Fun Crazy 50Th Birthday Themes

Updated on May 17, 2008
C.W. asks from Carpentersville, IL
12 answers

I am helping a friend of mine throw a 50th birthday party for his wife. He is looking to have the party at his home later on this summer, probably a backyard barbeque setting. I am trying to come up with a real fun/crazy theme. I would really like to have some fun with this! She isn't really into anything specific and doesn't have any personal collections. I read somewhere about having a "wake of her childhood", but I'm not really sure that I wanna go that route. Anyone got any good ideas? or anyone been to a really great party? Love to hear your thoughts!

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D.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hi,
I have a mom-owned business located in Oak Lawn. I design and sell wedding invitations for all occasions. I have some really great theme party invitations if you would like me to send you some samples if you are looking for invitations for her 50th bday party. My email is ____@____.com.

Thank you.
D. S
Good Times Invitations

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S.

answers from Chicago on

When my husband turned 40 we had a 4 x 10 party. He had never had a kids birthday party when he was little so we took that theme but turned it more adult.

I hired a clown who played more "adult" games with everyone. It was really fun! I also had a wandering "swamie" who would walk up to people and "read their mind" or "predict the future" He as really a stand up comic type of person dressed in a swamie costume. He was really funny!

It was a surprise party and I served kids food - grown up style.

We had a blast and people are still talking about it 8 years later!

Good Luck!

S.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.

answers from Chicago on

I could not agree more with the posters that commented on staying away from the funeral and wake themes, as well as anything else that is sad, depressing...just no need. 50, like any age is a celebration of life. Can you get pictures of her as she was growing up? Having pictures, music, foods, movies, etc from her age bracket will be fun. Having the guests dress in clothing from different ages will be entertaining :) Surely there must be something about her personally that can be worked in to the birthday party theme. Just make happy and about her and you can't go wrong!

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W.S.

answers from Chicago on

Speaking as someone turning 50 this year herself, I would strongly suggest avoiding any 'sarcastic' themes such as wakes, funerals etc....

Why not make the theme nostalgic from her 'day'? I would love to have a party with all the music that I loved when I was young (70s & early 80s rock) and maybe have everyone dress like the times - not too hard to do. They had someone playing an acoustic guitar that was all 'unplugged' versions of rock classics - really fun. Also, I was at a party recently where they hired a psychic to do individual readings, she was in a separate room where they hung tie-died sheets and peace signs and smile faces on the walls and had citar music and incense going...really took me back.

One of my friends' husbands recently presented her with a funeral wreath on her 50th birthday, thinking it would be a big laugh. She broke into tears in front of everyone, so you might want to be careful with that.

have fun.

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J.B.

answers from Chicago on

I dont know if it would work for the 50th birthday party but what I did when my husband turned 40 was set everything up like a funeral....on the death of his youth! I had a cake made up with a tombstone and a dirtmound by it and on the tombstone it had 40 written on it. It also had grass underneath and it read...."Here lies Greg's youth". I also had our Pastor read a ulogy on the death of his youth, citing diferent things that he used to do. I also had four diferent people lined up to roast him {like the Dean Martin roasts}. It was alot of fun. Hope this helps.

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J.D.

answers from Decatur on

I am not really good at these kinds of things,but one of the "girls" I work with is working on a 50th bday gift for her daughter. She has decided to try to find 50 different items of 50 each to celebrate. Rhea has said she is trying to be practical with her gifts like items she can use. Rubberbands,hair ties/holders,Qtips,etc. Maybe on the invitation you could ask the invitee to bring something of "50". Imagine the creativity her friends could come up with. I worked with a woman who was extremely creative in those lines...she really kept our office on the go.
I imagine a paer warehouse would have some entertaining thoughts in the 50 section to help your imagination work....maybe even Oriental trader catalog.you're lucky you have a while to think and plan. Good luck!!!

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B.G.

answers from Rockford on

A friend just turned 50. The Title on the invite said "Half Century Bender" You had to come dressed only in 3 items of clothing begining with the letters H C B (Half century bender) It was great the had bouncers at the door checking everyone was appropriately dressed to come in.
Curtain, Bikini, Hat
cutoffs, bow tie, and hat
hula skirt,cumberbund, bra, (this was on a man)

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A.M.

answers from Chicago on

...or you could try to do a Luau! I've hosted 3 Luaus in the past 5 years, and have ALWAYS had success. Everyone always requests more! Every year we have multiple people request or even beg that we have another one! This theme suits all ages - and there are so many possibilities. Obviously the attire - from coconut bras and grass skirts to just regular ol' Hawaiian shirts - then the decorations / partyware - coconut cups (always a huge hit!) with straws adorned with hibiscus flowers, ukeleles for decoration (or the musically talented!), palm trees, monkeys, etc. - and then the activities - limbo, Hawaiian music - and you could even go as far as hiring dancers / flame throwers, a pig roast...

I highly recommend it!

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C.T.

answers from Champaign on

How about "50 Things We Love About You"?

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B.W.

answers from Springfield on

When my aunt turned 50, her daughter didn't want to do the whole black balloons and everything. She got a pretty cake with pastel flowers on it and rented a cotton candy machine. That was the hit of the party. You could maybe go with a circus theme? Just some ideas. Have fun!

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D.S.

answers from Chicago on

We've done a Lifesavers themed birthday party, with the underlying message being "just in case". All your decorations can be brightly colored round items, resembling lifesavers. Serve round brightly colored foods like pineapple rings, melon balls, cherries, bundt cake, jello made in a bundt cake mold, and burger toppings can be round onion slices, round tomato slices, etc. Have a ring toss game, again going with the rings resembling lifesavers. You get the idea...Have fun with it all.

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L.B.

answers from Chicago on

We did a Karaoke party for my mother & everyone loved it. We hired a DJ but maybe a friend or familymember owns the equipment.

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