50th Birthday Party Ideas

From LoveToKnow Party

Looking for some unique 50th birthday party ideas? Half a century is not a milestone to allow to slip by, uncelebrated and unnoticed. But you needn't be limited to the tried and true. There are dozens of ways to make your 50th birthday party one to remember.

Check out adult party themes for some great 50th birthday ideas.

The Classic Funeral Party

If the person for whom you are throwing a 50th birthday party has a good sense of humor, you might consider this standard theme party as a party idea. The decor is black, and features gravestones plus other funereal paraphernalia. If you're going out to eat, a ride in a limo or hearse is a good touch. One family even had their dad's 50th birthday party at a funeral home!

The Way We Were

Play up the nostalgia, because fifty years is a lot of time to remember. Things happen in 50 years, so celebrate the past as your 50th birthday party idea. Decor is pictures of the person's life throughout those fifty years; music is, of course, the music that was popular when the person was in high school or college, and the food is based on whatever was popular at that same time. Community and Junior League cookbooks can be helpful in setting a period-appropriate menu. Party games can include "guess what this is," where a keepsake item is displayed to the guests and they try to guess what the item is and why it is significant to the birthday person (who must, of course, tell the true story for each thing after the guessing is through).

Golden Days 50th Birthday Party Idea

The 50th anniversary is the golden anniversary, so why shouldn't the 50th birthday be golden, too? Decor would be gold and white, with fancy china and crystal if possible. The cake would be white with gold or yellow-orange icing, and a yellow punch should accompany the food.

Candid Camera Party

Great Ideas for a 50th Birthday

Remember the old television show, with its classic punch line: "Smile! You're on Candid Camera"? Collect pictures of the birthday person with various expressions on his or her face, and have a contest to see who can come up with the best caption for each one. Decorate with photography-related paraphernalia, and have a camera-shaped or camera-decorated cake to top off this 50th birthday idea.

Wine and Cheese Tasting

Fifty is supposed to be an age of maturity, so go for a very sophisticated and mature type of party. Quiet, classical music, three or four good wines, half a dozen good cheeses, and some fancy crackers are all you need to make this party go well. The decorations should be subdued and classic, with linen tablecloths and napkins, and the fancy crystal, china, and silver on the table. Party games (if you must) might include a contest to see who can come up with the most outrageous description of one of the wines or cheeses or a polite roast to the birthday host, and party favors could include miniature bottles of wine or liqueur.

Pajama Party

And why should a 50-year-old not enjoy a pajama party as much as a five-year-old? Have guests come in their nicest nightwear, and plan for the birthday person's favorite movies and party games. Make it an all-nighter by providing futons or airbeds for guests to "crash" on.

Costume Party

Assign a decade or historical period, and have everyone come dressed in costumes of that era. Serve appropriate food (no pizza at Henry the Eighth's court!) and play appropriate party games and music. The adventurous might even want to dance period dances like the minuet at this 50th birthday idea.

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Comments

Thanks for the suggestions, Kerri. I like the idea of asking guests to caption old photos - it sounds like that could be a lot of fun.

-- Contributed by: Lorie Witkop

A Golden Days theme would work great with photos from the good-old-days. Check out the photo centerpieces at naptimecards.com. Their centerpiece kits are cute and inexpensive. You could assemble something similar with a little creativity. Also consider old photos scattered on the table with empty caption bubbles on them.

-- Contributed by: Kerri Kimble

I think that the biggest way you can incorporate a shopping theme, Lynn, is in the decorations. Think shoes, purses, gift bags, and so on for centerpieces and other decorative touches. I found an interesting blog post from a party planner who coordinated a shopping theme bridal shower. If you follow the link, you'll see that this is very high-end, but I thought some of the details were great, such as decorating with vintage clothing ads (which you could probably find online or at a used bookstore) and using dress-shaped placecard holders.

-- Contributed by: Lorie Witkop

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