50th birthday party ideas that are simple are the best way to get the ball rolling on this milestone celebration. Let the personality of the birthday girl or boy drive your decisions, and skip those prepackaged party ideas. A memorable celebration begins with close friends and family, and extends with an appreciation of what makes the person special in the eyes of those who care.

Themes for a 50th Birthday
Don't assume that a 50th birthday party needs to be a formal, buttoned-up, adult affair. There are 364 other days of the year to act like grownups. Birthdays are a great time to connect to the past and remember the things that we enjoyed when we were younger.

• Go with a themed party by channeling a favorite TV show that was popular when the birthday celebrant was a child, like Hawaii Five-0. Scenery can consist of simple palm trees created with construction paper, and drinks can be served in real or artificial pineapple cups. Decorate the cake with edible flowers and write the words “Hawaii Five-0” on the cake. Don’t forget to use the correct jargon, with phrases such as McGarrett’s famous line, “Book ’em Danno.” Don’t forget to have the Hawaii Five-0 song playing throughout the evening.
• If the party is for a man, he may enjoy a guy’s night in with his card-playing buddies. If the party is for a woman, she may enjoy a pajama party. Either way, make sure the event is held in a private home where a generous meal can be enjoyed before the alcohol appears, and where plenty of coffee is available to sober everyone up at the end of the night. A birthday cake for this type of event can be silly or sweet, plain or elaborate. The simplest way of is to make a brownie cake in advance and decorate it with frosting to spell out the person’s name. Forget candles. Get an extra tub of ice cream instead.
• Spend an evening together with close friends. Make sure the invitations are sent well in advance. Make it clear on the invitation whether gifts are welcome and whether guests should bring along their own alcohol. If the party is to be held in a private setting, collect music from the ’50s and ’60s and play 45 records on a vintage record player. If your group is particularly spry, crack out a game of Twister and see who still has a few moves under her belt. Serve sandwiches, salads and plenty of appetizers. Cake can be a simple two-layer cake or a sheet cake. What will matter most to the guest of honor is that plenty of good friends and family have gathered to celebrate the occasion.