Ideas for a Happy 50th Birthday

Celebrating half a century is a big deal. Mark this momentous occasion with these ideas for warm 50th birthday wishes, thoughtful gifts, and fabulous birthday parties! 

Happy Birthday Video

Let someone turning 50 know they’re loved with a Happy Birthday video from friends and family. Ask relatives, childhood pals, college buds, colleagues, and other friends to send the birthday honoree well wishes in a short video clip. Combine the clips into a heartfelt group video you can share through email, text, and social media. The recipient will be surprised to see so many familiar faces from over the years and will love to hear birthday messages from all of their favorite people! 

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50th Birthday eCards 

Wish someone a “Happy 50th Birthday” and send thoughtful birthday greetings with an online 50th birthday card you can personalize and send in minutes. Pick your favorite card, personalize the message, and customize the font, colors, envelope liner and stamp. Include a digital gift card for an extra special surprise and text or email the eCard right from your phone!

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50th Birthday Wishes & Quotes

Not sure what to say in a birthday video or greeting card? Check out these 50th birthday sayings and quotes for inspiration.

• Happy 50th birthday! You’re aging like a fine wine. Congratulations!
• May the next 50 be even better than the first.
• You’re not 50. You’re 18 with 32 years of experience. 
• You’re no longer the oldest person I know in their 40’s. Now you’re the youngest 50-year-old I know.
• At 50 you’ve seen it all, done it all... but can’t remember most of it!

• “When I was young, people used to say to me: Wait until you’re fifty, you’ll see. Well, I’m fifty. I haven’t seen anything.” – Eric Satie
• “Fifty is a weird age. I can clearly remember my childhood, but I can’t remember where I put my keys.” – Melanie White
• “Maybe it’s true that life begins at fifty. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.” – Phyllis Diller
• “The face you have at age twenty-five is the face God gave you, but the face you have after fifty is the face you earned”. – Cindy Crawford
• “Turning 50 means it’s only a matter of time before you’re regaling your grandkids with tales of your first colonoscopy.” – Greg Tamblyn

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50th Birthday Gifts

Make the birthday honoree feel special with these 50th birthday gift ideas!

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• Gold Jewelry. Looking for a traditional gift? Go with gold! Like a 50th wedding anniversary, a 50th birthday is associated with gold. Gold jewelry that’s personalized with a special message or the recipient’s birthdate can be a meaningful gift and keepsake. For women, gold bracelets, rings, necklaces, and lockets are perfect gifts and can often be customized with the recipient’s birthstone. For men, gold cufflinks, watches, or money clips are ideal gifts to celebrate their golden age. 

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• Weekend Away. Treat the birthday guy or gal to some time away from home doing something they love. Take some time to think about what they enjoy doing the most, or if there’s something they’d like to try for the first time but haven’t gotten the chance to. Whether it’s a yoga retreat, golf outing, camping trip, or winery tour, they’ll appreciate the time and effort you put into planning a special trip for them!

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• Time Capsule. Give the birthday honoree a blast from the past with a personalized time capsule. Engrave a wooden box with a heartfelt message or DIY your own special box and fill it with items from their birth and childhood. Items can include a copy of a newspaper front page from their birthday; favorite childhood candy and games; music and movies they enjoyed in their teens; and other mementos from their youth. They’ll love opening the box and seeing so many unique items from their past!

50th Birthday Party Ideas

Turning 50 is a huge milestone worthy of a big celebration. Let’s take a look at some ideas for a fun and fabulous 50th birthday party the guest of honor will never forget!

• Destination Party. For a truly memorable 50th birthday, consider what countries or cities are on the birthday honoree’s bucket list and host a party there! Explore options for all-inclusive vacations, from tropical resorts to fast-paced sightseeing tours to activity-based trips like hiking adventures. Keep the guest list small and consider covering some or all costs of the trip for everyone if you’re in the position to do so. Keep in mind if you’ll go to the destination on- or off-season and what the weather will be like before you start booking!

• At-home Destination Party. Can’t swing a trip to Machu Picchu or Bora Bora? No problem! Bring a much-loved vacation spot to the birthday boy or girl with an at-home destination party. Make your guests feel like they've been transported to a far-away place with pictures of local landscapes and landmarks throughout the space. Create a menu and playlist based on the destination’s traditional cuisine and music for an authentic touch.  

• Red Carpet Party. Treat the guest of honor like a Hollywood star with a glamorous red carpet party. Encourage guests to wear cocktail attire or go super swanky with tuxedos and evening gowns. Set up a red carpet for guests to walk down as they arrive using red velvet fabric from a craft store. Welcome the birthday honoree with confetti and have friends serve as paparazzi to capture images of his or her entrance. Create a black and white silver screen atmosphere with balloons and streamers and hang up classic movie posters throughout your space. Serve champagne and a variety of cocktails and set up a buffet with lots of tasty dishes, just like at a Hollywood awards ceremony! Top it all off with a decadent birthday cake!

• ‍50th Birthday Invitations. Set the stage for a fun 50th birthday bash with 50th birthday invitations you can send from any digital device. These beautiful digital invitations have the look of paper invitations and can be customized with important event details and a photo of the guest of honor. Best of all, you can easily track RSVP responses online. 

The important thing to remember when celebrating a 50th birthday is that any gift you get, greeting you send, or party you throw will be appreciated by the recipient if you put some thought into it and it comes from the heart!