to ask how you celebrated your 40th?

[HaveSomeGrace]

Just that really.

Husband is 40 next May and looking for some inspiration.

Spent 4.5 hours of my 40th running the New York marathon

I chose the venue and I went away with some friends for a few days away. I also celebrated with other people separately. There was birthday cake too

Took DH and the kids to the Harvester

Took DH to a Michelin restaurant and stayed overnight in a hotel. Lovely evening.

Sitting on the landing rapid returning my non sleeping child to bed then wrote an essay until late.
I did have the day off work and went to the gym though so it wasn't a total disaster.

@TittyGolightly I love you. Your 40th sounds amazing.

I organised my own trip to somewhee sunsoaked with my best friend. It was amazing..one of the best 3 days I've had. Glad I did my own thing...

I also arranged a really nice trip.for DH's 40th... stayed on a boat. I see an organisational theme here

My 40th NY
Dh 40th Marrakech
My 50th massive black tie do party
DH 50th trip to Ice Hotel

On the actual day. Not much that I can recall at all (was only a few weeks ago ). However a few weeks later (which was when we could arrange for kids to go and stay elsewhere) we went for a weekend to Germany, dh and I. And had a very nice time just being grownups for a couple of days.

Oh and I forgot! A few days later dh took me out for dinner and we went and saw a West End show. That was a proper treat actually.

A year of celebrations
Went to see Take That with a friend
Spa weekend away at Centreparcs with 9 friends
Night at L’Enclume for my actual birthday
Went to Lapland in the December

My sister arranged a surprise party the night before, on my birthday we went out with couples for a meal and cocktails and the following day me and v hungover husband (and separation anxiety setter 😆) went off to a cosy Dales cottage for the weekend - I packed up and did the driving due to his hang over. I really wasn't looking forward to 40 but it was fine 😊

For dp's 40th later in the year we are hiring a large airbnb bunk barn with all our board game playing friends (mainly old uni friends) and having a board games weekend. Dmil is having the kids.

On dp's actual birthday I have booked a night away in a nice but local hotel and have booked him a massage (non sexy kind). Dm will come to ours and have the kids.

DH and I were 40 within a couple of weeks of each other, we went to Morocco for five days, no children. It was lovely to have an adult holiday. (Not that kind ) Just wandering about, doing and eating what we liked. We trekked up a mountain, went to the markets and relaxed.

At a Tolkien Society picnic in Regent's Park.

Ran a 20 mile obstacle race with 4 friends who made a ridiculous fuss of me and organised lots of surprises for our weekend away doing that.

Big party on the weekend itself - food, drink, dancing. It was brilliant. Like a wedding but none of the pressure!

Hot Fuzz is special!

DD and friend watched it 5 times a day for a week one summer holiday and it was the best holiday ever. Mind you, they were 6. And some things had to be explained without the dads in the room.

Maldives.

We went to bluestone with my then 2 5 yr old. On my 40th birthday I had pre booked a bug hunt in the woods. Went back to the chalet for lunch, birthday cake and a lazy afternoon.

Hired a pub with a friend, stuck some money behind the bar and provided chips, mini sausages etc, and a Dj playing mostly 90’s music - it was brilliant.

However I hadn’t planned on being pregnant when we booked it all 6 months previously , so I remember more of it than I originally expected to be the case!

When I say hired the pub, I mean it was free but for a minimum spend. “Booked” a pub would have been a better phrase!

Took the Eurostar to Paris, had a picnic under the Eiffel tower then climbed it.

It was a long weekend in Paris with dh and dc. Best birthday I've ever had 🇫🇷

I have a few years until I'm 40.

I've been already dreading it (much like I did for my 30th) but reading all the different ways to celebrate has made me feel not so bad.

I originally planned to lock myself in hotel room with a bottle of bourbon and 20 fags ha.

City break to one if my favourite places. Was meant to be just DH and i but childcare plan fell through so 1yo DD came too.
Off on a long weekend with friends this month when the last of us turns 40.

DH is 40 in 2020, I'm planning to arrange a parachute jump as it's something he'd love to do.

DH - night in the pub with his mates, a nice meal with me the following day, followed a few weeks later with an North American road trip including F1. Several thousand on gifts between me and family members.

Mine - 8.5 hours stuck in a traffic jam. I got an Apple watch (even though DH knew I disliked them). Returned it the next day, didn’t get anything else. We were supposed to go on holiday later in the year but DH couldn’t get time off. Still haven’t had a holiday since.

I try not to be bitter about it but still pisses me off sometimes.