Graduation is a special time, for the graduate, his family, and his friends and relatives. A graduation party is a fun way to mark this special milestone, reminisce about school years, and prepare for the future.
Here's a rundown on how to throw a graduation party, from basic plans to food, decorations and fun.
First, Decide on the Basics: When, Where and What Type of Graduation Party?
Graduation parties range from small, intimate family affairs to big bashes with a house full of high school students. Plan a party that your graduate will enjoy and that will best honor and celebrate his big day.
If planning a large party, outdoor graduation parties are great, but be sure to have a Plan B for if the weather doesn’t cooperate. If you’re serving a lunch or dinner, try to have tables and chairs set up. Keep in mind that young people characteristically don’t sit at tables and are likely to leave your rented, beautifully decorated tables and chairs empty, choosing instead to sit on the ground.
Pick a date that’s close enough to the graduation ceremony but not the same date as most of your friends’ parties. Pick a time of day that suits your menu, the crowd you expect, and other parties going on that day. An open house is ideal for a graduation party: Set a time range and guests are invited to drop in and stay as long as they want.
Next, Make a Guest List
As with most parties, an invitation to a graduation party should be sent out about two weeks ahead of time – longer if you’re asking people to come from out of town and stay overnight.
In a situation with divorced parents of a graduate, here’s what Jostens, the graduation experts, have to say: “Dealing with divorced parents does not have to be an awkward part of graduation celebration planning. Let the graduate take the lead. Follow their wishes. It may be that they would prefer having smaller parties with each parent. Or find a creative way for both sides of the family to join. Remember, the party is about celebrating this very important milestone!”
Send Invitations
Graduation party invitations can range from formal cards inserted into official graduation announcements, to something fun and creative. You can make your invitations to look like mini diplomas. Use a calligraphy pen to write the party information and then roll each one up and tie with a ribbon or tassel.
If your graduate is inviting lots of high school friends to the party, you may want to print out note card-sized invitations for him to hand out, with an RSVP contact phone number.
Ira’s Peripheral Visions sells printed mortar boards and other theme invitations online.
Plan a Theme and Decorations
A graduation party doesn’t need a theme – it’s a theme itself. Decorate with balloons, streamers and other decorations in school colors. Or take it one step further and pick a specific theme that fits your child – a sport he plays, what field he’s going into after high school, or another of his interests.
Party411.com has some different paper goods in bright colors and cool designs. A clever idea, also from Party411: Line the driveway with school pennants as a party entrance.
Plan a Menu
Plan a menu based on what type of party you’re having. If your guests are mostly high school students, finger foods, pizza, sub sandwiches cut into bite-sized strips, and soda will be most popular.
Set up a hoagie bar, where guests can make their own sandwiches from a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and toppings. For the sweet tooth, set up an ice cream sundae bar loaded with toppings.
For more menu ideas and recipes for a crowd, check out GraduationParty.com. I especially like the idea for a large sandwich in the shape of the graduation year.
Add Some Cool Details to Your Graduation Party
A graduation party is your chance to reflect on your graduate’s childhood and school years. PowerPoint and other computer software can easily set up a photograph slide show of your graduate, from baby years to current day. Set up a laptop computer playing the show on a tribute table that holds photos, awards, trophies and other honors.
Thinking about graduation party favors? Think about giving out candy bars with wrappers just for your graduate. AnnounceIt.com has them.
Or make these cute mortar board favors: Cut 1 inch square pieces of card stock in colors that match your child’s school colors. Paper-punch a hole in the center of each square. Place each square on top of a Hershey Kiss and thread the paper “tassel” through the hole.
A graduation party needs music. Mix your graduate’s favorite contemporary songs with these graduation songs:
Plan Some Fun Things to Do at Your Graduation Party
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Here's a rundown on how to throw a graduation party, from basic plans to food, decorations and fun.
First, Decide on the Basics: When, Where and What Type of Graduation Party?
Graduation parties range from small, intimate family affairs to big bashes with a house full of high school students. Plan a party that your graduate will enjoy and that will best honor and celebrate his big day.
If planning a large party, outdoor graduation parties are great, but be sure to have a Plan B for if the weather doesn’t cooperate. If you’re serving a lunch or dinner, try to have tables and chairs set up. Keep in mind that young people characteristically don’t sit at tables and are likely to leave your rented, beautifully decorated tables and chairs empty, choosing instead to sit on the ground.
Pick a date that’s close enough to the graduation ceremony but not the same date as most of your friends’ parties. Pick a time of day that suits your menu, the crowd you expect, and other parties going on that day. An open house is ideal for a graduation party: Set a time range and guests are invited to drop in and stay as long as they want.
Next, Make a Guest List
As with most parties, an invitation to a graduation party should be sent out about two weeks ahead of time – longer if you’re asking people to come from out of town and stay overnight.
In a situation with divorced parents of a graduate, here’s what Jostens, the graduation experts, have to say: “Dealing with divorced parents does not have to be an awkward part of graduation celebration planning. Let the graduate take the lead. Follow their wishes. It may be that they would prefer having smaller parties with each parent. Or find a creative way for both sides of the family to join. Remember, the party is about celebrating this very important milestone!”
Send Invitations
Graduation party invitations can range from formal cards inserted into official graduation announcements, to something fun and creative. You can make your invitations to look like mini diplomas. Use a calligraphy pen to write the party information and then roll each one up and tie with a ribbon or tassel.
If your graduate is inviting lots of high school friends to the party, you may want to print out note card-sized invitations for him to hand out, with an RSVP contact phone number.
Ira’s Peripheral Visions sells printed mortar boards and other theme invitations online.
Plan a Theme and Decorations
A graduation party doesn’t need a theme – it’s a theme itself. Decorate with balloons, streamers and other decorations in school colors. Or take it one step further and pick a specific theme that fits your child – a sport he plays, what field he’s going into after high school, or another of his interests.
Party411.com has some different paper goods in bright colors and cool designs. A clever idea, also from Party411: Line the driveway with school pennants as a party entrance.
Plan a Menu
Plan a menu based on what type of party you’re having. If your guests are mostly high school students, finger foods, pizza, sub sandwiches cut into bite-sized strips, and soda will be most popular.
Set up a hoagie bar, where guests can make their own sandwiches from a variety of cold cuts, cheeses and toppings. For the sweet tooth, set up an ice cream sundae bar loaded with toppings.
For more menu ideas and recipes for a crowd, check out GraduationParty.com. I especially like the idea for a large sandwich in the shape of the graduation year.
Add Some Cool Details to Your Graduation Party
A graduation party is your chance to reflect on your graduate’s childhood and school years. PowerPoint and other computer software can easily set up a photograph slide show of your graduate, from baby years to current day. Set up a laptop computer playing the show on a tribute table that holds photos, awards, trophies and other honors.
Thinking about graduation party favors? Think about giving out candy bars with wrappers just for your graduate. AnnounceIt.com has them.
Or make these cute mortar board favors: Cut 1 inch square pieces of card stock in colors that match your child’s school colors. Paper-punch a hole in the center of each square. Place each square on top of a Hershey Kiss and thread the paper “tassel” through the hole.
A graduation party needs music. Mix your graduate’s favorite contemporary songs with these graduation songs:
- Graduation Day by Kanye West
- Congratulations by The Rolling Stones
- Mrs. Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel
- School’s Out by Alice Cooper
- Old Friends by Willie Nelson
- Forever Young by Alphaville
- We Go Together from the Grease Soundtrack
Plan Some Fun Things to Do at Your Graduation Party
- Set up a sign-in board or mount a t-shirt on a board and have everyone sign as they come in.
- Ask guests to sign a blank book, and add a piece of advice for the graduate.
- Evite.com suggests this cute idea: Put together a combination photo album-autograph book. Have guests write a message and sign their names on the right side page of a book. After the party, put party photographs on the left side pages.
- GraduationParty.com offers this idea: Put a large map on display, with push pins and small labels nearby. Have the graduates place a pin on the place where they’re going after graduation, and attach labels with their names.
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