A Fabulous Fiftieth Birthday party

A fiftieth birthday party is a milestone in most people's lives. There are several different ways to host a fiftieth birthday party and really the type of party you wish to have depends a lot on the individual. It is always important to be sensitive to someone's feelings about birthdays and keep this in mind when you have the party. Some individuals are very happy and excited about turning fifty and they want to have a get together with family and friends to celebrate this milestone. Others wish to have a more elegant and formal dinner party to commemorate the special day. There are also those that want to spend their fiftieth birthday doing something they have always wanted to do such as go skydiving, whitewater rafting, to an opera or on a cruise. Many family and friends choose a surprise party for the fiftieth birthday, and this takes a little bit more planning, stealth and organization than some of the other styles of birthday parties.

Themes

A fiftieth birthday party is one event that really lends itself to a theme. There are traditional themes and then there are completely unique themes that are completely centered around the guest of honor. The following themes and a brief description are fun and relatively easy to do in a house or yard:

Over the hill : for a 50th birthday boy or girl that has a great sense of humor and is not at all worried about turning fifty an over the hill party can be a great way to get guests smiling and laughing. Have guests dress as old fashioned as they possibly can. This is a great time to clean out the attic or to look through consignment shops for just the right old fashioned clothing. Do some research and find out what was the popular meal and birthday party game about fifty years ago. Games such as pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs and even three legged races can be a great activity for party guests. Find some old records and a record player if you can, or simply download some of the older songs off the computer and have them playing in the background.

Games night : remember back when board games were the family entertainment? Try having a board games tournament or night for a fiftieth birthday party. Have different stations with varieties of board games that were popular with the family. Monopoly, the short version, Clue, Scrabble, Trouble, Life, Checkers, Chess, Cribbage or other versions of games are just the thing. Encourage partygoers to move through the games or just find one they enjoy. At each games station have snacks such as popcorn, chips, vegetables and dips, pretzels and assorted nuts. If possible consider hiring or using friends and family to act as waiters and waitresses that move through the games areas and distribute fresh drinks, snacks and even finger foods. At the appointed time have everyone come into one central area for the birthday cake.

50's Rock and Roll Party : what could be better for a 50th birthday than a 50's rock and roll party. Consider having everyone dress up as if they were going to the prom. Have guests bring their favorite music from the 50's and possible set up your party area like an old soda shop. Borrow or rent some stools and use a long tall table as a counter. Serve malted milks and even floats with the birthday cake. You may even want to find an old game of Twister and leave it out for people to play if they feel in the mood. Putting up posters of Jimmy Dean, Marilyn Monroe and other famous actresses and actors can really add a touch of the era. In addition, you may want to have an old Elvis movie playing on a TV for guests to stop in and watch for awhile. Burgers and fries or corn dogs can be the menu, with old-fashioned cole slaw and french fries.

Birthday Roast : a great, low cost and high entertainment theme a "Roast" is a celebration of the birthday person's life. It can be either humorous or semi-serious; usually a mixture of both is best. Ask friends and family members to prepare a short 2-3 minute presentation about the guest of honor either from a humorous or sentimental perspective. A projector, screen and CD or DVD player can be used for short videos or other audio-visual presentations. This style of party works very well with a sit down style of dinner that has everyone in the same room. The birthday guest of honor and his or her immediate family usually sit at a head table, much like at a wedding reception.

Elegant dinner party : for a more intimate and quiet fiftieth birthday party you may wish to invite just one or two close friends and family members and go out for an elegant evening of dinner and dancing. There is also the option of preparing a favorite meal at home or having the event catered at your house so that you can spend time celebrating the evening without having to worry about cooking and cleaning up.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate a fiftieth birthday party be sure to mark this milestone with a festive event that won't soon be forgotten. Keep in mind that respecting the individuals style, taste and personality will help in choosing which style or theme of party will be best.--------------------------------------------If you are a business owner get listed at Best Entertaintment Site, part of Localwin Network.