Graduation Parties

Graduation Party Themes

The most common type of graduation party is the simple open house. Parents of the graduate open their home to family and friends for socializing, offering the new grad advice and eating cake and punch.

The open house party can be elaborate or very simple. An open house usually doesn't have scheduled games or activities because people are dropping in and out through the event. Open house graduation parties are very common and relatively inexpensive. You'll need a little bit of food, a cake, a few decorations and you'll be ready to go.

For graduation parties with more structure, a theme is a great place to start. There are many different themes that could be used for a graduation party, including the school's colors, what the graduate wants to be when he or she "grows up" or a party celebrating the school the graduate will go to next.

I mentioned good-natured embarrassment earlier, and you can certainly work elements into your theme that will make your new grad blush. The easiest way to do that is to make the graduate the theme.

Decorate with blown-up pictures of the graduate as a baby—the more embarrassing the better. If the grad was once a fireman for Halloween or always loved playing teacher and you've got pictures of that, so much the better.

Another great theme if you want to embarrass the happy graduate is a roast. Like the celebrity roasts, a graduation roast would involve people telling embarrassing stories about the graduate (hopefully with a few fewer off-color jokes than are found in celebrity roasts) and, of course, wishing the graduate well in his or her career or next course of study. You have to know a good bit about how your child will react before planning this kind of party, but it can be a lot of fun.

Graduation Party Eats

The most common delicacies at graduation parties are cake and punch. For open houses and other parties, meat and cheese trays, vegetables and dip and other appetizers are also common.

If you want to get creative with the food and drinks at your graduation party, think about the graduate's favorite foods. Could you do a make-your-own pizza bar for a small group? If the graduate is planning to move away or go on a trip, feature foods from that region or country.

Graduation parties do not have to be boring, and the food doesn't have to be basic, either. If you're planning an open house or a long party where people will be snacking for several hours, remember to practice good food safety. Don't leave meats or foods that should be served warm out on the table too long. Always put small portions on the buffet and replenish when supplies run low.

Graduation Party Activities

If you're celebrating an older graduate (junior high and up), it's unlikely that either the student or any of his or her friends who have been invited would like to play games as party of the party. And if you're having an open house, you won't want to plan structured activities, anyway.

Still, there are some ways you can get guests involved without having games. One great way is to have a "guest book" where the older and presumably wiser attendees at the party can write down their advice for the new graduate. While the grad might not immediately appreciate the book, it's sure to provide some laughs and maybe some legitimately good advice.

You could also have guests sign plain white T-shirts or a piece of poster board with the graduate's graduation picture pasted on it. This kind of giant yearbook is fun for teens, who can have their friends sign it and then hang it in their room at home or dorm room at college.

Graduation parties are fun for the graduate who is celebrating a new part of life as well as for parents and friends who can remember their own graduations.