But a 40^th birthday doesn’t have to be depressing, if anything, it should be the biggest celebration yet! Much like a fine wine or whiskey, we should think of ourselves as becoming more refined and, let’s face it, with age.

But, how should we tackle the tricky act of gift giving for someone turning 40? Whether you need presents for him or for her, read on for some great tips!

For him

Generally, men tend to have a bit more of a thick skin when it comes to ageing. 40? Eh, it’s just another day for them, if only it could be that easy for all of us! With that said, there’s no reason you shouldn’t treat the man in your life to an extra special day full of great gifts. So, here are five of our best ideas!

• Nose hair trimmer – Although he might not care about those unsightly long nostril hairs that seem to grow ever-longer with age, we do. That’s why you should give him a helping push if he doesn’t already own one!
• Beard/moustache wax – Despite us wanting to see the end of nose hairs, a bit of facial hair is ok, and generally quite trendy at 40, so why not help him out with some quality wax?
• Supercar experience – Is the man in your life still a boy-racer at heart? Then there will be nothing better than letting him take the wheel of a powerful supercar, he’ll be speeding around the track and feeling 19 again in no time!
• Personalised pint glass – He’ll be quite thirsty after all that driving, even if your fella is teetotal, he can still drink any tasty beverage of choice out of a lovingly designed glass. Remember – a unique and personal gift is always a good way to go.
• Self-stirring coffee mug – Because we can’t be expending precious energy at age 40 by stirring our own hot drinks now, can we?

For her

Remember, 40 is the new 30, and your gifts should reflect that. So, tell the woman in your life to put down the box of tissues because it certainly isn’t time to cry. Help her celebrate with these thoughtful gifts!

• Personalised travel map – Get one of these and mark down all the locations you know she’s been to. 40 doesn’t mean that has to stop though, so, if you plan on travelling together then make sure to highlight all the places you still want to visit!
• Personalised mug – This doesn’t have to be a self-stirrer, but make sure that you’ve got a nice birthday message engraved – “40 and fabulous!” perhaps?
• Cake topper – 40 deserves a cake, that’s for sure. And what better way to show you care than with a custom cake topper? A simple “Happy 40^th” is elegant and tasteful at the same time, pun intended.
• Compact mirror – You can never go wrong with this gift idea, always handy for topping up makeup in a stitch!
• Spa day – After 40 years, it’s just time to relax. Treat the lady in your life to a good old-fashioned spa day, they deserve it!

Celebrate in style

Talking about age can be a sticky subject, but hopefully, with our help, you’re now ready to give some great presents and make that person’s day. Don’t forget to arrange a good theme for the party though! Our personal favourite involves decking out the room in the style of the year the person was born. So, if they were born in the 70s, make sure to have a super funky, fun-loving setup! You can place fun facts around too, such as which band was at number 1 in the charts that year or which movies were being released.

Got any ideas that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!