A 30th birthday is not always the happiest day in a person’s life. Some sink happily into the next decade of their lives, while others go in fighting. Bring some laughter and lightness to the party of your soon-to-be 30-year-old loved one. Plan some games that will get everyone giggling and bring a certain levity to the whole affair.
Know Your Guest
Make sure you know the personality and the feelings of the birthday girl. It’s not even worth planning light-hearted games if she’s going to run out of the room crying or avoid the party altogether. Also, it help to know some facts about your guest of honor. Make the games as personal as possible to celebrate the life of this 30-year-old.
Contests
Start the party off with laughs by asking guests to come prepared. Ask each guest to dress as the guest of honor. To make it easier, ask them to focus on the time when they met or during a significant time in his life, such as his college days, his career or high school. As guests each arrive, the laughter and shouts of “I remember that” will erupt.
Numbers
Base a game or two on the number 30. After all, that’s a great number of years, but it is also a lot of marshmallows, socks or otherwise. See who can stuff all 30 marshmallows into their mouths, without swallowing or choking. Play a silly relay game and race to put on 30 socks, 30 T-shirts or some other group of items. Personalize this game to the birthday girl or boy. If she’s a swimmer, use goggles. Guests can also race to see who can move 30 of something from one place to another.
Trivia
Put together a trivia game about the guest of honor. Instead of dull questions about dates and times, gather silly and nearly embarrassing bits of trivia. Think of what she wore to prom and who she went with. Consider her favorite stuffed animal and her childhood toys. You can also use a trivia game about life and culture one or two decades ago.
Involve Everyone
The birthday girl or boy should not have to go through this humiliation alone. Get everyone involved in the games. Have everyone bring a baby picture, a grade school picture, a prom picture and a college picture. Play a matching game as you roar with laughter about how much things have changed.
