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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:
SunscreenCentral · 26/09/2021 19:33

A lovely few days and nights in Paris. D(ex)h paid but I organised, did the research for hotels/restaurants/museums etc. My parents looked after the dc.

ellyeth · 26/09/2021 19:33

I had a surprise party at home that my husband organised - he and our children sorted out the food. Everyone from work came (making their way secretly after work) plus friends and our small family. It was a great night - lots of dancing, good food, plenty to drink and wonderful fun. That was 30 years ago and I can still remember it vividly.

UndertheCedartree · 26/09/2021 19:36

Well, I was an inpatient in a psychiatric hospital at the time! But I got day leave and had a nice meal at a lovely country hotel with my boyfriend, children, parents, aunty and uncle, and brother, sister-in-law and nephew.

LittleMissMe99 · 26/09/2021 19:37

Absolutely nothing. I received a box of chocolates and a jumper.

NalPolishRemover · 26/09/2021 19:41

Dh booked a trip to Paris. Dc stayed with grandparents. It was tres romantic - a memorable trip even though we'd been several times before and since . I still think of that trip when I think of Paris

WormYourHonour · 26/09/2021 19:44

I spent the day alone.
I went to the movies alone.
Treated myself to popcorn.
Went home.
Had a pizza takeaway in the night and watched a movie on Netflix.with a glass of my favourite red.

Fucking loved it. One of my favourite days ever.

honeylulu · 26/09/2021 19:44

Had a baby less than 2 weeks before and also mid renovation so had a barely functional bathroom. Despite that it was good. On the day was given a beautiful eternity ring from husband and we went for early evening cocktail and steak dinner (+kids) then on the weekend my husband and two best friends organised a garden party/bbq which was fab as I didn't lift a finger. I was very tired by early evening but I had been given the option of deferring to my 41st and I had said NO.

LucyGrey · 26/09/2021 19:48

Mines on 5th November this year. Leaving it to DH but I know family and friends will be round and will have a little buffet lunch at work too. Nothing spectacular.

vestastilly · 26/09/2021 19:56

Stood on my friends doorstep and cried!!!

Thevoiceofreason2021 · 26/09/2021 19:59

Ohh I was child free and single back then , so a weekend in whitstable and a week in Greece.

Marlena1 · 26/09/2021 19:59

@GriseldaChop that is gorgeous!!Smile

Cryalot2 · 26/09/2021 20:00

40 was ok. I can barely mind that far.
I was 60 less than a year ago and it safely was a nightmare, so much so that I never want to go anywhere again , and I can't help compare it to the wonderful time we gave dh on his 60th.
Dh has been putting enormous pressure on me to go away for my upcoming birthday, but I have made it clear what I want and apparently that is not what he wants. So having told him he is selfish , I am told I am ungrateful and the rest. I dread the next 10 days or so.
60th was a trip to Jersey, as the flights were cancelled we flew to Heathrow then on to Jersey. We were met by sheet rain which we were not prepared for. Birthday was spent buying two big coats, then dh gets us badly lost. (Its his speciality getting lost)
Next we get phone calls saying someone on the flight tested positive for covid and we had either to isolate in hotel room 10 days ( we could not afford it and it was not a huge room either). Either that or leave the country on a specific flight within so many hours. We chose the flight but it cost us a fortune.
They did say that given our seat numbers and the fact we had used a different door on flight our chances were slim, but rules were rules.
So happy birthday and enjoyFlowers

MissFritton65 · 26/09/2021 20:00

I got married!

Hockeyboysmum · 26/09/2021 20:08

Mine is next month. Going away for a few days earlier in month with my 2 sons, mum, aunt, brother, sis in law and neice. Will be nic3 but chaotic with a 1 year old 3 year old and 12 year old. For my actual bday probably wont do anything. Ds 1 (12 year old) will be at school and DS 2 (1 year old) will go to nursery in afternoon. I will prob try and do housework.

ffsgivemestrength · 26/09/2021 20:13

Went to a spa for the day with my mum, had friends and family round in the evening for cake... DH (who has never baked in his life) baked my favourite cake for my birthday... it wasn't perfect but the fact that he even tried and emeritus to the effort meant everything Grin

ffsgivemestrength · 26/09/2021 20:17

I don't even know what that random autocorrect was!!!

Imissmoominmama · 26/09/2021 20:19

A charity bike ride, followed by a barbecue in the garden. Then a surprise meal with all my friends, organised by DH the following night.

19lottie82 · 26/09/2021 20:20

I’m turning 40 in January. I’m going to New Tork for the weekend with some friends.

19lottie82 · 26/09/2021 20:21

New YORK, not tork 😂

Mary46 · 26/09/2021 20:21

Mine was in Edinburgh 5 us. Really nice. A fab city. Congrats to you op

diamondpony80 · 26/09/2021 20:23

Mine was in the middle of the first lockdown so nothing really. Just got a takeaway, although that’s nothing special as we get a takeaway once a week anyway! DH had bought me tickets for Wimbledon and a nice weekend away in London but obviously that couldn’t happen.

waterlego · 26/09/2021 20:23

I went to a beer festival in Stuttgart with my husband, DB, SIL and 3 friends. We stayed two nights and had a cracking time. The following weekend, I went out for dinner with about 15 female friends. I don’t usually do much for my birthday so decided to go large for my 40th.

Sorry yours has been disappointing OP. Wishing you a Happy Birthday. 💐

NanooCov · 26/09/2021 20:28

I was pregnant with DS2 so no big party but I went for afternoon tea in a posh London hotel with my DH, stayed the night in a junior suite at the hotel (they were fabulous and as they knew it was my birthday there was a lovely chocolate cake and bottle of champagne in the room - took the champagne home for a later date). Went to see Book of Mormon with my DH and had a posh meal. It was fab. For DH's 40th I organised a surprise party in his home town. We also stayed at a lovely hotel and had a spa day and a nice meal the night before the party. A big part of the cost was actually organising a nanny to come to the hotel for 2 evenings to look after DS1 as all the usual babysitters were at the party.

EcoCustard · 26/09/2021 20:28

Mine was earlier this year just after NewYear when Lockdown was in full swing and school had just closed. Should of been on a beach in the Indian Ocean however it was beans on toast, Netflix after a hellish day of homeschooling. It’s usually crap but even more so this year. DH wanted to attempt something for my 41st next year but think I am now done with my birthday. I prefer other people’s birthdays.

ButYouGottaHaveASkillJeff · 26/09/2021 20:30

My next birthday is the big 4-0 and to be honest I'm done stressing about it. I've went from having a fairly active social life with a decent sized social circle to really having a handful of people I can go out with now.

I'm single/childless, I've let go the two possibly three close female friends due to realising (which deep down I've known for years) they aren't there for me at all, and I've been proved right. Covid and lockdown have had a hand in this amongst other things. I've also finally learnt (prob still learning) to accept that I am an introvert and get massively socially awkward, which is masked by alcohol. I've also accepted I'm actually alright, I like myself! And you don't need millions of friends for that to be true.

SO! I'm now at peace with that fact my 40th will be a low key affair, a few drinks with a few people. Then I'll treat myself to an amazing holiday as a present to myself!