How to Plan a 40th Birthday
Planning a 40th birthday party can be a special gift in itself to the guest of honor. It is a great way to show how much you know the person and how much he or she means to you. Whether the person is related to you or is a good friend, there are many ideas that will be both fun and sentimental for the milestone celebration. Turning 40 may be welcome or it may be overwhelming; either way, having fun is the best way to enjoy the occasion and allow the person to look forward to the rest of his life. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plan a conversation with the person who is turning 40. Make mental notes of his interests, hobbies, hopes and dreams. Do not give any hints that these ideas are for a party. Write down notes afterward to ensure you retain the ideas. For example, if the birthday person is dedicated to the environment, you can plan an entire celebration around this concept. To turn 40 in 2010 means he has lived through the tumultuous decades of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. A birthday celebration can recognize the triumphs of these years and provide a promising look to the future.
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Focus on the number 40. Speaker Rachel Green suggests that this focus can be used positively to show the guest of honor how spectacular his age can be. Invite family and friends for a day-long series of events. Keep the group small to enhance intimacy and emphasize the importance of the event.
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Plant 40 trees together to commemorate the special day. This act will improve the environment, while also being a fun activity for everyone. The site can be visited in the years to come to remind everyone of the milestone birthday.
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Plan a series of charitable events that will tie into the 40th theme. Donate $40, give away 40 items of clothing or food, provide 40 meals to the homeless or even sign up for 40 hours of volunteer work. These are all ways to help others, and they will make the person feel accomplished and loved for his labor. This is especially good for those loved ones who seem to have everything.
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Plan a party for the evening. Ask all guests to contribute something that will amount to 40 small dishes to share. Bring in 40 albums to play of their favorite music, and dance the night away. Light 40 candles around the house and turn off all the lights to create an enchanted atmosphere.
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Tips & Warnings
Hold the party at an exotic or random location to keep the birthday person guessing if you think he has figured out your plan, especially if this person is close to you or lives with you. Make it a surprise party if possible.
Be sensitive to the person's needs. If he is experiencing a difficult time with the concept of turning 40, consider having a quiet, intimate gathering with good friends, food and drinks to celebrate instead of an extravagant party that might overwhelm him.
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- Photo Credit happy birthday image by Deborah Durbin from Fotolia.com
