There are a select few birthdays in our lives that are a bit more special than the others. The 1st, the 16th, the 18th, and the 21st are among the most commonly cited examples. Of course, in the days before modern civilization, it would have been unusual for someone to live to the advanced ages that serve as the “average” today. Even taking those modern averages into account, it is a heck of an achievement to make it to one’s 70th birthday. While it no doubt seems like it all went by in the blink of an eye, that’s actually a lot of life. Someone turning 70 in 2022, for instance, would have lived through the JFK assassination, the moon landing, much of the Cold War, the rise of cable TV, the rise of the internet, 9/11, and so much else. And that’s not even getting into the experiences and achievements personal to their own lives!

A birthday like this one calls for a special celebration – one that puts the emphasis on what an amazing milestone this is.

The Platinum Jubilee

You may have primarily heard words like “jubilee” in conjunction with Queen Elizabeth’s celebrations, but it so happens that this celebration isn’t exclusive to the royal family. Anyone can have a platinum jubilee, and the only requirement is that you make it to your 70th birthday – not that we would call that a small feat, by any means! Platinum is one of the most precious metals around, and that makes it the perfect representation of this (relatively) rare and special birthday. They give platinum records to recording artists who have sold more than a million records, and they throw platinum jubilees for those who have conquered this wonderful milestone. If someone in your life is turning 70 soon, make sure you throw them the bash they deserve.

A Beautiful Platinum Jubilee Party

Throwing a magnificent platinum jubilee party doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out there with all of the extravagance of an English national celebration; some 70-year-olds would want anything BUT such a fuss. The important thing to remember when planning a party like this is that you should customize the event to the person in question rather than tips you hear from around the world. Do they want a huge party with all of their friends and family? Or would they rather have a nice quiet dinner with a small circle of friends? With these questions in mind, here are a few themes that would be perfectly appropriate for someone turning 70:

• A Walk Down Memory Lane

Most people find that the majority of their “core” memories are formed between the ages of 3 and 20. Shortly after that, it seems that the world begins moving on. The music on the radio no longer sounds like the stuff you grew up with. The shows on television have changed considerably. The politicians no longer act in ways that seem familiar. It feels suddenly like you’re living in someone else’s world. It can’t be understated how important those first 20ish years are to a person’s concept of culture, values, and life itself. By turning the birthday celebration into a stroll down memory lane, you can show them that the world they grew up in is still around. It’s just changed a little, that’s all.

• Make Them The Center of the Party

What’s the old saying? Most people’s favorite word is “I.” People love reminiscing about the important things in their lives, and they enjoy telling stories about their past. By making sure the birthday boy or girl is the center of the party, you can give them space to talk about their conquests, their mistakes, and their favorite memories. To facilitate this, you can use their hobbies, career, children, and more to create the theme of the party.

• An Assorted Buffet

We firmly believe that everyone has the right to eat their favorite foods on their birthday, and that goes double for special birthdays like this one. What about a buffet-type assortment? That way, you don’t have to choose between their favorite foods – you can have them all! With a little help from a good local restaurant, a flexible caterer, or some friends who do their best work in the kitchen, you can create a birthday menu that will go down in history.

Okay, now that we’ve got the theme of the party and the food squared away, it’s time to get down to brass tacks (or should we say platinum tacks?). Let’s take a look at the 70th birthday gifts that celebrate this amazing milestone in style!

11 – Scented Soaps, Lotions, and Candles

Everyone enjoys things that smell good, so why not use that fact to buy a great 70th birthday gift? The number of exclusive companies that sell scented lotions, soaps, and candles would fill a book the size of the Manhattan phone directory. Choose one or two of them, and select their most popular products. Otherwise, use your knowledge of the recipient’s tastes to pinpoint the gift. For instance, if you know they enjoy the scent of lemon, you probably shouldn’t go all-in on soaps that smell like lavender. Some companies even offer monthly subscription gift boxes – the gift that keeps on giving!

10 – Scrapbook/Photos

Fitting perfectly with the “Memory Lane” theme idea we mentioned above, you can always create a 70th birthday gift from scratch with the help of some personal photos and scraps from the person’s life. This is an especially thoughtful gift coming from children or a spouse. They know which moments to highlight (to say nothing of those memories better left unmentioned). With care and thought, this has the potential to be one of the best gifts they’ve ever received.

9 – Massage Chair

Those full-body massage chairs you sometimes see people using while taking a break at the shopping mall? Yeah, those are expensive. So expensive that we can’t imagine that many casual mallgoers are actually pulling the trigger on a purchase. But you know what? These chairs are also effective. If you enjoy the sensation of a full-body massage, you’ll quickly fall in love with one of these pricey chairs. If you have a budget that allows for it, one of these bad boys will make an awesome 70th birthday gift.

8 – House Painting

Hold on, you’re suggesting that I paint Grandpa’s house for his 70th birthday? I don’t know if I’m ready to bite off quite that much this summer. No, no. Although it would be a grand gesture to do something like that for someone you love, what we’re talking about is not painting their house, but giving them a painting OF their house. Preferably with them standing somewhere in the picture. If you’re a great artist yourself or know someone who is, you can deliver this gift for no financial cost whatsoever. If you’re not so fortunate, it’s very easy to contract a great artist, give them a photo of the house, and let them come up with something terrific.

7 – A Cane or a Walking Stick

Some 70-year-olds are so active and healthy, they can do things that would put your average couch-potato 30-year-old to shame. Good for them! Others, however, haven’t been so fortunate, and the weight of the years is beginning to weigh on their backs and knees. In that case, a cane or a good walking stick can be invaluable when it comes to getting around. If you’d like to help the 70-year-old in your life to stay active, get them a nice cane they can use for extra support when they need it.

6 – Vacation Time!

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t products that you unwrap on the day of the party. And when you’re buying for someone who already seems to have everything they could ever want or need, you have to think outside the box. What about a great vacation? A cruise to an exotic location, a plane trip somewhere special – even a trip to somewhere nearby can make a nice gift if the recipient rarely does anything out of the ordinary. Once people get to a certain age, they tend to spend a lot of time looking backward. Give them something that will help them forget about the past for a while and concentrate on the present.

5 – Personalized Puzzle

While a great many 70-year-olds are almost as excited about their devices and social media as their Zoomer grandchildren, some of them still appreciate the value of sitting quietly with no distractions, and putting their focus on a single activity. Few activities are as conducive to calm and focus as putting together a jigsaw puzzle, so consider buying a personalized puzzle! Instead of putting together a beach scene or a colorful picture of a famous monument, they can put together a picture from their own life. What better way to celebrate one’s 70th birthday?

4 – Bird Feeder

Sometimes the most satisfying pastimes are those that let you quiet your mind and simply spend some time reflecting on the miracle of life that surrounds us. A bird feeder is a wonderful way to accentuate that aspect of life, and it makes for a fantastic 70th birthday gift. You can get these feeders in many different versions, so try and choose one that would be appreciated by the recipient. Note: If the recipient is tech-averse, skip the newer models that incorporate apps and special features.

3 – An Instructive Course

Not that long ago, it was relatively common to see adults sign up for a class at the local community college simply to learn more about a subject that interests them, or to deepen their appreciation for a hobby they were already into. Today, it’s easier than ever to find an interesting course. Thanks to sites like Masterclass and Udemy, you can buy a gift that actually matters. Whether the 70-year-old in question is into astronomy, art history, or wants to learn HTML, they can learn more through one of these courses.

2 – A Robot Vacuum

We don’t care how old you are, there comes a time when you’re simply sick of doing the same old, same old chores. This is particularly true when it comes to chores that take a lot out of you. Vacuuming a house can be one of those chores, and if you can ease the burden of a 70-year-old, you’ve done them a great service. Today’s robot vacuum cleaners are better than ever. Buy one as a gift…and you may just decide that you need one for yourself!

1 – Photo Restoration

A 20-year-old today probably has very few “old-style,” filmed photographs. Around the turn of the century, Polaroid and traditional film began slowly being replaced by digital cameras that produced a computer file as opposed to a picture on film. The real revolution began only a few years later, when suddenly everyone was walking around with a high-powered camera in their pockets. But the digital revolution isn’t just for new pictures; it can be used to restore old ones as well. If Grandpa has a bunch of black-and-white, deteriorated pics lying around, have them professionally restored and digitized. It’s the kind of personalized 70th birthday gift that will be cherished.