Which roundy birthday is more significant/important?

[LookItsMeAgain]

I was having a discussion with a colleague and we got to talking about birthdays, particularly 'roundy' birthdays - ones with a zero at the end, and they were saying that turning 60 was a bigger birthday to turning 50 and you'd go all out for a 60th birthday but just keep things smaller and not as big for a 50th. I said the other way around - go all out for your 50th and keep it smaller for your 60th.

So I'm just wondering, which would you do a big party for and go all out for? Which would you think is more significant or more important.

No set rule, they are equally important depending on what the person themselves feels.
im always happy to go to a party, so the more the better as far as I'm concerned!

I don't think one is more significant than the other really. They both should be celebrated however the person wants to celebrate them!

This.

I think 50 as it's half a century. 60 was possibly more significant when women could retire at that age.

50 is half a century, so I would say it’s probably more one to celebrate.

Potato / Puh-tarto

I think 18 is an important birthday because you can celebrate becoming an adult.

I see later birthdays as just another page on a calendar.

For people who do big birthdays, whichever one you want to celebrate is the important one.
For old miseries like me, you're just another year older so they're equally unimportant.

Although, I'm hoping to retire early so my 60th could become significant.

The older you get the bigger the milestone!

But the younger you are the more likely you are to have the stamina to enjoy it!

So big all night party at 50 and fabulous holiday at 60?

Both are equally big. I guess 60 used to be a deal for women as it was their retirement age.

50th - hired big country house, had a fab weekend with friends and family. 60th - had a number of lower key events spread over several weeks. All good. Best friend had a long weekend in Seville for her 60th with 8 in the party (Uni gang of 4 plus husbands) having had a very low key 50th. DH had very posh holiday for 60th having had a low key 50th.
Just what you fancy at the time!

I made a big fuss of myself on my 40th and 50th and I will for my 60th and hopefully 70th and 80th.
I threw myself a party for my 40th and 50th and also went on big holidays for both birthdays.
There was something special about being half a century, I’m sure 60 will be fab too.

Whichever the person having the birthday sees as more important. Both, if they see both as important.

I'm always so nervous about birthdays and having parties causes me so much angst

But I'm going big for my 50th as we have had some shit times lately and no one knows what is around the corner

If I'm still alive at 60 I will do a big party for that too

Celebrating your life is equally important at any stage

i cant decide
next big for me is 60

I'd say any birthday ending with 0 is as celebrated as each other.
I was a bit miffed recently when work did a collection for a colleagues 65th and it was treated as big as their 60th 5 years ago yet nobody else has had that for a birthday ending in a 5, such as my recent 45th, not that I'm bitter

I don't think there's any difference. My mum had a big 50th and a big 70th and a very low-key 70th but that because her own mum died at 59 and my mum felt weird about going past that. Otherwise I'm sure she'd have had a big 60th too.

I don't celebrate any of mine so neither means anything to me.

I'm not into my own birthday, so I don't really make a fuss of any. But, for some reason I do see 60 as the bigger one. 50 just seems like more of 40 somehow! If that makes sense. 60 does somehow feel more like a slightly different era. I read somewhere that in China 60 is pretty much the only adult birthday celebrated, as it's meant to mark the end of a full cycle, and the beginning of a new one, or something?! As five lots of twelve.
But anyway, all of it is just societal really. My big birthdays always go wrong! My 30th and 40th were both rubbish, so I doubt I'll bother much with 50. Just another day to me.

Glad I'm not the only one who isn't fussed!
I hate the pressure. I don't remember my grandparents ever making such a fuss as people do nowadays. I don't think I ever even knew when their birthdays were.
But, each to their own of course.
I don't think you're miserable not to at all. You can just have a nice day whenever you fancy, not just your birthday 😊

50th as it's half a century!
But go big for 60th too!

My 40th was at the height of lockdown so no party 😢. Will definitely have a big one for my 50th if I'm fit & healthy!

Well for women, turning 60 was always a really big milestone because it was when you retired...

Not any more though. Bastards.

exactly, its just a reminder!

Though I guess there are still some 60 things, such as free bus pass, senior Railcard etc. Some echos of a former era.
Nothing changes at 50. Just more of same negotiation of middle age!

I voted 50, but I think all roundy birthdays should be a big deal! (Having just had one myself) 🥳🥳🥳🥳

After a certain age it's just a celebration of not dead yet.

Yeah, I'm getting old.

True too...