For example, if you want to have a birthday party for a close friend, you will need to decide if it should be a surprise or not, what kind of cake to buy, what your friend likes to drink, what kind of music your friend would like to hear, and who to invite.
The season can also help you to pick a dress code for your party if you want. For example, if it is winter, then you could throw a winter themed party and require all of your guests to wear white. If it is spring, then you could throw a spring themed party and ask your guests to wear pastels.
Super Bowl or Game-Watching Party. If there is a big game happening over the weekend, invite some of your friends over for a game-watching party. Tell everyone to wear team colors and bring something to drink and snack on. Recipe Swap Party. If you are a fan of cooking, then you can throw a recipe swap party. Have all of your friends make something and bring copies of the recipe along. Pair the food with some wine or craft beer and have a classy evening. Movie Marathon Party. Choose a few of your favorite movies (or a few you have never seen before) and invite some friends over to watch them with you. Make some popcorn and cocktails and enjoy watching the movies and talking about them with your friends. Debate-Watching Party. Invite some friends over to watch a big political debate. Order a couple of pizzas and buy a case of beer. Some people even play drinking games while watching political debates.
Decade Themed Party. Have all of your guests show up dressed in 80s or 90s era clothes or dressed as a well-known figure from one of these decades. Another option is to do an 80s versus 90s party and allow your guests to choose the decade they like best. You can do other decades as well, but 80s and 90s parties are popular right now. Toga Party. Tell all of your guests to wear nothing but a bed sheet and some underwear. You can give other aspects of the party a Greek vibe as well, such as by serving Sambuca shots, hummus, and pita chips. Angels and Devils Party. Everyone chooses to wear red or white and may also go all the way with it and put on an angel or devil costume. [3] X Research source Black Light Party. Replace all of your regular light bulbs with black lights and tell all of your guests to wear lots of white and neon clothes. Ugly Sweater Party. This works well for a party in December. Tell all of your guests to buy or make the ugliest Christmas sweaters they can and wear them to the party.
Throwing a big party can be hard work, so you might also benefit from enlisting your friends as co-planners. [4] X Research source
If you are planning to serve food to your guests and you want to keep it kind of small, try to get a head count at least one week before. [6] X Expert Source Christina MillikinFounder & CEO, Glow Events Expert Interview. 11 February 2020. If you are hoping to have lots of people at your party, then you might consider telling all of your friends to bring someone along. You may also want to invite your neighbors to reduce the chances of noise complaints. [7] X Research source
Try to keep your guests music interests in mind as you complete the playlist. Don’t just stock the playlist with music that you like. Keep your theme in mind as you create your playlist for the party. For example, if you are having an 80s party, then your playlist should include lots of music from the 80s.
Beer Pong Flip Cup “Never Have I Ever” Quarters
Clear a large area of your living room or kitchen to use as a dance floor. Set up extra chairs and tables for your guests. Lock or block off rooms that are off limits. [9] X Research source Make sure that you have essential items like toilet paper, plastic cups, and paper towels.
Set up some lawn chairs and tables. Use lanterns, string lights, or solar lights to provide some ambiance. Try setting up a slip and slide or sprinklers. Put out lawn games like KanJam, Frisbees, or cornhole. Make sure you have some indoor space just in case there’s bad weather. [10] X Expert Source Christina MillikinFounder & CEO, Glow Events Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.
Make sure that you have something for everyone. For example, if you have a friend who is a vegan or vegetarian, then try to avoid having nothing but all meat and cheese snacks. [11] X Research source
For example, you could ask someone to bring something salty and crunchy or ask another friend to bring some cocktail mixers.
If you are just having a small get-together, then you might decide to treat your friends to a case of beer or a large bottle of vodka with mixers. If you are having lots of people over, then you should either require everyone to chip in for a keg or make it a BYOB event.
For example, you might put the number of a local pizza place on speed dial, enlist a sober friend to make a beer run, or just stash extra supplies in your bedroom in case the food and drinks go faster than you expected. [13] X Research source