65 Anyone?

I celebrated 40th with a big Party, 60th with my DD, her OH & DGS. I am 63 this year & won't reach State Retirement Age until I'm 66 (took Early Retirement at 50 to care for DH). Might do something for 70th though.

DH celebrated 50th, 65th (retired on his Birthday), he was too ill to celebrate his 70th.

My DM is 90 next year, she started planning her celebrations last year, she's an optimist (most of the female line have lived well into their 90s). She knows what she wants to do. She also celebrated 70th & 80th. So it's all of us from Devon up to Yorkshire to celebrate with her & friends. Great-Granny to 2 adorable DGGSs, there'll be 4 generations present. Fingers crossed her health remains good

Yes, my friends and I mark 65th birthdays. When younger people query this I tell them that it used to be a significant birthday for people of my generation and older and that most young people I know feel perfectly entitled to have lavish celebrations for not only their 18th but their 21st as well!

We aren't party people either but think every birthday since retirement should be celebrated. Usually we go to a nice hotel and special meal. Every year we have now with our health still reasonably okay is cause for celebration.

In our day no-one celebrated an 18th birthday. The big one was 21. I was married at 20 so never had a 21st party. I don't like to be the centre of attention so never had a 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 65th birthday celebration.

My 70th birthday was celebrated with a meal at home (which I cooked) with OH, children, grandchildren, and (surprise guests) my Mum and brother.

For my Mum's eightieth we had a "girls weekend" at Centre Parcs with Mum, her two daughters and five grand-daughters. It was great fun because Mum was very fit and sporty at that age. If I get to 80 in such good nick I wouldn't mind another "girls weekend".

65 sort of slipped by. But I turned 70 last November, and felt that deserved a party!

We just managed to celebrate Paws 70th at home. He had only been out of hospital for 10 days so my plans had had to be scaled back more than once.
However we managed to have the whole extended family here for a tea party with bunting and balloons and although it was a mammoth effort for him I think, no I am sure he enjoyed it.
He died a little over 6 weeks later.
So YES celebrate every birthday -big or small and create precious memories if or when the birthday boy/girl is no longer with you.

Here, here Maw. What a happy photo. Looks like you did create some lovely memories.

In my family if I don't organise it nothing gets done so I was overwhelmed when my GD took me to London last July for my 80th.
We has a lovely couple of days and went to The London Steak house in Chelsea for a delicious dinner.
I did parties for my H' s 40/50 60th and his retirement, what did he do for mine? Zilch.
I have always cooked us a meal on my birthday although my S cooked on my actual birthday last year when I had shopped for it.
Both my C take after their father in the caring stakes, sadly.

I've only ever had quiet family meals on my birthday but bowed to pressure to have a close family gathering with a trip to the theatre and a meal out for my 65th. I was considering retirement as well and promised myself and my family that I would enjoy myself. Sadly, my mum had a stroke two days before my birthday and died two days afterwards. Although we laughed a lot on my birthday, and I know Mum would have approved, my memories of that time are affected by events. I'm happy to celebrate others' birthdays but, since my 65th, I've gone back to dining out just with my OH on my birthday and that's how I like it.

Don't worry about 65. I am facing the next big one later this month.
Now't I can do about it.

I'm sixty five on Friday (23rd. February) and just letting it slip by. I don't feel 'old' or 'retired', so I'm just going to continue as I have.

I’m with Eeyore on birthdays: “After all, what are birthdays? Here today and gone tomorrow.” I’ve only willingly celebrated one since I was an adult. On my 60th, my two sons look me to Paris! That was special, and I was still active enough to enjoy it. Now I find birthdays rather a nuisance, and am glad when the fuss is over. I’m coming up to 78.

I will be sixty five on Friday (23rd. February) and I'm just getting on with it. I don't feel old enough to be retired: I've just switched from going out to work to a less demanding working from home. I'll 'retire' when I'm ready, which isn't just yet.