Good friends, good food, and a well planned party all add up to a great time. But why spend all of your time planning a regular ho-hum party? Building your party around a clever theme will give your guests a time they will remember with pleasure long after the party is over.

The idea of theme parties brings to mind masquerade or costume parties. Masquerade balls became popular in the 15th century in Italy as an answer to the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church, suppressing heresy. Masquerades allow participants to show other aspects of themselves. Acting under false pretenses, their alter egos are allowed to shine for a night.

Theme Parties aren’t just for Halloween

Every kid wants to have the ultimate birthday party. They dream of pony rides and clowns in their yard, a cotton candy machine and carousel with magical horses. Granted, these are dreams that seem unimaginable to create in real life, but you can throw a great birthday party by using a theme and creating decorations and games that are inexpensive, but still convey the spirit of more expensive ones.

Adults can let their hair down when attending theme parties. Many have secret desires to be rock stars or Hollywood glamour gals. They would be laughed at if they dressed like a caveman in everyday life, but a theme party allows them to be whatever they want, with no holds barred!

Adults feel more at ease acting out their character fantasies when others are joining them in the process. The wallflower at the dance may become the life of the party when giving the opportunity to hide behind a costume!

Using a theme for corporate functions adds high impact to a presentation. An airplane theme can suggest “The Sky Is The Limit” or playing games that require partners can help co-workers learn to work together to achieve a common goal.

Checklist for Hosting a Theme Party

The main steps for throwing a theme party are:

• Choose a theme

• Invitations / Guest List

• Menu—Food and Drinks

• Decorations

• Music

• Games

• Prizes

We will elaborate on each step next. Some may be broken down into smaller tasks. If you follow this guideline, it will enable you to enjoy yourself at your party, rather than running out for last minute items. Proper planning and execution of that planning is the key to throwing a good party of any type.

Choose a Theme

While masquerade balls and costume parties are still held today, there is a never-ending list of other themes that can be used to make your next party a memorable one. Choosing a theme for your party can be the toughest part of planning. All of the following things should be taken into consideration when choosing a theme:

• Where the party will be held?

• Who the party in honor of?

• Who will the guests be?

A theme may just pop out at you from those questions alone, but if not, you need to start thinking outside of the box. That’s what makes theme parties fun. They are imaginative and inspiring. Here are some things to think about when you can’t decide on a theme:

What’s going on in the world? Is it an election year? Is your favorite sports team in the championships? What is the hot new television show that everyone is talking about? These are all jumping off points for choosing a theme. You can host a backyard baseball barbeque in honor of your favorite team, or theme your party around a favorite television show.

Choosing a theme for your party is only as limited as your imagination. You can even mix two or three themes, as long as you can get them all to work together. Make up a list of ideas. Sometimes you will see a recuring theme when you have a list of possibilities.

Invitations and Guest Lists

Your invitations are the beginning of your theme, and will help to set the mood for your party. You can create invitations using computer programs and using clip art that relates to the theme of your party, but if you really want to make an impression, you should think of designing your own invitations. This does not mean that they will be expensive to make, just creative and fun!

You can use a frame made of sandpaper around white card stock for a beach theme party, or make invitations for a sports theme party look like a ticket to a game. Invitations to a garden tea can look like an antique seed packet, and a space-theme party can include invitations shaped like rockets or the moon.

When developing your guest list, include the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your guests, along with a space for their RSVP, and the amount of people that will be attending. Invitations should be sent out at least two weeks before the party, but allow more time during the busy season between fall and New Year’s Eve. You’ll want your guests to receive their invites as early as possible so they can plan to attend your party.

Menu — Food and Drinks

When possible, try to keep the theme of your party in mind when choosing the food and drinks. Theme parties based on a certain time period can include the popular food and drink of that era. You can also change the names of your foods to suit your theme. You can serve “Freedom Fries” or “Couch Potato Salad”. Ask friends for help with catchy names for your menu. They may even offer to bring a dish!

After you have decided on what foods will be served, make up a menu list that includes:

1. Hors d’oeuvres
2. Drinks
3. Appetizers
4. Salads
5. Entrees
6. Vegetables
7. Bread
8. Desserts
9. Condiments

Next to your choices, be sure to include information on where you can locate recipes for each dish, if needed. From this main list you can then plan your shopping list. You can also decide if you can prepare some dishes ahead of time and freeze them.

Think of fun ways to decorate the food itself. Stick flags into food at a golf theme party, or shape a cheese ball into a football design. Marshmallows can be turned into snowmen, and you can create a caterpillar design by using snowball cupcakes.

Arrange them in a snake-like fashion on a platter, and add licorice pieces for the legs, gumdrops for the eyes, and make a mouth by adding a bended pipe cleaner into shape. You can also use pipe cleaners for antennae, with gum drops on top of them.

When serving food, try to think of items that are relevant to your theme that you can use in a different way. You can make chocolate pudding and top it off with chocolate cookie crumbs with gummy worms "crawling" out of it. Serve it in a new, and washed out, plastic children’s bucket using a plastic shovel to dish it out.

Empty coconut shells can be used as bowls, and plastic batting or football helmets can be lined with plastic as serving bowls. You can use flowerpots, tea cups, cowboy hats, anything that will add a fun touch to your banquet table. Wheel barrels can be filled with ice to hold canned beverages, and canning jars can be used as glasses at a country-theme barbeque.

Decorations

When planning a theme party, choosing the right decorations is one of the most important details. The decorations will set the whole theme for your party. Even the greatest actors need the proper scene setting to be believable. Pretend you are building a set for a school play.

You can use inexpensive materials to get the effect that you are looking for. Remember, you are just trying to set a scene. There is no need to remodel the whole house! You should, however, try to add a little touch of the theme to your bathrooms, or any other rooms of your house where your guests may visit.

Once again, you need to consider using items in different ways. Cover a table in a blanket of white fleece to create a fake-snow effect, use crystal votive holders that look like ice, and sprinkle plastic snow throughout your house for a “Winter Wonderland” party.

Spooky ghosts can be made by turning a tomato cage upside down. Add a ball of batting to the top, and secure a yard stick through the center to create arms. Drape an old white sheet over the top, and tie a length of string around his neck. Dry ice is inexpensive, and can create quite an affect when you are hosting a spooky theme party.

Music

Like proper decorations, the right music, just as proper decorations, also helps to set the mood. Period music should be played at parties that are celebrating a particular era. A 50’s party just wouldn’t seem right when your guests are dressed in poodle skirts, and Metallica is playing in the background. Take some time to make out lists of songs and use them to create your own CDs to play.

Games

Including games at your party will not only break the ice and help to get your party going, but they can also allow your friends get better acquainted with one another. Fun games to play can include a balloon toss, scavenger hunt, and Guess Who?

To play the Guess Who game, have your guests fill out a questionnaire that you have made up. Include questions like, “What is your favorite color? Favorite movie? Favorite sport?” You should also include some more complex questions, such as: “What world leader would you like to exchange places with?” or “Who would you take with you to a desert island?”

Another fun Guess Who type of game is to try to identify guests from their baby pictures. Ask guests to bring a baby picture of themselves. With blue low-tack painter’s tape, attach a small piece of tape to the back of each picture, designating each with a different number. Pass the pictures around during the party, and have your guests make up lists with their guesses.

Prizes

Inexpensive prizes can be purchased at dollar stores or party supply outlets. Try to keep with the theme when choosing gifts as well. Make up goodie bags for larger prizes by including a few different gifts. Be sure that everyone that attends your party receives a prize, or a small gift to take home. You can also make up party favors that fit the theme of your party. These will act as a fun reminder of your party for your guests.

Theme Party Ideas

Here are a few samples of theme party ideas:

• Anniversary Party Ideas:

  • A Walk Through The Ages – Guests can dress in styles from the year that the couple was married. Create a movie with musical accompaniment by using their wedding song and pictures of their lives together.
  • Memory Lane Treasure Hunt – Place clues in spots that are meaningful to the couple. Each clue should lead the couple to the next destination point, with the final destination being the restaurant or home where the anniversary celebration will take place.
  • Card Party – For those couples that have friends and family that are spread out far and wide, plan a card party. Contact all of the couples friends and relatives at least one month in advance. Ask them to send a card with to you. Compile all of the cards into a gift package for the couple. You can make a scrapbook out of the cards by including pictures.

• Kids Party Ideas:

  • Baseball Party – Make a round cake using a metal oven proof bowl, or use cupcakes. Decorate with white frosting, and add red icing for the stitching detail. Serve hot dogs and nachos with cheese. Ice cream can be dished out into small plastic baseball hats.
  • Backyard Carnival – Set up a carnival with games that kids can play like knocking over milk bottles, bean bag toss, ring toss and a ping pong ball toss using egg cartons that have been painted with different colors. Serve cotton candy and taffy. Have a friend dress up like a clown to really add some fun.
  • Cowboys & Indians – Create a teepee in your yard by using large branches and sheets. Kids can design their own cowboy or Indian vests by using markers to decorate paper bags from the grocery store. Cut off the bottom of the bag, and cut open the center. Lay the bag flat, and fold the ends over like a vest. Cut out neck and large armholes. Round the front and the back, and fringe the bottom. Tape the shoulders together.
  • Fashion Doll Party – A round cake baked in a metal bowl can be turned into a skirt by inserting an 11 ½ inch fashion doll's legs into the top. Wrap the dolls legs in plastic wrap before inserting into the cake, and cover the doll with plastic wrap while you are frosting the cake. Include smaller dolls as party favors for all of the guests.
• Adult Party Ideas:
  • Survivor Party – Decorate with plastic snakes and rats and provide lighting for the party by using oil torches. Serve food in empty coconut shells. Offer gummy worms as a snack.
  • Garden Tea Party – Use your garden as a back drop for a formal tea party. Decorate cakes with fresh flowers, and use fresh mint in tea. Guests can bring plants to swap. Prizes can include small garden tools or figures and seed packets can be given out as favors.
  • Hot Bread Party – Ask each guest to bring a loaf of their favorite bread. Serve with cheese, jams, honey, and flavored whipped butter.
  • Wash That Man Right Outta Your Hair Party – For a friend that has just broken up with a long time beau, you can provide a girls only party. Guests can style each other's hair, and give each other manicures. Rent a chick flick, and enjoy a pajama party reminiscent of your teenaged years. Include a small bottle of shampoo as a party favor.
• Corporate Function Theme Ideas:
  • Moving On Up Party – use ladders as a theme for a corporate party to signify moving on up!
  • The Sky’s The Limit Party – An airplane theme is perfect for this type of party. Use a backdrop of clouds to set the scene.
  • The Future Is Bright Party – Hand out sunglasses to all of your employees and incorporate the sun into your party.
  • A Look In to The Future Party – A space theme can also be used the represent the future of a company or business, especially one that deals in technology.

Your theme party will only be as special a memorable as you make it. Plan it well, sticking to your theme, and things will fall into place, providing you a day to remember with family and friends.