50th Birthday Celebration Ideas

Does it have to be a surprise? You could have a regular party, wine, beer, fancy catered appetizers, all of his friends, etc. My wife was NOT happy about 50, did not want black balloons, snarky cards, etc. We did the tasteful party and she was OK with that (but not as OK as being 49).

It doesn't have to be a surprise - I just cannot do a conventional party at all because besides thanksgiving, I cannot plan it. I do not know when we would be available on the weekend until the last minute so planning and inviting people is out of the question.

So I thought it might be fun where I knew people would be around to have a little cake and say Happy Late Birthday with others. And maybe once I know what our schedule would be to take him out to dinner or make a special one at home - I did ask him knowing he might not want a surprise or even a party. He just said he wanted to spend it with me.

Besides that I wanted to make the day at least a little special - by dressing the house up on his day.

We talked about what we did on his 40th - we went away to a nice b&b in vermont - great foliage time of year. But as we discussed with each other - that probably will not be possible for another 6 years (this time of year is fall ball - Basket and Softball) so we have a full schedule.

Hire someone else to take the kids around for the sports and surprise him with that get-away weekend that he isn't expecting. Let any coaches who might be impacted know in advance so they can make whatever arrangements they need to make.

I'm mostly with my grandmother on this one - spouse comes before kids.

And as someone who spent a couple of birthdays with people they didn't want to be with - do it the way he wants - just you.



(18 years later I'm still not speaking to the people who threw me a surprise 40th party)

I would take that advice, but he likes to go to the sporting events. And it would be difficult more to have some one stay with them rather than cart them to the sporting event itself so since he enjoys going to them, it isn't worth the effort to try to get that part arranged.

But I think I will take him to his favorite restaurant just us.

A surprise halloween party on my birthday, maybe when I turned eleven, complete with constructed tunnel for me to crawl through and lots of halloweenie decor, was for me a debacle, I hated it, and together with having for a few years trick or treated in the cold for beggars night or halloween, I still dislike both surprise parties and halloween, oh, and orange icing, but that's just me. I'd suggest you two think about going out to dinner at a good restaurant and spending the night at a wonderful hotel, which ever night works out.

Are there any nice spas in your area where you two could do an overnight with massages, romantic dinner, nice morning walk and head home?

I don't think he is the spa type - the nice dinner (which I plan) yes - the spa not so much.

Maybe we can plan a hotel night stay though - on a free weekend. Let see next free weekend, um .....

So it worked out well. We had the nice dinner at one of our favorite spots. All went well. Had it the weekend before the big day ... he called which day.

Then on the birthday..I went to the party store and got balloons, a yard stick sign and this signs with funny sayings like if you were a car you be an antique. Put them all over the front yard and taped the signs on the mail post and trees and rock wall, front door, steps to the door windows and doors so as he drives up the driveway and comes into the house he has all these greetings.

Have a nice family dinner and give up practice and work for the night and just spend time talking.

He loved the funny sayings went over well.

Good to read, glad it worked out so great.