40th Birthday Invitations – Print ‘Em, Word ‘Em, Send ‘Em

So, either you or someone close to you in turning 40. Having a party is a great idea, but what about the invitations? What kind to get? What do you say in them? And when do you send them?

The Invitation

There are several ways to get the invitations themselves.

You can purchase pre-made invitations, usually in packs of 8 or 10. These are a simple way to go, and are great if you are in a hurry. There are many styles available and should be easy to find – you probably don’t even need to go to a card store, your local grocery store may even sell them. Another advantage to getting pre-made cards is that they are a standard size and the post office will have an easy time pricing the correct postage.

Another way to get invitations is to print them on your computer. A good software package will come with templates and images that you can add to personalize the invitation. The software is very easy to use and usually has some pre-made templates that you only need to fill in the blanks, and print. Again, these cards when printed are standard size and easy to mail.

The third way to get invitations is to make them yourself. Using card stock or construction paper you can create invitations that are very personal. To send them you can purchase envelopes in bulk that come in several sizes to fit whatever size invitation you have in mind. Depending on how much embellishment you stick to the invites, you may need additional postage over a flat envelope.

The Wording

Since 40 is a milestone birthday, and is usually the first one people start to consider “old”, there are many different things you could write in the invitation to make it funny.

• They said that “life begins at 40!” I need You to come and help me celebrate the “beginning of my life”
• Age is a number and mine is now unlisted….come help me celebrate my __ birthday!
• Come help me celebrate the 1st anniversary of my 39th birthday
• Being 40 means being twice as sexy as you were when you were 20!
• For a party you are throwing for someone else: I’d say if you don’t come – he’s young and he’ll adjust – but he’s not so please come.
• *guest of honor* misses the dinosaurs. Please come to his party and cheer him up!

The Sending

For any invitations 13oz or lighter, you can mail them first class, the postage being dependent on how heavy the invitation is. Standard letters and cards are usually less than an once, which is only a single stamp. Slightly heavier cards will be a bit more. If you are in doubt, then ask someone at the postal service to check the weight of your mail.

When should you send the invitations?

• If the party is local to the guests and an informal gathering, then send the invitations about 2 weeks in advance
• If the party will be more elaborate, or require people to travel, then provide at least a month for people to respond and prepare, but you don’t need to give them more than 6 weeks.
• If the details aren’t arranged, but you want to be sure that people save the date, then a save the date card can be sent. This is a good idea for large gatherings, especially if people need to travel long distances. Usually seen for wedding dates, they are as appropriate for large birthday bashes

If you are planning a 40th birthday party for yourself or someone else, the invitations are an important element of the planning. Whether you are pressed for time, or want to put a very personal touch on them, there are plenty of options for you to consider.