Are you turning 28 on March 28? Congratulations! You’ll be celebrating your golden birthday. This special birthday only occurs once in a lifetime. It’s when your age and the day of your birth are the same.

There are several other fun birthday milestones, like turning 1, 16, 18, or 21, and many people plan large celebrations for these occasions. Add your golden birthday to this list for one more reason to have a great time with your friends and family.

If you or someone you know has an approaching golden birthday, here are some ideas for an amazing and unforgettable celebration.

1. Decorate with numbers

Make the golden number a centerpiece of the party. Look for decorations that feature the number, such as balloons, candles, posters, and banners. You might even be able to find a local company that makes and places yard signs.

If you’re good at DIY, you can make the birthday person a golden number crown or sash to really emphasize their special day.

2. Go gold

Why not take the theme to heart? Incorporate the color gold everywhere you can in the party space. 

Collect and use gold-colored decorations, including streamers, tablecloths, balloons, plates, napkins, and glitter. Gold streamer curtains hung across a doorway can create an amazing and impactful entry to the party.

3. Coordinate a theme

Go beyond just numbers and the color gold with an added party theme. If you want to stick with a shiny theme, try disco, stars, or glitzy glam.

But if the birthday boy or girl has other favorite hobbies or styles, you could use those, too. After all, their golden birthday should be about making them happy.

4. Create a gold birthday party outfit

If they don’t mind being the center of attention, create a custom birthday party outfit for your loved one. 

You can design a custom T-shirt for the birthday guy, dress your toddler in gold from head to toe, or give that birthday lady a golden sash and take her out for some birthday party drinks. A quick trip to a thrift store is sure to offer up some other creative ideas.

5. Give jewelry as a present 

Jewelry is a relevant gift for a golden birthday, even if it isn’t real gold. Even little kids (especially girls) love receiving jewelry. Wrap a bracelet, necklace, or earrings in a gold box or bag for an easy birthday gift.

For a guy who may not want jewelry, consider a gold-colored belt buckle or watch, or some nice accessories like cufflinks.

6. Serve gold snacks

Who doesn’t like snacks and treats at a birthday party? Take advantage of hungry tummies and fill the party table with goldfish, cheddar cheese, gold-wrapped chocolates, pineapple, and piles of yellow candies.

If the guests at the party have more mature tastes, you can create a delicious charcuterie board with golden cheeses, dried fruits, crackers, and dips.

Here are some gold-themed birthday recipes you can try:

• Homemade Stoneground Mustard for your charcuterie board
• Yellow Fruit Salad with Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Syrup
• Curry Dipping Sauce for fresh or roasted yellow and orange veggies
• Sweet, Salty, Spicy Party Nuts that will look golden brown
• The Best Blondie recipe for golden brownies

7. Celebrate at sunset

Even if you’ve decorated your indoor party space with yellow and gold, sometimes nature creates the best atmosphere for a birthday party celebration.

If you time the party correctly (and the weather cooperates), wait until the sky turns gold during the sunset to blow out the birthday candles. It’s the perfect natural backdrop.

8. Add glitter to a signature drink

Did you know that there is edible luster dust? This isn’t your average glitter. You can find versions that are FDA-approved to be safely ingested, as it’s a popular addition to drinks and cocktails for a fancy finish.

Use this edible glitter to turn a regular cocktail into a sparkly, golden delight, like this Gold Shimmery Champagne Cocktail. For a kid’s party, you can add it to juice for an age-appropriate sparkle.

9. Start a countdown 

Build up the suspense until the big celebration with a countdown that starts a week or two before the birthday party. This is a great way to use social media to remind guests and the birthday boy or girl that the party is getting closer.

Kids will especially appreciate a creative countdown, and it’s a nice way to help them remember how many days are left until the party.

10. Wear a gold crown

Everyone will know it’s your golden birthday if you wear a crown for the celebration. You can find these at almost any party store, or custom order one that features the golden number.

It’s even more fun to have a golden crown if you wear it for a “destination” party at a restaurant or other event location. After all, everyone will know it’s your birthday.

11. Hand out gold party favors

Let all of your guests leave with some gold. Fill bags with sparkly candles, decorated cookies, and other gold-colored treats. If it’s a kid’s party, you’re sure to find dozens of options for small toys and other neat items that are yellow or gold.

12. Fill a space with balloons

Give the honorary birthday celebrant a fun surprise on the date of their birthday. Blow up dozens of gold balloons and use them to completely fill a car, office, or kid’s bedroom. 

Just be courteous, as the space will likely be unusable until the balloons are gone. For a nice gesture, be there to help with the cleanup and environmentally-friendly disposal of the balloons.

13. Asks guests to dress glamorously

Since gold is considered a precious metal and it’s used in expensive jewelry, any golden birthday can be associated with glitz and glam. Ask guests to dress their fanciest to attend the party. If they’re willing, they can throw on some of their best jewels.

Younger guests will love finding their fanciest clothes to wear to a friend or relative’s birthday party. Who doesn’t love an excuse to play dress up?

14. Bake a gold birthday treat

For a beautiful centerpiece, bake a masterpiece and frost it in shiny gold icing that everyone will love looking at and eating.

If you aren’t much of a baker, you can order one from a store. But if you want to save money, there’s nothing wrong with using a box mix and adding the golden flourishes. It’s even common to buy a generic cake from the store, take the icing off, and replace it with decorations of your choice.

15. Spare no expense 

Consider using the occasion of a golden birthday to enjoy an expensive dinner or weekend away, or to indulge by buying an item you really want. It’s the perfect occasion for a spa day or a new set of golf clubs.

For kids, their golden birthday party might be the perfect time to get them a big ticket item they’ve been asking for, such as a gaming system, a makeover, or a trip to a theme park.

Speaking of birthday gifts, take all the guesswork out of sharing the perfect presents with Giftster, a free, private gift list registry. Visit giftster.com to add an item in seconds, share lists with a group, and avoid duplicates and returns. With Giftster, you’ll get gifts right. Every time. 

Happy gifting!