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

Went on our first cruise for DH's 50th, had an absolute ball, visited so many places and did so many things we would never have done on a normal holiday.

My 50th is in a few years time and I would be more than happy to do a cruise again.

2 weeks in Barnados 🙂

Very little - we'd just gone into lock down.

I don't feel the need to do much for birthdays although DH did have a joint party for our 40th.

My daughter threw me a surprise party 🥳
a wonderful thoughtful thing to do for me but sadly my mum and dog both had terminal cancer and neither had very long left so I spent the evening with a smile painted on but really just wanted to go home 😭

Ate a squashed hotdog in the car park of Costco, whilst lovely DH bought chocolates for our lovely estate agent but didn't think to get me any...for a bright lad, he's not always the quickest thinking....

I did loads! I went to an Indian restaurant with about 20 friends and family, also had a BBQ one afternoon, and went to Peru to do the Inca Trail which had been on my bucket list.

I went to Venice too - although I had whooping cough. Which was fun 😑

DH and I had a big party for our joint 50th and 60th (same year, but some months apart, so date wasn't particularly close to either). I thnk about 80 people in the end. Great Gatsby theme and everyone dressed up. Live band. Champagne, cocktails, towers of cheese and charcuterie, and lots of french patisserie.

The nearest weekend to the date I went for a weekend in London with my two sisters.

The day itself was quite low-key as I had to go to work. I told DH and DS that all I wanted was not to have to cook dinner myself (but I didn't have time to go out). They bought and prepared one of those fancy restaurant meal kits. Oh and I aranged an amazing birthday cake at work. It was nice.

We didn't do a special birthday holiday as, to be honest, we do a lot of pretty special holidays, whereas we only have parties on that scale for big birthdays. We did similar for our 40th/50th (masquerade theme)

Big family weekend at Centreparcs and then went to DisneyWorld. Had the best time.

Oh, and over the year DH and I walked the whole Thames together, from tidal barrier to source, which I kind thought of as a "for my 50th" thing.

Went to Paris for a long weekend, with DH.

My 50th was a total non event. I got a book from DD. We were in dire straits financially, so two gift cards I got from my aunts were used to buy food.

I worked evenings and weekends at that time, so I did a shift that evening, no-one wished me a Happy Birthday or anything, though my colleagues decorated the staff room and bought cakes for someone else’s birthday that week.

I didn’t expect or want a huge fuss, but it was a horrible day, apart from the lovely book my DD bought for me.

I had a party. I love a party and it was great. My only regret about the whole thing was that about 3 friends’ partners didn’t turn up, which meant I had wasted money on their food. I don’t think they realised I had gone all out to be fair. I wish I had somehow made it clear in the beginning that potential dropouts would mean I had wasted money.

Took 12yo DD on a winter holiday to show her Yorkshire. I hadn’t been back for decades. We visited family and places we/they had lived, Castle Howard, the Dales, Betty’s, saw a brass band concert and bought her forever clarinet.

For me it was a homecoming and in many ways a farewell. For her? A week of school skipped!

H and I had fish and chips, then we went to a small real ale pub run by a couple who share our niche hobby and fairly new at the time.

Sons had both reached the point of being able to be left, but we were living on savings so still didn't go out much.

I had a party, in a hall, with all my friends and family. I love getting people togehter, without doing the work

But I also spread it out about a month either side, by going out for dinner, lunch, or afternoon tea with various groups of people.

Life was very busy and expensive at the time of my 40th, but by 50 the dc were old enough to not need looking after, finances were a bit more comfortable, and I felt it was a good time to have some time for me.
Over the previous 12 - 15 years I'd been to far more funerals than weddings or other happy occasions, so I decided I wanted to see people on happy occasions whilst I could.

Mine is next year and I’m hosting friends from Canada and the US :D - I’ve visited their homes so now it’s my turn to show them the UK.

Rented a beautiful old house for the weekend for myself, DH, 3 kids and partners if relevant, parents, DSIS n husband and their kids n partners, and beloved best friend and family who knows all my family like her own. EPIC weekend which was even lovelier than we thought it would be. DDIL is an artist and her drawing of the lovely house still hangs in our hall.

Had a party, which was fortunately lovely, as it constitutes my single experience of a birthday party. My fifties then proceeded to be filled with many un-asked-for opportunities for personal growth. 😬. I am hoping we are now entering a calmer and more peaceful phase!

I had to go to a graduation party for a relative. Not the way I planned to celebrate, but the calendar is a fickle beast.

Lost 15kgs, had a fabulous party and wore sequin hot pants. Pulled a 25 year old and had the mother of all hangovers. It was a belter 😂

Went to a tasting menu lunch at house of tides (one Michelin) with my best friend and our husbands and the next day for a wider family Sunday lunch

Three weeks in Singapore and Australia 🦘 🌏

It was lockdown for me too. I did a party of 6 in the park - camping chairs, drinks and cake - actually really enjoyed it - so relaxed and just nice to be outside socialising again.

I had a few nights in Venice with dh. It was lovely.
I was 38 weeks pregnant for my 40th and on bed rest due to high blood pressure!