60W bulbs in a ceiling fan?

Look on the fixtures, there should be a sticker somewhere indicating the highest wattage bulb that the fixture can handle. If you can't find one, you should play it safe and use no greater than 40 watts.

An alternative, if you really want more light, but can't exceed 40 watts, is to use compact florescent bulbs. With these, you could get the same light output as a regular 60 or 100 watt bulb, while still keeping the wattage below 40.

The figure they quote you on most light fittings is more to do with the heat that they generate rather than the brightness of the bulb, If there is nothing plastic in the fitting then I wouldn't of thought the extra heat from an extra 20 watts would make much difference. If you are worried about it try switching to the new energy saving bulbs which generate nearly no heat at all and will save you money in the long run.

the light socket (where the light bulb goes) usually says on a sticker or it should say in the manual. but I think most are 40w

yes ! When you remove the"globe" you should see a sticker or stamping and a "MAX" rating on the fixture.Usually 100-150 watt max.