Ideas for a Unique Fiftieth Birthday Party

• The 50th birthday is an important milestone. Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  

  While every birthday is important and worth celebrating, a 50th birthday is a true milestone. For the honoree, the very fact that you are throwing a party is likely to be enough, but you can make it even more memorable by building the party around a theme or idea she has never experienced before.

Blast from the Past

• Make the year the honoree was born the central theme of the party. For example, for someone born during the 1960s, ask guests to wear their grooviest 60s-style clothes. Research to learn what the top music hits were that year and play those songs in the background. A 1960s party wouldn't be complete without Tang-based drinks, troll dolls and a string or two of love beads for everyone to wear.

"Destination" Party

• Create a party theme around a dream locale the honoree has always wanted to visit. For example, if she has yearned to spend time in the Caribbean, bring the Caribbean to her. Guests can dress in island wear, sip tropical rum drinks and nosh on coconut shrimp and baked jerked chicken. Decorate the table with tropical flower petals and fresh fruit, form a conga line and enjoy some reggae.

His Favorite Activities

• Throw a party that reflects the freshly minted 50-year-old's favorite activities. If he enjoys fishing, invite guests to tell their biggest "fish tales" about the honoree. Have a cookout with fish, potatoes, coleslaw and ice-cold beer. If he's a football enthusiast, create an elaborate tailgate party with barbecued meat, potato salad and all the fixings. The point is to center the party specifically around him and to celebrate in a style that emphasizes his interests.

This Is Your Life

• Imitate the old television show with a "This Is Your Life" party that makes the honoree the center of attention. Make sure there's a "chair of honor" for her to sit in and provide each of your guests with a questionnaire regarding the birthday girl. At some point in the party, ask guests to read their answers to statements such as, "The first time I met [honoree], I immediately thought [fill in the blank]."

Time Line Party

• A time line party is a good way to track the important events in the honoree's life. Tack paper across one wall. At the far left, mark the year of the honoree's birth and note the important events that took place in the world that year. Historical time lines are available online at sites such as HistoryCentral.com. Mark each year along the wall, listing noteworthy historical events that took place. Ask the honoree's closest friends and family to help you pin down the dates of important personal events, such as marriage or the birth of a child. As guests arrive, direct them to the time line to find the year they met the guest of honor and to mark their names at that point.