Gifts for baby boomer parents
Boomer parents usually have all the things they need. The gifts that land are about their own past. Here are 7.
The quick list
| Gift | Best if |
|---|---|
| A concert they went to, rebuilt | One of them has a concert story you’ve heard a hundred times. |
| Their old photos, slides and home movies, digitized | A box of slides is sitting in the closet. |
| The records from their teenage years | They still talk about the music from back then. |
| A book of their life stories | They tell great stories at family dinners. |
| The newspaper from a day that mattered | You want something for the wall. |
| Tickets to a band from their era | They still like going out. |
| A trip back to their old neighborhood | They grew up somewhere else. |
1
A concert they went to, rebuilt
$89
A private page about one show they saw: live music from that tour, the setlist, and the story of the night, written to them by name. Our records cover thousands of shows from the 1960s to the 2000s, so their first concert is likely in there.
Best if: One of them has a concert story you’ve heard a hundred times.
How the story could start Sample
Dad, it was a Saturday in October 1981. The Rolling Stones played Folsom Field in Boulder, with Heart and George Thorogood opening. You were there.
A sample opening line, built from a real night: the Rolling Stones in Boulder, October 3, 1981.
Find their show See a real one
Ready in about a week. Order by December 18 for Christmas. Full refund if we can’t find the show.
2
Their old photos, slides and home movies, digitized
Slides and film fade. Have them scanned, then give a photo book or a shared folder the whole family can see.
Best if: A box of slides is sitting in the closet.
3
The records from their teenage years
The albums they wore out in high school, on vinyl. Add a record player if theirs is long gone.
Best if: They still talk about the music from back then.
4
A book of their life stories
Services that email them a question each week and print the answers as a book. Their grandkids will read it someday.
Best if: They tell great stories at family dinners.
5
The newspaper from a day that mattered
A framed front page from the day they were married or the day you were born. Sellers of old newspapers can find most dates.
Best if: You want something for the wall.
6
Tickets to a band from their era
Plenty of bands from the 60s, 70s and 80s still tour. Go with them if you can.
Best if: They still like going out.
7
A trip back to their old neighborhood
A day in the town where they grew up: the old house, the school, the diner if it’s still there. Bring a camera.
Best if: They grew up somewhere else.
How to find their show
- Ask them about their first concert. Most people answer right away.
- Look for a ticket stub or a tour shirt in a closet.
- Work out the year from their age. Born in 1955 and 26 at the show? Try 1981.
- Type the band and the year into our finder.
Questions
What do baby boomers want as gifts?
Many already have the things they need. Gifts about their own past, and time with family, tend to mean more than another object.
What years were baby boomers born?
1946 to 1964. That means they were teenagers from about 1959 to 1983, the years of their first concerts.
What’s a good nostalgic gift for boomer parents?
Something from their own life, not a generic retro item: their old photos scanned, the records from their teens, or the concert they went to.
Is this a good Christmas gift for parents?
Yes. Our gift is ready in about a week. Order by December 18 to have it for Christmas.
Updated October 30, 2026. We don’t earn anything from the ideas on this list that aren’t ours. Also see: A sentimental gift for Mom · Gifts for a classic rock dad