50th birthday ideas for women
by Mary Johnson-Gerard, Ph.D. / in Health
Turning 50 years old is a monumental and even sometimes dreaded milestone for women. Thinking of some fun yet empathetic ideas to help a female friend or lover turn 50 may feel a bit daunting, but this doesn't have to be the case. Start by thinking that a 50th birthday is a celebration of life, and it may be easier to get the creative juices flowing. There are many ways to celebrate a 50th birthday such as planning a progressive, era-appropriate dinner party, making a list 50 things you want to do for your birthday and having a kidnap party.
Progressive 50th Birthday Party
A progressive dinner party is a dinner party where several people host one course of the dinner at their home while guests travel from one home to the next to partake of the courses. The 50th birthday twist is that each course is a food that was "in" during the year the birthday girl was born. For example, if the birthday girl was born in 1965 when cocktail parties were all the rage, the first home in the progression might serve cocktails such as a Manhattan or a Rob Roy with appetizers like spinach balls, pigs in a blanket or cocktail franks. A progressive dinner party may have anywhere from three to five course---or more. Organising this kind of party takes a little time, research and getting into the swing of the birthday year. It might be fun to have guests come dressed in clothing typical of the year or era.
A progressive dinner party is a dinner party where several people host one course of the dinner at their home while guests travel from one home to the next to partake of the courses.
50 Things I Want to Do for My 50th Birthday
This 50th birthday idea can be done by the birthday girl herself, or a friend or family member can sit down with the birthday girl to help compile the list. Either way works. There are two ways this can be accomplished. One is that the list of wishes is made to cover the entire 50th year so many different kinds of things that take time, money and effort can be planned in advance. Ideas for a year-long list could include taking a trip or two, redecorating a special place or going out to dinner once a week with friends. The other way the list can be made is for the birthday girl to create a list of 50 things she wants on the day of her birthday. Ideas for a list like this might include sleeping an hour later, having breakfast in bed, taking a bubble bath or wearing a new outfit.
This 50th birthday idea can be done by the birthday girl herself, or a friend or family member can sit down with the birthday girl to help compile the list.
50th Birthday Kidnap Party
Kidnap parties are fairly common for teens and college students, but that doesn't mean the idea can't be used for a 50th birthday surprise. The idea is to surprise the birthday girl by planning one thing but doing another. A kidnap party is designed to have the birthday girl believe she is doing one thing so she is surprised when it turns out she is going to have a very special treat of another kind. Organising a kidnap party takes planning to be sure the birthday girl is dressed appropriately the day of the surprise, that the boss knows what is going on and that the husband and children are all on board with the birthday surprise. One way this kind of party can play out is to make a plan to meet the birthday girl after work for birthday cocktails but instead show up at home or work at noon to whisk her away for a day of shopping, eating and a movie or play.
Kidnap parties are fairly common for teens and college students, but that doesn't mean the idea can't be used for a 50th birthday surprise.
One way this kind of party can play out is to make a plan to meet the birthday girl after work for birthday cocktails but instead show up at home or work at noon to whisk her away for a day of shopping, eating and a movie or play.
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1 Lovetoknow: 50th Birthday Party Ideas
2 Reluctant Gourmet.com: Appetizers from the 60s
Mary Johnson-Gerard began writing professionally in 1975 and expanded to writing online in 2003. She has been published on the Frenzyness Divorce Blog and on Neumind International Pte Ltd. Her book "When Divorce Hurts Too Long—Ouch" was published in 2009. Johnson-Gerard holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Missouri.