40th birthday deliberations - what has anyone done for their other halves? what can i do for mine?

My H's 40th birthday was in April - I booked us train tickets from Cornwall to Brussels and arranged to stay with some old friends of his there. We had a lovely week and happily it wasn't too expensive! H appears to be having a mid life crisis though - he signed up to do a 30 mile cross country marathon. He last ran it when he was less than half his age. I hope he survives!

You could try some skydiving schools/clubs near you to see if they offer a tandem jump or possibly even a course of lessons for solo jumping.

H had his 40th last year and mine was two months ago and we both wanted very different things.

H DID want a party and so I did a seafood buffet for family only in the afternoon and then everyone else turned up and we partied into the night. We held it at home and we decorated the house - I was in my element - we had a colour scheme and everything! ?

I didn't want a party but I did want to celebrate in style so H took me to Gidleigh Park for the weekend. We had a complimentary room upgrade which was AMAZING and we invited his parents to join us for dinner - the restaurant is two Michelin-starred and I've never had food like it. Absolutely incredible. The whole weekend cost an absolute arm and a leg (and we're still paying it off) but it was worth every decadent second.

www.gidleigh.com

I think skydiving sounds like a fantastic idea! Could you combine something exciting like that with a short break away? Or abroad? I'd start with Google I think and see if it throws up anything suitable. The only other thing I can think of is scuba diving. Would you both fancy that?

Thanks - the scuba diving could work - i am slightly out of my comfort zone with it - but he might like it - he is not mad about water though

i think that would be the ideal thing - a nice 3/4 nights away and a bit of adventure (preferably where i can let him get on with being adventuresome and go to the spa - stick the kids in a club) and then have a couple of nice dinners

i will have to be abroad i am sure because of the time of year

That's really weird i was just about to post something similar as I am panicking slighty, its Mr Cee's 40th next Saturday and he has insisted of having a big party. He has organised the whole thing because I don't do parties large crowds of people scare me. He had hired out a restaurant and they are providing a hot buffet, its not cheap either and Mr Cee doesn't appear to know how many people are coming. The worse thing is that the inlaws from hell are coming all the way from Manchester and mil is annoying me already! He has loads of brothers and sisters who are all going to be there with all their partner and kids and my family and most of his office are coming. If it was me I would be having something far more quite like a meal out with friends. I am looking forward to seeing folk and hope for his sake it goes well. I have ordered him a lovely cake from M&S and got one of those personanalised cards from moonpig.com but I don't have a clue what to buy him or what I am going to wear!

I was going to organise for him to do that zorbing where they throw you down a hill in a huge clear ball, but you have to have 2 people to do it so I would have to volunteer which I think i might wee my pants if i had to do.

I def think you should do something!

A chap we met on holiday used to go sky diving for the weekend in Spain, I think somewhere near Barcelona. You could do that with either a few days on the beach or at Port Aventura theme park if it's open all year round.

For my 40th last month, H took me to Capri for a week. It was the best birthday I have ever had!

H is older than me, and he will be 50 in August. He was born in Buenos Aires (dad worked there so family relocated) and returned to the UK aged 4. He has not been back. My treat to him is 10 days in S. America-Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio. I am ridiculously excited.

It is H's 30th birthday in November and I have started the preparations now. I am doing him a surprise party but he quite likes parties so I think he will have a great time. We are not going away although will probably have a family holiday about 3 weeks before his birthday anyway.

I am also doing him 30 presents for him to open. This will include his main present (he wants an Omega watch so I will be robbing a bank between now and then!) and lots of little things - I have picked up things like cufflinks, a t-shirt, a book about the year he was born, music from the year he was born etc and have a few other things on my list I want to get him, like some of his favourite sweets, some of his favourite chocolate etc. One of the presents will be something like a massage (he does like these!) so I can get him out of the house on the Saturday so I can get the hall decorated for the party. I have tried to avoid buying crap but there are a few silly things in there (I am 30 socks, rubber duck bath toy) as well as the more serious presents as I couldn't afford 30 presents that were all £30 on top of the watch and the party.

He had better bloody appreciate it?