Homemade Gag Gifts for a 50th Birthday

A 50th birthday party is the perfect occasion to razz your friend with gag gifts -- especially if she is known for teasing others about their ages. Rather than opting for run-of-the mill "over-the-hill" gifts from a party supply store, make your own gag gifts to amuse the birthday girl and party-goers alike.

1 Bottled Boosters

Package an assortment of jellybeans or candy-coated chocolates in a jar or a large pill bottle that has been washed and its label removed. Print a homemade label with a humorous saying on it, such as "Perk-up Pills -- make you feel like you're 49 again." As an alternative to sweets, offer vitamins or a jar of coffee beans instead. Include a second label on the back of the jar stating the true contents of the package.

2 Nifty Fifty Notepads

Create a homemade notepad by dividing a page into four or six parts in a document program, with the words "While You Were Napping" at the top of each section. Print out five or so sheets of the paper, then cut the sections out to stack them into a notepad. Another option is to print "Remember this, remember this" in each section as if the birthday girl forgets everything and needs twice as many reminders. A "Things to Avoid" homemade notepad serves as a playful alternative to the standard "To Do" lists.

3 Terrible T-Shirts

Tease the birthday boy with a custom T-shirt emblazoned with the words "if lost, please return to ___" and his address, or the name of his favorite cafe or neighborhood bar. "Who Am I?" on a T-shirt implies your friend can't remember anything, even his own name, and it's sure to get a lot of laughs if he actually wears it out in public. Customize a plain shirt with an image of a gas mask and the words "Caution: Old Fart" for more laughs.

4 Tennis, Anyone?

Gift the birthday girl with a bag of tennis balls with a hole cut into each ball. When she asks what the gift means, tell her the balls are to place on the bottom of her walker. Craft a makeshift walker yourself with an old chair fitted with tennis balls on the bottom of each foot, or place one tennis ball on the bottom of a garden tool handle for a makeshift walking stick/cane.

Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists. She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. She enjoys exploring foreign locales and hiking off the beaten path stateside, snapping pics of wildlife and nature instead of selfies.

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