Make a Theme

• A typical 40th birthday theme tends to go toward an "Over the Hill" celebration. However, if you are the party planner, take it one step further. Instead of using "Over the Hill," do something different and unexpected like "Old and Roasted" or "Stick a Fork in Him...He's Done!"
  
  Make banners with the party theme to hang from the ceiling and instead of Over the Hill posters, stick various pictures of "roasts" on the wall, like a turkey or chicken along with balloons with forks drawn on with a permanent marker.
  
  Don't forget to set up a special, comfortable chair for the birthday boy, as he will need something to slink down into once the roast begins.
  
  

Keep it Clean

• Ask various friends and family members a few weeks before the party to come up with poems, memories and funny stories about the birthday girl. The loved ones can be as creative as they want, but be sure to remind them to keep it clean and light-hearted. Though a roast is supposed to highlight moments she would love to forget, those roasting should not dredge up past hurts or memories that will cause her to get upset. Ask them to think about how she would react when deciding what to say for the roast.
  
  

Give A Reward

• Turning 40 and being put through the ringer at a roast definitely deserves some kind of compensation. After the birthday boy has been handed all of the zingers from friends and family, give him something for being such a good sport. The birthday dessert probably is not enough, because though you may have made his favorite cake, it was probably in the shape of a chicken or the number 40. At the end of the evening, hand the birthday boy something kind and thoughtful for putting up with all of the "You're Old" jokes and whimsical party decorations. A pair of tickets to a big game, a prepaid weekend getaway to the mountains or a gift certificate to his favorite store are perfect options to help make the roast worth his while.