HOW TO CELEBRATE YOUR 30’s?

Let’s be honest. After 25, we’re not really happy about our anniversaries anymore, cause we know we’re getting closer to that big 3-0. What is it that makes us scared for that 3-number so much? Do we associate it with a type of life that we can’t compare with? Does it feel like playtime is over? Why? How come? I have no idea. But what I do know is that my becoming 30 was different from 29 and everything before that. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to celebrate huge & do exactly what I wanted. From a 30-year old perspective, here are some of my mature tips: This is how to celebrate your 30’s in style.

In the months before my birthday it felt like I would get a seizure quite a few times. There seems to be so much pressure on thirty. What have you achieved? Are you settled? By the time my birthday month approached I really wondered if I was ready for 30?

The friends that turned 30 before me, simply hired a bar or a barn and had everyone come for drinks and dancing. 4 hours of complete fun and voila, their thirties had begun. Although they seemed to have the life that I imagined at thirty – but did not want by the way – (mortgage, steady relationship, even a child or two) I did not take an example of their way of celebrating their thirties. Somehow that didn’t feel like my party. And this time I really wanted it to be my party. During previous birthdays which I had celebrated in a bar, I sometimes felt like a visitor on my own birthday; not this time!

Exactly one month before my birthday my mom and I discussed what I should do. A dinner? A bar? An event location? The more possibilities we discussed the more hopeless I felt. Maybe because deep down I had had an idea of the ultimate birthday but I just didn’t believe that I could make it happen: a sleepover party. Somehow my mom and I came to the point where we started making jokes and the theme ‘children’s party’ including a ball box, candy & games came up. That’s when I got excited and although I still had to fill in the details I knew I was ready to send invitations to my friends about this children’s party including sleep over that I was going to throw just a month later.

I’m not gonna lie… organizing a birthday has proven not to be my thing. Damn, what a hell of a job it is! It took up so much of my precious time and even the day before my birthday I still had to run a few errands to get everything in place. But once the 16th of March had started, I was in awe of what my birthday was going to look like and I was sure that it would be a succes.

For this amazing children’s party of mine I had hired a holiday farm via Airbnb, which offered accommodation for 16 people and had a cozy but spacious living room with bar. The host was super sweet and I felt at home from the moment I stepped inside. In fact, it was going to be my home for at least one night, cause after all this was going to partly be a pajama party. The place had everything we needed: 4 bathrooms, 2 separate toilets, a kitchen, a TV, wifi. Litterally everything. I am so happy for Airbnb to exist as they offer such a broad amount & type of accommodations; most of them being so authentic. And this one completely matched my style and needs.

I also hired some oversized games. For example I had a fun shuffleboard, three in a row, a darts board, a shiver spiral, a grab bag with actual gifts for my guests and I had Disney playing on TV. Besides creating my own little amusement park I also had a DJ playing my favorite songs from back when I was young until now.

Needless to say I had the best evening of my life when all of my friends were there to celebrate & dance with me. The fun really kicked off when my stripper arrived (no this one I had not called upon myself, but I did enjoy it very much). It was so so funny and everybody was immediately in their crazy & happy mood. Once I blew out my candles I knew that one wish had already come true: I was living my best life, or at least my best birthday. The best part about all this is that 14 of my friends (incl my sister and parents) did not have to leave until the day after as they were sleeping over. Without the rush to get home, we danced in our pajamas, had popcorn, played hide and seek in the farm and stayed up late sharing secrets.

My birthday was everything I wished for and more. When I read this back myself, I am a again so happy that I celebrated my birthday the way I wanted to and I just wanted to give you some quick tips:

• Age is but a number. It doesn’t matter whether you turn 16, 30, 50 or 90. You are you and you will always be you. Personally, I hope that the child inside of me will forever live on and keep me playful. No age should ever come with restrictions and no age will ever be a deadline for what you should have accomplished. Do expect inflatables on my 50th!
• Stick to your original plan & trust that it will work out. Many times during the month before my birthday I wondered if my plan would be possible. I mean, it was kind of big for “just a birthday”. Would friends even want to sleep over? But I am happy that I pulled through, cause it was even better than expected.
• It’s your party, cry if you want to. Speech lined up? Shout it out! A few weeks before my birthday I decided I wanted to say a few things to my friends and family on my birthday. However, I was super scared to do it and knew that I might have to cry. However, I asked the DJ for a microphone before I could change my mind and although I had tears rolling off my cheeks throughout 80% of my speech it felt so good to tell my friends and family how grateful I was for them and ask them to, since my brother had never made it to this age, live this evening as though there would not be a tomorrow. And that is exactly what we did…

I sincerely hope my birthday story and tips helped you on the way for your birthday. I know the struggle, the pressure and the despair of celebrating a big birthday. But I also know the pleasure, the fun and the love it can bring if you do it the way that suits you. How is all this for you? Got any other tips you’d like to share?

Watch the full birthday vlog here