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Turning 40 is a big deal. Forget the midlife crisis, plan him an amazing midlife birthday party instead. If you need some help we’ve got some great ideas for a men’s 40th birthday party to make the day go off without a hitch.
Ideas for a Mens’ 40th Birthday Party
If you’re planning a party for a man who’s turning 40 it might be tempting to make everything “over the hill” themed. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back with that – but here are some other birthday party ideas for a 40 year old to consider too.
The Obvious: “over the Hill” Birthday Party
The reason why they call the 40th birthday is that, sadly, it’s the average midlife point for humans on average. Crossing from your 30s to your 40s means you’re no longer on the younger side of life climbing up. Because it’s such a popular 40th birthday party theme you won’t have any trouble finding Over the Hill decorations and funny party games.
An All-out 80s Theme
Another great 40th birthday theme is his birth year! Guys turning 40 for the next decade will have been born in the 80s, making it a perfect 40th birthday theme. Raid your basement for the 80s finds or print out some cassette tape food signs, 80s cupcake toppers, and nostalgic 80s artwork to hang. There’s so much 80s stuff out there you shouldn’t have any trouble finding some cool mylar balloons and other 1980s birthday accessories to make this theme come to life.
Make Him Feel Really Old
40 isn’t old at all, especially nowadays. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to treat people like they’re ancient on their 40th birthday! This is probably one of the most fun ideas for a men’s 40th birthday party, just as long as he has a good sense of humor about it. That means having lots of funny senior gag gifts on hand and plastering the party venue with “you’re old” themed road signs. Don’t forget to give him a sarcastic card to really seal the deal!
Throw Something Classy
Funny parties are great but why not make his 40th birthday bash a more black tie affair? Use white, black, and gold decorations to set the tone. You could even get some fancy cake toppers to add to his birthday cake. It doesn’t have to be all serious, though – add a photo booth and some fun props for an evening of memorable photos.
Give Him a Sports Party
Either plan a party for game day and throw him a sports-watching 40th birthday or just theme the party after his favorite sports team. Decorate with sports-themed decor that’s as childish or mature as you want. For food, serve the kinds of foods you’d normally find at a game concession and don’t forget the cake (or cupcakes!) You can even get him a custom sports t-shirt to wear to the party. Last (but not least), set up a sports-themed photo booth complete with cool props so you have some great photos to remember the night with.
Plan an Old Buck Men’s 40th Birthday Party
Oh, dear! If he likes to hunt, give him a hunting themed birthday (if he can’t, or before he goes off on his birthday hunting trip.) Get some custom 40th hunting birthday invitations and have everyone wear camo. Of course, the birthday boy needs his own special shirt like this one. For the venue, cover everything in camo and pick up some custom 40th birthday drinking cups.
If you’re not into camo, another option is to have solid color table linens and use paper confetti to decorate the tables. For the cake, a custom cake topper makes the birthday more special or go with cupcakes that have buck cupcake toppers or rifle cutouts.
Have Plenty of Drinks on Hand
Whether he’s a beer drinker, something stronger, or has some alcohol-free preferences make sure there’s plenty to drink and plenty of 40th birthdays themed accessories at his birthday party. These can cozies are a funny idea that doubles as a party favor or gift idea. Or try custom labels to give bottles a 40th birthday theme. Or how about filling this sarcastic travel cup with his favorite drink?
Accessories for a Men’s 40th Birthday Party
Besides the general party decor, it’s nice to have some fun extras when throwing a men’s 40th birthday party. Some great ideas are getting the birthday guy a fun t-shirt to wear to the party, or even just a hat if that’s more his thing.
Ideas for Men’s 40th Birthday Party Favors
Usually, when you throw a party there’s some kind of party favor for guests to take home. Some ideas for a 40th birthday might be to give out those mini bottles of liquor with cute tags, some unforgettable drink can cozies or ordering some custom sunglasses for the party guests. Or you can always fill some labeled favor bags with whatever goodies you’d like!
How About Some Special 40th Birthday Gift Ideas for Men?
Of course, there’s plenty of gift ideas out there so we won’t go into too much detail here, but there are still some great gifts that are 40th birthday specific. You could get him some keepsake 40th birthday photo art, for example, or this custom 40th birthday print. Or add some cool accessories with his birth year to his 40th gift.
If you want something less serious, gags gifts are always a riot at milestone birthdays. You can treat him like a baby with a 480 months old bib, make his age great again with a Trump-inspired coffee mug, or make some fake vitamins that will help him in his budding old age.
Or just get him a funny card like this scrabble tile one, or this very mean 40 is the new 30 (but not really) card or this one that is kind of nice (but not at first).
Ideas for a men’s 40th birthday party don’t have to be complicated with a little bit of pre-party planning. Hopefully, these ideas make this milestone birthday for a man in your life part of his next chapter and nothing to dread!
