Birthday Party for an Adult

A successful party should have ample food and a reasonable variety of drinks.  So, choose what you will serve.  Some food requires chilled serving, other food must be served hot.  Some food is eaten from a bowl with a fork, other food is finger food.  There are decisions to be made before getting too far.

A good book on party food can be inspiring, and offer ideas not dreamed of.  I recommend you get one and peruse it for ideas.  Make a list of dishes to be included, then determine who will make or buy which items and who will be responsible for heating the hot food and chilling the cold food. 

One thing that should factor in is what food is a particular favorite of the honoree.  After all the party is not for you, it is for the honoree, and should revolve around the honoree.

Keeping hot food hot, and cold food cold, is a safety issue.  You will need adequate trays for whatever type of food you choose.  Do use those trays properly for a safe event.

Drinks can be chilled in a cooler, and there are some decorative ones available.  Just think ahead of where and how the melted ice will be discharged after the party.

Choose disposable dishes and utensils that double as party decorations.  Matched sets are easy to find.  Just be aware that all sets are not alike.  Some include utensils, others do not.  Other items may also be included only in some sets, like tablecloths.  In fact, cups are omitted from too many sets.  Before buying a set with an acceptable design make certain you are getting everything your guests will need for eating and drinking.  Hot drink cups, for coffee or tea, and often missing and may have to be purchased separately. 

Zazzle offers party supplies, such as plates and napkins, which can pe personalized.  Wording can be added, including adding names.  In fact, images can also be added to Zazzle products.  So, to make the party very specific to the honoree consider adding the person’s name and perhaps even image if you have a digital image available.

A birthday cake is usually a necessity.  Some can be decorated elaborately consistent with the party theme, if there is any.  Pieces to set atop a cake are also available.

When counting plate and napkin needs do not forget to include those needed for serving slices of birthday cake.

Paper decorations can be inexpensive, yet appealing to view.  They are easily found.  Choose a color or pattern and determine how many pieces will fit the venue.  Since many decorations are hanging decorations, determine if it is possible to hang whatever party decorations that require being hung before purchasing them.  If there is no way to hang decorations select only table top items, including table scatters. 

Balloons are another decoration one might opt for, but can pose a few problems.  First, the balloons must be inflated.  And if helium is used they can float away if not tied down.  This can be a problem in a room with a high ceiling, especially if you must retrieve any balloons that escape.  

Entertaining guests is something that involves thought.  Will the food and conversation be enough?  If not, think of the options and prepare.  You can have a photo booth, consistent with the theme.  Games can also work.  Music and dancing can be appropriate if there is no chance of offending the honoree.  Determine what works for the person and is acceptable by the guests.  Every party is unique because the party is planed by an individual or group with tastes, and aimed at one person’s enjoyment, or at a group’s collective enjoyment.  The key here is to make it an enjoyable and memorable event.

After establishing a date of the upcoming party, you can send out “save the date” announcements even before establishing the details.  Once the details are finalized to the point of knowing where and when the party is to occur you can send out the invitations.  Invitations should be sent early enough that the guests you invite have not yet made other commitments, yet not so far in advance as to be forgotten.  

Make it easy for the guests to find the party.  Unless it is to be a surprise party the idea of having some indicator of the location of the party is advised.  This could be some sort of sign, a bouquet of doubloons, or even a banner.

One way of marking the location is with lawn signs spelling out happy birthday, and even include the birthday person’s name.  Enhancing imaging such as a birthday cake or a present shape decoration can add to the decorative signage.  It is possible to purchase such lettering, but if there is to be only one use of the letters there are companies that will set up the display and remove it.  Some have more flexibility in what they can do.  In any event, the lettering is usually larger than what is capable of being purchased at a reasonable cost.  In this area I recommend https://www.signkrewellc.com/, and even if you are not in this area you can visit their website to see what is possible.  

Theme parties may be more important for children, but many adults also appreciate a party that incorporates a favorite theme.  Below are links to several popular themes.  They contain links to party supplies and party decorations that support the themes.

Adults do not need, nor want, party favors.  But even though the party is for an adult, if there are children who will attend the party, children are accustomed to leaving a party with a party favor.  Having things that will help entertain the children and keep them busy will be a plus.  If they are allowed to take those things home with them at the end of the party those same items will serve as party favors.  And you will not have to find a place to store something you do not really need or want.

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The intro image is our Zazzle product.