Anniversary Gift for Parents

How about a weekend at a really nice bed and breakfast? You could include a basket with wine and cheese and crackers...

I didn't really peruse the other responses, so I apologize it this is a repeat, but I would try to find as many pictures as possible of them and your family over the course of their 40 years and create a photo album, or if your are your hubby or a sibling are computer savvy you could scan pics and upload digitals and make a photo montage using film maker or even power point. Set something like that to music ( through the years...) and I am sure they would love it.

Do you have access to any wedding pictures? And/or pictures of them throughout the years? You could scan them and upload them to Snapfish or Shutterfly and make them a "Through the years" book or wedding album. My daughter and Mom create stories together and I just "published" it making a book for them both for Christmas at Snapfish. They are having great sales now on both sites. It is very easy but does take a lot of time if you are a perfectionist like me. Anyway our book turned out great and was great quality.
Do you have children? If so I always make (their Grandparents)them a homemade book full of questions I have thought of with their answers. Always a good laugh and lots of fun. For Example- I asked my 2 year old last Christmas-- How old is Grandmom and he said 4. Then I said "Why are Grandmom and Pop Pop married?" and he said "so she could make him dinner and he could use his hammer at their house".
Then they draw or paint pics for them and we add them to the book.
Hope this helps- good luck!

What about paying to take them on a vac, I"m thinking a cruise or something, but i don;t know your financial situation and how many people could chip in.
another smaller idea would be to rent a limo for them and have them taken to dinner etc.

That is a hard one. by 40 years of marriage they have everything they need. How about a family portrait? You can even have them in it. there are many photographers that will even come to the house and do it. Another thing you can do if possible is do they have any old home movies or photos that you can have restored or you can have the movies put on DVD. it is really tough, but justlook around their house and through their photo albums and see if there is anything that means a lot to them, that you can maybe make a little bit better. Good Luck!!

Here is something I did for my parents and my in-laws 40th anniversaries. We put together scrapbooks. I bought a scrapbook, page protectors and fancy paper for the backgrounds. Each family (myself and my 2 brothers then my husband and his siblings) contributed photos, stories, home-made cards. I researched events that happened on that date throughout the years to arrange a "history" page. I included a page that had their children's and grandchildren's name meanings and birthdates. I did the same on another page with just their names. I included photos of the two homes they owned and one of their wedding day. I also put together a page with the heading "Do you remember when" and listed short one-liners of funny things that happened over the years. I didn't include all the details as I wanted it to spark memories and conversations for them. It was a lot of fun to put together and look through when we finished. There are websites through which you can purchase the "day in history" and "name meaning" pages. You give the info and select the paper you like.

J. S. I just want to say congratulations on having parents who are celebrating their 40th anniversary. In todays world that is quite a feat. Not knowing your parents life style it is hard to suggest something. But myself being married 24 years, I just love to have family time, where we can spend an evening together playing games, or watching a movie. How about a weekend get away, or a gift card for dinner to a nice place? are you crafty if you could find some of their wedding pictures get copies made and put a scrap book together or have a video made of their pictures to music. Things Remembered has some pretty things in their stores that can be engraved. Well these are just a few suggestions I wish you luck and again congratulations on your parents loving relationship of 40 years.

why don't you get them a picture of the entire family. If you have brothers and sisters include them and the grandkids also. have it professionally framed. I would also have a nice 40th wedding anniversary party or get together for the whole family. congratulations to them both. That is amazing.

You can gather photos of milestones (so far) in their lives and get a hard-bound book from any photo center (Rite Aid, Target, etc.) Less fuss than a traditional scrapbook and they'll love it!

For our parents' 40th, they already had what they needed/wanted pretty much. My SIL came across a beautiful stained glass light that would go nicely in their kitchen - 15yrs later, its still one of my mom's fave things - she thinks of all of us (and my dad, who's passed) everytime she looks up at it.

We stole the same idea for my in-laws' 35th present when no one knew what to get them. Totally diff light/style, but same idea.

Good luck!