Hosting a Graduation Party

Party Bonanza’s Party Guide

The Event: Graduation. The act of receiving an academic degree or diploma.

Ideal time of the year to have the event: This will depend on when the graduation is.

Reason for the party: You or someone significant has earned a diploma or degree. Whether it’s from elementary school, jr. high, high school, a technical school, college or university, it’s a milestone in that graduate’s life and it should be celebrated.

Additional reason to throw the party: Party Bonanza never needs an additional reason to throw a party and neither should you. So throw your cap in the air and celebrate.

Party Points: Make sure the party appeals to your guest, but more importantly to the guest of honor. Is this for your teen? Does your kid want a small family party or a large friends and family type party. Make them help you fill out their guest list. How many guests will you have? What’s your party budget? Remember…. You’re the host! It's on you to make it fun and memorable. It’s a big day in your kid’s life and Party Bonanza has the party supplies to help you make your party exactly how you want it to be.

- Determine your guest list. Have your new grad make a list of friends to invite. Don’t expect the list to stay the same. Be flexible and go with the flow. After all, it might change several times over the period of planning for the party

- What’s your theme going to be? Obviously we’re going with an overall theme of graduation and Party Bonanza has plenty of graduation supplies to choose from, but you can always turn it up a notch with an additional theme. Themes can include a hobby, sport your kid played in school, instrument, favorite class (music, math, drama, Ag), etc. Tie in a theme that fits your kid’s personality. Or you can never go wrong with the school’s color theme

- Pick the food. Are you going to have a caterer make the food or do it yourself? Will you have help? Are you going to have a potluck, serve a full meal or just appetizers?

- Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family to help. The bigger you make it, the more help you’ll need. You can utilize family, friends or hire a helper depending on your budget

- Don’t forget your teen probably has a different taste in music than you do. When in doubt utilize the radio, at least that cuts out any possible inappropriate lyrics, but if you know a cheap DJ then you’re a step ahead

- Have some fun games. Depending on the age of the new graduates you can have a variety of games for them to play whether it’s an egg or water balloon toss (use the school colors for the balloons), Pictionary, Charades, etc. Sometimes the teens like different games like a blindfolded pin the mustache on the teacher (this could be for a female teacher as well he he). Just take the time to blowup a picture of the principal or teacher from his/her yearbook and then cutout a mustache from black paper and add tape to one end

- Karaoke can be a fun addition to the party, especially with group songs, so be sure to get two or more microphones

- Personalized cake. Now cakes are getting more and more impressive. I love the fact that you can provide the bakery a photograph and have them make that the top layer of the cake. This is a great addition to any graduation party. Use your favorite picture of your kid in his/her sporting event, extra curricular activity, or favorite hobby

Party Bonanza’s Party Supplies:
let’s look at the party supply checklist. I’ve listed a few of my favorites but remember, there’s plenty more to choose from than what I listed. These are just a couple ideas to get you started. So be sure to check out our store’s full inventory:

Party Tableware Tablecloth in School Colors
Grad Table Cover
Grad Plates, Cups, Napkins
Grad Assorted Bowls

Party Favorites
Grad Bouquet of balloons in school colors
Party Confetti
Graduation Cascade Centerpieces
Graduation Leis
Garland
Scene Setters
Party Platters
Grad Gift Bags
Assorted Gifts (Grad Frames, Tassels, etc)

Party Stationery
Graduation Invitations
Graduation Thank You Post Cards

Key Money Saving Tip: Does your kid have a best friend? When in doubt combining parties is a great way for friends to have an even more enjoyable time and will save both families money. This is also a good question to ask your kid early because its likely that another set of parents are looking to do the same thing with one of their kid’s friends. Find out who your kid would want to have a joint party with and make the call.

Fun Wearable Addition: Check out Sassy Sash for custom sashes for you and your girlfriends. They provide eight standard color options for both the sash and the font fabrics, four font types, five font outlines, and 18 characters to create your perfect sash.

SassySash.com

So remember…it’s a graduation party! Enjoy yourself and your guests, but be sure the guest of honor has fun. He/she will remember it for the rest of their lives. But look at it as an accomplishment by you as well. After all, you raised your kid right? Looks like you did a decent job. Relax, pour yourself a drink, eat and above all have a good time. Drink responsibly and ensure your guests do as well because the next party is just around the corner.