Take to the air

If you want to take your life to new heights, there are plenty of ways to get airborne on your 40^th birthday. The internet is littered with skydiving and parachuting companies, offering thrill seekers an experience of a lifetime. If you don’t want to fall from the sky, you can soar instead, learning how to fly a plane or taking a helicopter or hot air balloon ride.

Hire a party boat

Choose a venue with a difference for the birthday party of the century. There are a variety of river barges and party boats for hire along the banks of the Thames and other main rivers in the UK. For an extra twist, you can decide to go with a themed party centred a       round the birthday boy or girl’s favourite music or film or their year of birth.

Dinner for two

Having a romantic dinner for two can turn into a whole new experience in unfamiliar surroundings. Hotels and boutiques around the country are offering grt value deals on overnight stays with 5-star dinner included. For ‘riparian entertainment’, as Hyacinth Bucket would put it, you can opt for a dinner cruise on the Thames, including a tour of London from a slightly different perspective.

An evening in Paris

If you choose to venture abroad for a 40^th birthday weekend away, there is no better destination than Paris. The city of light, love and romance offers plenty of possibilities to see in your 40^th year in style. How about an evening at the Moulin Rouge or dinner on the Eiffel Tower? You can then finish off a perfect evening with a midnight river boat cruise on the Seine.

A gift for the future

What better way to celebrate your 40^th birthday than to keep a reminder of your special day. You can learn a new skill, such as chocolate making, horse riding or polo. But the best way to leave an indelible mark on your life after 40 is to imprint your name on the future – literally. There is a long list of often unexpected things you can name after yourself, including stars, a rose bush or a personalized single malt whiskey.

Pamper Yourself

Take a luxurious mini-break with friends or treat your partner to a pamper day at a health club, hotel or luxury spa resort. Options range from a spa break with a succession of beauty treatments to a professional photo shoot or afternoon tea at one of Britain’s top notch hotels. With more and more men-only deals now available, this option is definitely not just one for the ladies.

Many websites now offer a wide range of these experience or so-called ‘red letter’ days. You can buy them for yourself or a loved one at generally reasonable prices.

If the person you are trying to find a gift for has a sense of humour about their impending 40^th birthday (and not everyone does so you need to be careful!) you might wish to surprise them at their workplace with a singing telegram. Imagine their delight when a singing bunny shows up at their office door to give their best rendition of the Happy Birthday song, complete with cupcake with burning birthday candle.

Many people like to combine the gift with the number 40. A gift like this has some staying power especially if you give the person a photograph album with 40 photos from his or her childhood in it. Or you might put together a small booklet in which you write 40 short vignettes about the person’s past. Or give them 40 different quotes about aging and what it means to grow older.

Other people like to chose gifts that pamper the birthday girl or boy. A day at the spa is always a welcome gift for either a man or a woman. Having a nice massage is a wonderful way to relax and unwind. This is a gift that most people will very rarely give themselves but it is, nevertheless, something they enjoy immensely. Women will enjoy a gift certificate to a local spa where they can have a manicure and a pedicure or sit in a steam bath for a little while.

Another unique 40th birthday ideas is a photo shoot experience. If you combine it with a makeover prior to the photo shoot, all the better. They will look their absolute best when their images are taken for posterity.

If the person you are choosing a gift for enjoys cooking, you might wish to consider giving them some cooking classes. Or, if you know that they have always loved Indian food, consider hiring an Indian chef to come to their home for an evening and make them a delicious Indian dinner.

Personalized gifts of any kind are always very much appreciated and enjoyed by the recipient. Nearly anything can be personalized from golf putters to beer mugs. The choice is nearly endless.

Another gift that often makes a big hit is a trip out of town. If you know this person loves the seashore but has not been in many years, consider booking a weekend retreat for them at a beachside cottage. Choose a location where there are a lot of things to do and send them off for a nice holiday.

More 40th Birthday ideas will be added very soon!