40 things for 40 years... the idea

It is almost my birthday and this year the number of years to celebrate is one of a ‘slightly significant’ nature.  And so I got to thinking how to celebrate…

Rather than have a big fancy birthday party – I did think about it but lack of will to organise it and the realisation that I am not really a big party person made me rethink - I have decided instead to attempt to celebrate in as many different ways as years I am celebrating across this next year (no need to shout about the number! ...40!).  Some bigger celebrations and some smaller simple things which I have either never done or love doing and need to make a decision to do again.  My hope is that in this way I not only get to significantly stretch out my birthday, but that I also get to celebrate my birthday with all my friends in ways that appeal to both me and my different friends.

For some of my friends geographical distance will require creativity from us and probably a serious use of Skype, but I'm up for the challenge!  Although some of the ideas below are perhaps on the more expensive side of the scale, celebration on a shoestring is also to be welcomed!

I have begun a list of ideas that I would like to include but have also invited friends to make their own suggestions.  Unless I was going for 21 again I started this challenge without a full quota of 40 things but across a roughly 12 month period hope to fill it out gradually and then blog about it on here too.  And I'll try to remember to update the list as I go.  ...I now have more than 40 things on the list but am still happy to embrace new ideas and drop others.

*Listed in bold once completed

The list so far:

1. Tennis match                                     
2. Posh dinner party
3. Cream tea at Harrods
4. Spa day
5. Massage
6. Picnic with a proper picnic hamper
7. A London Show (LastMinute.com)
8. Punting
9. River cruise (River Thames?)
10. Photography course
11. A morning in Borough Market eating lots of street food & wandering around the stalls
12. Beach day
13. A weekend in Ireland
14. A movie day / weekend
15. Hot air balloon ride
16. A day at the races (horse)
17. Tour of Roman Baths, Bath
18. Bumper cars
19. Desert pizza party (Chocolate pizza, or Banana & Cinnamon are my favourites!)
20. Dinner at a famous fancy restaurant (Jamie Oliver?)
21. Reinvent my wardrobe ...including dresses! …and wear it!
22. Ride a Dutch bike
23. Climb the O2
24. Greenwich cable car
25. Brazilian churrascaria
26. Ice skating at Somerset House
27. Film in the park
28. Prom in the park
29. OutdoorTheatre
30. Night in a Longbarn treehouse
31. Watch a sunrise from somewhere high
32. Read 40 books
33. Fly a kite
34. Buy roasted chestnuts from a street vendor
35. Jump in leaves
36. Go sledging
37. Ride a carousel
38. Eat a Sally Lunns bun
39. Visit a Christmas market
40. Visit the Anne Frank house
41. Visit Corrie Ten Boom's house
42. A weekend in Amsterdam
43. Go karting  (already claimed)
44. A dinner of desserts
45. Re-learn to play flute
46. Visit Disney Orlando
47. Manicure
48. 1972 memorabilia
49. Hang from the front of a house
50. …