Fortieth birthday party ideas

A party doesn’t have to be just groups of people standing around eating canapés, drinking and chatting. There are many forms a party can take.

Note: If you are planning a surprise party for your 40-turner, are you absolutely certain it’s what he/she would want? Apart from anything else, the anticipation of a party is often half the fun.

Let’s have a look at what sort of party you could give.

Traditional party, with added magic

There is a great deal to be said for having groups of people standing around eating canapés, drinking and chatting, which is why people do it so often. These are people you like, whose company you enjoy, and the format is good. However, what can make it even better is hiring a magician to create magic for you and your guests. Strolling, close-up magic blends well into the party atmosphere and you might like to have a spot of cabaret magic as well.

Traditional party, with a theme

Another way of making your party a bit different is to have a theme. Some examples are:

• James Bond
• Rock ‘n’ Roll
• Gangster
• Mexican fiesta
• Hawaiian
• Wild West
• Pirate
• Witches and wizards (a magician would fit well into this theme and could add the finishing touch)
• Casino (you can hire a play casino and gamble using pretend money)
• Murder mystery
• Decade the person was born

You can buy cool and interesting decorations and accessories from PartyBox.

Traditional (or fairly traditional) party, in a non-traditional location

Depending on your preferences and budget, you can throw your party in a wide variety of places. You can hire, for example:

• a boat or barge
• a castle
• a field
• a train
• an aquarium

Hiring out a restaurant or bar is pretty traditional but can be cool, depending where you choose. You could also hire a function room at the zoo, in a theatre complex or at a museum - or you could take all the rooms in a small hotel.

Traditional party, with games

Traditional party games can be great fun. There are loads to choose from - pass the orange, guessing the name stuck to one’s back, pin the tail on the donkey, charades, sardines, etc, etc.

If it’s a smallish party, a board game can work well – Trivial Pursuit, Articulate, Cluedo, Balderdash, Pictionary…

If you want a slightly different atmosphere, you could have a darts or table-tennis tournament. You could play Name that Tune with your cd collection or Name that Drink, in which a blindfolded person sips various liquids and guesses what they are. You have to be a bit careful with this one but it can be fun, as well as surprisingly difficult.

You could customise your own game of bingo, using pictures, words or phrases relevant to you.

Karaoke is always a fantastic way to let your hair down.

Activity party

Or you could have a completely different style of party. You can hire, for example:

• a swimming pool
• a cinema
• a skating rink
• a room at the golf (tennis, squash, etc) club and base your party in there, while you and your guests also enjoy a few rounds of golf (games of tennis…)
• a church hall with a stage, where you and your guests can do turns for one another

Alternatively, you and your friends could go paintballing, indoor skiing, ten pin bowling or roller skating, you could go to the races or spend the day at a theme park or being pampered at a health club/spa.

Several-day party

You might like to take it a step further and rent a villa in a nice, hot place; a chalet on the ski slopes or a cottage in some beautiful part of rural Britain and let the festivities continue over a long weekend or even a week. (See 40th birthday travel.)

Magic party

If you book well in advance, you could take a group of guests to a Meet the Magic Circle evening (usually a Tuesday) at the London headquarters of The Magic Circle.