If you don’t mind the “living on borrowed time” theme, I can say the surprise wake I had for my 30th birthday was the envy of all my friends. No casket, though, as that is both expensive and a little creepy.
In our office, you bring treats in on your birthday. This has usually been interpreted as “the more sugar, the better,” so I bring in a basket of really good fresh fruit on my birthday. I’m turning 40 later this year.
I plan to bring prunes.
Bump…
Come on I’m looking for the party she’s still be talking about at her 90th birthday 
Brainiac4 threw one for my 40th. Now, it wasn’t cheap…
He rented a spot. Had food, a dance floor…and a martini luge.
I recommend everyone have a martini luge - well, perhaps alcoholics or people with liver issues should avoid them.
My mom did something like that for my Dad’s 40th. At 5:30, he came home and the table was set for two adults and two kids. At 5:45, the table was set for at least 4 adults–the kids glasses had disappeared, and when the doorbell rang Dad looked at my mom and said “Ok, just how many people should I set the table for now?”
Low-key, he didn’t mind, and I don’t think there were more than 6 or 8 guests, not that I recall, because as a kid, I ate downstairs with my brother. But we ate the same food the guests did–no hotdogs for us while the grown-ups ate lobster. (OK, they ate fake lobster, but the principle is the same).
For my wife’s 40th, I made a movie. I knew some funny stories about her past, and interviewed family and friends and had them tell the stories. I also interviewed my wife to get her side, and intercut her versions with the other versions. People give birthday wishes, and told jokes, and other miscellaneous goofy stuff.
When we invited everyone to come to the party, we played up the fact that we were showing this movie (and lots of the invitees were in it). The turnout was great, and it ended up bing a funny and touching movie, and a great party.
I had never even heard of such until reading this. This is a very intriguing idea. Where the heck was this when I was a college student in Macon GA?!?
That is way cool. I doubt I could pull that off in my time frame – my two toddlers make everything take a lot longer to accomplish. Might do it for 50!
Figured I owed you all a recap of the party.
It was great. I decided to do a casino night and hire 3 dealers and tables from a party rental place, and rented the top floor dining room and balcony at an upscale local restaurant. We had tons of great finger foods so we could eat and gamble.
Mrs. rainy was totally, and completely surprised! It wasn’t until I made a wrong turn on the way to our supposed destination that night that she even had a clue something was up.
Thanks for all the great suggestions.
And on a side note, I don’t think Mrs. rainy has ever been that drunk before in her life (which is saying something). She’ll never forget the night – at least the parts she can remember
-rainy
I agree. I never buy cards that mock the recipient.
My boss threw a huge surprise birthday bash for his wife’s 50th. He had people jumping out from behind furniture, a giant “50” on the roof in christmas tree lights, black balloons and crepe paper everywhere. And it really did turn out as a huge surprise. He figured wrong and it was only her 49th.
Dang…I wonder how big the diamond she got as her “49 plus 1 day” presesnt was