The Golden Girls 35th Anniversay: 35 Gift Ideas

Whether you have just met The Golden Girls or they have been in your life since 1985 – here is 35 ways to say Thank you for a being a Friend…

Did I mention I love The Golden Girls? It was a TV show I used to sit and watch in the late eighties/ early nineties with my mum and, again now in 2020. As The Golden Girls is set to celebrate it’s 35th anniversary – on 14th September to be precise – I have rediscovered a new love for Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia all over again.

It started with the series being re-run at the start of lockdown in April – where I took the opportunity to re-watch this classic 1980’s show – and pull together this Golden Girls Interiors get-the look too. For those that don’t know (!) The Golden Girls is a half-hour sitcom that centres on four older women – three widows and one divorcée – who share a home together in Miami, Florida.

The ensemble cast and the plot revolves around the friendship, dilemmas and sometimes controversial issues, especially at the time, of these four women: Dorothy Zbornak (Beatrice Arthur), Rose Nylund (Betty White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) who played Dorothy’s 80-year old mother. 

The Golden Girls ran from September 14th 1985 to May 9th 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning over seven seasons. To celebrate its 35th Anniversary I have pulled together 35 ‘Golden’ gifts for the #GGForever in your life – or, simply for yourself!

The Golden Girls 35th Anniversary: 35 Golden Gifts

1. Perfect to play on the lanai: Golden Girls Playing Cards by Chantel de Sousa £7.99 TruffleShuffle
2. Stylish prints of the infamous decor: Golden Girls Interiors Prints, from £10.80 Beautiful Peace Shop at Etsy
3. Seek our a copy of this classic game if you can: Golden Girls Monopoly Board Game, from Amazon and Ebay 
4. This is one of the better colouring books of the GG: The Golden Girls Coloring Book with 35 exclusive artist illustrations by  Kate Samuda, from a selection at Amazon.com
5. Need I say more?: Drinks on the Lanai: Cocktails, mocktails (and cheesecake) inspired by the Golden Girls by Elouise Anders £14.99 
6. Stick it on your bedroom door and have a nap: Golden Girls Shady Pines Retirement Home Sticker, £2.29 TeePublic
7. So you can watch whenever and whichever you choose: Golden Girls Complete Series 1-7 DVD, from a selection at Amazon
8. A classy mug for a classy lady: Golden Girls Mug from £11 RedBubble
9. One of the cooler tees I have spotted: Golden Girls Name T-Shirt from £12 Dynamite Shirts at Etsy
10. How I wish I could crochet these: Crochet The Golden Girls (includes 10 crochet patterns and materials to make Sophia) £16.99 Quarto Books
11. Take it to the next games night or play on zoom: Golden Girls Printable Bingo Game from $5 PrimeParty (you can also buy on Amazon ready made)
12. Blanche would approve of this print: WOOUF Tropical Make-up Bag from £26 Flamingo Gifts
13. If you study this you will see how huge the GG bungalow really was: Golden Girls House Floorplan Art by Nikneuk at DeviantArt 
14. For all that sunny Florida OJ: Bordallo Pinheiro Orange Earthenware Pitcher £80 Liberty
15. With printed quotes you will alway have a quick answer: Golden Girls Pencils (set of 9) from £14 LZPencils at Etsy
16. A classy print from a company that does a whole range of TV show artwork: Golden Girls Print £4.99 Colours Fly Art Prints
17. Cheesecake anyone?: Golden Girls Cookbook: Thank You for Feeding a Friend by Christopher Styler £16.79 WHSmith
18. Hard to find – but how darn cute?: Funko POP! PEZ Golden Girls (set of 4) from a selection at Amazon
19. Be – and drink whoever you choose: Golden Girls Glass Tumblers from £8.60 Etsy
20. Don’t lose you keys or your mother with this: Shady Pines keychain from £4 from a selection at Etsy
21. Can’t crochet? Then try some cross-stitch. Rose would approve: Cross Stitch The Golden Girls (with 12 designs and material to make 2 projects) £12.99 Book Depository 
22. Cool prints with an infamous quote from each character: Golden Girl animal Art Print set from £17.99 MirandaLMcNulty
23. For those hot coffees and cool orange juices: Golden Girls Drinks Coasters £9.99 TruffleShuffle
24. For real die-hard fans to test their knowledge: Golden Girls Trivial Pursuit Game £38.20 Amazon
25. Ooh saucy!: Golden Girls Inspired Hot Sauce 4-Pack Set (Desert Rose and Bea Spicy are jalapeño hot sauces. Sicilian Fire and Hot Slut are habanero.) $36 AlwaysFits
26. This is a good all-round trivia book with amazing illustrations: The Essential Fan Guide to the Golden Girls by Emma Lewis and Chantel De Sousa £14.99 Amazon
27. A subtle nod to the girls: Blanche Golden Girl Slogan Tee £25 Joanie Clothing
28. Not sure what the girls would make of these!: Funko POP! Vinyl Golden Girls from £9.99 Pop in a Box and Amazon
29. A game from the Funko POP brand: FunkoVERSE! Strategy Game £24.99 Pop in a Box
30. Wear them with pride: Golden Girls Enamel Pin from £7.82 You Silly Duffer
31. For those wet Miami afternoons: Golden Girls 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle £14.99 TruffleShuffle
32. A gorgeously illustrated book with the lyrics to the most famous theme tune ever: The Golden Girls: Thank You for Being a Friend by Julie Houts £10.99 WHSmith
33. Set up your own little sitcom scenes: Golden Girls Magnet Art £7.44 Blackwells
34. Add some Miami style to the dinner table: Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers £18.50 Sunshine and Snow Shop
35. Oh, how I want a set!: Golden Girls Custom Made Lego Mini figure set £47 Sweeney Bricks

(And, why not support this while we are on the subject of Lego because, tell me who wouldn’t want a Golden Girls Lego house with a lanai too?)

AND, because I wanted to include all of these Golden Girls products from Hallmark. It’s my little golden extra to you….

{IMAGES from @goldengirls}