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Step 1
Ask the almost-90-year-old birthday girl about her past, while subtly trying to get her talking about past birthdays. Not only will you both have a great time talking about a time long gone by...it's also the perfect chance to find clues about what she might want. Did she always wish for a bouquet of violets on her birthday? Gold-embossed birthday invitations? A whole box of chocolates to herself?
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Step 2
Assess whether she's the kind of person to appreciate a gag gift. To do this, ask her if she's ever had a surprise birthday party, and whether or not she liked it. Someone who can laugh at being surprised might very well laugh at a humorous birthday present. Funny gag gifts give a gift that money truly can't buy--laughter.
If she has a good sense of humor, consider getting her a book about turning ninety. Go wild--get her 90 balloons and 90 party streamers to represent each year. Or try a T-shirt that says, "This is What a Really Fabulous 90 Year Old Looks Like" (see Resources). -
Step 3
Buy her a gift steeped in nostalgia, since memories are another thing that are precious (and don't cost a lot). Assemble a leather-bound photo album for the 90th birthday woman with photos of her family and friends that, ideally, she hasn't seen before, or that were never laid out so nicely...and go through it with her at the party.
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Step 4
Buy her a trophy gift--a gift that celebrates the fact that she's reached the milestone age of ninety and is rightfully proud of it. Jazz up a 90th birthday gift clock with a balloon. Or get her the "sure thing" birthday present: a gourmet birthday gift basket filled with goodies she can nibble on for days.
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Step 5
Whatever present you buy, present her ninetieth birthday gift with flair--ideally, at a 90th birthday party to commemorate what an achievement ninety really is. Any 90-year-old woman worth her salt will gladly accept the gift in the spirit with which it was meant.
