Do you want to celebrate dad’s birthday in such a way that he will never forget? Here are a few creative and fun birthday party ideas that will blow dad’s mind.

Throw a Theme Party from Dad’s Decade

Image via Flickr By Nick J Webb

If he is turning 40, then throw a party based on 1940s. Have all of your guests dress in 1940s style clothing, with a focus on Rosie the Riveter outfits, World War II styles, and bugle beads. For a 1950s event, throw a sock hop party or have a retro barbecue, and wear outfits inspired by the movie Grease. These parties can range from mild to wild, depending on the audience. Get great gift ideas for men to enhance the party, or keep the gifts contemporary for your guest of honor. These gifts will be remembered for years to come. It’s all about the experience.

Have a This Is Your Life Party

Have people from dad’s past, such as school teachers, grandparents, and friends, all tell stories about when they knew him. For those people who cannot attend in person, have a guest substitute help with the storytelling. Make the event humorous and fun, and turn it into a roast for your dad. If your guests are creative, have them include characters such as the ghost of Christmas past, favorite movies roles, or even the police in their stories. Just remember that this is a celebration of the best parts of dad’s life.

Celebrate a Milestone

Forty is a big birthday. Commemorate it with a mock funeral for dad. Have everyone dress in black. Ask guests to read eulogies mourning the loss of youth and the onset of old age. Sign him up for AARP. Rent a walker. Have guests dress like nurses. Supply gag gifts such as prunes and denture adhesive to make the event humorous. If this milestone birthday is more traumatic than funny for dad, use the event to show him how much life he has left.

Recreate a Movie

Take dad’s favorite movie and have his friends and family dress up as characters from the movie. Study a few lines, and then just ad lib. This can be a wonderful surprise party theme, too. Hit the clubs or go to dinner dressed as characters. It will draw attention to the guest of honor, and the world will help you celebrate, too. A few great possibilities for a movie theme dad will love include Star Wars, X-Men, and Captain America.

Design a Treasure Hunt

Make dad work for his party in a fun way. He has to find the party based on the clues you’ve left. If dad would rather let the party come to him, your treasure hunt can involve all of the guests. Ask everyone to assemble the clues to find dad. Have them check in on social media and post pictures along the way to create a fun account of what must be a wonderful birthday for dad.

Take a Trip

Take him someplace that he has always wanted to go. Have him scratch something off of his bucket list. Do something that is important to him. Visit the Grand Canyon, jump out of an airplane, learn to scuba dive in the Caribbean, or go on an eco tour. The possibilities are pretty much endless. Make it the trip of a lifetime, and let the focus be on him.

Celebrate with a Color Party

Make sure you know what dad’s favorite color is. If it’s green, then have a green party. If it is blue, have a cool blue-themed party. Have everyone dress the color, and make sure all of the food fits the theme. Get creative and oversaturate the festivities with his favorite hues.

Throw an Oscar Event

Have guests dress up as their favorite Hollywood star. Use door prizes and draw names as you read off the Oscar categories. Be sure to induct dad into the Hall of Fame. Have a guest give a speech about his life, focusing on all the roles dad has played. Celebrate dad and have fun.

Whichever theme you choose, be sure to go over the top. The more people who take part, the more fun the event will be. Rent decorations and costumes, and celebrate dad’s birthday in style.