Slumber Party Theme for a 50th Birthday Party

Hey girl! You’re waaayy too sophisticated for a slumber party theme now that you’re turning 50, right? Uh-uh, no way. A sleepover with your galpals could be just the thing for catching up on long-lost bonding time and a great idea for good times on your 50th!  It’s a fun and creative party idea that conjures up that good ol’ spirit of play.

If you want to reduce stress, do something a little different, and create a forever-memory with your BFFs, consider a slumber party theme.

A slumber party is more close-knit and intimate than other types of parties, so be sure to invite a shortlist of only your most favorite girls. Have them over for an evening of secrets and laughter (or giggles, depending upon how young-at-heart they are).

Back when you were twenty-something, a slumber party theme meant jammies, cocktails and staying up all night. But now that you’re turning 50,  guess what?  Nothing has changed!  … Except for the staying up all night, part.  Oh, oh, oh! We ladies need our shuteye. 😉

So without further adieu, here are my ideas on how to use a slumber party theme to create a very special birthday fit for your 50th milestone year.

Establish a Dress Code for You Slumber Party Theme

How can you use a slumber party theme and give it the sparkle it deserves?  Easy!  Make it shine with lots of glam, but do it in your own unique style.

One example is to impose a dress code!  That’s right.  Set the mood at your overnight event by requiring guests to dress in some kind of animal print.  A few items that come to mind are leopard skin leggings, zebra tees or hoodies, or silk tiger-print robes.  These can be paired with boa slippers  or fluffy sherpa booties.

It’s not about getting dolled up, although it could be if you wanted it to.  It’s more about having fun, getting creative and kicking off the festivities with something very girlish.

Drinkiepoo Options

Now that you have your attire worked out, what shall you hold in your hand?

Ahh-haa. A beverage could work!

With any grown-up birthday party, you’ll want some kind of signature drink.  This could be an adult beverage or it could be a virgin cocktail, punch or even fancy water.  It all depends upon you and your girlfriends’ tastes.

Speaking of tastes … One of the good things about being 50 is, you don’t have to have a man around and can party with the girls and have a great time!

And one of the best things about a sleepvoer is, everbody’s safe!  You can party as hearty as you want and there will be no man-drama crashing your party.  Or any other type of crashes, for that matter.

That’s all just another way of saying, if you and your girls are drinkers, put out the good stuff!  If you’re a mixed crowd of drinkers and tea totallers, try this combination of cocktails for your slumber party theme. They all share the same ingredients, which makes your set up easy and your expenses lower.

Fizzy and Fabulous Cocktails

This is a sparkling wine cocktail with several variations. I chose this because of it’s fizzy-femininity.  Nothing looks girlier than a nice champagne flute.  I also chose it because these are light cocktails, easy to prepare and deliciously pared with fruit and light finger foods.

Whatever you do, don’t even think about using low-priced champagne.  And maybe give prosecco a try.  It’s growing in popularity and you can probably find it on sale.  It’s dry, crisp and light. Like champange, serve well-chilled. Add some berries and let them float!  By the way, either champagne or prosecco can be used in these recipes.

Brenda’s Champagne Cocktail:

• Prosecco or Champagne, ice cold
• Orange Juice
• Cherry Liquere of choice

Using your favorite flute, fill your glass 2/3 full with champagne or prosecco.  Follow up with orange juice and hit the cocktail with a splash of cherry liquere. Sip, don’t stir.

For a drier twist on the above, try this recipe for Mismosas with Mango and Grapefruit or this Raspberry Acai Mint spritzer idea, for a healthy fizz.

Virgin Mimosas:  Chill sparkling water until it’s icy cold. Serve with the same fruit as above.  Now both drinkers and non-drinkers can unite.

Aren’t those some cool liquid refreshment recipes for your slumber party theme?

Menu

I think a slumber party theme calls for lots of finger foods on display for grazing.  Snacks and small sandwiches would work wonderfully. If you and your girls are dieting, it’s really not a problem and really an opportunity to try out those special recipes you’ve never gotten around to.  Make some gluten free pizza, serve wheat-free crackers with cheese or even a low carb cake.

Here are a few diet recipes for you to try, if desired.  They are healthy and super easy.  You can adjust them according to your diet preferences:

Lettuce-Taco Cups

• Large butter lettuce leaves, washed and trimmed
• Ground beef or ground turkey
• Reduced sodium taco seasoning
• Taco garnishes (shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion)
• Light sour cream
• Shredded cheese

Brown the meat and drain.  Add the taco seasoning per package directions.  Once simmered and done, fill the lettuce leaves with the beef and garnish with remaining items. Or place the ingredients in small bowls and let the girls make their own.

Diet Nachos 

For those who prefer nachos over tacos…

• Baked tortilla chips
• Fat-free refried beans
• Light shredded cheese
• Taco garnishes from above
• Salsa

Place all items in individual small bowls near a microwave.  Let guests prepare their own and heat their beans and cheese.  Then complete their nachos by layering the ingredients on top.  Serve with salsa.

Guacamole and Veggie Chips

• 3 ripe Haas avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/2 small onion, diced (purple onion, if desired)
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Place the avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add garlic, onion and tomato, mix well.  Add the salt and a few drops of hot sauce to finish. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

**Veggie Chips**

Low calorie/low carb/fat free options for dipping are any vegetable you like.  Ideas include chilled and sliced jicama, zucchini rounds, radish rounds, cucumber rounds, carrot slices, and celery sticks.  Whatever you can think of that will hold a dip will work!

Skinny Dip with Chips

• 1 can white beans of choice (Cannelini, Navy, etc.)
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or chicken broth for a lower calorie version)
• Salt to taste, or none, depending on your preference

Rinse and drain the beans thoroughly.  Place in a food processor and pulse for 4 or 5 seconds.  Throw in the garlic clove and pulse again.  Continue pulsing while drizzling in olive oil or broth until smooth and of desired consistency.

Place in a serving bowl and surround with veggie chips.

Herbed Popcorn

• 1/2 cup popping corn
• 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• Cooking oil spray

Pop your corn in your favorite hot air popper or microwave popper until done.  Spray with cooking spray then sprinkle on thyme and black pepper.  Shake bowl vigorously to distribute seasonings.  Serve hot.

Healthy Fruit Dessert

• Vanilla yogurt (full fat greek, light or sugar free, your choice)
• Berries of choice (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc.)
• Granola of choice

Wash and clean the berries, then drain. Place a healthy dollop of yogurt at the bottom of a pretty stemmed glass.  Place a layer of berries on top of the yogurt.  Alternate with yogurt and berry layers to desired serving size, then top with granola.  Serve immediately.

The Birthday Cake

Why not have a decorate-your-own cupcake bar for your slumber party theme birthday party?  Here’s a recipe you can try.

• 1 package sugar free cake mix (your choice of flavors)
• Skim milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce instead of package-instructed oil
• 3 eggs (whites only, for even lower calories)
• Foil or paper muffin wrappers

Prepare the cake mix per package directions, substituting the remaining ingredients for those listed on the package.  Pour into muffin cups and bake as directed. Cool.

**Frosting**

• 1 package instant fat free/sugar free pudding mix (your choice of flavors)
• 1 container light or sugar free whipped topping
• Skim milk, as needed

Place pudding mix in a medium bowl. Fold in whipped topping, stirring until well-combined. If needed, add one tablespoon of skim milk at a time to moisten mixture and achieve spreadable, whipped consistency.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.  Place near cupcakes and let guests decorate their own.

**Decorative Garnishes**

Expand your cupcake station by putting out small bowls of sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and mini chocolate chips.  You can also provide chopped nuts and chopped, crispy protein bars for interesting toppings without blowing a diet.

Activities

Have a Movie Festival

Watching your favorite leading man in movies at a slumber party might be slightly cliche, but who cares when you’re getting a heavy dose of some of the most handsome guys in the movie business?  Right, girls? Actually, if you’re like me, it’s not their looks that count. It’s their personality!  (:D Yeah, right.  Uh-huh.)

Well, I’ve put together a list of movies you might include at your party.  They’re listed by  Hollywood hearthrob name followed by the title of their hunkiest roles, in my opinion.  I know they’re not new-release films, but they’re all quite effective for an evening of star gazing. Enjoy!

• Johnny Depp – Chocolat (2000) …or any movie starring Johnny D. 😉
• Leo DiCaprio – Titanic (1997)
• Brad Pitt – Legends of the Fall (1994)
• Tom Cruise – Risky Business (1983)
• Will Smith – Wild, Wild West (1999)
• George Clooney – One Fine Day (1996)
• Ryan Reynolds – The Proposal (2009)
• Mark Wahlberg – Fear (1996)
• Matthew McConaughay – Magic Mike (2012)
• Christian Bale – Batman Begins (2005)
• Patrick Swayze (RIP) – Dirty Dancing (1987) or Ghost (1990)
• Denzel Washington – American Gangster (2007)
• Jude Law – Cold Mountain  (2003)
• Harvey Keitel – The Piano (1993)
• Hugh Jackman – Kate & Leopold (2001)

Other Ideas

If you want to layer your activities, here are some other things you can try…

Magazine Conversation Starters – Have each guest bring a favortie magazine, such as a fasion or decorator magazine – and put them out on the table. Allow your guests to browse and start conversations focused on the magazine content – like favorite outfits or upcoming sales and/or plans for your next bedroom makeover.

Gossip – For a more “mature” theme, keep it clean. No bashing or gossiping.  Do you and your girls think you can do it?  Make it a game and every time someone bashes, they either put a coin in a specified jar, or they have to reveal a secret about themselves or relationship.

Make Something! – For you creative types, bring your supplies.  Make it a scrapbooking party or a knitting opportunity, etc.

Sleeping Arrangements

So you’ve got your guest list, your entertainment options and your menu thought out.  Now where is everyone going to sleep?

If you’ve got a larger home, this will be easy. Beds can be shared and sofas converted to sleeping space. But what if your place is small and you don’t have spare rooms?

Inflatable beds are very comfortable and not very expensive. You can buy them from Walmart or Amazon. I have always had luck with the Intex brand, but don’t like the kind with the horizontal channels (too cheap and uncomfortable).  Vertical channels are more comfortable.  The type with the built-in air pumps are better and easier to use, but more expensive.  You can buy one pump and use it on several beds to save money.  These days, many people have their own inflatable bed and if so, they can easily bring them along with a sleep bag for bedding.

Set the beds up in the living room or anywhere you have space.  It’s a slumber party theme, so it doesn’t have to be perfect. Hanging out on your beds and talking is a perfectly acceptable activity at a sleepover.

Hotel/Spa for a Higher End Party

If you’ve got the budget, consider checking into a hotel, maybe one with a jacuzzi suite.  Make sure the jacuzzi is large enough for your guests to enjoy, then order champagne and room service.  Have a long, soothing soak while conversing with the group, a little soft music in the background, then give yourselves facials and manicures.  If you can afford a more upscale hotel, you could reserve a masseuse to come to your room and give you all a rub down, or take the party to the spa, which is usually located on the lower level. This royal treatment is surely meant to make the birthday girl feel special.