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Original poster

40th birthday - how did you celebrate?

99 replies

birdysong · 27/01/2026 22:10

About to turn 40 and no plans on what to do. Wondered what others did- particularly introverts who didn't want a party - DH had a massive party for his last year but it's really not for me. I would have the attention.
How have others celebrated their 40th?

Posted on AIBU for traffic 🥳

OP posts:
BlueMum16 · 27/01/2026 22:11

I went to Barcelona. Just me and DH.

No way was I having a party.

For DH we went to Vegas.

Ineedanewsofa · 27/01/2026 22:14

I also went to Barcelona 😂 Long weekend just me and DH. Milked it at every opportunity throughout my ‘birthday year’ it got us a surprising number of freebies and upgrades at different places.
We moved house on DHs 40th…

Nevermind17 · 27/01/2026 22:15

DH took me to Paris and we had a posh dinner at the Moulin Rouge.

Purplecatshopaholic · 27/01/2026 22:16

I went to Paris with my now ex. Had a gorgeous hotel room with a wee balcony, near the Louvre. I didn’t want a party either.

Seriously79 · 27/01/2026 22:17

Had a house party with about 50 people. I was heavily pregnant and the only one sober!

SabrinaThwaite · 27/01/2026 22:17

Long weekend in Copenhagen (was also a work move recce visit).

MCF86 · 27/01/2026 22:17

family dinner.
I've accepted the number, I just didn't feel the need to make a fuss about it- I never have though my last party I was 13!

Drongit · 27/01/2026 22:18

I started my nurse training. I couldn’t have been happier.

DappledThings · 27/01/2026 22:20

Absolutely nothing. There's the level of being introverted that means you wanted like a party and then any levels below that you'll find me who can't bear even the slightest mention of it by anyone and ignores it entirely.

familyissues12345 · 27/01/2026 22:20

2020, so Covid times. Did me a favour as some would have expected me to have some sort of get together and actually I was very happy to a meal with my brother in law, sister in law and a night in a hotel! 😁

MiddleClassProblem · 27/01/2026 22:22

My DH had a big party but I didn’t want one because I would be worrying if everyone was having fun, have to stay up later than I would want and worry about people also not coming. It felt like a lot of pressure which I wouldn’t enjoy. I do like a party and was lucky friends had them that I could enjoy without the pressure on me!

I ate a Michelin restaurant I had wanted to try, went to a spa and had a family day out at a place that did an activity I’d always wanted to do. We talked about going away but I didn’t want to go abroad for just a weekend as DD had school, and didn’t really have anywhere specific I wanted to go in the UK enough to warrant it for me.

It was a really fabulous weekend. I would recommend using the things you really enjoy doing as a starting point.

SP2024 · 27/01/2026 22:22

Takeaway curry with family. I also went for afternoon tea on the day. I had a tiny baby so about all I wanted to do! Planning a party for my 50th instead

HeddaGarbled · 27/01/2026 22:22

On the day, just a nice dinner at home, but then a special holiday in the next school holidays. We tend to pick holidays for special occasions but we’d rather wait and do a proper holiday than just weekends nearer the date.

underseige05 · 27/01/2026 22:24

My husband had a party, well 2 years later due to covid. I had a weekend away for the 4 weekends of my birthday month, my DH arranged them all. I would have hated a party would have been my worst nightmare.

DanceMumTaxi · 27/01/2026 22:24

Nothing much. Went out for Sunday lunch with dh and the kids on the day. Then a few other bits with friends - shopping and lunch, tea out, that sort of thing.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/01/2026 22:26

I loved my 40th birthday.

Had a meal out with family on the day, and then a week later a party with friends in a local pub (catered). Was so much fun.

Then a few weeks afterwards a few of us friends went away for a joint 40th.

Murphs1 · 27/01/2026 22:32

I went to London on the train with my parents and kids. We went to the natural history museum and on the London eye, and then met my husband who works there, for a Chinese dinner. It was a really lovely day.

Magnalux · 27/01/2026 22:33

We went away to a hotel for a few nights , siblings spouses parents nieces, nephews, did a few family friendly activities during the day, sisters went to the spa, then had a big family meal on the day itself. Had a fab time.

AlbertCookie · 27/01/2026 22:34

2 weeks in Florida...birthday spent at the new Universal park, Epic Universe 🥳

SquigglePigs · 27/01/2026 22:34

Went out for a nice meal with DH and friends. There were about 12 of us.

Also had a nice meal out with my parents, DH and DD.

Obviously on different days!

FOJN · 27/01/2026 22:35

I went away for the weekend to country cottage with a few family and friends. It should have been lovely but it was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. 😱

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 27/01/2026 22:36

Went to the Maldives. Just me, DH and the DC.

Few family meals on either side and an afternoon in the pub with friends -all low-key

Bitchcraft · 27/01/2026 22:37

DH had left me the week before so felt flat. Got a cake and some prosecco and my lovely DC picked me some flowers from the garden. Very low key.

ThatWasMyLastFatFreeFrush · 27/01/2026 22:40

I had a weekend in Llandudno with my then toddler and my sister. Very lovely it was too.

zoemum2006 · 27/01/2026 22:41

I went to a roller skating rink in London with a group of friends. We all dressed up 80s style and had a big private booths etc.

I hired a karaoke mini bus to transport us from my house in SE London (where we'd had pizza and cake) to the roller rink in SW London.