever does it..?!
My big brother turned 40 towards the end of 2014, causing much merriment and mirth amongst those of us yet to reach this milestone 😉
I racked my brains for something to buy/make him to mark this auspicious occasion with no success. Men are so hard to make things for, and I hate the idea of buying something to give, just because you feel you ought to, when you know that the recipient could probably go and to and buy for themselves pretty much anything they might want.
I posted the question on the Make Do and Mend-able Facebook group, as they are a pretty resourceful lot, and got several ideas, including sewing him a shirt (not sure my sewing skills are quite there yet, but maybe by the end of #mmaw2105 they might be..!). The lovely Sue (aka The Woolly Pedlar) said that she had been given 40 CDs of music by her brother for her 40th, each with a pic of her on!
This got me thinking. I’m not sure that I know my brother’s musical tastes well enough (all I remember is there was a lot of Nirvana blaring out of his bedroom in the ’90s..!) to make him a tailored CD, but I decided to have a look at the number 1’s from his lifetime.
I ended up using Wikipedia pages ( so who knows if it’s accurate!) that listed all the number 1’s from each year. So starting with 1974, I found out what was the Number 1 single for each year, on the week of my brother’s birthday.
We then downloaded all 40 tracks from i-tunes, and burned them onto 3 CDs, and I made sleeves and covers for them (there are templates in Word if you search!)
There were some great tunes. And some pretty dodgy ones too (Mr Blobby, and the Teletubbies…), but it was really fun to put it together!
I also made him 40 biscuits, in 4s and 0s, just to rub in the 40 bit….!
My big bro’ seemed genuinely quite touched 🙂
Now my only worry is that hubby turns 40 later this year, and I’ve just used up my 2 best ideas….!
My Make Do and Mend Year 
What great ideas! Your brother would have been delighted, I’m sure. Regarding your husband’s birthday. I have noticed that men can be quite forgetful/ don’t listen etc. So, with a bit of luck hubby may have completely forgotten about the CDs and biscuits by the time his birthday rolls round!
Yes, you’re right about the forgetful thing Linda!
I was given a photo collage for my 40th. The original idea had been a photo from each year but that proved impossible so it was a range over the 40 years including obvious significant ones and surprising/fun/nostalgic ones. Although given by my husband it involved several folk sending him photos and a friend who put it together. I still lobe looking at it! He loved getting a similar one for his 60th.
Newspaper headlines from 40 years
Mens’ fashions from 40 years – or what he might have been wearing if he was 40 in different eras (photoshop?!)
I love the collage idea Liz-what a fabulous gift!
A comic or annual from his birth year. Probably available on ebay.
Loved your two own ideas btw.
Great idea-thankyou!
I’m glad he was appreciative. I know I would be if someone went to that effort for me. Great ideas!
Thanks Juhli!