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Original poster

To ask what you all did for your big 40

175 replies

SidSparrow · 26/09/2021 14:19

Curious to know if I'm alone in having one of the worst birthdays ever! It was as special as a wet fart. It feels like the big 40 is something people really celebrate - is it?

OP posts:
fishonabicycle · 26/09/2021 14:21

Went out for dinner - 12-15 friends, husband arranged a poetrygram to bring in my present! Then after meal we all went back to a friend's house and partied on - it was fun!

Orangedaisy · 26/09/2021 14:22

I went camping with DDs and DP. My parents met us for a pub lunch one day, then we met friends other days. Was a lovely celebration. Nothing big but suited me and I saw my nearest and dearest.

lollipoprainbow · 26/09/2021 14:24

I was in a rainy tent with my dd and her dad at a music festival in oxfordshire. We went to my lovely sister for lunch the next day and my mum joined us. They have both gone so but lovely memories.

Squirrelblanket · 26/09/2021 14:25

Nothing as it was during the first lockdown. 😭

Subeccoo · 26/09/2021 14:27

Became a granny 2 weeks before so that was fun.
Meal with 22 close family members that all came to stay from afar.
Drinks and dancing and staying up late catching up.
It was lovely :)

ThreeLittleDots · 26/09/2021 14:27

Same as every other year really, except MIL bought me a load of tat with '40' on it. It's just a number like any other.

IDidntFloatUpTheLaganInABubble · 26/09/2021 14:28

DH booked a weekend in Amsterdam for my 40th, had a bloody great time.

Figgygal · 26/09/2021 14:29

Nothing as it was in January during the lockdown
Had planned to either be overseas or have a party in local pub

Had planned to maybe do something in summer or for my 41st but can’t be arsed now

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 26/09/2021 14:31

Had a few friends over for a bbq, then they got drunk and we watched music videos and YouTube stuff. I pretended to get drunk as I'm pregnant and wasn't telling anyone as it was still very early!

SpeckledyHen · 26/09/2021 14:33

I had my first baby.

Ilikewinter · 26/09/2021 14:34

I had a long weekend in London doing all the 'touristy' stuff.
For DH we did a 3 night crazy stay in Vegas, dont think we slept for the entire time!

PermanentTemporary · 26/09/2021 14:35

We were broke. We just had a party. For some reason we had some value vodka in a cupboard, so I got that out and bought loads of orange juice and crisps, put out some tealights in jam jars, then a normal bring a bottle party. I did do a playlist with a track for every year of my life starting with The Israelites by Desmond Dekker, but honestly the roar of drunken conversation was so loud we hardly heard any of it. Really fun evening.

YukoandHiro · 26/09/2021 14:36

Following this thread is the big FOUR O is my next birthday and I'm not quite sure what to do for it

Fizbosshoes · 26/09/2021 14:37

Very un-mumsnet because everyone is supposed to have grown out of celebrating their birthday by the time they are 8 , but I had brunch with my best friend, and then went out to dinner with my DH and sis and her DH. On a different day i had a party (about 80 people) with food, cake and free bar at a local sports club.

YukoandHiro · 26/09/2021 14:39

@Fizbosshoes no! I love celebrating my birthdays. DH is a bit crap at organising anything though so I have to do it all myself. My 30th was brilliant if I do say so myself. I was going to have a big 40th party but I fear covid will still be rumbling on

toomuchfaster · 26/09/2021 14:40

@Squirrelblanket

Nothing as it was during the first lockdown. 😭
Ditto. But actually took the pressure off so I didn't mind!
Myusernameisnotmyusernameno · 26/09/2021 14:40

Mine was in April. We went for a lovely meal when you could sit outdoors as a family on the weekend. And DH (then DP!) and I took the day off and went to one of our face pubs for a lovely lunch. Was meant to go away with friends but we couldn't and now they won't get vaccinated anyway.

moomoogalicious · 26/09/2021 14:40

Had a party with a cocktail waiter. Fab.

Myusernameisnotmyusernameno · 26/09/2021 14:41

@Myusernameisnotmyusernameno

Mine was in April. We went for a lovely meal when you could sit outdoors as a family on the weekend. And DH (then DP!) and I took the day off and went to one of our face pubs for a lovely lunch. Was meant to go away with friends but we couldn't and now they won't get vaccinated anyway.
Fave pubs not face pubs Grin
BusterGonad · 26/09/2021 14:41

We went to a really nice pub for their steak night, we had a lovely time then went to book a taxi, my phone was playing up, iPhone updates made it unusable, I couldn't book one easily, it took ages, my husband got pissy, had a row and went to bed sad. So all in all a shit night. 😔

Lancrelady80 · 26/09/2021 14:43

Dh had organised a bday party at local pub, with relatives and friends coming quite some distance.

Then the first lockdown was announced three days before it was due to go ahead.

So sod all.

Furrydogmum · 26/09/2021 14:45

My sister held a surprise party at her house the night before, then on my birthday we went out for food and drinks with couples, and the following day DH and I went away for a quiet long weekend in the Yorkshire dales. None of it very exciting but I felt loved..

lightswitchmoment · 26/09/2021 14:46

I need suggestions for mine which will be a cold winter Tuesday later this year. Can't take time off work so I'm thinking a meal out??

Gilmoregale · 26/09/2021 14:49

It's over 10. years ago now (sob!) but I did lots of lovely things, all spread out over several weeks as my family's scattered to the four winds. A nice barbecue in the back garden with one group of friends with meat from a really nice local organic butcher; a nice Italian meal out with another group; and a shared party at the other end of the country with two schoolfriends who have seen me through thick and thin - a friend donated the venue, another who was a chef donated the food (which was fabulous), and someone else made the cake, a graphic designer relative also did the invites to our design. (Cake sadly ended up in the footwell of the car when a cat ran in front of the car suddenly. So it was a bit squished. ;) And my niece straightened my (impossibly disobedient and madly wavy) hair for the occasion. My sisters were in charge of decorating the venue and I can't remember how we got the DJ and lights, but I think that was a gift too. So no extravagant gifts, just lots of lovely experiences bringing family and friends together, one way or another.

Also lovely little things to treat myself over the weeks, a spa day, a nice haircut, and some little things I'd wanted to treat myself to for ages like earrings and a chakra necklace.

Birthdays since have been nice, but pretty quiet. Although this year it was spread out again, with lots of nice little events all making a pleasant cumulative effect.

Bloodypunkrockers · 26/09/2021 14:51

Got DD ready for school

Went to work

Picked dad up from after school club

Made her dinner

Put her to bed

Sat and cried

Grin