40th Birthday Party Ideas

I am planning a 40th birthday party for my mom, and need help with ideas. I want it to be a dressy occasion, something fun and very memorable. I have a color scheme (teal and purple, her favorite colors).

I've hired a DJ, and have a location with a dance floor, tables and chairs, but I'm not sure what else to do, such as games, and how to make sure everyone has fun and stays interested. I'm obviously not 40, so I'm not sure what would be especially appealing to this age group. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

By Blue06 from Portland, OR

Archives: Request: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Archived on 04/19/2009 My husband will be turning 40 in March and I am in desperate need of celebration ideas. It doesn't necessarily have to be a party, but I can't let this big event go by unnoticed. I stay home with our two year old and don't work so I don't have a huge amount of cash at my disposal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks GRL611 from Philadelphia Feedback: RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Can you get someone to watch your 2-year old for a few hours, either as a favor or a tradeoff. Is there someplace local that he really likes to go? Do you get together with other people a lot socially? Perhaps you could plan a potluck surprise party, with a couple of people he doesn't see often but would like to. Maybe a movie with coffee and dessert out afterward. (01/15/2009) By tennesue RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas This is a great idea for any birthday of importance, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, etc. and it's free! I like to write a list called "40 things I love about you". ( or 50 things if they are turning 50, or 70 things if they are turning 70) I write fond memories I have of the birthday person. You can list qualities you admire about the person or sweet memories you have about the person. Be specific and write details, it makes it more meaningful. I've done this for lots of different people in my family and they were all deeply touched by the time, effort, and kind words. It's always been a huge success! It does take some time. I would recommend you write 10 a day rather than sit down and try to come up with all 40 or 50 at once. It's much easier to do it in small doses. Have fun. Be creative. Make them laugh. Make them cry. You will enjoy it too! Lee in FL (01/16/2009) By PainterLee RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Every time one of my siblings has turned 40, we have had a sit down meal with my parents and all the spouses. I am one of five, so we had about 12 adults. We had no kids at the meal. We cooked a nice meal and had a cake. It always turned out nice and it is great getting together with my brothers and sisters. You could do the same for you husband and his family. This was not very expensive, since it was just a meal and I always got food on sale. I think time spent with loved ones is the most important thing. Now my oldest sister is coming up on 50 and we will probably start it all over again! Hope this helps. (01/27/2009) By Linda RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas My mom had a surprise birthday party and she didn't have a clue. Except, you are more creative than my dad, so anyway. We had kabobs and a ballroom dancer cake (with Barbie) because she ballroom dances. We had a picnic. Don't plan any games, just invite tons of friends. (02/03/2009) By Ava Report Spam or Abuse Request: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Archived on 01/13/2009 I really need ideas for my sister's 40th birthday, she's not very adventurous so that rules a fair bit out, but I'd like it to be memorable and special. All ideas are welcome. :) Jojo from Australia Answers: RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas The funniest game I ever saw. Get a blindfold, a metal spatula, a big metal mixing bowl and a large bag of cotton or faux cotton balls. Scatter the cotton balls on the floor. Blindfold the participant. They have two minutes, or whatever, to pick up as many cotton balls with the spatula and put them in the bowl as they can. Try this out before the party. You'll see what I mean. We once surprised a friend by having the party at his place. I lived next door; had lifted a key. I took him out to dinner while everyone else was getting his place ready for the party. Every time I started to go home he kept looking around, because he was expecting a surprise. He looked all over the restaurant, even checked out the men's room. Finally, we went home. Boy was he surprised! He even got his place cleaned. Not a bad deal. (09/08/2005) By the Oracle RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas I just had my 40th birthday and my sister and daughter got together and told everyone they knew to send me 40 "items" in the mail. This started like 2 weeks before my birthday. I got everything from cotton balls, to pennies and stamps. It was a lot of fun. Took me a couple packages in the mail before I figured it out though. (09/09/2005) By Nancy RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas I just came from a 50th party where the birthday boy's wife had this very creative poem hand lettered on a big poster board using candy bars taped to the board in the appropriate places. The sweet treats are in ALL CAPS in the "poem." Do you hear SNICKERS from those around you? Do you feel your bones CRUNCH? Are you getting ZERO sleep? Is your memory gone because your head's full of ROCKS? Do you have trouble remembering WHATCHAMACALLIT? Do you have BUTTERFINGERS? Is all your ENERGY NOW gone? Well, some may say you're at that age beTWIX youth and senility! Don't be a crybaby at turning 50! Now that you're getting CHUNKY, you may not TAKE 5 and have MOUNDS of fun. The MOMENTOS that you get will remind you of your age. So INDULGE yourself and get GOOD-N-PLENTY drunk and SKOR lot of laughs. After all, you're still aM-AZING and worth 100,000 GRAND. So, grab a BIG CUP and have a few CHUCKLES and party your BUNS off and have an EXTRA Happy 50th birthday! (09/10/2005) By Julie RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas People seem to want to do party themes on the era someone was born, but it would be so much fun to do something on the era someone was a teenager, whether 70's or 80's. A 70's disco or 80's Dynasty style party would be fun. Everyone could dress the part and have food and music from that era. Since our teenage years are usually pretty memorable, it would be fun to have a party that would be memorable, too. After all, the over the hill parties are done way too often. (01/10/2006) By Nancy RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Thanks for the replies, Nancy...I liked your idea for a party relating to teenage years, sorta like reliving the past and having a giggle at what we all used to wear etc, that's a different idea :) (01/11/2006) By jojo RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas A fun 40th birthday party is a 70's theme. Your party will certainly be remembered when everyone has to come in their bell-bottoms! The 70's are definitely "in" now with lots of interest in the dress and fads. You can decorate with an informal gathering of bean bag chairs and disco bead curtains at the door entryways. Play clips from 70's TV shows or movies and competing teams guess first what movie/show the song was from. 70's theme parties are really popular and go over well with guests of all ages. Dee http://www.fun-theme-party-ideas.com/70s-theme-party.html (01/20/2006) By fun-theme-party-ideas RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas Need ideas for a 40th birthday party. (06/01/2007) By Laura RE: 40th Birthday Party Ideas A Casino style party is fun. I went to one for my friend's 30th birthday. The hostess rented the tables with the dealers. We played with chips and the person with the most chips at the end of the night won a prize. You can get lots of other ideas from this web site: http://www.adultpartyideas.com/ (06/01/2007) By Marta Report Spam or Abuse