Coolest 40th Birthday Party Ideas

"Over the Hill?
Not With These Fresh Ideas for Turning 40!"

Welcome the next decade with these 40th birthday party ideas worth celebrating!

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Invitations

Everyone will know not to miss your big birthday bash when you send out one of these invitations!

• Make a play on the Grim Reaper theme by cutting the curved blade of the sickle from gray or silver cardstock. Use a bold black marker to write "It's the big 4-0 for (name)" along with the time, date, and location of the party. Next, carefully fold a length of streamer that measures four to five feet in length and tuck it into the envelope. When the recipient takes the invitation out, the streamer will fall to make the shaft of the sickle for an unforgettable beckoning!
• Scan a baby picture of the guest of honor into a computer, and then add text through a digital photo processor. The invitation should include all of your party details -- including time, date, and location – and a greeting such as "Look who's all grown up!"
• Use green cardstock and cut it into the shape of a hill. If you have a wicked sense of humor, add a tiny grave marker near the top. Draw in tiny tick marks for blades of grass and include a greeting such as "Over the Hill but on Top of the World!" and then "Help us dig up some fun with (name) at a 40th birthday bash!" Include the time, date, and location of the party.

Costumes

If you really want to play up the Grim Reaper theme, invite guests to wear so-called funeral outfits to bring new meaning to "Over the Hill." If you want it to feel like a party, however, then casual is key! Comfortable guests will have fun and make this party one you won't soon forget!

40th Birthday Party Ideas for Decorations

Whether your take on this theme is over the hill or under it, you'll have a lot of fun with these "old" party favorites! Consider these 40th birthday party ideas when you're planning your big event.

Line the sidewalk or driveway with faux grave markers. You can make them from cardboard coated with poster board or construction paper, or opt to go all out with Styrofoam models that have been painted gray and lettered in black. Simple markings such as "40" or "RIP" are perfect for these mini headstones.

Inside, hang a Fabulous at 40 birthday banner, which arrives fully personalized with the text and photo of your choice. Display it alongside black and silver permanent markers so that guests can sign it with birthday greetings to create a one-of-a-kind memento of the big day!

It's not a party without balloons, and this party wouldn't be complete without at least 40 black ones! To brighten things up a bit, create 40 bunches of balloons instead. Include black, white, and silver in each balloon bouquet and place them around the party for an eye-popping display.

Hang streamers in hues of black, white, and gray to keep with the theme without allowing your party to be overcome with the dull and dreary. Even dark streamers will add to the festive atmosphere, so position them so that they twist and twirl across the ceiling and down the walls for a great effect.

When it's time to set the table, black plastic tableware is one of the best 40th birthday party ideas! This collection of black plates, cups, napkins, cutlery, and table covers offers everything you need to serve up a delicious selection of party food. Have fun with grem reaper honeycomb centerpiece.

Create a laugh riot on your buffet table with a few sets of false teeth and a bottle of prune juice – for decoration only, of course!

Games

Put the fabulous back into forty with these 40th birthday party games for a slightly more mature guest list!

Food

Fill your food tables with choices from these 40th birthday party ideas!

Wake guests up with these party beverage favorites!

• You can't go wrong with soft drinks. Offer a selection of regular and diet colas plus lemon-lime flavors and bottled water for guests who prefer them.
• Coffee may not seem like party fare, but many guests will appreciate the option. If you have or can borrow a cappuccino machine, you can whip up a favorite of crowds both young and old. Offer cream, sugar, and flavored syrups to go along with coffee, or serve it cold over ice for a twist on the original.
• "Mocktails" are the non-alcoholic versions of happy hour favorites. Search online for a virgin recipe for your favorites, or whip up the real thing for an adults-only party.

These 40th birthday party ideas will fill up your buffet, but the food will disappear fast!

• Allow guests to create their own sandwiches with a hearty deli platter! Serve fresh loaves of crusty bread and sandwich wraps along with thinly sliced meats and cheeses. Include lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and mustard on the side.
• Feel like a kid again with these childhood favorites that adults love to dig into! Thick, juicy burgers piled high with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise will be just right with fries piled on the side!
• For an elegant touch, you can't go wrong with shrimp. Make your own cocktail sauce by mixing ketchup and horseradish; chill before serving.
• Add some heart healthy fare for the "elder" guests by preparing a tray of fresh fruit. Melons, apples, pears, strawberries, and kiwi are amazing with a simple dip made from seven ounces of marshmallow cream and eight ounces of cream cheese. Blend the ingredients well and chill before serving.
• Try something different by hosting a baked potato bar! Allow guests to dress their own potatoes with their choice of butter, sour cream, real bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, chives, salt, and pepper.

There's always room for dessert! Try one of these 40th birthday party ideas for cake!

• Make it easy on yourself by covering the cake in black icing before topping it with over the hill toothpick candles.
The set of 11 candles will light up the whole room until you blow them out!
• Have fun with the theme by turning the cake into a tombstone. Gray icing and black letters will be nicely offset by tufts of bright green grass at the base. Writing something like "Here's lies (name), over the hill!" and "Happy 40th!"
• A big and bold "40" on top of your cake will add a burst of excitement to your party! Ice a sheet or layer cake with the color of your choice, and then use a decorator's tip to pipe the outline of the numbers four and zero. Use a star tip to fill the areas with color, then add a birthday greeting. One idea is to write "Happy" over the 40 and "(Name)!" beneath it.

Party Favors

Raise a toast to the 40th birthday celebrant in personalized frosted glassware, then send a glass home with each of your guests as a favor. These glasses are fully personalized with text and an imprint, which is a great way for you to savor the memories and send guests home with a great memento.

Thank You Notes

Take photos with each of your guests during the party, and send the best ones along in your thank you notes as a way of showing your appreciation helping to make the party a great one!

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