Your daughter's 21st birthday is an important milestone that marks her entrance into unrestricted adulthood. Commemorating the event with a thoughtful gift acknowledges this new chapter in your daughter's life as she bids farewell to girlhood. Though the perfect gift for your daughter's 21st birthday may seem elusive, several options are appropriate to mark the occasion.

Your daughter's 21st birthday means that she is now allowed by law to drink alcoholic beverages. A parent can give an alcohol-related gift, especially if the present encourages enjoying alcoholic beverages responsibly and not merely for recreation. A beginner's book about wines and how to pair them with different dishes can make a useful gift for a young lady who enjoys cooking (or who needs to learn how). In addition to books on wine, a wine-opening kit along with a nice bottle of Gewurztraminer, a sweet wine that often appeals to a beginner's palate, make excellent gifts. Whatever alcohol-related gift you choose, be sure to emphasize your expectations that your daughter develops a healthy relationship with alcohol.

Not everyone imbibes and not every 21-year-old will celebrate her birthday with alcohol. If you are uncomfortable giving gifts that are alcohol related, or if your daughter has chosen not to drink, there are several non-alcohol-related options that recognize your daughter's transition into adulthood. An engraved piece of jewelry marking the year along with your daughter's name is a traditional and timeless gift that acknowledges her milestone birthday. You could also pamper your daughter with a spa day by purchasing soaps and scrubs for facials, a grooming kit for manicures and pedicures, and scented salts for a warm bath. You might even arrange these items for her in her bathroom. You could spend a little more and get your daughter a gift certificate to a local spa. If jewelry or spa treatments are not your daughter's speed, a once-in-a-lifetime experience such as skydiving, golf lessons with a pro, horseback-riding lessons or a trail ride in an exotic location make for a memorable 21st birthday. You might even spring for airline tickets for her and her best friend to a vacation spot.