A “golden birthday” refers to THAT ONE BIRTHDAY — the once-in-a-lifetime event — where the birthday year you are celebrating matches the day you were born. (e.g., turning 18 on your birthday, April 18th).
How do you create a golden birthday celebration? How to celebrate depends on the age of the honoree, your family’s traditions and budget, and, most importantly, the birthday celebrant’s wishes.
Yikes! I missed my teen’s golden birthday. What do I do now? You have another opportunity to celebrate with a “double golden birthday” when they turn 2x the number of the day they were born (e.g., when they turn 20 on the 10th.)
What are some gift ideas for golden birthdays? Here are 24 ideas for golden birthday parties, decor, refreshments, and gifts that can be modified for any budget.
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How to celebrate a golden birthday
1. Party Invitations (Amazon)
When you plan a golden birthday party, a golden theme is easy to get right starting with the invitation. These are pretty perfect for a golden birthday but any invitation with gold in the design would work well.
2. Party Table Decor (Amazon)
Gold paper plates, napkins and utensils are inexpensive and easy golden birthday party decorations.
3. Mylar Balloons (Amazon)
Buy oversize mylar gold balloons of the birthday numbers.
4. Celestial Garland (Amazon)
Gold stars, the moon, or sun as golden decor evoke celestial parallels to a rare planetary alignment, a great analogy to a golden birthday.
5. Gold Disco Ball (Amazon)
If dancing is part of the party, a gold disco ball hung over the dance floor is a must! We hung a disco ball in the garage for one for our daughter’s birthday and it looked very festive.
6. Gold Trophies – 12 pack (Amazon)
Sports enthusiasts who love competition might enjoy a series of games in the backyard with golden trophies awarded to winners. These are 9′ inch plastic trophies available in packs of 12.
7. Piñata (Amazon)
Fill a pinata with gold-wrapped coins or other golden candies along with the birthday boy or girl’s favorites.
8. Hair Scrunchies (Amazon) 
One festive way to involve guests in the theme is to provide gold scrunchis and/or ask them to wear something gold to the party.
9. Birthday Video (Memento)
Create a celebration video for the partygoers, family, and friends, especially those who might not be able to join you in person. Memento makes it easy to ask friends to record a video greeting: create an account and send them a link to record a message for the guest of honor.
10. “24K”
The concept of “24K” is another way to elaborate on a golden theme. Wrap 24 small gifts, create 24 clues for a scavenger hunt, make a speech with 24 things you love about the birthday celebrant, and gather 24 pieces of advice for family members who love and know them best.
11. Acrylic Monogrammed Champagne Flutes – set of 4 (Mark & Graham)
For the lucky ones who have birthdays between the 21st-31st of the month, champagne might be a nice touch since golden birthdays are sometimes referred to as “champagne birthdays.” These acrylic champagne flutes can be personalized and come in a set of four – so cute for this big birthday,
12. Gold Birthday Candles (Amazon)
Cupcakes or a cake with gold icing and/or candles on top make sense for any age birthday honoree. We like these long thin gold metallic candles that come in a set of 24.
13. Goldfish (Amazon)
For other gold refreshments or to create favor bags, tap into your teen’s inner child with Goldfish, Rold Gold pretzels, Golden Oreos, buttery popcorn, or other food with gold or packaging.
14. Personalized Party Cups (Mark & Graham)
Personalize cups for the celebration with initials or a message, and yes, gold is a color option here when you select the color “goldenrod” on the Mark & Graham website.
15. M&Ms personalized (M&M store)
17. Goldbelly
You can find just about any famous bakery or restaurant treats from around the world to ship to your birthday boy or girl. Here are a dozen from famed Georgetown Cupcakes.
You can find just about any famous bakery or restaurant treats from around the world to ship to your birthday boy or girl. Here are a dozen from famed Georgetown Cupcakes.
Golden birthday gift ideas
18. Kendra Scott Gold Jewelry (Kendra Scott)
Kendra Scott has gorgeous gold and rose gold jewelry. Choosing a unique ring, bracelet, initial necklace, and earrings would be lovely for your daughter.
19. Apple Watch – Series 10 (Amazon)
There are many different Apple watches and bands to choose from. We love this rose gold case with a light blush band. I love my Apple Watch and each generation of watch offers more and more functionality. This would be a fantastic gift.
20. Gold Metal Desk Shelves (Pottery Barn Teen)
Is your teen or young adult looking for a room style upgrade? These gold desk shelves could be a practical gift and reminder of this special birthday.
21. Basket of treats
A basket filled with gold-wrapped snacks and candy is a tasty gift for them to enjoy and share with friends.
22. Gold Pop Socket (Amazon)
Pop sockets are cute and functional accessories for phones, and there are many designs and colors to choose from.
23. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
This international bestseller is filled with lessons about home, kindness, and love. This book is like a verbal hug with gorgeous words and illustrations — black and gold.
24. Twelve Compartment Party Box (Amazon)
Counting down to a birthday is a way to celebrate all month. Give a small gift a day in a countdown box where your teen can punch out the tissue paper revealing each gift.
Double and Triple Golden Birthdays
If you missed your special day, you might get a second chance at a Golden Birthday. Why not celebrate a double and even triple Golden Birthday? These are found by simply doubling or tripling the date you, or your loved one, was born.
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