Need Ideas for 40Th B-day Gift

Have you thought about doing one big group outing instead of multiple gifts. I did this last year with my friends. We did a girls weekend, but local, so we didn't need hotel rooms and those on a fixed budget could join in on what they wanted and not have to miss out on the whole weekend. We went shopping, the spa, dinner out. We had some friends that just came to dinner. It was great, and actually we all saved money by not buying so many gifts, and got to spend time with each other. We still talk about that weekend and have decided not to buy presents anymore and just go out once a year to a nice dinner, somewhere we wouldn't go because of cost to take the whole family, and every 10 years get together to do the whole weekend event.

Hi L.,
This year I happened to turn 50 and we went on a cruise, but on the cruise my friends got together and decorated my room...so you could decorate her house maybe by getting someone to let you in or something...also we went to eat and they surprised me with Champagne toast! It was special because we were together!
Maybe you could do a surprise at her house and when she comes home it could be a true surprise with decoration and cake and champagne.... or another idea is to plan a wine and cheese party. You can do it nice and inexpensive and then those that want to "whine" can have some cheese or those that want the wine and cheese :) Have fun! I love birthdays with my friends!!!

Are you looking for funny or serious... this is another "hill" in her life, I remember when my mother turned 40, her mom put on a show for her. I remember it as if it was yesterday, my dad brought my mother to the park, said they were going out for dinner but stopped at the park. Grandma met her with a wheelchair making funny remarks about her being so old, before she could sit down in the chair, my grandma's twin (dressed as a baby) put a big diaper (pillow sheet) on my mom, and the two of them (2 crazy women) gave my mom gag gifts for being old... big notepad because her eyes are going, she can't remember, pill case because you start to take more and more pills daily, denture stuff cause her teeth wills tart to fall out, you think it they gave it... Everyone was laughing, I know my mom will never forget it.
I think it's important to enjoy birthdays too, some women hate to get older and scares them really bad.
This might not help unless you want to go together with other friends to give your friend a birthday she'll never forget...
Hope she has a happy birthday!

Well I am stuck on photo books now.. I had one made for our Coach of my son's football team. What about pics of you all throughout the years. I had a small one made that was so nice and sleek for $7.57 at Walmart.com. You can do the hardbacks for 19.99 as well. The software online is so easy to use. You can put one, to 6 pics on one page. You can put captions and you can even have text only pages. I typed a thank you at the back of the book and all of the parents wanted one.. It's takes about a week and half to get back and cheaper if you have delivered to the store. I think CVS has some you can do in the store.. Hope this helps.