40th Birthday Gift Ideas

You don’t turn forty every day, nor do your friends or family. Entering a new decade makes this a milestone birthday worth celebrating, and you’ll want to mark the occasion with a perfect gift. Birthdays are about celebrating your life with your family and loved ones, looking back at all of your accomplishments, and, most importantly, eating cake! Below is a quick guide to everything you need to know about turning forty.

What is a good theme for a 40th birthday party?

Every good party needs a theme. Depending on the mood of your party, there is a lot to choose from. You can pick themes from your favorite movies, such as Alice in Wonderland or Arabian Nights. You can have themes from your favorite places, such as Paris or New York. You can have era themes, such as the ’70s or ’80s. You can have color themes like wedding colors or black and white. If you’re feeling particularly morbid, you can even have an “over-the-hill” theme decorated with vultures, tombstones, and everything black.

What are some fun things to do on your 40th birthday?

Hitting a birthday milestone is something that should be celebrated! So when thinking about your day, or planning one for someone else, don’t be afraid to go out on a limb and do something a little different than on other birthdays. Consider the following ideas:

• Rent a house a couple of hours away
• Rent out a roller skating rink
• Volunteer for something you care about
• Take a pottery class
• Host a small dinner party
• Hire a private chef
• Plan a potluck
• Tour a brewery
• Go wine tasting
• Make sourdough
• Attend karaoke night
• Rent out a theater
• Host a game night
• Go bowling
• Take a “best friends only” trip
• Costume party
• Hire a magician
• Take a dance class
• Organize a field day
• At-home spa day

What gifts do men like most?

Shopping for men can be hard. They rarely tell you exactly what they want, and you’re left guessing and hoping they like whatever you give them. So we’ve researched some of the most well-received 40th birthday gifts for men that we’ll list below for you to consider.

Tech

If the man you’re buying for is into technology, consider getting him a portable charger he can keep in his car (this one doubles as a tracker to help you find your car if you can’t remember where you parked it), a sleek power bank for times he’s away from a charger, a good pair of noise-canceling headphones like air pods or this kind here, or the video doorbell he’s mentioned in passing a few too many times. A waterproof shower speaker, his own personal assistant (enter Amazon Dot/Echo), a wifi router, a touchscreen display cleaner, or an indoor projector are all things that he’d probably never buy for himself but would come to love very quickly. Oh, don’t forget these Nintendo Switch controller holders if he’s a gamer.

Clothing

If the guy you’re shopping for hates shopping and seems to have no style whatsoever, then maybe getting him a men’s clothing box would be a welcome gift. That way, he gets new, stylish clothes that aren’t worn out, but he doesn’t have to go to the trouble of leaving the house and wandering around a store in hopes he finds something suitable. Another fun option is a box of fun, colorful socks or a premium pair of sweatpants.

Self-Care

Self-care is important for everyone, even though messages these days tend to skew toward women. Some self-care items a man would enjoy include a beard comb (if he has a beard) or this entire beard kit, this BRO face mask, these shower steamers, this men’s skincare set, this repairing balm for the working feet,  

Hobbies

This list only touches on some of the most common hobbies, but we encourage you to get something that’s unique to your gift receiver and not just something you assume he’ll like.

• Cooking: Grill set, wood smoked bbq grill set, sparkling water maker, hot sauce gift pack, travel mug, knife set, electric corkscrew, grill brush set, whiskey glass set, cast iron reversible grill/griddle, 
• Fitness: Running shoes, Fitbit, push-up stand, ab roller wheels, resistance band set, pull-up bar, neck massage pillow, or this massage gun
• Outdoors: tabletop firepit, camera drone, K9 sports sack (if he has a dog)
• Travel: road cooler, canvas duffle bag, 4-piece packing travel organizer cubes, 
• Art: personalized art set, this sketching kit, a tabletop easel set, or a virtual art class
• Reading: kindle, audible subscription, this book that answers absurd hypothetical questions 
• Tinkering: magnetic wristband for holding screws or bits, wallet tool, this 5-in-1 tool pen
• Other: scratch-off movie poster, this custom royal pet portrait for his dog 

What Gifts Do Women Like Most?

While the go-to gifts for women are often chocolate gifts, flower bouquets, or jewelry, there are many things women appreciate that are more personal, especially if you’re looking for the best gifts for your wife. The best thing to remember when searching for the right birthday gift idea is to keep the person in mind—their personality, interests, and goals. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Tech

With so many prevalent technological advances, finding a tech item that someone doesn’t have is hard. A few intriguing ones she’s sure to like include:

• A smart reusable notebook that lets her have the benefit of physically writing but can upload anything she writes or draws directly to Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox, an email, and more.
• A smart water bottle that tracks how much she sips and lights up when it’s been a while
• A mini smart printer that can connect to any smartphone via Bluetooth
• Leather wireless charging station where she can charge your phone and drop her keys and sunglasses without losing them
• Auto face-tracking tripod for video chats while she’s working or recording a video for social media

Travel

There are so many travel gifts to choose from that we know she’ll like, especially now that she has some experience under her belt. And, if she has kids, they’re probably old enough to be left alone with the grandparents for a weekend, allowing her to travel without them. So below are some gifts we’d think she’d like to make traveling a little easier.

• This travel cord roll
• This custom jewelry travel case for keeping everything safe and contained
• These national park notebooks for any travel thoughts or sentiments
• This pocket blanket will take up minimal space but might be nice on an unexpectedly chilly evening
• This phone-charging passport holder can hold a passport, phone, a cord, a couple of cards, and a couple of bills (pretty much what you take on a plane)
• This world travel scratch-off poster will give her something to look forward to, and it makes a lovely decor item
• This travel stub diary where she can safely keep the evidence of her travels

Clothing

If you don’t know certain items she’s had her eye on, you can still get clothing while avoiding the hassles of size or proper fit. Consider scarves, hats, those expensive sunglasses she’d never buy for herself, a new bag, or some new jewelry like this fabulous 40 milestone necklace. Another option is to gift her a clothing gift card or subscription box like one of these.

Self-Care

We hope you’re not surprised to see this section. This busy world is finally realizing how important it is to take some quiet time for oneself, and these self-care items are exactly what your birthday girl needs to do just that.

• This De-Stress gift set
• This Sending Sunshine care package
• A One Question a Day Journal that will help her self-care journey for three years
• This scratch-off poster with 100 things to do for self-care
• This hygge self-care gift box that’s the equivalent of a hug in a box
• This Hack Your Nervous System anti-anxiety deck
• These Invigorate shower steamers turn an ordinary shower into a spa-like experience

Hobbies

It’s far from comprehensive, but this list of popular hobbies can get your mind turning about her personal interests and what you could give her.

• Cooking: homemade bagel-making kit, new kitchenware since 20 years of use shows, these butter and cheese huggers that eliminate the ends getting dry, crusty, and moldy, these stacking salt blends that she’s been needing since she stepped out of the PB&J and Ramen Noodles phase of her life
• Sewing/Crocheting/Knitting: this tool caddy and yarn bowl will keep that ball of yarn from rolling halfway across the room. Or try this subscription to a crochet basics course
• Art: Women in Art Book, Paint with Bob Ross Mug, We Are Colorful activity book, WhatchamaDRAWit - a fun-sized drawing game
• Reading: This Book Nook reading valet with a place for everything you need while having a good read, Fell Asleep Here magnetic bookmark, these very wise owl eyeglass holders, and this 100 Books scratch-off poster

What are some funny 40th birthday gifts?

Sometimes turning 40 can be hard on people because, let’s just say it: middle age. Getting them a funny gift can help ease feelings of worry, disappointment, or dejection. These are also fun gift ideas for people who have everything.

• DIY “Getting Old” Kit: Depends, denture cream, pain-relief roll-on gel, supportive shoe inserts, nap schedule, ibuprofen, viagra (for a man) or menopause kit for a woman, this “speak loudly and clearly” shirt and this customized vintage button
• This funny hat that someone confident would totally wear
• Specialized toilet paper
• May the “forties” be with you Star Wars t-shirt or mug
• This funny unicorn makeup bag
• These “39 +” pair of socks

What should you get your 40-year-old mom for her birthday?

The best gift idea for your mother involves personal memories. This could be photos, scrapbooks, letters, or an outing together. A digital picture frame where photos can be uploaded is a favorite among many mothers. Warm slippers or bathrobes, fuzzy socks, coffee makers, bath bombs, aprons, kitchenware, cameras, blankets, and shoulder bags are also great ideas. 

What is an unforgettable gift?

The unforgettable gift will always be something personal with meaning. Many unforgettable gifts are shared experiences that create memories you can reflect on. These can be overnight vacations, trips to zoos or football games, spa days, friends-only trips, or checking off a bucket list item. Personalized, illustrated books can be cherished for years as well. If you want to give the perfect 40th birthday gift that is—hopefully—unforgettable, then choose to put some thought into it as you make it unique to the relationship you have with that person. 

What makes a 40th birthday special?

A quote from W. B. Pitkin states: “Life Begins at Forty.” The literal term for a 40th birthday is called a “Ruby Jubilee.” Forty is spiritually significant since it marks the middle of your life. It symbolizes transformation as you look both back at your past and ahead at your future. During your celebration, help the one you’re celebrating look forward to their next decade with excitement and help them know how much they are loved with a unique 40th birthday box.

How Can Spoonful Help Me?

Spoonful of Comfort is pretty much a memorable, home-cooked meal in a box with the luxury of being delivered. It has a box of comforting soup, rolls, and treats for all kinds of special occasions, making you prepared for each opportunity for Christmas gifts or an anniversary gift. Each care package is uniquely decorated with a fun or comforting message. It would be a great gift for anyone hitting their 40th birthday milestone. Who doesn’t like delicious food?