[Colonel Panic]

Rather than give a Thing (which, TBH is unlikely to be appreciated in x years time), give her a Party. That's what we did (marquee on the lawn / DJ / caterers & black tie) and it was a huge success.

[Rob P]

... give her a Party. That's what we did ...

How is it you know @Sooty25 's daughter?

Rob P

[Rob L]

...Gold Bar...

Good idea!

21 fine gold ounces; then she can choose in subsequent years what to do with it.

Today, 21 oz is just shy of £26K

Or you could go for silver: Today, 21 oz is just shy of £400.00

Or split the difference: Buy Platinum at circa £18,900.00 for 21 oz.

If you buy bullion, don't personalise it; this won't add value unless you are someone VERY famous in 100-200 years time.

(Edited to correct silver price!)

[Sooty25]

Twenty-one flying lessons.

Sorted

Having so far failed to get her in the RH seat of mine, this could potentially be a cheap option!

@nallen , @leiafee , @LowNSlow1 Jewellery would have been ideal, but she never wears a shred of it, no rings, nothing, doesn't even have her ears pierced.

@akg1486 , @Flyingfemme Yup, a decent watch would have been my first choice, but wearing it would involve prising that damned AppleWatch off her wrist!

A dating agency subscription

that reminds me, the shotgun and spade need cleaning!

She's 21 this coming Friday and we do have a small garden party planned for family and her close friends within the current limits. However the whole week is a bit subdued as tomorrow she is speaking at the funeral of one of her closest friends. He might have even been the one that negated the need for the dating agency. Brain tumours are bastards.

@Flying_john and @Rob L 1oz of 21 carat gold might work!

Keep thinking guys....

[leiafee]

Any hobbies for which there are less glamourous but notoriously high quality lasting bits of kits she’s appreciate then?

Something like those lovely lastforever long waxy jackets if she’s an outdoorsy type, or something of that ilk?

My other longest lasting gift is a wonderful leather messenger bag which is utterly indestructible and just gets a wonderful weathered look with age.

[akg1486]

@akg1486 , @Flyingfemme Yup, a decent watch would have been my first choice, but wearing it would involve prising that damned AppleWatch off her wrist!

Perhaps she can wear that ugly but admittedly practical AppleWatch on one wrist and a Swiss work of art and technical magnificence on the other?

(In case the daughter in question only has one arm, my sincere aplogies. The above would be incredibly insensitive in that case.)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm 50, and still have and occasionally wear the watch my parents bought me for my 21st. In retrospect, whilst very smart looking, it wasn't amongst the most expensive - but it is still working, and still treasured.

G

[PeteSpencer]

I've got 26 years on you, GtE:

My wife (girlfriend at the time) bought me an Omega Seamaster for my 21st: I can remember her agonising over Omega vs. Longines........................

It's still going strong, though it's a bit like Trigger's broom with replaced glass and face after an immersion /soaking over 40 years ago....

[gasman]

I'm 50, and still have and occasionally wear the watch my parents bought me for my 21st. In retrospect, whilst very smart looking, it wasn't amongst the most expensive - but it is still working, and still treasured.
G

My parents bought me a Brietling for my 21st.
I removed it to apply suncream at Oshkosh then got distracted by a Skycrane display
I was able to buy an identical model pre-owned so they were never aware of my stupidity

[Tall_Guy_In_a_PA28]

We wanted something memorable, probably too expensive for her (then) budget, and which she might use a bit soon but appreciate more in later life. A bonus might be that it should keep its value so she could sell it later if she either hated it or needed the money .

34 years ago my parents paid the bar bill for my 21st birthday dinner with about twenty friends (parents not invited). It was certainly memorable (short-term memory was sketchy but now I recall it well!) and way too expensive for me to afford (still a student). In terms of the long term 'bonus', I am still in touch with most of those friends and could tap several of them for a loan or other help if needed

I came across some photos of the event recently so not as transitory a gift as you might think.

[PeteSpencer]

Yep a 21st party is a memorable event : I and three other medics from our College took over the Dorothy Ballroom in Cambridge All our parents met the bill and weren’t invited either .

Anybody who was at Cambridge 64-7 will remember the fantastic Band The Soulbenders fronted by Jimmy Cuthbert from Queens’

Sadly no pics only memories

Sadly ‘ the 21st bash’ has been devalued by the advent of ‘the 18th’.

[MattL]

If you’re after another addition, a nice book with a handwritten inscription from you is always lovely I think

This one is cheap but lovely for gifts

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-Mole-Fox-H ... lie&sr=8-1

[Rob L]

If you’re after another addition, a nice book with a handwritten inscription from you is always lovely I think .....

Personalised inscriptions on the book are great on the day, but detract from the long-term value of the object (same as those on gold or silver artefacts). Much better to gift the object (or book or whatever) in its original form with a separate letter of love. Perhaps that's what you mean, MattL?

[seanxair]

One small thing is to buy her a newspaper back issue for the date she was born if you haven't already kept it. My daughter has the original DT 12/09/2001 to gawk at next year

Otherwise I will probably buy her a) something expensive with her initials on and b) something she would really like but would never have asked for unless pressed

[Miscellaneous]

It's just dawned on me, 21yr olds are 21st century kids!

Or should that be adults??