What to do on a birthday ending in Zero

[Lord Garth]

When I turned 10, it was just a normal kid's birthday, and I went to see Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on top of it.

When I turned 20, not much. My father was visiting Iran overseas, while I was at home. It was pretty much just another day. Not that turning 20 was a Huge Deal to begin with. It was sandwiched between 18 -- when I went hiking in New Hampshire -- and 21, where the first thing I did when I woke up was buy a beer for the sole reason of because I could, and then went to the bar at night.

So 30 was the first birthday where having a Zero at the end had any significance. I went to Top of the Hub in Boston. A rotating restaurant on the 52nd floor of a skyscraper.

I wanted to do Something Big for 40 too. I hit the big Four-Oh in a month-and-a-half. I wanted to go to Hawaii. Then I scaled that down to wanting to see the Enterprise exhibit in New York. But now my money situation kind of sucks. Actually, not "kind of". It's pretty bad. But I only hit a decade-milestone once every 10 years, so I should do something even if the snapshot turning 40 caught me at isn't so great.

So what do you do for these types of birthdays or what do you recommend? Don't say "treat it like just another day" because that's not what I'm going to do.

And what have you done on your zero-ending birthdays?

 

[Butters]

I don’t tend to do anything special for me. The usual birthday affair is a family feast at an Indian restaurant. Can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

 

[Lord Garth]

Something that doesn't involve money or others spending money. That's what I'm going to do.

 

[Marynator]

I didn't used to have this problem, but I'm starting to live in denial about my age.

 

[Lord Garth]

I didn't used to have this problem, but I'm starting to live in denial about my age.

Last year I threw a celebration for the "10th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday".

 

[Doom Shepherd]

The last birthday I had with a number of any significance was 47.
The one before that was 42.
My decadal birthdays have been entirely unmemorable, and I prefer to keep them that way, as I do the others. Only two events of any significance occur on my birthday:

1 My mother gives me a tray of her specially made low-sugar pumpkin cake, which is my second favorite thing in the universe.
2. My wife gives me my first favorite thing in the universe.

 

[Armus]

I hate to sound bitter but I stopped celebrating birthdays at 30. Of course I'm always game when a friend or family offers me a birthday lunch or dinner. I turn 40 in a year, perhaps If I'm feeling good about life, I will do something special to commemorate it.

 

[auntiehill]

@LordGarth, first off....hush up, young'un. And get off my lawn.

I'm all for celebrating. Life is short; celebrate what you can, while you can. Any day above ground is a good one. There are several things you can do for your birthday that won't cost several zeros.

Going to a movie with your best friends, and then all going out to dinner together--this has been hubby's go-to birthday celebration on the "big" years.

For my 40th, hubby and I took a weekend and drove to North Texas, so we could ride one of the old steam trains through a state park. It was a lot of fun.

One of my favorite big birthday to-dos is going to the local zoo or wildlife park and having an "encounter" with one of the animals. for my 45th, I got to go behind the scenes at Moody Gardens and see the two large river otters. It was wonderful. They are such beautiful animals and the trainers made it a lot of fun. For my upcoming 50th, I hope to go to the Houston Zoo and have animal encounter tour with one of the large animals (but I will have to go by myself, I think; it's a bit pricey). Then Hubby will take me out somewhere fancy.

One great birthday was when hubby surprised me by taking me to grand opening of an exhibit at the museum of fine art. They were having a big German Day celebration to mark the opening of the German Expressionists exhibit. Not only did they have some wonderful art, but we got free pretzels and root beer, and got to watch folk dancers and bands.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Get depressed?!

 

[Mojochi]

I honestly haven't celebrated a birthday since I was probably 16. However, if I was going to recognize a milestone of any kind, even the likes of those zero years, then my decision for myself would be to find a way to change my life

Since those birthdays represent the beginning/end of a decade, & we only get 8 - 10 of those, it's reasonable to think each of those decades represents a different chapter in our lives, that in each one we have different lives we're living, most of us, in multitudes of ways.

So those zero years might be a good time to take a monumental restock of oneself & decide what matters about who you've been, & what should change for the next iteration. Do something that affects you internally. Take a trip, if you can, get outside of yourself

I tell you what, in all seriousness, if money is tight & a trip is out of the question, usually for less than 100 bucks, you could experiment with a sensory deprivation tank experience. I've been thinking about trying it. Take a trip away from being YOU, because that's the best way to see yourself objectively. It may not seem like much, but it might be fun or interesting, it may give you a laugh, or be more meaningful. Who knows?

 

[Lord Garth]

Since those birthdays represent the beginning/end of a decade, & we only get 8 - 10 of those, it's reasonable to think each of those decades represents a different chapter in our lives, that in each one we have different lives we're living, most of us, in multitudes of ways.

One of the funny things about being born when I was (August 1979) is that every time I hit a new decade, so does the world a few months later.

 

[tafkats]

I don't do anything, but then I avoid birthdays because I hate being the focus of attention.

 

[Silvercrest]

When I turned 50, I went on a 50-mile bike ride with friends. One mile per year. (This, however, was inspired by a lady I know who went on a 70-mile bike ride to celebrate her 70th birthday. I've got nothing on that.)

Last year I threw a celebration for the "10th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday".

For the aforementioned, I preferred to say I celebrated my 39th birthday for the 12th time.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Buy a really great book, a really great beer, a really great bread, some really great cheese, take the phone off the hook and spend all day at home eating, drinking and reading. When you get tired watch a really great movie.

 

[Delta Vega]

Garth
Maybe it's best to stop counting
I've no recollections of 10, or 20 but my then wife threw a 30th party for me at home with all my relatives
For my 40th we had a repeat of my 30th with less people in attendance, with the mood more sober due to finally realising I'm getting old
For 50, it was just me and my present partner, and I was seriously depressed, mainly because I realised it was 20 and 10 years respectively since those parties, yet they seemed like yesterday
I'm now 58 and frankly the thought of being 60 soon is freaking me out.
So in short, stop counting and simply go and get fucking hammered, you don't have to go anywhere exotic to do that, go to your favourite local bar.

 

[Pondwater]

Nothing

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Honestly, at my 40est and 50est I did nothing special at all. I had a lovely cake (homemade) and spent the day in bed with a good book.

What region are you from? From my vacations in LA I recall that there is a book "Free Los Angeles" where all sorts of free events, exhibitions, shows, fairs etc. are listed by month. Maybe there is something similar available for your area?
In my experience, if you do a bit of research you can always find something interesting that costs nothing at all or hardly anything. For example: yesterday we had an international BBQ with foreign students and refugees. Awesome food (for a very moderate fee), and the biggest recipe swap in the history of our town, I daresay.
Museums and exhibitions often have free days.
At the current heat I'd recommend a picknick on the beach or river bank with friends or your SO.
Or, if you have no SO, how about going out hunting for one on your b-day? Tally-ho!

 

[RandyS]

Reading this thread made me realize something I never noticed before. I was going to offer Lord Garth some advice on his 40th birthday, and I discovered that I don't remember my own 40th birthday (2010). Ditto for 10 (1980) and 20 (1990). The only decade birthday I do remember is my 30th (2000). My mom took me out to dinner and we discussed the latest Star Trek episode (Voyager).

Huh.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Four years until I turn 40.

Besides spend a few hundred on a 25 year scotch, I’ll probably hold a party?

 

[Amaris]

When I turned 10, it was just a normal kid's birthday, and I went to see Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on top of it.

When I turned 20, not much. My father was visiting Iran overseas, while I was at home. It was pretty much just another day. Not that turning 20 was a Huge Deal to begin with. It was sandwiched between 18 -- when I went hiking in New Hampshire -- and 21, where the first thing I did when I woke up was buy a beer for the sole reason of because I could, and then went to the bar at night.

So 30 was the first birthday where having a Zero at the end had any significance. I went to Top of the Hub in Boston. A rotating restaurant on the 52nd floor of a skyscraper.

I wanted to do Something Big for 40 too. I hit the big Four-Oh in a month-and-a-half. I wanted to go to Hawaii. Then I scaled that down to wanting to see the Enterprise exhibit in New York. But now my money situation kind of sucks. Actually, not "kind of". It's pretty bad. But I only hit a decade-milestone once every 10 years, so I should do something even if the snapshot turning 40 caught me at isn't so great.

So what do you do for these types of birthdays or what do you recommend? Don't say "treat it like just another day" because that's not what I'm going to do.

And what have you done on your zero-ending birthdays?

Cry.
Then I get back to work.