How did you celebrate 50?

Lisa50

So, the big day cometh in less than a month.  My 50th birthday!  In my pre-engaged, pre-unemployed world (in other words, when I had $$ and income flowing), I had my eyes on a trip to Anguilla at a dream resort.  Welcome to my new reality ... there is no money for anything remotely like that.

FI has suggested an at-home party with family and friends.  I'm considering it.  BUT ... I am also open to other ideas, budget-friendly ideas.  I would say we want to keep it under $500.  Any suggestions?

Marrin713

Eh??? <cupping ear at Lisa>  What'd you say, you young whippersnapper?

Good Christ; am I really the oldest here at 54?

I think H and I flew to my parents summer home in Tennessee for 50th, and my son and his g/f drove down and joined us for a few days.  I think that was my 50th <scatching head />

2dBride

Marrin713:  Nope, you're not the oldest.  I'm 57.  My wedding day was my 56th birthday.

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:06d0eeb7-ff60-494c-8c06-75ada3178ae4">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE]@ Marrin713 :  Nope, you're not the oldest.  I'm 57.  My wedding day was my 56th birthday.
Posted by 2dBride[/QUOTE]

And .... how did you celebrate 50?? C'mon, now, inquiring minds want to know.  Please.  :)

handfast4me

Ok.  I'll bite.  It was actually an odd birthday, well over a year ago.  I live in the Southeast, but travelled to Colorado for the Estes Park Scottish Highland Games, as I am an exec. council member for my scottish clan, and it was our annual meeting.   I was successful in keeping the news away from the Clan (I didn't want attention drawn away from our new president), and we had our large formal dinner and gathering and swearing in of the new Exec Council that evening.  I did get to wear my floor length "hostess" skirt in the Dress Blue version of my Scottish Clan, so that was fun, and DH was in tails (Prince Charley jacket) and US Army tartan Kilt.  

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:28050775-0fa3-438e-96e2-7b67ae2d5ac6">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE]Ok.  I'll bite.  It was actually an odd birthday, well over a year ago.  I live in the Southeast, but travelled to Colorado for the Estes Park Scottish Highland Games, as I am an exec. council member for my scottish clan, and it was our annual meeting.   I was successful in keeping the news away from the Clan (I didn't want attention drawn away from our new president), and we had our large formal dinner and gathering and swearing in of the new Exec Council that evening.  <font color="#0000ff"><strong>I did get to wear my floor length "hostess" skirt in the Dress Blue version of my Scottish Clan, so that was fun, and DH was in tails (Prince Charley jacket) and US Army tartan Kilt.  
</strong></font>Posted by handfast4me[/QUOTE]

Okay, now that's an adorable visual!  Did your DI wear his kilt for the wedding also??

right1thistime

I have not yet hit the big 5-0.  (But its coming in October... so I am watching this thread closely!)

For DH's 50th, 6 months after our wedding, I threw a surprise party at a restaurant and invited his co-workers and family.  I made a powerpoint "This is your Life" slideshow.  I connived with his brothers to get some great old photos and stories to tell.  He was floored, mostly by the fact that I had so convincingly lied to him. 
I had lunch at a different restaurant with my DD earlier this month and suggested that the room we were seated in would make a great location for a small 50th party for me.  Gotta ask for what you want, y'know!

I have a friend who insisted on turning 50 in Disneyworld- the happiest place on earth, and another who insisted on being on an island in the sun for hers.  So I think there's lots of ways to celebrate the beginning of some of the best years of your life. ~Donna

right1thistime

Oh yeah, and a year ago, my friend's husband arranged a trip to PARIS for her 50th, including getting her the time off from work!  Now that's a romantic man! ~D.

handfast4me

No, we didn't wear kilt for the wedding.  We're in Scottish dress so often, and since we got married on a beach, I don't know, somehow wool didn't seem quite the right feel.  LOL! 

Sue-n-Kevin

Wow, love the guy who took his wife to Paris for her 50th!

Here I was thinking I was the oldest...............thanks for taking the pressure off
2ndbride. I turned 55 in May. My birthday is always within 4 days or less of Mother's Day, so one or the other gets shafted.

Mine was really low key. I wasn't dating my fiance yet, but I did get my Mom to make me this super rich chocolate cake that only has 2 tablespoons of flour in it! Like eating fudge, but not as sweet.

My 40th was more memorable, as my ex had my best friend fly in as a surprise from Massachusetts, and we went out to dinner, had a great time over a long weekend.

You could do a LOT with $500! If you don't want to travel, treat yourself to a luxury suite at one of the fabulous DC hotels. If you want to travel, take the train, drive,  or look for discount airfares to NYC, or any other great city. I'll be in Charleston SC for business in January, and we are staying at the French Quarter Inn, which is a 4 diamond hotel, and it's their Restaurant Week starting January
17th, with 3 course meals for $30 at their finest restaurants. Charleston is (supposed to be) in the 60's during the day in January. Looks like a lovely historic city, never been there, and it was voted the #2 most romantic city by Travel & Leisure. Link to hotel here: www.fqicharteston.com . It's a 9 hr drive for you to Charleston per google maps. The city has carriage rides, Civil War history, etc. My fiance is paying his own way there, and doing his own site seeing while I'm in a seminar for 2 1/2 days. If that hotel is booked, check the Mill House, we have to move there for the last night of our stay because the French Quarter is booked up.

Order an AARP membership ASAP, because the rates at many of the hotels, especially during off season (ie winter) is quite a bit cheaper. You can order it online, and usually get the cards pretty quickly.

Also, go to www.travelzoo.com for last minute emails on deals, or just view what they have. Every week they have a new "20 top deals" section with all sorts of bargains for airfare, hotels & cruises. They accumulate all the deals from all the webites into one, very helpful when you have last minute travel plans. For example, right now, you can fly for $74 between DC and Orlando, each way, from Jan 4-Feb 16th on Jet Blue. Be sure to click on their "last minute" link on the left, which are super cheap, but coming up quickly.

I'm all about a nice romantic room with a fireplace, hot tub/jacuzzi, and a couple of good restaurants. It's also restaurant week in DC from Jan 17-23rd.

Hope you have a blast!

handfast4me

I won't join AARP because of their lobying efforts in areas in which I disagree.  But that's me.  :-)   Other groups will get you better/bigger discounts.  

 But anyway you have you're 50th, enjoy it!  Hopefully by this time in our lives, we've learned some things, but will be around to learn a lot more!

2dBride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:aef14705-2575-4426-8ab1-f4e7bc98e8fd">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How did you celebrate 50? : And .... how did you celebrate 50?? C'mon, now, inquiring minds want to know.  Please.  :)
Posted by Lisa50[/QUOTE]Alas, Lisa, I have forgotten by this time.  You know memory is the second thing to go.  And I've forgotten what the first thing is.  ;-)

hsbstone

I had great plans for my 50th birthday next March; I was not engaged and my son was alive and supposed to be here after 5 years living abroad. I was going to have a Carnivale party like it's done in Venice, with masks and costumes and a real Italian buffet...not anymore. The main reason is not just the up coming summer wedding but the sadness that I am in since my son's death. I am barely putting up with the wedding planning! But I will celebrate with my family because it's one more year of live that the Lord has given to me and I am thankful for it. Who knows if in my 55th or 60th birthday I will be able to celebrate "comme il fault"???

thealphabride

THAT WAS THE BIRTHDAY IN WHICH I INSTRUCTED MY THEN BOYFRIEND (NOW HUSBAND)  HOW TO PURCHASE A MEANINGFUL GREETING CARD.

I as well, had been unemployed for about 6 months leading up to my 50th. My boyfriend (now hubby) at the time wanted to take me to an exotic place but $$ was an issue. All my friends either had big parties, or went abroad, trips purchased by thier significant others, so my expectations were too high to begin with.

So we went out to a nice dinner and came home for him to give me my gift and a card. I opened the card and it was pages and pages about Farts. Farts are funny, Farts are smelly, Farts are big, Farts are small, etc etc etc. Here's the kicker:

"But nothing is better than an OLD FART LIKE YOU!!"

I burst out crying and threw the card at him and told him he was pretty thoughtless and heartless. I cried for about 2 hours. About being 50 mostly, about no party, about no trip and about the fact my significant other couldn't even buy me a nice card. Bratty and selfish, I know. I kept trying to stay positive but 50 hit me hard. I kept saying I should be counting my blessings and I am, but I am also trying not to be disappointed. I kept saying how blessed I am with good health wonderful family etc, but I was still so upset. He tried to comfort me to no avail.  

I told him he needs to get me nice cards and forget the funny ones. He said he can never find a card for love that is not to a wife. I told him bull$shit, I always find a card that says "to my love" .....

From that day forward I have only gotten cards from him that make me cry in a good way with lovely sentiments, that he took time to find, and say what is in his heart. He sent over a beautiful wedding day card with flowers on our wedding day.

I got my first "To my Wife" card this Christmas and it made me cry ..in a good way.

PS: I never saw that card again and he showed up with a beautuful love card a few days later....

handfast4me

Alpha,  YIKES.  I can understand those feelings completely.  Ok, this didn't happen on my 50th, but here's one for you:  DH (then fi) and I got married in Key West.  We drove down, and went immediately to the courthouse to get the license for the ceremony, which was to happen the next day.  We fill out the paperwork, swore that we were telling the truth, and the lady hands us the document.  Then my FI, said to her  "Thanks.  Now, where do I go to get the ball and chain issued?"   Jeez.  Thanks for that.  It's almost  funny now, but not quite.  Maybe in 10 more years.  Honestly, I wish I'd had a card to throw at him.  :-) 

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:3f22cfd5-6c05-4cfb-8073-f6415de7d2fb">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE]No, we didn't wear kilt for the wedding.  We're in Scottish dress so often, and since we got married on a beach, I don't know, somehow wool didn't seem quite the right feel.  LOL! 
Posted by handfast4me[/QUOTE]

Uh ... yeah, beach and wool, not such a good match!  Itchy, itchy.

indy

My 50th didn't turn out like I had hoped. The timing was bad since it fell on father's day this year. And since my Dad died at the beginning of the year, my Mom wanted to honor my father and spend time at the cemetery. I really didn't want my 50th to be a crying session since I was looking forward to it so my boyfriend and I went to a father day picnic at Eagle Creek Park with some single friends. Not the way I wanted to celebrate but at least we were together. The bright side was the poem he wrote me on my birthday card and the key chain he had engraved saying "You have stolen my heart". 
He proposed on Christmas Eve in front of my family and yesterday marked a year since we first met.

thealphabride

 Then my FI, said to her  "Thanks.  Now, where do I go to get the ball and chain issued?"   Jeez. 

Oouch!

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:3c5074cb-88d5-481c-9387-6d4c763767a8">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE] Then my FI, said to her  "Thanks.  Now, where do I go to get the ball and chain issued?"   Jeez.   Oouch!
Posted by thealphabride[/QUOTE]

Yeah ... that's harsh, it kinda reminds me of my first husband.  He once bought "Big Girl Socks" for me as a Valentine's Day gift (I wear a size 10, so not at all considered an "over").  Whew!

Back to the OP ... I <u>am</u> narrowing in on what I want to do to celebrate 50, though.  One friend has suggested that, instead of a group celebration or fun night away for just FI and me, I get a piece of jewelry equal to the budget.  Hmm .... <strong><font color="#0000ff">she just might have hit on something. </font></strong> Heh, heh, heh ...

Keep the ideas coming, please!

Hays2be

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_second-weddings_did-celebrate-50?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:35Discussion:097380cf-8db4-4e3e-888e-e0d96171dc36Post:50eff8e0-675c-4e39-ad42-f62ea68c7d49">Re: How did you celebrate 50?</a>:
[QUOTE]One of the ladies at my rink turned 50, and her friends threw her an Over The Hill party. She says she smiled all the way through, but was really hurt...she was enjoying middle age much more than the early part of her life. She promptly took up figure skating at the age of 50. That was ten years ago, and she does axels like a teenager and even has a couple of double jumps. She has a fabulous body and is one of the most inspiring adult skaters I've ever met. (I took up the sport at age 28, by the way).
Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

I started ice skating at 37.  It's one of the hardest and most rewarding things I've ever done.  I just wish I hadn't had to step away from it for so long.  I'm gaining back the weight I lost.

My 50th (in 2013) will be on a cruise.  Two weeks. I'm excited already.

Lisa50

Ladies, ladies ... keep sharing these stories.  I love 'em.  I think I'm zeroing in on what I want to do -- an at-home party with close family and friends.  I just learned that one of my cousins, who had a terrible time with an aggressive breast cancer a few years ago (including chemo-induced congestive heart failure) has learned she has a new cancer.  Ugh.   I think we all need some family time.

But honestly, keep those stories coming.  'Cuz I haven't made a final decision.  It's just that this $500 budget makes it tough to get out of town.

Hays2be

I was SCNC.  I also let mine lapse after my separtion/divorce since I wasn't testing or completing anymore and needed groceries more than a membership.  I'm getting back into it now--perfect timing because it is the absolute best way to get myself back into shape.

I'd love to go to nationals, but I have to work and school starts next month.  I don't think I should be skipping class in the first month.  And we're getting FI's house ready to go on the market on the weekends.

rapunnzzll

So fun to read how everyone has celebrated.  FIL's treated FI and I to a weekend at the Broadmoor in CO Springs.  My birthday is 4 days after Christmas so it's usually a fairly quiet celebration. 

The company I work for closes the week after Christmas.  When we went back to work, my boss had been in the day before and decorated my office, balloons, streamers,confetti.

Lisa, cant wait to hear what you decide.