All too often, adult birthday parties are staid and standard – platters of predictable finger food and boring beverages. Meanwhile, kids’ parties are bursting with personality and fun. What gives? Why should children have all the fun? Whether it’s a landmark birthday celebration or any odd year, celebrate like a kid for a day – with a theme that lets you escape the norm and embrace an alternate reality along with friends and family for a few great hours. Mixbook has loads of new birthday invitations that are ideal for a themed celebration. The most memorable parties, after all, are the ones that were a little different from the rest. Here are three of our favorite ways to celebrate getting better with each and every year.

Texas BBQ B’day Round up all your favorite cowboys and girls for a Texas-style barbecue. Send out Mixbook’s Bull Horns birthday invitation, and make it clear that guests are encouraged to come decked out in their best western shirt and big-buckle belts; extra credit for chaps and cowboy hats, big hair and Wranglers. Pop some brisket in the slowcooker in the morning, then prep some slaw. Spend the rest of the day stringing up Texas stars, making a cactus-plant centerpiece, and creating some playlists featuring campy songs like “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” When guests arrive, serve them cold beer straight from the keg in chilled Mason jars. If you want to go all out, hire a service to set up a photo booth, and provide lots of extra cowboy-themed props so guests can play dress-up. Print photos right on the spot, and send guests home with a copy of their photo strips or print their pictures as Wanted posters. After the big event, create a photo book that features all the photo strips or Wanted posters, plus snaps taken throughout the party.

Champagne Toast If you love nothing more than a bit of bubbly and you’re celebrating a milestone birthday, why not center the entire celebration on your love of Champagne? Start by sending out Mixbook’s Milestone Birthday Party invitation, encouraging guests to dress in formal attire – you could even go black-tie to make the occasion ultra-special. If it’s a surprise for the guest of honor, send Mixbook’s Top-Secret party invitation. To create a bit of a spectacle, consider buying or renting a large silver Champagne bucket. Fill it with ice and make it the focal point of the party room. Surround the bubbly with sparkling glassware and trays of hors d’oeuvres. Carry the fancy theme through as much as possible, with white linen cocktail napkins and silver serving pieces. The occasion will feel extra special – and that spirit will overflow into the fun of the celebration.

Aged to Perfection Another perfect theme for a landmark birthday is one that celebrates all the things that get better with age, like whiskey or wine. Start by sending out Mixbook’s Classic Monogram or Vintage Chalk invitation, asking guests to bring a bottle of their favorite whiskey or wine, depending on the theme. You can simply put out lots of varieties for guests to sample casually or you can set up a formal tasting – even going so far as to hire a sommelier to walk you and your guests through a tasting flight. Set out trays of aged cheeses and meats for guests to nibble on. To go along with the theme, use chalkboard signs to label the selections. A large chalkboard on the wall can announce the name of the birthday boy or girl along with the words “better by the year!”