Happy 40th Birthday Party: Charity Birthday Ideas Growing In Popularity

In an inspiring article from the Modesto Bee, an affluent 40-year old who was going to treat himself to a highly indulgent celebration, gathered his friends  for  a 40th birthday fundraiser.  The goal was to raise $40,000 to help build wells in Ethiopia.

“Something just kind of hit me. I mean, we live the most amazing lifestyle,” he said. “In order for us to make it better, we had to think of some of the most expensive and exorbitant things in the world. That told me something, so I decided to offer a different idea.

Brian and his friends decided to host a 40th birthday golf tournament with the goal of raising $40,000 to build water wells in Ethiopia.

The tournament ended up being a huge hit. Eighty golfers, tons of fun, lasting memories, and they raised over $65,000 — enough to build 13 fresh water wells. What started as five different birthday parties, costing each of them high five figures, turned into one joint birthday party that raised high five figures for a great cause. It was truly a party with a purpose. “

40th Birthday Party Ideas: Beach, Camping, Boat, Medieval Banquet Parties

There’s an old saying that says “life begins at 40″ so the party for this occasion should be more than just another birthday party, it should be a celebration of the beginning of a new life. All your friends and colleagues should be invited to your 40th birthday to celebrate with you. You should look at it as a chance to show you are still enthusiastic and have a passion for life.

If you are planning a theme for the party, make sure to include that in the invitations and send them out well in advance. There are a number of computer software programs that will allow you to be creative and customize your invitations and this makes for a nice touch.

Here are some themes and 40th birthday party ideas:

* Surprise party – few parties are more memorable than surprise parties. Make sure all the invitees are aware it’s a surprise so the cat is not let out of the bag.

* Play “This Is Your Life” just like the TV show. It’s a terrific but seldom used 40th birthday party idea! Put together a book that chronicles the entire life history including pictures, newsclippings and other memorabilia. A PowerPoint presentation is a great way to go too. Make sure to invite plenty of people from their past and dramatically introduce them one by one.

* A boat party can be one of the most thrilling 40th birthday party ideas. Go for the river or ocean if you live nearby. Arrange a dance or dinner party aboard. Have all the guests dress in their best cruise wear or beach clothes if you want to keep it casual.

* Going camping can be a great 40th birthday party idea. Imagine getting away to a nice mountain setting with friends and family and enjoying a campfire and a scrumptious barbecue. Don’t forget the marshmallows! This is a great setting to pass stories and memories around the fire with a warm drink.

* Something that is exciting and usual is to use a castle as a party venue. Put together a medieval banquet in the banquet hall that King Henry would be proud of and your guests will not soon forget this 40th birthday party. Have the guests dress in traditional medieval garb. Do some internet research and include the websites on the invitations where folks can see pictures and get ideas for their costumes.

* If you are near the ocean (or a large lake) a beach party will be a huge hit for a 40th birthday party. Instruct your guests to don their best beachwear including Hawaiian shirts, Bermuda shorts, flip-flops and tank tops. Whip up a sumptuous Hawaiian or Caribbean style feast. Keep the party fun and lively by breaking out the volleyball net and the beach balls.

These are just a few of the 40th birthday party ideas and themes that you can come up with. Make it suit the personality of the guest of honor, keep it lively and fun and the party is sure to be a big hit.

Cheri Brennan is an avid party planning enthusiast. She has planned many parties for friends, family and corporate settings. To get more great articles, tips and party planning ideas click over to Plan Your Best Party.com! Visit today and get the “Appetizer Recipe Collection” as a free gift!

40th Birthday Party – Fun Birthday Party Themes like Luau, Nascar, Mardi Gras

Turning forty is not something that some people feel ecstatic about celebrating, once you get over the issues associated with age however you will soon find out that aging is not so bad after all. In fact, it is a good excuse to throw a fabulous and memorable party fit for you and your loved ones. The only challenge is that throwing and choosing among a number of 40th birthday party themes is not the same as throwing a party for your children or your relatives’ children.

An important factor to remember when choosing among the 40th birthday party themes
is your personality and personal preferences (if it’s your birthday), or that of the birthday celebrant’s. There a number of popular 40th birthday party themes and some of them include:

1. Hawaiian Luau

This can be a really cool theme especially if you plan to throw a poolside party. Decorate the venue in a tropical or Hawaiian theme and ask your guests to come in luau attires.

2. Mardi Gras

Turn your party into a festive theme and give your guests an excuse to let their hair down. Serve some alcoholic beverages and give out some Mardi Gras necklaces and prepare games to be enjoyed by the adults!

3. Go Retro

Re-live flower power or the mod era and ask your guests to come in minis, bell bottoms or even hippie outfits. Play songs from popular bands from the era you wish to adopt as your theme and get ready to put out those dancing shoes!

4. NASCAR birthday bash

Party on the fast lane and feel your guests’ pulse race as you settle for this theme. Decorate the tables with checkered patterns, and watch some car racing on TV.

5. Celebrity or Hollywood-themed party

If you are the type to go for glitz and glamour then throw a more formal birthday bash and ask your guests to dress like celebrities. Make the party more exciting by asking everyone to dress-up like celebrity look-alikes, and enjoy as you see how far off they go to accomplish this feat. This can definitely be one of the more stylish 40th birthday party themes.

To learn more birthday party themes, visit http://www.birthdaypartythemes101.com

40th Birthday Ideas: Hot Air Balloons, Racecars, Event Tickets Or Trip

If you, a loved one, or a friend are approaching 40 you may want to mark your birthday somehow. Because the 40th birthday is so significant you may need some killer creative birthday ideas and in particular 40th birthday ideas, any one of which will go down a storm.

First of all you could organise a themed party which could be fancy dress or may just represent a decorative theme. This could reflect the era when you grew up such as the eighties including the big hair, electronic music and shoulder pads. Equally you could choose a specific theme for your decor guiding your guests as to what to wear. Try and movie themed party where your guests dress up as movie stars or characters and you have your house decorated like a film set. Whilst this is the one of the most creative birthday ideas (allowing lots of scope for creativity) it is also the hardest work but as 40th birthday ideas go it can be the most rewarding.

Number two on the list is to go away for a weekend, a week or longer – perhaps to somewhere that you have only a childhood memory of, or somewhere you have always longed to go. What about going for the weekend or even longer. London, New York, Paris, Munich (as the song goes) all await your visit!

Third on my list of great 40th birthday ideas is an ‘experience day’ – sometimes known as a ‘red letter day’ where you can go and do something you have always wanted to do – such as wing walking, driving a racecar around a racetrack, or a trip in a hot air balloon. These are one off events organised through a specialist company and are ideal as a special 40th birthday present. As far as creative birthday ideas go this takes some surpassing.

Need more 40th birthday ideas? Why not get tickets to your favourite sport , or favourite band, or the theatre. Then go out for a meal with the one you love. Treat yourself, treat someone else or your family – you are only 40 once!

My fifth suggestion is to get away from it all on a themed weekend – such as a murder mystery weekend, or a spa break designed to relax you. Many hotels or guest houses offer very reasonably priced weekend packages.

Number six in the list of 40th birthday ideas is to hire somewhere out exclusively for you and your friends – a yacht, a manor house, a nightclub, a bowling alley – anywhere you can be all together but still ‘doing something’

And finally to number seven. There is one final entry on my list of creative birthday ideas and that is to do nothing at all. Do nothing on your 40th birthday! Have a lie in, watch telly, get a takeway, read a book, watch a movie, get drunk. Do absolutely nothing or as little as possible for a day. This could be the best of all the 40th birthday ideas!

A proud UK resident, Andy Thompson has watched most of his friends pass forty in the last few years with many different ways of celebrating. For some great creative birthday ideas go to creative birthday ideas and 40th birthday ideas