40th Birthday Ideas for Celebrating at Home

I turned 40! And no, I’m not leading off with that whole “I can’t believe I’m 40” thing, because I totally can believe it. And I love it.

Obviously we’re not planning big dinners out with tons of friends, or flying to some fun far-off location, or even stopping for drinks at the bar.

So I put together some fun 40th birthday ideas for celebrating at home — along with a perfect recipe for one of my favorite cocktails (and a fun way to share it with friends even if you’re apart!).

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40th Birthday Ideas at Home

Turning 40 is such an amazing milestone! There’s a lot of life lived behind you, and so much more to still dream about ahead.

It’s definitely something to be celebrated, so these 40th birthday ideas are meant to help you make the most of a big milestone, even if you’re celebrating at home.

Ask for Meaningful Gifts for a 40th Birthday

One thing I did this year before my birthday was to ask some special people for specific gifts. This is something I’ve never done, but this year felt special so I decided to be bold.

From my husband, I asked if he would join me in swing dance lessons for the upcoming year. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I love that it’s an experience, rather than a thing.

And from my parents, I asked them to both somehow record their life stories for me. My mom is writing hers and my dad is creating voice recordings of his. I’m so excited to have those in our family.

Think about gifts that would truly be meaningful and precious to you, and include those in your 40th birthday ideas.

Make a Signature Cocktail

For the actual celebration day, you’ve gotta have a little cocktail! We decided to go with one of my very favorite classic cocktails — the perfect margarita.

There’s not much I love more than a night of chips, guac, and margaritas. So we celebrated accordingly!

I was so happy to partner with Agalima to mix the perfect margarita. The Agalima Authentic Margarita Mix is so key for creating cocktails at home — it’s a foolproof way to mix a margarita that’s top-notch, every single time.

I love that Agalima uses the purest, certified organic ingredients. You can really taste the difference in the light, fresh cocktails!

Ingredients

• 2 oz Agalima Authentic Margarita Mix
• 3 oz tequila
• 1 oz orange triple sec liqueur
• ice
• lime for garnish
• salt for rim (optional)

1. If desired, rim your glass with salt by running a lime wedge around the rim and dipping the rim in salt.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
3. Add Agalima Margarita Mix, tequila, and triple sec. Shake vigorously.
4. Pour into glass. Add a lime for garnish and enjoy!

Share it With Friends from Afar!

Normally, I would be celebrating my birthday surrounded by friends and family! But as things are a bit different this year, I wanted to find a way to toast to the people I love even if we can’t be together.

So we decided to take our Agalima Margarita cocktails to friends!

After mixing individual cocktails for my girlfriends, I bottled and sealed them in individual mason jars. I added a little extra package of garnishes and straws and dropped the cocktails off on my friends’ doorsteps.

If you want to to the same, here’s how you can!

1. Pour your ingredients into an individual mason jar. Don’t add ice. Seal the jar completely.
2. Add a package of extras like garnishes, straws, or fun little party favors.
3. Deliver to your friends.
4. Instruct your friends to add ice to the mason jar, place the lid on and shake it up, then enjoy!

The team at Agalima was so sweet to even send a few extra branded pieces to deliver to my friends! So I was able to give little gifties along with the cocktails. Extra fun!

Add Some Decorations (Even If It’s Just For You)

Celebrations at home are made extra special with just a bit of decor. One of my favorite party decoration tricks is to make a sparkly backdrop that takes just a few minutes!

Another party decor idea that packs a major punch is to bring in some colorful florals! This floral wall is spectacular but easy on the budget and fun to make.

Whether you try one of these or create your own 40th birthday ideas, adding some decor at home will make things feel extra festive.

Be In All the Photos

Take a whole slew of photos and be in them all! A 40th birthday is worth celebrating and remembering, whether you’re out on the town or at home.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to create memories, especially if you add some fun decorations or photo backdrops like we mentioned above.

You’ll always look back on those photos and remember your big day.

40th Birthday Idea: Set intentions

Finally, I love the idea of taking this big day to check in with yourself on what you’d like your upcoming years to look like.

Take the opportunity to reflect on the past few years and really get a clear vision of what the next few might hold. Set some intentions or hopes for the years ahead. Jot them down and keep them somewhere special for yourself.

Have Fun!

And otherwise, have fun! These 40th birthday ideas are just a few ways to celebrate yourself and the people you love. But there’s no wrong way to celebrate!

I’d love to hear your other 40th birthday ideas, or any way that you love to celebrate your birthday in the comments. xoxo

This post is sponsored by Agalima. All ideas and opinions are my very own. Thank you for being supportive of the partners who help keep Lovely Indeed rocking!