An Old Hippie Looks At 60!

They say that knowledge is power and with years comes wisdom. This is the beauty of turning 60 years young. Society is always looking for ways to make the older years seem younger, but why do that? Use the wisdom gained by embracing the big Six Zero. Deciding what to get a parent, friend, or acquaintance on their 60th birthday might seem complex, but it doesn’t have to be. One very “party friendly” choice would be one of the personalized 60th birthday gift baskets. These baskets come with various options, usually containing the candy and toys. A purchaser can select the best basket for their recipient based upon their likes, dislikes, and personality. This simple rule will guarantee the approval of the recipient.



Taking a trip down memory lane is perfect for this kind of gift giving, especially if the gift will be given at an occasion where the birthday person will be surrounded by family and friends. 60th birthday gift baskets for the celebrant should ideally contain items that were popular from about 40 to 55 years in the past. The taste or scent of something remembered from an individual’s youth can often trigger vivid memories, which in turn can provide some very entertaining story telling, tales that will be remembered for years to come by the younger ones attending the birthday bash. Just remember, the smell of patchouli incense may trigger some memories and stories that are not PG-13!

Sometimes the kids think that they have cornered the market on wild times.  But remember, someone turning 60 this year was 16 or 17 years old in 1969, which was a very good and eventful year; the Woodstock Music Festival took place in August, David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” became a huge hit, The Beatles played their last live performance amongst London’s rooftops and released “Abbey Road”, Sly and the Family Stone put out “Everyday People”, Led Zeppelin released their first album, John married Yoko, Stevie Wonder recorded “For Once in My Life” and “My Cherie Amour”, Cream released their last album, “Goodbye”, Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was #1 for many weeks, Brian Jones drowned in his pool and The Rolling Stones recorded “Honky Tonk Women”, Elvis Presley had his last big hits with “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto” and unfortunately, The Archies recorded “Sugar, Sugar”.

At the movies, notable films of 1969 were; “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, “Midnight Cowboy”, “Easy Rider”, “The Wild Bunch”, “True Grit” and “Alice’s Restaurant”.  On TV, the Smothers Brothers got kicked off the air on CBS, NBC canceled "Star Trek", "Monty Python’s Flying Circus" debuted on BBC, Scooby Doo made his first cartoon appearance on Saturday mornings and “The Brady Bunch” series began it’s long run.

What type of candy would appeal to a person turning 60 years young? Necco Wafers, Red Hots, Candy Buttons on Paper, Atomic Fireballs, Pixy Stix, Indian Pumpkin Seeds, Good & Plenty, Boston Baked Beans, Candy Cigarettes, those big Wax Lips and Chiclets Gum are sure to put a smile on the recipient’s face. Toys of note would include Pick Up Stix, Slinkies, Play Dough, Woolly Willies, Mr. Potato Head, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys and Barbie. And it might be a great idea to include a “1969 Mix CD” to top off a 60th birthday gift basket.  That might get the birthday boy or girl out of their seat and ready to dance!