Ideas for Homemade Gag Gifts for a 60th Birthday

A gag gift can add laughter to a 60th birthday, whether it's given in private or at a party. As you plan, consider how you can play on the trials of old age and the individual characteristics of the birthday boy or girl to create a comical gift. Avoid gifts that might cause hurt feelings; instead, play on stereotypes of old age for a gift that will get a laugh.

For a woman, make an "old lady starter kit." Buy a huge, old-fashioned purse from a thrift store and use it as the base for the gift. Inside, put a variety of items that are stereotypically used by older women. You might include a rain bonnet, a package of peppermints, a large-print version of a magazine or book, a magnifying glass and enormous old spectacles. Cut out coupons for things like adult diapers and laxatives, and include a set of fake false teeth in a case. Choose items that will get a laugh, and stay away from things that might hit too close to home. Label the bag with a big tag that says "Old Lady Starter Kit" so that the birthday girl knows to expect a gag gift, and tie it on with an old head scarf.

For a gag gift that will double as a fun keepsake, make a scrapbook from the year the birthday guy or girl was born. Create a story that runs through the book, focusing on comical comparisons between then and now. You can use a majority of facts, and insert a few pages of blatantly ridiculous errors for the sake of comedy; you might reference crank-start cars, for example, or the days before telephones were invented. Use photos of the person that you can modify for humor. Paste a cut out of an enormous cell phone on a photo from the 1990s, use a photo-editing program to place your subject in an old black and white photo, or put him in the scene at famous moments in history.

An old age survival kit can be customized to suit the individual. Start with a container that will get a laugh: a bedpan, a walker with a basket, or an enormous pill box. Fill it with gag items designed to get a laugh. Label a roll of duct tape with a note that says "instant facelift," put sandpaper in to remove age spots, and include a funnel to help with hearing. Other possible items are a cup for false teeth, large-print playing cards, hair color to eliminate gray hairs, and a fan for hot flashes. For a man, fill an empty pill bottle with purple candies and label it "Viagra." Make a large label for the gift and set it in a prominent place so guests can get a laugh and anticipate what's inside.