What did you do for your 50th ?

[Bootlips]

I want to make it special and really mark the occasion. My 40th was a total let down. Looking for inspiration for my 50th

I had a big marquee in the garden and invited lots of people and they all came. It was Fab!

I also had a posh family meal out with my kids and mom and sister, nieces etc.

I also went on a couple of 50th girls’ breaks.

Basically I completely milked it.

Holiday to Iceland
Tasting menu meal out

My 50th is coming up in the next few months. Have been finding it very hard to know what I want to do. Am going to celebrate it (a bit early) with extended family but other than that I don’t know. Part of me would like to go on a holiday somewhere but I seem to have gone off travelling recently! Maybe I’ll try and do some things to celebrate the whole year…

Not a lot - nice dinner with the family, had a few friends over at the weekend. Honestly it's just another day

I bit the bullet and threw a massive party. I'm single, so had to organise it myself- even more nervewracking- but a couple of my oldest friends came and helped organise it on the day- and showed up the day after to clear up!

It was in the local pub, who let us use it for free, on the proviso that it was open to all, so it was a pub full of old ravers and arty types with a bunch of dogged old men playing darts and muttering in the corner 😆.

The theme was "Old", but I made it clear that you didn't have to dress up if you didn't want to. There were some interesting interpretations of the theme though! There was a bring- a dish- buffet, and we made "Sconehenge" out of scones.

There wasn't going to be any music apart from my playlist, but at the last minute a sound system and a couple of DnB DJs manifested themselves.

It was a perfect evening- my more sedate friends turned up and left early, and the party people carried on til later (not that late though 🙄).

I am so, so, so glad that I took the plunge and did it! It's the first big party I've pulled off, a good time was had by all, and it was truly memorable.

Had a bbq for 20 at home and then went to the Galápagos Islands for a holiday.

Had a party of about 25 at my house and ordered catering in for it.

Myself and my women friends then left the men looking after the kids and went to a casino. DH sorted the house out.

I went out with friends for drinks/a meal the night before and then a lunch out with extended family on the day (it fell on a weekend). It was nice, but it was at a difficult time when two very close family members & a good friend were suffering with serious mental & physical health issues so I wasn't in the mood for a big celebration.

My 50th was in Covid. Was supposed to be a great gig away. Ended up a tiny family garden party with a cardboard cutout of my favourite singer.. Was fab actually!

We went to Edinburgh for my actual birthday, meals out, theatre, saw some friends. Lovely
My event gift was the F1 at Silverstone which was epic.
DH was 2020 so we went to a lodge at Keilder Water for the weekend and brought cook at home from our favourite restaurant. Kayaked, walked and drank good wine. Very nice, ds still says it was one of his favourite trips.
His gift was a trip to Iceland but we haven't been yet!

Went to Barcelona with my husband, by DD(12) and 2 of our closest friends. Wanted to mark the occasion but not in an ‘everyone look at me’ way - and avoid any party stress. I love other people’s parties but don’t enjoy being the centre of attention in that way.

We do citybreaks for significant birthdays. My 50th was a weekend in Dublin. My birthday is in march and we were there for St Patrick's day. It was great fun. For DH 60th we went to Prague.

Went to Vietnam for 3 weeks for my main celebration, but doing things with friends and family meant my 50th lasted about 8 months! Gave us the idea for our 25th Anniversary of doing something each month for a year! We had a blast!!

My 40th was a left down as DH did nothing special. My mum moaned because she wanted me to have a party, she was going to pay for it, because 'I know lots of people'. Correction - I know OF lots of people. I don't want a party because like a previous poster, I am afraid people will not come last minute. I also have several sets of friends and I am not mixing them after a previous experience left me very, very badly burnt, so to speak. We go abroad a lot, but I don't fancy going abroad for my birthday. I am thinking a weekend by the coast in UK maybe, I have a few favourite English coastal locations, one in particular (cannot say where as outing) which is £££££ and absolutely miles from our location, so much so that DH refuses to go there anymore as it's too pricey and too expensive.

All I know is that I want a cake professionally made - never had that before - something that is personalised to me.

I didn't have a party for my 40th. I'll do the same for my 50th, have lots of smaller things and keep it going for months as other friends also turn 50.

Mine was last week, girly trip to London, lunch and a matinée. Upgraded to 1st class on the train and home to sleep in my own bed by 10pm. DH also has a big birthday in August and we are going away for that. Not really party people.

Took close family to the most exclusive place I know and had lunch. Drinks by the river first and meal inside. It was a long time ago but I can even remember what I wore. Perfect.

I’m going on a cruise, that goes through the Panama Canal.
Ive no family left, and have an Xmas birthday so going away is the best for me.

@Bootlips Just go to a nine hotel here then! What’s the problem? We took dc to Galapagos with us. Why not go somewhere different abroad? Have you been to anywhere in Africa? What about India or far East? Lots of special hotels are available to make the event memorable.

I did a road trip in California

Party and then 2 weeks in Barbados. Was epic.

I had a massive 90s themed party for my 40th. Loads of people said they'd come, so I booked a hall big enough and catered for everyone.

On the week leading up to it, I had at least 30 cancellations. Another 10+ on the day.

So I vowed no more parties.

My 50th is coming up and I'm hovering between a large grazing platter with close friends, a month long holiday to India, booking a massive table in a cheap chain pub, a posh dinner and night in an exclusive hotel, seeing a band I love VIP, or a year of 50 treats for my 50th.

Or maybe all of the above!

Mediterranean cruise 🚢 🌞 🥂

Spent it with DH in our favourite place in Greece. He had asked what I wanted to do and I couldn’t think of anything better. Would have liked to have done the same for my 60th but we had a wedding a couple of days before in Wales so we drove back the day of my birthday and went out for a curry with our friends in the evening. None of our family really celebrate big birthdays and I hate being the centre of attention so that suited me fine.

DH and I went to Paris by Eurostar for my 50th.