Find out what his first 8/16 bit computer was and get him one with some peripherals and OG games. At his age, and with the bourbon reference I’d guess a Commodore 64.
Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
31–40 of 74 posts
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#32A helicopter ride for you and him (and others if they'll fit) around where he lives or likes to camp. It's one thing to see your local places from an airplane, it was a completely different experience for me in a helicopter. If you can get one where the front seats have a window in the nose/floor and have him sit in the front with the pilot, that would probably be really cool for him. Maybe go fly by some nearby broa…
Or a hot air balloon - if they have them in your area they can carry eight or more people.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#33Father, not brother, gifted me a guitar. Now, we're both amateur guitarists, as are some of my other brothers. In the last 5-10 years my dad has started to collect more guitars. He's nerdier than some of the tech details on guitars than I am (hardware, pickups, etc) but ... we both enjoy guitars.
My dad looked - for a long time - for a guitar that was made on my birthday.- same day and same year, then same month and year. He couldn't find anything that specific, but found something made the following month (which, in my mind, was probably being built a few days before, in my birth month).
So on my 50th birthday I was given a guitar with almost the same birthday as me. It was pretty cool :)
There may not be interests that align with that sort of timetable directly, but perhaps that can spark an idea. I just priced out some 50 year old whiskey, and... that may be too much :)
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#34Nixie watch
An excellent suggestion, particularly a Round Nixie Watch from Cathode Corner, which has famous adherents including Woz. Also, how about a One Wheel?
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#35Personally I love being gifted experiences. One year I got a tandem skydiving experience for my significant other and I, it was awesome. Another year I purchased my SO and I an intro to pottering throwing class that was fun too. Perhaps you could try something like an aerial tour of the area that they live in? Seeing where you live from the sky is really fun.
I once found a 2 hour introductory flight lesson on groupon that I gifted as a birthday present. They had a great experience.
This can be very dangerous - they may like it so much they end up spending $15-20k+ on a pilot license.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#36Victorinox Cybertool https://www.victorinox.com/global/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Kni...
Got that as a gift about 22 years ago, still use it at least once a month.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#37Was he into tech as a kid? Maybe something vintage that got him interested in tech as a kid that he can share with his own kids.
Yes he works in tech on the hardware side, he always regretted not being a programmer but I think he has more fun than me, given how stuffed full his office is of solder irons and boxes full of random connectors. Plus he gets to go outside and install equipment.
So not useful as such, but I once had a pile of old computer and electronics magazines, and would give people their birth month edition. You should be able to find 1972 ones fairly easily; Wireless World was around then, not sure what else.
They're great fun looking at predictions and adverts of the time.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#38Some old photos of you cats together at different stages of your lives. Put them in a nice scrap book. Write a thoughtful message at the end.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#39Or a Massey Ferguson 7250 DI Power Up tractor
He would love that! Pity the yard is too small to warrant the space it would take up in the garage.
Actually, if he has a power-tool brand he enjoys maybe splurge on something that uses the same batteries that he doesn't have or can't quite spend on.
For example, the Milwaukee lawn mower is highly rated but also kinda pricey.
In that area they also have some real nice tools for car working now, impact wrenches, etc. But you'd need to know what he currently has to find something nice to have.
Re: Ask HN: What to get for my brother's 50th birthday?
#40Personally I love being gifted experiences. One year I got a tandem skydiving experience for my significant other and I, it was awesome. Another year I purchased my SO and I an intro to pottering throwing class that was fun too. Perhaps you could try something like an aerial tour of the area that they live in? Seeing where you live from the sky is really fun.
I once found a 2 hour introductory flight lesson on groupon that I gifted as a birthday present. They had a great experience.
Only caveat with this is that it could potentially be a hindrance for someone getting life insurance.
I recently applied to a couple companies and they all asked me if I had flown an airplane in the last 12 months.