My older sister started the tradition of going on a weekend getaway with the siblings and cousins. She chose Palm Springs, My older brother earlier this year chose Santa Fe, NM. Mine is in a couple years, so I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a great place for me to choose. I'm thinking somewhere in the New England area, or maybe Chicago...
The only person who really cares is my oldest friend. We have a standing engagement to call each other on bdays each year. My wife barely cares and is usually just annoyed about it bc every year I get sad on the day. My father throws some cash at me. It's really kind of depressing tbh
Dude. That’s so awesome! My kids middle names are Riker and Geordi. We considered “Data” as a middle name but that it was too much.
What a cool brother.
I'm amazed you got 10 minutes out of Mr. Spiner, that's so cool. Surprises are the best, especially when you genuinely didn't have a clue it was coming and it ends up great. My wife surprised me two weeks before my actual birthday with a bunch of friends (including some from across the country who flew in) and a local band I liked who played \*at my house\* for the party. I was over the moon, never saw it coming.
Oh my goodness I LOVE BRENT SPINER. Gosh he's amazing as Data. I especially love when he's Sherlock Holmes and the wild west episode where he's all the villain characters. He's just SO GOOD.
My husband looked into getting me a cameo from my favorite actor for my 40th, but Sean Astin is in demand and too expensive for our budget. It was a nice thought though.
Holy shit, this is awesome. I'm a huge TNG fan (getting my kids into it as well), this would blow my mind. Ten minutes?!? How did your brother arrange this?
Im really not sure, Brent Spiner usually doesn’t do stuff like that. My brother works in video production and must have more connections than I ever realized.
Mine got “cancelled” by the Pandemic in Sep 2020 also. I really wanted to a guys weekend kinda thing with some of my best friends from back home in Nashville or Denver or something but that obviously didn’t happen.
I was living alone on Long Island, NY at the time too. I had the balls to go back into NYC for the first time since lockdown started and I did a Statue of Liberty tour and a roof top restaurant at least.
I made up for it in 2022 by buying my Mid Life Crisis Car after I moved out of NY.
I was April of 2020. Honestly though, it was still a nice day. My close girlfriend stopped by the house. We stood outside and talked for a bit (it was cold and rainy) and she dropped off a "cake" made up of cleaning supplies. It was funny! She left and my husband cooked us a nice steak dinner. I sat at the counter, talking to him and drinking wine while he cooked. We had ice cream cake from Emack and Bolios. It wasn't the surprise party he had planned for me, but it worked.
Same here. May 2020. We dressed up at home and cooked dinner and pretended we were going out even though we couldn't walk any further than the front porch.
We missed our 5 year wedding anniversary and both of our 40th birthdays during various lockdowns and restrictions. I don't think it was technically a lockdown during my birthday, but there were still COVID restrictions and stuff in place that made it not worth doing anything other than getting takeout and staying home to watch Netflix.
I was hoping to get away with my husband for our anniversary but that didn't happen either. Our family sucks and isn't helpful with childcare, so we don't get much alone time.
ya there were different waves and variants and the resorts were half closed but still charging higher prices. I was in a few groups for certain resorts and people actually had the audacity to complain about it all. Too much stress for a relaxing vacation.
May we make it one day🥂
Same. I visited my parents. They couldn't get a 4 shaped candle so I got a cake with just a zero candle on it lol. That's literally all I did and I was happy just to get out of the house at all.
My 39th was end of Feb 2020, so my 40th was just shy of the 1 year Covid anniversary. I spent the few months surrounding that birthday pretty much on the verge of mental breakdown. I don't remember much about that time, but I remember my husband adopting me a new rabbit for my birthday (My previous one had died several months earlier, at 12 years of age), and among all the dull, gray, muted depression memories are little blips of yellowy sunshine, spending time with my husband and daughter as we played with little Hacksaw on the floor. (This is Hacksaw. He's a good little foot warmer.)
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Hey, same! But my sister (who lives with me) had also been diagnosed with cancer so she doing chemo and I was doing the caretaker gig. I did however take myself to Disney World for my 41st birthday.
First week of April. I’d been hitting the gym, I was sober, I was training for my first 5k… 40 was gonna be my year. Now I’m 43 and 45 is gonna be my year.
Thank you, she’s a lunatic toddler now and is the best and funniest of creatures ❤️
I will probably miss my 43rd birthday due to having my face clawed off by her while trying to put her shoes on
Don’t you know that you’re not supposed to talk to strangers?. You’re especially not supposed to give out personal details like this. What about not getting into stranger’s cars? Did your mom not teach you any of this? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish putting my credit card number into the Uber app so that a complete stranger can show up and give me a ride in their car.
Same. Husband and I had drinks on the deck. The neighbors brought over a shot and split.
Just a month before lockdown I kicked off the first 40th of the group in Florida with my best friends from high school. We were planning a mountain trip for my 40th. That never happened.
I live in CA and our all mighty governor gavin newsom locked down even outdoor dining for my 40th, which was in early 2021.
I still managed to find a brewery that gave him the finger in orange county and did outdoor service anyway. So yeah what I did on my 40th birthday was learn I was voting R every ballot from now on.
Mine was too. I ordered some little mermaid themed stuff and clothes and a 40th birthday crown. I bought kinetic sand for my kids and presents for them and drank champagne. We had fun.
40th was just prior to lockdown. But I was working in game support and a big AAA game came out and we were told no requests off, so I worked and didn’t get to do anything because I was sleeping days and working nights. Then, because I live alone, 41 was spent by myself with my cats. 42 was slightly better, but not by much. 43 was… not great. And this year I had birthday dinner with my sister who gave me a present, and one friend gave me a present when we brunched that Sunday. Otherwise… My 40s birthdays have sort of been shit.
Given the birth years of xennials I suspect this is going to be an experience many if not most of us share.
Spent mine in lockdown too but at least it was late enough on with it that some restaurants were open. So I still got a nice dinner with the wife
Same! I had planned a cabin weekend with my friends, which is something I never do, and then Airbnb ended up refusing to refund me my money. I'm like, so I'm now spending my milestone birthday in lockdown and also $400 in the hole. Great day!
April as well here. I was planning on doing a giant grazing table and having 8 of my closest friends and their kids over so we could sit around the table, eating, drinking, and enjoying each other's company all day. Instead I had a "party" over Zoom. It was still pretty fun, and I was able to invite people who live out of state, so I got to see so many more people that I love all at once.
Today is my 40th birthday. I got a massage, had a great lunch out, my mom gave me some money lol, and now I will go watch my daguhters softball game. When we get back home, there's a cake to be eaten, probably order a pizza!
Some of my favorite people have wished me happy birthday.
I wanted to get a tattoo, but I think I will in a couple weeks when I'm not feeling so overloaded with life! Been a couple crazy weeks, and today has been rather perfect.
I wanted to do the 40-year tattoo. Had all sorts of ideas. At the last minute mom hit me with Jewish cemetery guilt. I don’t want to be buried and I don’t consider myself Jewish. She knows both of these things. But she’s a wonderful, loving mom and I wouldn’t disappoint her like that. Maybe my 50th (dark, I know).
I went to Atlanta with old College friends and saw Tencious D in concert (on my actual bday) and tried mushrooms for the first time.
10/10 best birthday yet!
My husband got us a swanky hotel for the night in a nearby city, took me to dinner at a place we'd never been, took me on a mini shopping spree through the city and let me pick my gifts. It was perfect.
I hit the reset button on my life (sold my home, quit my career of 12 years, moved to a new town in a new state, bought a house in the mountains, grew a beard), and my Pop treated the fam & I to a nice steak dinner... no sports car.
Like others I turned 40 during the pandy.
We had just booked our trip to Roatan for my birthday in June. I had intended to spend 2 weeks on the deserted side of the island doing absolutely nothing but lay in a hammock.
We got the refund on our flight in April. I was sad.
Ended up camping in our local mountains for my birthday. Used the service Tentr. Like airbnb for camping.
It was fine. At least I got to bring my dog with me.
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Spent it celebrating Pride week in San Francisco, play parties, dancing, incredible drag shows, friends, BDSM performances and saw Peaches perform. I did not feel 40 at all. I had the best time.
I NEVER celebrate or throw birthday parties, but we happened to be camping in our rv in our hometown when I turned 40, so we threw a White Trash party. It was low key, but hilarious.
Hung out with my wife and daughter. Then after the kiddo was sleeping got super baked with the wife and binged What We Do in the Shadows. It was perfect.
I had a roast!! It was so fun. I don't plan on getting married and I wanted the nasty "best man speech" experience. It was honestly one of the most memorable nights of my life. I also made a pinata shaped like my least favorite thing (a bowl of Cincinnati chili) and there was a giant slideshow of my favorite thing (my cat) playing all night.
I don't remember. Everything was mush in 2021, probably the hardest year of my life so far. Trying to facilitate remote learning for one autistic kid and one with ADHD, neither of whom knew how to read or use a computer. No seeing my family, etc. I know I did my hair and took a selfie to document the occasion, I'm pretty sure my husband made dinner for me.
My partner flew us to stay at a cabin on a lake for a week.
I hadn't really celebrated my birthday in any big way since I was a kid, and every milestone birthday I ever had led me to believe birthdays are things other people get to celebrate. I won't ever forget how much it meant to me. She's my treasure.
I certainly stressed about it beforehand, because it felt like I should throw some big bash with a room full of lifelong friends to be there no matter what. But real life is busy & complicated, and planning social events is where my introvert side kicks in hard. So in the end I was thrilled that 2 close friends took me to a nice dinner, and we were lucky to run into a few more people I like at the popular bar nearby afterward. This turned out to be 4 weeks before major covid shutdown so I feel grateful for that timing.
Getting stoned in the mojave desert (my favorite place) in a rented cabin playing with drones, making food, being ignored by my now thankfully ex-boyfriend.
Now, I’m 44 and own land in Wonder Valley, CA where I’m building an immersive alien encounter campground experience.
Literally nothing...until my husband invited all of my best friends to his family's beach house for the weekend...and we just hung out and got drunk and lamented being old yet still thinking we were young and cool :)
I was a roadie on tour and we were in Madison, Wisconsin. I was told that after I was done setting up, I was done for the night and was instructed to get as drunk as possible.
When I was done, I noticed there were cheeseheads on the wall. I told myself I wasn’t going to wear one. Welp, by the end of the show, I was blackout drunk and ran across the stage in a cheesehead as they finished the last song.
About half an hour later, I realized that nothing was getting done, so, still mostly blacked out, I had to pack and load.
Back at the hotel, I showered and got in my pajamas -a blue Superman t-shirt and red running shorts. Someone asked if something got packed and I honestly didn’t know, so I panicked and was running through the hallway trying to find the tour manager.
Everything was fine and the van was nicely packed!
My 40th birthday was about 180° from my 30th.
Had a big party at a hall with friends and family for my 40th and my sister’s 50th birthdays in 2019. Should have been a wonderful time but I was having a mid life crisis, dealing with depression and drug addiction. I had a smile for everyone but was broken inside. Then Covid hit and made everything worse.
Fast forward to the end of 2021 I decided to stop feeling bad for myself and got clean. Began walking and exercising and reconnecting with people I distanced myself from and apologized for any shitty behavior. Now almost 2 years clean, happy, in a loving relationship and in a much better mental state.
I went to a retro arcade with friends and my husband. Had drinks, games, and kicked my husband's ass in a racing game not once, not twice, but THREE times, ladies and gentlemen. This is a real achievement because he usually annihilates me in racing games.
It was awesome and exactly what I wanted. 😁
Ate 40 chicken McNuggets with 40 different sauces.
We'll, let me be more accurate: I TRIED to eat 40, but at 33 my stomach gave me a warning shit and I chose life over death by a thousand poops.
I am 45 I Played on computer but when My Wife Turned 40 2 years later we had sex over and over and over again 3 years later were still having sex I don't know if all women become horny all the time after 40 but it's great I wonder why boomers in there forty's and older look for younger women When women turn 40 they become total sex freaks
Got drunk with my friends the day before then on my actual birthday went to the bar to watch the Eagles for the season opener. Then my husband made me lamb and risotto.
Mine was during lockdown so I got a great deal on a huge suite at an artsy fartsy hotel and spent the weekend ordering room service, taking rose petal laden bubble baths, and thinking about what I wanted in life for my 40s. It was actually cathartic af.
I am however planning a "redo" and will spend a week with my toes in the sand and a drink in my hand.
I made myself a funfetti cake with seasonal Halloween funfetti frosting (I love Halloween) and made sure to get aaaallll 40 candles on that cake. I also bought myself things, started dressing more to my taste and started a skincare routine.
Took pictures with strangers and their dogs at the park. My friends set this up with a ballon arbhor and a picnic. I had no idea this was happening. It was hot as hades out but the dogs were worth it.
40th also spent in lockdown, and there were fires in the Bay Area that turned the sky red. I turned 40 in the middle of actual goddamn hell.
I got to sleep in though, I guess there's that lol
My husband and 4 of our closest friends turn 40 this year. We are currently on our final day of a large group trip to Las Vegas to celebrate. We kicked off our trip with the When We Were Young Festival.
My toddler aggressively tried to break a table with his face. My partner was away on a work trip so I spent my 40th birthday alone (with a distressed toddler) in the ER all day
Mine is next month. Just came back from a 2 week trip to Germany and Holland. Highly recommend!
Note: kid free and student debt free both due to military service. Great system we got here.
Two days ago was my Birthday, I went to work like normal and afterwards we were supposed to have dinner as a family, but my Sister (whose Birthday is today) was feeling ill so we postponed the dinner until a later date.
I ran errands for my Sister to help her get some things to help with her symptoms and picked up some
McDonald’s for my Niece and my Sister graciously bought me whatever I wanted. I kept it to less than $7 to keep it modest as my Sister is the sole supporter of her daughter.
My sweet Mother who is struggling financially was able to give me some new Barbecue utensils, some cheesecake and $20.
I responded to the many friends who posted on my social media and called it a night to get ready for work the next day.
This was fine, they don’t all have to be grandiose, this year has been a bit of a drought financially and I will have bigger celebrations during more affluent times.
I bought myself a vintage French car that I always wanted and drove it from Connecticut home to Kentucky.
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Just turned 40 on October 17. Celebrated at home with my wife and then she surprised me with all of my family at our house this past weekend. Grateful I made it this far but not loving feeling "old!"
Threw a big party, which was something Ive always wanted to do (my dad did the same for his 40th, which I guess made a stong impression on 13 y/o me).
It was late 2019, so it turned out to be one of the last times I had all my friends in one room for several years. It was a huge pain to plan, but im grateful for the memories of that night.
Last year my wife and I flew to Seattle, rented a car, and drove the coast down to LA over the span of 10 days stopping here and there along the way. So much fun.
I just turned 40 last year. I ordered an elaborate party bus, all my friends/husband met at a bar and the bus came to pick us up.
What showed up was basically an airport shuttle either no speakers/Bluetooth and just three rows of seats.
We made the best of it… 😂
I took myself to Ireland for 10 days. I’d always wanted to go and finally had a job that paid well enough so I could afford to go. I went to a pub on the day, had a few drinks, sang a few songs, then went back to my AirBnB to have the slice of cake I bought that day.
It was amazing and also my first bday living somewhere that has zero threat of snow to ruin my early feb bday. The fact that I was skating in a cute dress, in a open air rink was the best way to start my 40s
There was a live Rifftrax show that night, so I called it a birthday thing, but I would have gone anyway, and probably wouldn't have done anything for my birthday otherwise.
I can’t say it was that memorable. My wife and young kids made me a cake, and we had a family dinner at home. I was happy with it. I remember taking a half day off work the following week for a several hour bike ride, alone, which felt like my present to myself.
I remember 40 feeling like I had what I wanted with my family, and sat back satisfied with how fun suburban dad life is, as happy as I’ve ever been. I remember surprised at how in my head I was, but happy taking inventory of life turned out. I’m an adult that gets to ride my bike to a cubical, and I made a good living designing in CAD. It ain’t as bad as Office Space had be believing in college.
I had a harder time with 35 when I cried on a beautiful beach vacation traveling up Vancouver Island, because I wasn’t sure where I was, or what was next, but it felt like I was read for some next step that was never coming. I was traveling, going on climbing, biking, and backcountry skiing adventures to balance the boring corporate gig. I should’ve been perfect, but something felt missing.
Similar. Mine was in 2018. Kids were pretty young still. Not able to afford anything other than our usual summer beach getaway. I was content to have a quiet family evening like any other birthday 🤷♂️
My wife threw a big party and we invited everyone we know, including Facebook friends. I had a few friends from college I hadn't seen in 10+ years shiwnup, and everyone bought me a bottle of whiskey. It was great.
Spent a lovely week in Manhattan with my partner. Other people I’m close to joined us on some of the days. A lot of them live there or nearby bc I’m originally from the area. It was great, one of my fav trips. :)
It was unusually cold and windy most of the days. But I like the cold, so I kinda liked the pain lol. And it was pretty fun how it blew me around. I’m into rollercoasters. It was a similar thrill, and without any like to wait in first. A birthday present from Mother Nature. 😊 ;) There some times my partner had to serve as an anchor though bc I was nearly Mary Poppins’ing it…
…But right towards traffic.
The only bad part of that trip (to me lol) was I had to spend an entire day working. That was thanks to my lousy time management/procrastination the month prior. You’d think I’d have learned better by 40! I go through phases where that’s not an issue for me at all, but it keeps returning like some sort of non-giving-up guy. *Sigh.* Maybe I’ll have beaten this lifelong battle by my 50th birthday.🥳
Very similar. Too much pressure to do something big so I went to a dive bar for a couple late afternoon drinks with a friend followed by a movie date with self at a vintage theater.
Bottle of good scotch, a playlist of songs I have loved, and I can’t remember, but certainly an old comedy. So basically, I was still an angsty teenager except liquor budget got better!
It was the middle of Covid. I was supposed to go to Amsterdam and London to see my favorite band. My plans were destroyed, and I had a stomach bug for the whole week. None of my birthdays since Covid have been very good.
January 2021....mourning the loss of my grandmother, who had passed a month prior but didn't find out until two days prior after a friend of mine volunteered to speak to my NC parent to find out where my grandmother was. I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my grandmother at her nursing home since the restrictions were being lifted, but the nursing home told me that "she was no longer a resident and that I needed to contact her power of attorney to find out where she was". Since there was no obit or announcement listed (because my parents were petty enough to not announce her passing or hold a funeral), I couldn't find anything and refused to contact my parents directly (for safety reasons). So yeah, bum trip.
New Orleans...drank way too many hurricanes and sang along to many song requests with the piano man at LAFITTE'S BLACKSMITH SHOP BAR. A very memorable 40th birthday!
My birthday is in December, which is a bitch for traveling. So in August, we drove from our home in Oregon up to Vancouver, BC. It was my first visit to Canada! Years ago, I had dreamed of a trip to Europe, but that just isn't in the cards with how shitty air travel is now, plus the still looming threat of Covid.
Anyway, had a great time in Vancouver, though it was crazy humid. Enjoyed walking around the city and visiting places like Granville Island. Maybe I'll make it to Europe for my 50th.
Ooh, I like that tradition!
Since we’re a similar age in this sub…were you also into those monster books with the orange cover? https://brandedinthe80s.com/6757/a-more-in-depth-look-at-the-crestwood-monster-series
My school library had them when I was in 2nd grade. It was love at first sight. I read them all. Once I discovered those, I was hooked on “strange.” I kept my eye out for things with a similar feel. I associate those books with The Twilight Zone bc they scratch a similar itch in me, and I first saw the show not that long after reading these.
Lockdowns had started to ease up, but there was still nowhere to go and nothing to really do. I ended up having a spa day and spending a week laying on the couch. Super lame for 40 and I'm still pissed about it.
Recommended! We did the Northern Italy “My Way” tour where they make all the hotel and transportation arrangements and you have a guide there for advice, but you get to do your own thing and don’t stay with the group. 👍👍
Went to Aruba for my 40th in 2021. Remnants of Ida hit my town ON my birthday while we were 1900 miles from home, and a portion of town flooded. Went back to Aruba this past summer to make up for the shit ending to my birthday trip.
Just had mine last month. I flew out to Vegas, did a road trip from there to Yosemite to Reno to San Francisco. Flew home from SF. It was freaking awesome.
I spent the day playing vintage copies of Super Metroid, A Link To The Past, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, Breath of Fire, and Super Mario All-Stars (this one I’ve had since it came out in ‘93 but the battery backup had died and he replaced it) my roommates got me, on the Super NES I’ve had since I was 10.
I had a 90’s style keggar party, complete with hacky-sacks, bong hits, keg-stands, beer pong, and vomit. I had invitations printed, “Come as you were” (Nirvana pun, I know, I’m terrible) with photos of my husband and I, and our friends, in the 90’s. The 90’s dress attire/costumes were banging! We invited all our dirt-bag friends, and explicitly stated on the invite that children and dogs were not invited. We partied like it was 1999 all night, and the playlist was epic. We hired a friend’s kid, who was 20 at the time, to be the designated driver/ babysitter/ bartender and it was a super fun time. Only about 30 people made it, and I was very bummed out that we/they did not finish the keg. If Lucky Lager was still sold, that shit woulda been gone by midnight, but it was still a great birthday!
Girls trip to Antigua at a beautiful all inclusive resort with my sister and close friends this past March. We all have families and jobs and homes so it was glorious to just have time to do whatever the hell we wanted with zero responsibilities.
Well, it was a couple of months after my 40th, but I went to Japan with my son for two weeks. That country is beautiful, and two weeks was not nearly enough.
My 40th was just a couple of months ago. Nothing big. My town got its first fine dining restaurant recently, and I’ve been dying to go, but no one else in my family will eat ‘fancy’ food, lol. So I took myself out and had the tasting menu. It was nice to have a couple of hours to myself with excellent food and being catered to.
I hosted an epic Disco Party at a large club in Brooklyn. 1979 was the theme. Everyone showed up serving their Disco Realness. And ABBA performed! (Well, my friends in ABBA drag!)
To top it off, my biggest gift was a surprise party in which my siblings, step-dad, best high school friends, my high school teacher, and even our German foreign exchange student and his mom! all flew to NYC.
I am truly blessed to have such beautiful people in my life. You make me feel mighty real!
That sounds incredible! My parents, stepparents, in-laws and 2 of 3 siblings came in from out of state for my 40th birthday party and I couldn’t have felt more blessed for that.
Mine was last fall and I went all in and threw myself a big party with about 30 of my friends, family and coworkers at a local Colombian restaurant before going on a trip to Colombia and Ecuador with my husband and one of my best friends.
I had a big 80s themed party for my 30th, and for 35 I went on a solo dream trip through the Nordic countries. I love spoiling myself for my birthday, especially milestones!
Not a goddamn thing. But I’ll tell you what I was doing the Friday before: eating marshmallows in bed while wearing a shark onesie and watching cartoons.
Sounds fcking dumb, right? So, the marshmallows were bought a month prior bc we had family “camp night” which is where we take the big blow up mattress in the living room, and all pile on while watching movies. We made s’mores and watched the first Scream movie. We’re kinda big on scary movies. The marshmallows were about to go bad, and my grandparents were raised during the Great Depression, and so…well, you can probably see where that’s going.
The shark onesie: the Xmas prior I got all of us onesies. The wifey got a dragon one, the boy got a Pikachu, and the girl got a unicorn. They’re hella comfy. Fight me. I’ll die on that hill. Forever lazy dot com. Check it out.
The cartoon: The new season of the Castlevania animated series had come out recently, and I hadn’t been able to check it out yet. Since I work the night shift at the ED, mornings are usually when I get “me time” as everyone else is @ school (wifey is an elementary teacher). I don’t exactly remember what had happened at work the night prior, but I’m sure it was something really stupid, really gnarly and gross, or really sad. IMO, if everyone were to be in the nurse’s station for a 12 hour ED shift, a lot of the healthcare problems in the United States would work themselves out.
I’m talking to YOU, Tara who checks in all 3 of your children TO THE GODDAMN EMERGENCY ROOM at 1AM because they have a sore throat, or a cough, or some other viral bullshit. Every month, like clockwork. SEE YOU NEXT MONTH TARA!!!
So yeah. Cartoons in bed wearing a onesie while eating marshmallows. It was a natural thing to do, and it wasn’t until I stepped outside myself that I realized “bruh, you’re turning 40 next week, you goob”.
March 31, 1980 birth date. 40th was right when lockdown started. It was very sad actually. My husband really wanted to do something bit we pbviljy couldn't. His 40th was this past August. We went to Vegas and had a great time (his 30th present to me was Vegas back in 2010).
Tried to have a beach bon fire birthday party. Invited 75 people. Only 3 people showed and two of those people left early. Last time I ever throw a birthday for myself.
I wanted to take a trip to Paris with my husband but my 40th was in December of 2019, right after Thanksgiving. We had a bunch of family in town so we went out for sushi. I decided it would be better if we went to Paris in the spring since it would be his first time. Really enjoy the nice weather and spent time picnicking along the Seine around April in 2020. That would be my birthday present to myself.
Thankfully we hadn't made any reservations yet since we found out from our landlord that she was selling our condo in January of 2020. We pretty much spent all of our extra money purchasing the place from her and we closed in February. A month later my husband was furloughed from his job for 18 months. But hey, we owned our home!!!
We have yet to go to Paris. This year prices were just too much, we're hoping next year it ends up being a little better. Happy 44 to me...
I went for some cake with my then-girlfriend and mother. Then we dropped my mom off, went home, cooked dinner, and then my girlfriend said she was going to eat upstairs, behind the computer, while she was chatting with the guy she later turned out to be cheating on me with, while I ate alone knowing full well what was happening upstairs.
My 40th wasn't great, I guess.
My original plan had been to spend a day each for four days at a place that meant a lot to me during the week of my birth. Then lockdown happened.
So instead I spent each day watching shows and movies that came out during 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s. And then my birthday was a best of marathon.
Wandering through the Amazon in Ecuador after a 9-day plant medicine retreat. This was in January 2020 and equipped me well for March. The experience was MAGICAL and I definitely recommend it if you feel called to do it (ayahuasca, that is). I got sober in February and never looked back. Forty felt great!
I’ve been in New York City celebrating it for the last 5 days. My husband and my sister and BIL arranged for them (sister and BIL who live in a different state from us) to surprise me and we’ve just been going all over and eating/drinking/doing everything, it’s been a blast.
Had an Alice in Wonderland surprise party thrown by my husband. He brought in old friends from out of town. Rented a huge passenger van & my cousin was our party DD. We all dressed up in costumes, went out to eat then went to my favorite dive bar. Ended the night at my best friend's house surrounded by great people. Probably, the best birthday I ever had.
Wife conspired with my brother who flew in from the UK to surprise me. We met up with my two best friends and went to my fav restaurant then out to the casino.
My brother and I spent the rest of the weekend golfing.
I thought I did nothing at the time, but I upgraded my whole life.
My relationship ended right before 40- so I moved across the country (turned 40 the month after I arrived in CA), went back to school, got my own place, and finally got out of the service industry. I'm going to turn 45 next May, so I'm really considering treating myself. (That just means getting stoned and going to the beach, but I'm excited about it.) I also survived a pandemic, which started the same year.
Threw a decades party:
#1 song from each of the 40 years
Drink menu where the first letter spelled out my first name-
*
*
*
*
*
*
I
S
F
O
R
T
Y
Had my favorite food (Mexican)
Instead of gifts- collected wish list items from the No kill shelter where we adopted my pets.
They were having a raffle, so if people donated cash- I bought them tickets.
Raised over $350, and over $200 in supplies
I was left with memories, and a hangover.
It was epic!
I found turning 40 to be surprisingly difficult and mostly didn’t want to celebrate. My family had a small dinner for me. On the day itself I went to an art museum with my dad, had a fishing lesson, and went out to dinner with my wife.
When I was 39, my ex left me. I threw my own celebration by flying cross country and seeing my favorite band in their hometown the day after my actual 40th. Totally worth it.
I turn 40 in January.
We had big plans for my wife's 40th in September but we had some financial hardships over the summer with some emergency home repairs, so we had to pare that way back and just got her a nice gift and dinner.
We're straight now, and I was originally planning on flying my best friend up here from Texas so we could have a birthday bash with our wives, but I didn't feel right about that so I told my wife I didn't want anything special cooked for me or to take me out, but I want her to have boudoir photos made for me.
Got drunk and went to a pottery place and painted something poorly. Was perfect. Only had my closest friends and our partners. Stark contrast to the huge party I had for my 30th.
I decided my 40s were about the people who want to be in my life every day and not just because there’s a party going on.
My wife surprised me with a weekend hiking with my best friends in Tennessee. Invited one of my best friends from high school who works in a pot dispensary. I had not smoked since college and it was some potent shit. I don’t think I moved for about 9 hours that night.
Had a few drinks. Went to a steakhouse had a great time few buddies that have been like brothers since grade school my sisters and their husband's.
We all got way to drunk awesome times.
The next day and the day after that I felt like dog shit.
The days of getting sideways and recovering fast are done.
41 Nov 5th. Gonna try again maybe it won't hurt as bad this year.
Next year... but my husband and I have birthdays 17 days apart. So we have a trip planned on the newest royal Caribbean ship! We got married almost 15 hrs prior on an island while the ship was docked. Can't wait to ring in the new decade!!
It was still kinda COVIDy (i.e. adults were newly vaxed, kids weren't vaxed yet, we were still masking indoors) so I thought I would get through my 40th with very little fanfare. My parents invited me, my husband, and son over for what I expected to just be us eating ravioli and meatballs. But when I arrived it was a smallish backyard surprise party. I was a little put off at first but it would up being a nice time. And there was still ravioli and meatballs.
Went to South Africa for wine tasting, then to Kenya for safari. Truly lived it up. The cooks at the camp in Kenya sang Hawkins mattata while bringing me a red velvet cake(they had no idea what it meant)
in a few years, small print is going to get hard to see. you will finally get to the eye dr. he will congradulate you on being over 40, and get you some glasses.
In 2021, Iceland was one of the first countries to open to US travelers. My wife and I traveled to Reykjavik, got tested for COVID on arrival, and were quarantined in our hotel until our test results came back, but it only took a few hours. After that, we explored the city a bit, met up with some Icelandic friends, hiked to an active volcano, ate Gelato under the midnight sun, and swam in the Blue Lagoon. I wanted to be there for the arctic Summer Solstice, though my birthday was a couple weeks later. It was something of a spiritual journey - like the Solstice, it marked the midway point of my life. Still one of the best trips my wife and I have enjoyed together.
Turned 40 in October 2022. My wife got a food truck, invited 30 people who mean a lot to me, especially my best friend of 30 years, and had a bonfire! I didn't want some special vacation and I didn't want to cook (for once). Both of those boxes checked, 10/10 recommend!
It was my first birthday as a father. Just basked in that and chilled with my loved ones. Think we ordered takeout. My wife always makes me key lime pie.
Nothing (COVID), but for 42 I took myself on a solo trip to the eastern cape of Baja. Arrived the day after a Cat-II hurricane had hit, power grid was out, coast road was nearly washed out, everything was deserted, and it was a surreal week mostly-alone on desert beaches at the peak of sea-turtle hatching season. Discovered the answer to life, the universe, and everything.
We don't have any kids, but she threw a surprise party where I taught the nieces and nephews how to play chess. How did I get here? (In a David Byrne voice)
Had some time away by myself in a spa from the baby I had had three months before. Then had dinner with my boyfriend of 3.5 years and got a proposal. 😃
My husband surprised me with a trip to Austin to see a singer/band I really like and to eat good food and float the river for a few days! And KID FREEEEEEEEEE. It was great!
I had a donut with a candle in it and a cup of coffee with my wife and kids and then went to work. I have to admit, I was incredibly let down that none of my family threw a party, even though I hinted that a get-together would be nice. I've never had a party for a milestone birthday, or any sort of party at all since my 13^th birthday, and thought it might be fun to have my friends and family all together just for me. Oh well, maybe in 9 years.
Went to Munich for Fruhlingsfest - highly recommend spending the big 40 drinking beer and eating giant pretzels while wearing a drindl!
However our trip was cut really short, and we came home early to be with my cat whose health declined badly and I spent 5 more days with him before he passed. I had just lost his older sister a month before. It was a really rough few months- they were 17 & 16.
oh boy. well, covid proved to be a bit too much togetherness for my (now ex) wife and i so i was staying with my mom. my cat that i got when i moved into my first apartment was still there, she was pushing 18 years at that point. 4 days before my 40th i get home from work and shes in the basement letting out this horrible howl. i think she had a stroke during the day and was now blind. she quieted down when i held her then passed in my arms. i feel like she was waiting for me to get home.
anyways my 30s were fucking awful and went out with a bang. 40s are looking better every year.
TL:DR Got sober and then fell off the wagon in time for the pandemic.
Mine was sobering. Pun intended. I decided to quit drinking leading up to my 40th. The plan was to sober up and have a responsible drink on my 40th. Somehow, I did it. It was a brutal couple of months before I felt like I could function again. A dangerous white-knuckle experience.
You would have thought I would have looked at how miserable I was and taken stock. I did not. I stayed sober through the birth of my youngest and into my 40th birthday. I had a steak and lobster dinner and drinks with my folks. I thought I was going to die after the first sip. I felt physically sick and had chest pains. In hindsight my body was trying to warn me. I just gritted my teeth and barley touched my food.
I was back to my old ways in a couple of weeks. Then the pandemic hit, and it was off to the races. Somehow, I kept a job, and we sold our house and moved before the market went nuts. All great things. I was miserable the whole time. Chasing a drink any chance I could get. I ditched my crappy job and got a new one. I made it past my 42nd birthday. A couple of months after on a rainy Sunday night I watched my wife cry about my drinking for the last time. The next morning, I checked myself into a rehabilitation center. Which was a blessing because I made it two days before I started hallucinating and had to be sedated and taken to the hospital.
Please drink responsibly folks. Not just the catch phrase either. Really take stock of your drinking and be weary. No one around me had any idea the extent of my drinking. It was a huge shock to everyone. Be honest with yourself. Be honest with your partner. Be honest with your doctor. If you are lying about or hiding something that is perfectly legal to do, you might have an issue. If you can safely drink responsibly, have one for me.
I’ll drive.
My wife invited over all the dudes from my old band plus family and other close friends. The band guys I don't see much and one lives 4 hours away. It was really cool. Also hanging with their families. Life is weird. One second you're 20 in a van with dudes you only met two years ago who are now your best friends. Then the next you are 40 with a job and a wife and kid and your band are all grown and have kids.
Went van camping in Southern Utah for 5 days. Bryce Canyon, Fish Lake, Duck Creek. Got my favorite ice cream at The Creamery in Beaver. It was really relaxing.
Went snowboarding all day at Whistler with my husband, then we had pizza and beer for dinner. Thankful I don't live anywhere close to home as my family probably would've wanted to throw one of those "Over the hill!" parties that I hate.
My parents and siblings flew in from out of town for the weekend to celebrate the event. My wife and kids bought me a new specialty bar that I've been eyeing for a while, but couldn't justify spending the cash on for my homegym...I couldn't have asked for a better birthday🥹.
Switched jobs right before, had to work. Was thinking of a pig roast or something, but never made it happen. Was the tail end of Covid though, so wasn't expecting much
I can't tell you for sure but chances are greater than likely I got wine drunk by myself. Because that's just what you do when single at 40 and everyone you know is either out of state, or with their kids.
Same. I was sick at the start though, ended up with pneumonia and off work for 2 months. Going back sucked because it was healthcare with the elderly and scary
My son and I share a birthday (it’s also my wedding anniversary) and my husband’s is the next day, so we spent my 40th, my son’s 3rd, and my husband’s 47th at Disney World. We got a babysitter so my husband and I ate and drank around the world at EPCOT one night there, which was a lot of fun!
The planets really aligned for me that day. The Major League Baseball All Star Game was played at the stadium 3 blocks from where I lived. My favorite player of all time was the starting pitcher. I went.
It was March 2020. I was sick with what I am sure was covid. Had postponed my party which was a huge bash with people coming from out of town. Then they declared lockdown. Haven't had a birthday party since so I guess I'm still 39 😉
Lol I heard so much noise in the basement I thought I was getting a pony! Nope 👎🏼 new washing machine for the family of 5!
Two of my coworkers got me a DD coffee ☕️ and a donut 🍩
My bday is December 26! I’m OAF now.
I went fishing, cooked steaks, drank some good beer, and played some video games with my son. The only people I interacted with were my wife, my kids, and the cashier at the grocery store.
I did a strenuous hike up one of the side peaks of Mount Rainier. It was an absolutely gorgeous day with no one else around. I ate lunch in an alpine meadow covered with flowers and watched snow melt flow down the side of the mountain. Towards the trail head was a waterfall that I stood near to cool off. I went back to my family and went out to eat at a local place where I had a burger and some craft beer while watching some elk wander by.
I lucked out and had an awesome day.
Hmm...don't remember. It wasn't that long ago. I don't like to make a huge fuss for any birthday.
For my husband's 40th, he said he didn't want any gifts. He also told me he needed socks. So, I ended up getting him 40 pairs or crazy patterned socks. Now, he's known as the lawyer with the crazy socks.
I took off of work. Husband ditched me and left me to watch our 3 year old all day while he did errands. Didn’t get a present or cake, I cooked us dinner, put the kid to bed, and went to bed. 🥳
This year I bought my own damn cake and will be doing so every year from now on.
It was still quarantine days. My husband and I rented a camper cabin in the trees. We had a fire, had a few drinks, and finished a jigsaw puzzle. Honestly, it was perfect. We have little kids and it was so relaxing to just chill.
Nothing and I'm still upset with myself for it... I wish I had, had the energy and mental space to plan something for myself better..
I had my son in September '21, turned 40 in March of '22 and SO was still a active duty at the time so I was alone with my 6mo old no family or anything here.. just a few work friends but we all worked remotely already and didnt see each other super often. Especially coming out of Covid.
My sitter did bring me a super cute plant though (which my black thumb killed) when she came to watch the boy the following Monday and SO sent me some pretty flowers and a box of goodies to snack on. So not a total loss. 🙂
Rented a couple pickleball courts at the local pickleball bar and had friends out for food, booze and pickleball. Then we did some brewery hoping. It was a great night. Way better than 30.
Took a 2 week to trip to Japan, visiting Osaka and Tokyo. Spent my actual birthday day traveling the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo and then dinner/drinks in Shinjuku with my husband. It was a lot of fun.
This was pre-pandemic; any parties my friends and I had were usually themed. So I had an dinosaur-themed “Old Like A Dinosaur” party/bbq/pubcrawl.
I wore a pink dress with stegosauruses and a yellow stegosaurus purse, T-rex earrings and t-rex skeleton necklace, painted shoes with the firefly “curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal” dinos, and a triceratops hat for my dog. Banner, temp tattoos, figurines, and jello shots that looked like tar pits with gummy dinos stuck in ‘em.
I had a combination housewarming/birthday party for my 40th and promptly threw out my back in a completely obliterating way three days prior. It was fun but man was I hurting.
I did what I called a Zero Year Trip. I started doing them when I turned 30 (I was still living with my parents at the time and the day before my 30th birthday they randomly started treating me like a child so I went away for a bit, thus a tradition was born). I think for that Zero Year Trip, I went to St. Pete FL. It was cold (January birthday) but nice. I need to plan for the next Zero Year Trip in 5 years.
40 days for 40 years. Multiple parties and an a vacation with over a dozen people. Bought a car. Won $10k. Not a bad month.
Have no fear. The wheels fell off of life six months later. Things have been hell since.
Yeah, wtf is that about? I did the best I could for my 40th, went on a fun vacation which I paid for, bc the previous week my husband got fired. Then, last day of the vacation I get covid and found out one of my best friends killed herself, and two months out from that I'm on a PIP and needing medical leave.
It's like they save all the bullshit for the moment you turn 40 and dump it all at once for funzies.
Nothing. When I hit 40 I was still locked down bc of COVID. I'm taking a trip this year as a belated thing but the actual day was just normal and boring.
It’s coming up here in November. Apparently driving across the city for work training. The weekend before my wife and I are getting takeout from a nicer restaurant I’ve wanted to try and eating it at home. It’s been a really rough year and my will to celebrate is MIA but I’ll go through the motions because it makes her happier.
Went out to a nice dinner with my wife, 2yo at the time, parents, in-laws (everyone gets along) and overall had a great time until my FIL asks me if I've ever had grappa and then I don't really remember much after that. Apparently I did karaoke later.
Stayed at the Intercontinental LA and went to a Lakers game (2019). Was at the infamous Lizzo twerking game. I was directly behind her, albeit way up high...what a sight.
Went horseback riding for the first time in a decade or so at a local mountain tourist spot & treated myself to a new restaurant. Had all these plans to throw myself a party so I wouldn’t be alone but work made my schedule unpredictable so this was sorta a last minute thing. At least it wasn’t the usual: visit my parents who feed me tomato soup macaroni (which I love but it’s the same thing every year) at 3pm then go to sleep. I love them but every birthday is identical.
Mariah Carey Christmas concert Madison Square Garden, Mastro's steakhouse, and a swanky hotel with my husband for the night. We drove from Boston to NYC. Had a great time.
I spent the day with my dogs, caught up on General Hospital, smoked a fat bowl and ate some free birthday food with my husband. I am not a big party person and just wanted a nice, easy day and all went well!
I went for a walk in the state forest with a friend and an old man (80ish) who is, over the course of several walks, showing my friend a number of notably large trees that the old man knows about.
Mine was Jan of 2022 but I was in isolation because there was a huge outbreak at my workplace. Unfortunately, I still had to go to work and they made me clean furniture and walls. I don't work there anymore.
This year I threw a huge party, called it my "Fauxtieth", and all of my friends showed up and we danced until 4 am.
Sometimes I still forget I am actually 41.
Was COVID lockdown. But my husband organized a bunch of my friends on video calls and we visited a couple local friends outside. I felt super special and loved. It was great. Also, my entire outlook on life began to change. Forty is the top of the hill.
I went for a meal with close family. It'd been a while since we'd had a good excuse to get together in that way. Sadly my grandparents weren't well enough to come, but they are in their 90s so it is what it is.
I'm the eldest out of my siblings, who have kids themselves now so it was kind of interesting to see things from the other side, as it were... I can remember being a kid at family members 40th birthdays. 😅
I turned 40 earlier this month. Husband and I went to see my parents, went to McDonald's, and then back home to watch a movie. I did have a few shots during the movie. Wild times.
Was during covid but was just after the last person in our “covid support group” (the social group we relied on during covid) was fully vaccinated so it was the first time we all got together (outside for a fire) oh! I also bought myself an awesome cake from a local bakery every month of that year to celebrate.
For my husband’s (more recent) the two of us did a week an All Inclusive
I had just started a new job after two years as a stay at home dad.
I was a fan of the Dukes of Hazzard when I was a kid, having had a themed party for my fifth birthday. We threw a Dukes of Hazzard-themed cocktail party. A lot of pearl-snapped plaid and trucker hats, Moonshine cocktails, and barbecue.
The highlight was dressing up our two year old as Boss Hogg in a white shirt, pants, and cowboy hat. It was a fun time, the kind of parties we threw before we were parents.
Had a fun weekend with dinners, a river boat cruise with lunch and a comedy show. Had friends fly in. It was a lot of fun. A few months later took myself on a safari vacation to Kenya. The vacation I had been saving for a few years in advance. The birthday weekend was planned after a lot of hesitantation. Didn't want to do anything at first, but also didn't want to look back and regret not doing anything either.
I hosted a private screening of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure at a nonprofit movie theater here in town with 85 friends and family. Then a party at my house after with pizza and doughnuts.
Had the nerdiest party ever, hosted by friends. Marvel theme, everyone asked to come in costume. Played childish games like Pin the Tie on Coulson. Loved every minute of it.
Turned 40 earlier this month. I definitely basked in it for a week as best I could. My husband had to be away for work on my actual birthday, so I went solo camping for 2 days.
After arriving home, I ate an 1/8 of psychedelic mushrooms and had a religious experience while watching The Empire Strikes Back.
A few days later, went to see a band I had recently discovered - W.H. Lung. Danced my ass off and had a great time.
Then, we had a big halloween/birthday party at my house on Friday the 13th.
The next night we closed out the bday week+ by going to see one of my favorite bands, Wilco, play an outdoor show. Also ate some mushrooms for that and had a magical evening with super warm vibes. I spent the show cuddled next to my husband feeling very loved and fortunate.
Prolly gonna go see Napoleon if it’s still in theaters, IDK. Nothing special planned because life hath turned to shit. At least I can still escape via cinema lol
I separated from my wife of 16 years about six weeks prior to my 40th birthday, so I didn’t do much of anything. I had dinner with a friend that I paid for on my actual birthday and later in the week had a family dinner. My 41st b-day was MUCH better!
Very little. But my 42nd birthday was an epic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy-themed bash, co-hosted with another 42-year-old friend who I’ve known since Kindergarten.
I don't think that I did anything really out of the ordinary. My youngest daughter was only 18 months old at the time, and my wife and I didn't go out a lot.
wife surprised me with a weekend trip to chicago - steak dinner and tickets to see Book of Mormon.
for her 40th i did the same but to austin - more bbq, less theater
Did nothing but the usual stuff during the day. My husband came home from work with a bag filled with cat treats, and some candles that he got from Family Dollar. My sister brought me a cake. My older children eventually texted me. My best friend planned a night out with her other friend. It was fine. I’m fine.
My 40th was Super Bowl Sunday this year, so basically celebrated while watching the game. The next weekend, my ex-husband had planned a surprise dinner with some of our close friends that was really wonderful. Other than that, pretty much like any other year. I treated myself to an event and hotel stay just to recharge a little.
Wife threw me a surprise party. I thought I was going to my sister's house to help her fix a toilet. It was a few weeks before my actual birthday, so I was not expecting it.
Got there and dozens of friends and family members jumped out. It was pretty great. There was a T-shirt ready for me that said some obscene birthday slogan, drinks, and food. Stellar day. She's such a keeper!
Turned 40 in June. Dinner with some of my best friends, then we all met at my favorite dive to hang out with more people. After that, went to a nice cocktail bar. I had a blast, was only slightly hung over the day after.
I had a party at a local brewery that has food options and welcomes children. My friends are all on the Gen X side of Xennial, so other than everyone's kids, I was the youngest person there. It was a nice time.
It was this spring. Actual day-of, I just worked like normal and didn’t even bother with going out to dinner. We took a wonderful vacation to the south of France about 3 weeks later for 10 days (weather was better then).
Next year is my husband’s 40th and we probably won’t do much. We have expensive home projects we are saving for. I’ve asked if he wants to do anything and so far he has declined.
I turned 40 during the pandemic lockdown. My husband threw me a surprise social distancing party in front of our house with neighbours, friends and family. We drank and socialized in a giant circle for a few hours, all 6 feet apart. It was great.
Honestly, I was in a bad space and had no intention of celebrating my 40th. Thankfully, my spouse assembled close family and friends and put together a dinner and Cake celebration for me. I felt very loved knowing that even if I didn't want to celebrate others were going to make sure that I had a good time.
40th I went to the movies. I really didn’t want to make it a big deal. Honestly I just wanted to pretend it WASNT my birthday. My 39th was pretty cool tho. My friends all took me to Santa Cruz for the day and I played in the arcade for hours.
Went to one of our favorite brewpubs with my close friends, got more than a little tipsy, and then went to a somewhat shady burlesque show where I laughed my ass off. Woke up the next day without a hangover. 10/10, would do again.
My wife surprised me by inviting old friends, family and co-workers to a brewery where I thought we were just going by ourselves to have a few drinks and relax. It was definitely a shock and I am grateful for her.
My parents were in town visiting so we had a nice dinner together. My dad turned 80 2 weeks later so we actually celebrated both of our birthdays for 2 weeks with delicious dinners and cakes my mom kept whipping up
My and my husband’s birthdays are 35 days apart. My mom had planned to do a big joint 40th birthday party for us, particularly since we never really had a wedding she was at. We had a wedding for my husband, myself, and our now mutual ex husband, but it was largely staged for a History Channel documentary after we’d been together for nearly a decade, and mom didn’t come because of the documentary aspect.
So she’d been talking all about what she wanted to do for our 40th. But then her cancer treatment failed, and she died 9/10 months before our birthdays. So it *would* have sucked anyway, but then it also ended up being during the height of pre-vaccine COVID restrictions.
Mine in particular was… not a good day. I think I spent it playing Mass Effect and trying not to think about anything. Our ex-husband (who we’re still extremely close with) and my step-dad both called me, and that was it.
Was one of the most depressing days of my life by far. Was supposed to go on a trip with my friend who shares my birthday so we usually celebrate together but she abruptly moved due to a job opportunity. I had nobody to spend it with. Was gonna at least go to the zoo but it poured raining all day.
Spent in fucking lockdown… but then surprise outside visit from my sis and bro in law.
Found out recently that my bro in law was abusing my sis, and they’re divorcing. So now the one bright spot of that 40th birthday has been tainted as well.
Fuck this time line.
I've always wanted my birthdays to be epic, but they ended up being lame. I invited a bunch of friends to a private karaoke room that I paid for, and like 2 people showed.
Gave myself a John Hammond style day at the Renaissance Faire (I spared no expense). I had as many drinks and snacks as I wanted, I bought myself a dress and some jewelry an other little treasures, and just had a really good fucking day.
Began traveling the World. To start later is to travel with diminishing energies and enthusiasm. Get out there while you have your vim and vigor to fully enjoy it.
I turned 40 this year on May 25th and spent my birthday by my sister in the Las Vegas area since my sister lives in Henderson, Nevada. We ate at this Italian Restaurant in Las Vegas then at my sister’s house the next day they had a red velvet cake and sang Happy Birthday to me.
My 40th birthday was the week everything shut down for Covid in the US, so I sat at home alone with my dog, who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer a couple weeks earlier. Fun time all around.
Worked, got a tattoo, family bought me a nice watch that I really wanted. Not sure what I was supposed to do to make it feel so special. I share my birthday with my middle son, so not too much pomp and circumstance surrounding any of my birthdays anymore. Honestly haven’t celebrated my own birthday for so long, I couldn’t care less.
Spouse: For obvious reasons, cancelled a planned Spring 2020 trip, that included super fancy baseball tickets at a new stadium. Actual birthday was spent at home eating homemade Mac and cheese, since most restaurants were closed. The saving grace was I’d gotten their birthday gift months ago and if there was ever a time for a fancy Lego set that was it.
Mine: still in lockdown, didn’t bother to plan anything. Got contactless takeout delivery, because at least restaurants were back open for takeout. Bought a bottle of Dom Perignon on a whim - spoiler, I like Korbel better.
Made up for the spouse’s birthday this year with a birthday trip to the Caribbean.
Found out I had gout three weeks before my birthday. Went out on my birthday weekend and had all the stuff I'm not supposed to have one more time. Absolutely wrecked myself. Life comes at you fast, gotta live faster.
Mine was in August of this year. Had a few friends over, ate some food, played board games, shot the shit. I'm too old to part, too young to do *nothing*, so this was a good middle ground. My wife set the whole thing up for me. It was nice.
My family and partner threw me a surprise party and invited friends I hadn’t seen in years. It was nice. I also finally got that Cookiepuss cake I’d been asking for since my 5th birthday.
I have friends who went up to upstate NY every year for a 15k race. That year the race happened to fall exactly on my 40th birthday so I joined them for it and brewery touring. I was single at the time, didn't at all feel depressed that I wasn't partnered. Best part was we lived somewhere flat at the time and this race had a notoriously big hill. But at some point I asked the people running next to me when we were going to hit the hill and they were like "um, that was like a mile ago" so I felt pretty smug.
Not a thing. I'm not even sure I had a drink to celebrate. But I was celebrating being able to move back home (Vegas) after a long and harrowing stint in upstate and central NY. Long story, but it was July and I was just so downright miserable from the humidity I'm absolutely not used to, the heat, the loneliness, etc. That time really tested my mettle. What a crappy introduction to "middle age."
Hamilton on Broadway.
I'm trying to get away for a few days for my birthday every year of my forties since I didn't do much to celebrate in my twenties or thirties.
Got COVID. A bunch of people in the neighborhood planned on going out on the water. Started feeling feverish and shakes the night before. Ended up getting drunk in the front yard while quarantining with the family
I ran a 5k in 19 minutes. I never ran cross-country in school so it was an accomplishment for me.
I enjoy partying when it just happens, but NYE and birthdays have expectations that aren't usually met.
I turned 40 in the middle of covid, so...nothing? We probably ordered in because I believe we were locked down at the time. It didn't really matter because I'm not much of a birthday person.
Went to the gym and my personal trainer made me do 40 of just about everything, including 40 burpees. It was awesome! Only a year before I’d been fat and out of shape. It’s a fond memory.
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