I'm turning 50 in a few years. I'm currently housebound so that will give you a sense of how ambitious this is for me!
I'm hoping to manage a holiday of a lifetime to somewhere I've always wanted to go (it's a bit niche so won't mention if you don't mind - it's somewhere I'm fascinated with due to favourite fictional characters being from there and the place becoming almost a character itself in the narrative)
I am trying to save up and family/friends are being kind enough to give me money for birthdays/Christmas now that I'm setting aside for it.
I would HATE a party, I really struggle with socialising these days and a couple of less thoughtful people have already started on at me to have a party because it's what THEY want me to do.
The important thing I think is to do what YOU want.
So if a party IS your thing great go for it! If travel is do that, if being pampered for 2 weeks in a spa is (again my idea of hell as I hate being touched) crack on!
One of dds friends is turning 21 soon (funny this came up just today), all the others are doing the usual party or boozy weekend in Ibiza. She wants to see a particular musical in New York and she's getting teased in some quarters for wanting to do something "middle aged" (it's not a new musical it's a quite old one and holds personal meaning for her), but I was saying to dd today it's her birthday let her do what she likes! She's not demanding those not interested participate but those who are she would love to have them join her, they'll likely do some shopping/sightseeing/nights out too, she's thinking either a long weekend or a week in New York, and again she's not necessarily expecting people to join her for the whole time she's there so it could be a "rolling visitors" type thing. I suggested get an air bnb apartment rather than hotels as probably cheaper and less complicated if who's on "the trip" changes at various points.
Back to older birthdays I've known people do "bucket lists", marathons, gap years (sabbaticals from work and doing "hippy trail" type stuff), spiritual/religious retreats (anything from catholic silent retreats to Ayurveda - you don't have to follow the religion to find it peaceful/restorative I might do this myself as well as the holiday I've been on one before It was very relaxing, just very quiet, peaceful activities and interesting discussions on many subjects and some lovely walks. Communal organisation of things like meals I loved it), charitable volunteering overseas, learning new skills (cordon bleu cookery courses, water colours, circus skills)...also it must be said a few who went "I think for my birthday I want a divorce" 😱
One friend (fabulous singer but life got in the way of stardom) recorded an "album"! Her lovely husband set it up as a surprise, it was perfect for her and she loved it! Result was on her actual birthday she gave us a gift in the way of an electronic copy of the recording.
SinglePringle lots of single people go on retreats why not do that? Some can be quite luxurious so someone else could make the coffee? Or a spa type break or just v posh hotel? And order full breakfast in bed?