If your dad is a keen fisherman and he's heading towards his 50th birthday, looking for gift ideas that compliment his sporting passion is a good place to start.

First is the party planning. Flatter your avid angler with a birthday party that celebrates his love of all things fishy. Perhaps put up netting around the room or garden... with little lights and fish tangled up among it.  Definitely serve a sumptuous seafood platter and make sure the placemats are fishing related. These placemats from Prezzi Express should do the trick.

Rod and reel enthusiasts will "reely" (haha) appreciate the effort and thought you put into their 50th birthday celebrations.

You can even send out fishy invitations. Party supply shops and birthday theme websites are a great way to reel in the party goers with themed plates, cups and decorations.

Once the celebration has been planned and the funky fish theme invitations have been sent out, it's time to think about the gift.

You don't need to be a fisherman yourself to choose a great 50th birthday gift for your dad.... although it may come in handy if your buying the latest fishing gear. When you're not sure about picking the most  useful equipment, you're better off choosing fun over function.

You can start with looking at novelty items and homeware. They're great 50th birthday gift ideas for shoppers with limited knowledge of the fine art of fishing. You'll discover a vast selection of gag gifts and tasteful homewares that will bring a smile to any fisherman's face. When he can't be out on the open waters with his reel and rod... these gifts will serve as fun reminders of his favorite pastime.

Original folk-art paintings are also a great 50th birthday gift for dads who love fishing... and they're not too expensive. Fish themes are common subjects for traditional folk artists because of the rich history of the sport.

And what about a photo frame - for the catch that DIDN'T get away! Put in a photo of him displaying his best catch and excited smile. It's a great 50th birthday gift idea that celebrates his skill with a rod and reel.

Another gift idea is a waterproof watch and compass. They're both great assets to any sporting dad.

Have fun fishing around for great presents for your dads 50th birthday celebration!

Let's pretend that we'll all millionaires for a moment and money is no object when choosing a present. Here are some choice gift ideas for the well-to-do.

For the birthday gentleman, why not splash out on solid gold cufflinks from ArmRevolution in the UK. A snip at just under $12,000. You'll find those at www.20ltd.com.  The website also has a list of limited edition gifts... such as a blackgammon set for $23,000.

Or if you want a gift you can share (and why not at these prices!) - how about a bottle of Krug Clo d'Ambonnay - one of the rarest and most expensive champagnes available.  Small change at just $4,900.

If you haven't broken the bank yet, why not help the birthday boy or girl arrive at their party in style by giving them a new Bentley 6.8 litre V* Arnage. Only 150 have been made, so if you're looking for an 'exclusive' present that really IS exclusive - this is it. Only $600,000 - what's a few hundred thousand between friends?

Or why not give a gift that will transport them back to their disco days - Tom Dixon's Mirror Ball light is only $4,500 and is bound to get people reminiscing about their Studio 54 days - well worth the money! You can see the lights at www.dedece.com

Here are just a few decedant gift ideas - feel free to add more. There's nothing wrong with a bit of daydreaming once in a while.....

Think about it. Most 50 year olds are at a time in their lives where their children are well on their way to independence. They've probably paid off their mortgages and are in stable, often well paid work. Many have what most of us can only dream of - time, money and good health.

So when buying a present for this age group, traditional gifts may be nice, but unusual gifts that celebrate this new phase of life are even better.

For example - a gift idea for a 50 year old techno-phobe? Perhaps pay for a computer night course at the local adult education centre. Opening up their world to the wonders of the internet is a gift that keeps giving.

Or perhaps you're looking to buy a present for a 50 year old who's never had a massage - a gift voucher for a day at an upmarket spa may turn him or her into a real spa junkie.

Or perhaps you know a 50 year old woman who has always put her family first and herself second. Buy her a frivolous gift, a decadent gift or a truly beautiful gift she would never buy herself. These gorgeous silk and linen blankets

from www.PrezziExpress.com have been hand-dyed and hand made in India and would be the perfect present for a 50 year old.

Encourage your fabulous 50 year old to make the most of the enviable position they are in. Give a gift that nudges them out of old patterns and helps to open up a whole world of possibilities.

A vintage bottle of wine, whiskey or port is a birthday gift they can really raise a glass to.  To make the present even more special, why not buy a vintage that was bottled on the year they were born.

There are plenty of specialist wine shops and online companies that sell vintages from every region of the world, in every variety.  There are very few people who wouldn't love to open a gift box to discover a 40 year old bottle of Penfold's Grange Hermitage inside.  Or for the whiskey lover, why not ship a bottle over from one of Scotland's fine distilleries.  A vintage Beajoulais perhaps? A fine port?

Of course, it's a gift that could backfire!  Imagine opening a 40 year old wine to find it has been corked - ruined and rancid.  Just proving that age sometimes CAN take it's toll... on even the best vintages.

At the 30th birthday milestone, some people are married, settled and in responsible jobs. Others can be travelling the world still trying to 'find' themselves.

Buying a 30th birthday gift for either sort or person, and everyone is between, is a matter of knowing the person you are buying the present for.

For the more settled 30 year old, who's well established in a professional career, gifts such as good quality leather business card holders, wallets or journals from a European designer is a thoughtful present.

For a full-time mum, presents such as a day at a spa, jewellery or a gold class cinema ticket (complete with babysitting duties) would be very welcomed gifts.

For more free spirited 30 year olds - be sure you DON'T buy a birthday present that screams "please stop sponging off your parents and get a job", even if that's what you think!  You know the sort of gifts I'm talking about - salad bowls and/or tongs, a professional diary, a business shirt, subsciption to The Economist.  Maybe gifts such as an alternative health book, a tarot reading or a CD voucher would be more relevent. Or perhaps a nice sarong for their days lounging on a beach in Bali at the tax payers' expense.... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Buying the right gift for a 21 year old is a challenge. At 21, a person is officially an adult, but they're still forming their personalities.  The ideal present reflects this, which is why a travel voucher, or holiday, is a worthwhile present to consider.

If a few people get together to pay for the gift,  it widens the choice. If you have $1000 for the present, you might consider buying a holiday within Australia - perhaps a 4 wheel driving adventure the Kimberleys, a trip to Uluru or perhaps to Northern Queensland.

With a bigger budget, the sky's the limit. Who wouldn't like to receive an African safari as a gift for their 21st birthday, a sking holiday in Canada or a return trip to Europe? 

These sorts of gifts can really change a person's life. And that's what celebrating a 21st brithday is all about. Getting to know yourself - looking into your future and leaving childhood and adolescence behind.  A gift that helps you along that path will be cherished.

If you're buying a gift for an 18 year old, finding a special present they will really enjoy can be a challenge. For an 18 year old, the idea of a perfect gift is different than that of, say, a 35 year old. 

In fact gift giving for this age group is pretty easy.  Something as simple as topping up their mobile phone account, an itunes gift card or one of the many store gift cards you see at any supermarket checkout, can be a thoughtful present. Don't forget that most 18 year olds are either studying or in low paid work, so practical gifts that help them reduce their living costs will be very welcome.

It might be tempting to give an 18 year old a traditional gift, such as homewares, books or clothes.  But it's unlikely you'll have the same taste or fashion sense as them. Put yourself in their shoes and remember what it was like when you were that age. Didn't you cringe when your Aunt Murtle or Nanna gave you gifts they thought you'd like... and you never did!

Gifts for 18 year olds don't have the last forever. Keep it simple - reduce their expenses - at least for a while. They'll thank you for it!

When I was growing up the people who turned 40 years of age appeared ancient. Most of them had been married for a long time and had children and a house. Thankfully I didn't have to buy the presents for the people who had turned 40, I mean I wouldn't have had a first idea what to get someone who was so - well - OLD.

Today I have a better appreciation for the different age groups, and as a consequence the kinds of gifts people would like.

Turning 40 is an amazing milestone. If it is to be considered to be half a person's projected lifespan, there are many gift ideas for how they can spend the second half of their lives. And if you don't believe me, then ask yourself this one question - would you be happy to spend the second half of your life doing the same things as the first half or would you like to live a little? And live a little differently?

So, as you think about the type of gifts you can purchase to celebrate a person's 40th birthday - consider things they've said they always wanted to do. I'm sure you all have a list of things to do before you die. In fact there are many books with exactly that title in the bookstores. The last one I saw was the 25 best fishing spots to try before you die. Or words to that effect. But it's not such a silly idea. When you do think about moving on from this realm to the next, will you remember the things you bought or the experiences you had? The places you've seen and experienced, the love of your families and friends? I'm sure that's going to be true of most people - so - try and get a gift of experience. Start to create those special memories, although you really don't have to wait until a person's 40th birthday to do this of course. The earlier you start, the more cherished memories you will have.

Talk to the family members and close friends and ask for photographs. The beauty of digital cameras and scanners these days is of course you can capture "old" photographs and breathe new life into them. Find a nice photograph album and start filling the pages with re-captured images of the person's last 60 years.

As you begin this process, one of the things you may notice straight away is how few photographs there are from 60 years ago. It was expensive to have photographs taken, so the ones that were - were treasured. Taking a photograph of a photograph allows these treasures to be shared.

But you don't have to stop at photographs if you are a collector of family memorabilia, or know someone who is. But you can also add personal stories and memories from people. If you hand write them onto pieces of card these can be added to the album too. As you can appreciate, this album of memories will be treasured, not just by the person who's 60th birthday it happens to be, but by everyone involved in the creation process.

When considering what to buy for a 21st birthday present, it's a good idea to check to see what other people are getting. This will ensure the birthday person doesn't receive a similar gift from everyone, but you can also determine if the person would like something in particular. After all, not everyone is into jewellery, music and gift vouchers.

If you have been invited to a party to celebrate the event, you may be able to buy them a 21st birthday present based on a particular theme, or you can pool your birthday present suggestions with some other people and purchase a larger gift than you would have been able to do if you were buying it on your own. Of course you will need consensus as to what present to get for their 21st birthday, but some good ideas include electronic equipment, for example; cameras, MP3 players and telephones. Or you can go for the keepsake items, or the more obscure suggestions such as holidays, trips and events.