So 50 is a milestone, but not necessarily one that people are crazy excited about crossing. There are two ways to go for this type of birthday party.
One, use typical party ideas like “over the hill”, “getting old”, or “gold” – aka the golden birthday, that lightens the mood and creates a fun, joking around party.
Two, avoid the typical party ideas from above and do something unique like a group activity, or something that celebrates the person rather than emphasizing their age.
Here are some fun ideas for option one to help you create a fun 50th birthday party that your friend, husband, wife, or sibling can laugh about.
– Invite 50 guests to the party
– order 50th confetti and put it EVERYWHERE
– Balloons with 50 on it
– Cupcakes organized in a 50
– Customized 50th coolies.
– 50th cookies! Add some flavor (pun intended) by making them tombstone or over-the-hill-themed cookies.
– Put together a playlist of his/her top 50 favorite songs
– Use photos to create a photo backdrop
Have guest prepare stories beforehand but have a backup of your own stories in case people forget:
– 50 fun facts about…
– 50 great accomplishments of…
– 50 little known facts about…
– 50 reasons why we love…
Here are some ideas for option two to help you create an uplifting and one-of-a-kind 50th birthday party that your loved one will actually be excited about.
– Brewery/Winery/Whiskey Tour
– Cave Diving with Great White Shark
– Plan a Heist
– Rodeo Bull Riding
– Escape from Death Row
– Zero Gravity Flight Experience
– Lobster and Beer Sail
– Chef’s Table Tour: Dine and meet the Chef’s at 5 Restaurants
– Bulldozer Adventure at Playground Days
– Jet Ski Adventure Tours
– Go around sharing your favorite stories involving the birthday boy or girl.
– Make them feel special, loved, and grateful for their friends and family instead of making a day out of reminding them how old they are.
– Create a slideshow with pictures of them and everyone at the party to remind them of all the good memories shared.
– Photo booth
– Customized Coolies with pictures from the slideshow
– 50 messages from 50 friends
Note – this takes some advance planning. Mail all the guests blank, pre-addressed and pre-stamped postcards (you can find these easily on Etsy by searching milestone birthday memory postcards) that come with a “directions card” instructing them to write a favorite memory, a kind note, a birthday wish, etc., and mail it back in the week leading up to their party. This is really useful if the person has many family members or friends that live far away.