Seeking Ideas for My Husband's 40Th Birthday Party

If at all possible get tickets to something he's really interested in, basketball or what have you. Then enlist his buddies to have him kidnapped and wisk him away. the trick is knowing what HE really wants. For my husband, I would love to through a really nice party but for him......that's not what he wants. I mean how romantic is it to get a nail gun for valentines day! LOL but it's abut him.

T.
www.workathomeunited.com/T.

I just had a 40th surprise party for my husband in October. I was 8 months pregnant at the time and enlisted the help of my mother and mother-in-law. We decided to have it at my in-laws house, with close family and friends. We asked people to bring their favorite party foods and we supplied deli meats/cheeses, condiments, etc. POTLUCK is the way to go!!
He didn't have a clue, because I told him that his parents and mine wanted to take him out to dinner. And I was in no condition to cook or care at that point because of the pregnancy.
I, also, would not tell the kids either! My daughter tells my husband everything!! I was suppose to do limited activites while I was pregnant and she told on me the one day because I vaccuumed!
I hope this helps!
Good Luck!
Marjie

For my hubby's SUPRISE 40th, we planned for the four of us to just go over to his best friend's house for "dinner" - they are classmates of his. We had invited family and friends (many of him who were also just about 40 yrs. old) to help us celebrate. My husband was confused when he walked in and saw one of his neices at his friend's house and everyone shouting "suprise", but he enjoyed the party and so did the other 40 yr. olds. We had several small cakes, decorated to the individuals with recent or upcoming birthdays and suprised them too. I helped shop, decorate and send the invitations as well as clean up. It worked out great. I gave my husband a t-shirt that said "I'm not 40, I 18 with 22 years experience"
Another good idea is to create a digital storybook, cutomized album or scrapbook for a gift. With the help of family members, I borrowed, scanned and returned baby photos then added more recent photos. I suprised the birthday person with a finished album to share. And the album does not need to be specifically a birthday album. It can showcase his favorite hobby, being a dad, being a brother or a son - you know what I mean. If you want to know more about how to share your life - your stories - your way please write to me personally or visit my website (see my profile for my mom-owned business). Thanks and good luck!

For my husband's 40th b-day, my girls and I got him a really nice watch. I wrote him a message in the card about how great our TIME with him has been, how I'm looking forward to spending TIME with him for the next 40 (or more) years, how much the girls enjoy the Daddy-Daughter TIME he carves out for them, etc.. Granted, this gift was kind of a no-brainer for me, b/c he had been hinting that he didn't think his other 2 watches were dressy enough to wear to formal events, but once I put it all together with the note in the card, I think it became a really special gift. It's something he will always have, that he looks at multiple times every time he wears it, and that he will think of his family each time he does glance at it.

How about an 80's party? I did one for my hubby for his 30th. No particular reason, other than it was a great decade with lots of great memories. We had everyone dress up in 80's garb, and we played a trivia game and "Name that tune" to popular 80's TV show theme songs. It was a blast!! It may help him remember his younger days and not focus so much on the actual number at hand! Good luck!

Watch out 40 to a man is like 30 for a woman. My mom did a suprise party for my dad on his 40th. He was not a happy man. Make sure you think he wants a party before you set it up. I like the idea of suprise but it could back fire.

My friends husband told her he would rather go on a trip and invite a few of their "couple" friends to go. We went to Las Vagas for 4 days 3 nights with 3 other couples for his 40th. Then when my husband turned 40 we went to Chicago with 2 of other couples. It has now become a trend. I turn 40 this year and am trying to figure out where the 3 couples will be going for my birthday. I am thinking NYC or California Wine Country. As long as you go somewhere that not everyone has to like everything you want to do it works out great. We made sure we had at least one meal a day together but split up for the rest if needed. Usually you can get 2 couple that want to do the same thing... but not 3 or 4.

Just an Idea!

Hello K.,

I just joined this wonderful website 2 minutes ago.

I saw your question. I'm not sure if my suggestion is what you are looking for BUT I have my own photography business so maybe your husband would love a picture of you enhancing his favorite "part" about you. Whether it be a bare shoulder, your legs, your hair, etc. If you are not interesed in that I also do family, children photography.

View some of my work at Momsmark.com click on Cherished Moments.

My friend surprised her husband with a message package. They both went at the sametime and loved it.

Well goodluck and hope to hear from you.

J. L.

Did you want to have a party for him or just looking for gift ideas? I immediately thought party, since it's an important birthday. I would pick out his favorite thing (running, nascar, scotch,oceanography,diving whatever it may be) and use that as your theme. If he collects things it would be easy to consolidate all that stuff into the party area as decor. If you need to buy stuff try Oriental Trading( http://www.orientaltrading.com/)depending on his interests they may have just what you need for not too much $$. Don't spend a ton on decorations. Pick a color theme and go with that for your table cloths and napkins, solids tend to be cheaper.(and you may be able to use leftovers at another event)Put together center pieces to decorate and plain to serve his favorite foods/drinks.Of course invite his favorite people but don't go overboard. If he has a small circle of close friends then invite just those people. Invite extended family if he's very fond of them, have a seperate gathering for them if not. It could even be your immediate family and have the kids help out and let them be creative.Just plan the entire event on what he truly loves and what has had some sort of positive influence on his life. Above all else have FUN.

An old friend from college did this for her husband's 30th: She contacted 30 people who had been important in his life (past and present) and asked them each to write a letter to him commemorating his 30th birthday. I'm sure it took a little legwork, but I bet he appreciated it alot.

I agree with Terrie 100% - make sure it is something HE will find phenomenal, not something cutesy that you might think would be great. Awesome nail gun analogy!

Does he have a favorite restaurant or social hangout? Would he like a surprise party where all his friends and family show up, complete with food and drink?

Is he into sports? Maybe you could do something extra special like reserve a party box or suite for a group to celebrate his birthday.

You could do a theme party at your house - the life and times of 'my husband', complete with a slide show/powerpoint of pictures that chronologically document his life set to music he enjoys.

One of my friends gave her husband a NASCAR experience, where he got to actually drive the track. If he's into that sort of thing, that could be fun.

If you're not big on the party idea, perhaps arrange for a trip for the two of you. What about a weekend getaway to a destination he would find enjoyable? Or, you could even encourage him to take a guys-only trip somewhere fun.

For my husbands 30th I threw him a suprise party. The theme was a pig roast. He really wanted a Harley ("Hog") instead he got a cooked one with lots of beer and friends. I had motorcycle ballons and a pinata with motorcycles I bought from Michael's and made into magnets. We had a blast. I still feel bad he doesn't have his Harley though.

I'd say figure out what he likes and go from there. Your choices are endless!

Good luck!!

Hi K.,

I just threw my husband a suprise b-day party and it was great!!! First, you have to think of what your husband would like and go from there. For my husbands party....I made it all about his favorite foods. I invited 50 people, made cheesesteaks, roasted red potatoes, Schmitz sausages, got a keg of Guiness beer, made his favorite brownies, had a friend set up music, made a fire pit in my back yard.

The day of the party, I put 5lbs of deli roast beef in a crock pot with au jou and bananna peppers, threw the sausages in some beer in a large disposabale catering tray ( the kind you can heat over a candle later at the table. Threw the potatoes in with olive oil salt and garlic in the oven. Cooked a hug can of mushroom and saurkrat (seperately) in a pan (throw some red wine in with the mushrooms or season however you'd like) which I then put in catering trays later over candles)
(You can get any of this stuff at GFS) I preoredered small hoagie buns from kroger so they were fresh the day of (and not to mention I used the hoagies for both the sausages and cheesteaks), put out provalone cheese and all the fixin's and let people serve themselves.

I also had buckets around with ice, pop, capri suns.....ect. I had hotdogs for the kids....

Needless to say....he loved it!! After the older folk left, we brought out cards, board games, and continued enjoying the rest of the party.

I will say, when I first started planning I wanted to go over the top....but then I realized....my husband loves the simple things in life: good food, friends, family, and a tall glass of creamy Guiness...lol

Good Luck,
R.

Hi K.!
How about writing your love story for him? And putting it in a book with photos of you and he?

I can help you design this yourself. You can check out more at www.PictureYourLife.com. I became a consultant for this business because I am addicted to pictures of my family and never had time to scrapbook (4 kids and a full time job aside from this guilty pleasure!). But I'm proof that its quick and easy and possibly the best gift you'll ever give because its not just a scrapbook, its the story, in your words, written down for posterity. Your children will love reading this when they get older.

If you're not into the love story, I've also done for my husband "We Love You Daddy because...." as a book.

Don't worry if you don't think you can write. We have plenty of storybook templates and guides and I can help you really make it your own.....which is ultimately what this gift is all about.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

L. Mercer
Heritage Makers Independent Consultant and Director
____@____.com

Have it all.....Family. Success. Your own business in the new and exploding digital scrapbooking market. More details at www.PictureYourLife.com

Mom of 4 with a full time job LOVING LIFE! See how I do it at......www.HowWeCanHaveItAll.com