words Al Woods
There comes a time in every parent’s life when their children grow old enough to fly the coop – a bittersweet time, to be sure, but also one full of joyous moments and ripe for celebration. Your little one’s 18th birthday may have crept up on you, but it is also a fantastic time to look back on the memories you have created together, and to prime one another for a new future.
Still, choosing gifts for an 18th birthday can be a scary thing to do, especially where you want to get it right – and even more especially when your child is a tough customer to buy for. There are some quintessential fonts of inspiration from which you can draw for 18th birthdays, though, and which can help make your child’s 18th their most memorable birthday yet.
Engraved Jewellery
The 18th birthday is an undeniable milestone – one which signals newfound adulthood and the beginning of newfound independence. It is the birthday at which their first (legal) drink will be bought for them, from which they can vote and at which they can legally marry. Ringing in this occasion is a big deal, and should be done with a big gift. Why not invest in a piece of engraved jewellery?
A ring or bracelet with a personal message from you can become a treasured item of theirs almost instantly, and be a totem through which you can offer succinct guidance or a simple declaration of love. Through an item of personalised jewellery, you can signal that you will always be there for your child – and what could be more beautiful?
A Car
The legal age at which you can drive is 17 – and if driving lessons were your teenager’s 17th birthday present, chances are they have been haranguing you for a car from the moment they passed their test. Well, their 18th is the perfect opportunity to gift them the car they’ve been dreaming of – or, at least, something significantly cheaper than that.
You could make a day of the gift, and surprise them with a trip to your local car dealership to pick out a car together. This way, they can have a hand in choosing their present, and really own that decision for the years to come.
An Unforgettable Experience
But not all meaningful gifts are tangible in nature. Instead of agonising over the particulars of potential presents, why not zone in on something that could have much more of an impact on their lives – in the form of an experience?
You could buy them tickets to a festival so they can attend with friends, or you could subsidise a once-in-a-lifetime gap year trip before they start their university education. The possibilities are endless, and there are myriad unique ways you can make a positive impact.
