Celebrating Birthdays >
Birthday Party Planning
Tips for Planning a Successful Birthday Party
Planning a birthday party can be easy and fun with some simple
preparations. The first thing you'll need to do is come up with
some party ideas that the guest of honor will love. Whether you're
planning a party for a child, teen or adult, taking the person's
favorite things into consideration will go a long way towards
throwing a great party! For example, you may want to choose a
birthday party theme that reflects your child's favorite cartoon
character or pasttime. For adults, you might want to plan a party
that features decorations in their favorite color and of course,
their favorite foods and beverages. The extra thought and effort
you put into the birthday party theme will delight the birthday
boy or girl, no matter how old they are!
Make sure to book the location a few months ahead of time if at
all possible. This will ensure that no one else will get it on the
day you need it. Of course, this step isn't necessary if you're
hosting the party in your home. Locations for adult parties might
include a favorite restaurant or bar. There are lots of great
places to hold kids' parties. Casual dining establishments,
bowling alleys, family fun centers and parks are all popular
locations for youth birthday parties. Think about how many guests
you're inviting and what the guest of honor would enjoy the most
when choosing a location.
Approximately one month before the party, send out the
invitations. Be sure to specify who the party is for, how old they
will be, where and when the party is, and how to RSVP. This will
allow guests plenty of time to decide whether they can attend and
notify you. While you're waiting to hear from guests, go shopping
for the decorations. For kids, there are unlimited choices when it
comes to tablecloths, cups, plates, streamers and balloons to
match any possible party theme. For adults, go for decorations
that reflect the guest of honor's favorite color or hobby.
Order the birthday cake one to two weeks ahead of time, but don't
pick it up until the day before or the day of the party. You'll be
amazed at what some bakeries can do these days when it comes to
creative cakes. Most every popular cartoon character or hobby can
be depicted on a birthday cake. There are fun novelty cakes and
even cakes that allow you to have a favorite photograph printed
right on them. Cupcakes are a fun and whimsical choice as well,
especially for kids parties.
When planning the rest of the menu, think about your party guests
and guest of honor. Kids love fare like corn dogs, pizza and
potato chips. For grown-ups, go for fancier foods like cheese
puffs, wontons, crudities and stuffed mushrooms. Thirsty guests
will appreciate a variety of beverage choices such as bottled
water, soft drinks, punch and perhaps cocktails or wine for adult
parties.
Create a tentative schedule for the day of the party. About an
hour or two (or several hours if extensive) before party time,
decorate the location. Right before the guests arrive, set out the
food and designate a space for gifts. Figure out approximately how
much socializing time you want before the party gets underway.
You'll want to make sure there's enough time for cake and presents
in addition to social time or games. Most birthday parties last
around two hours, so schedule the time accordingly. Now all that's
left to do is celebrate and enjoy the party!
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