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When planning a birthday party, consider the preferences of the birthday person, budget, and guest list. Small parties can be simple with just cake and drinks, while larger parties may require catering and formal invitations. Themes should be communicated to guests and helpers can make the party run smoothly.
There are many considerations when preparing to throw a birthday party. Parties can be simple afternoon affairs, offering cakes, coffee, and cold drinks, or they can be elaborate parties with rented rooms, lots of guests, a full bar, and a sit-down meal. When planning a birthday party, the most important step is to consider what would be most pleasing to the birthday boy. This is especially important if the party is going to be a surprise. It’s important to make sure your guest of honor will appreciate the surprise, rather than being shocked or annoyed that you had guests and a party or him or her.
If you are preparing to throw a small birthday party, you have the ultimate control over the actual party. Sometimes, intimate gatherings of friends and family are the most enjoyable and easiest to plan. Limiting refreshments to just cakes and drinks makes planning and enjoying yourself a lot easier.
You should discover the birthday boy’s or girl’s favorite cake while preparing for the party. Be sure to offer a variety of beverages, and if the setting is casual, using colorful or patterned paper plates may be the best choice for serving the cake. These casual parties are best at 7 or 8 in the evening or after 2 in the afternoon, which suggests that you won’t be serving any food other than cake.
If you plan on serving a meal, summer birthdays are obviously ideal for both lunch and dinner barbecues. On the contrary, you could serve a brunch at any time of the year, or host lunches or dinners with simple flans or main courses. If you only have a few guests, it’s easy enough to prepare a lunch or dinner on your own. If your guest list is huge, you might want to hire catering services or ask other guests to bring different types of dishes. You should make sure you provide your own plates, glasses and cutlery, these can easily be hired if you don’t have enough plates to carry around.
For large parties, it makes more sense to send out formal invitations so you can count on the amount of food and drink you may need to provide. If you use a restaurant service, you will be charged per person. Plan to send out invitations about a month to 6 weeks in advance, with RSVP time no later than a week before the birthday date. Also, always plan for a few people who didn’t respond.
If you have a theme, such as a costume party or a Hawaiian luau, you should prepare to host a birthday party by making sure your guests are aware of the theme. It’s no fun attending a party in a tux or dress if everyone else is wearing Hawaiian shirts or coconut bras and grass skirts. You can supply costumes fairly easily for certain themed parties, and you can often purchase costume items in bulk.
As you prepare for the party, consider your budget. Larger parties will cost significantly more and you may want to co-host with more people to share the expense. If you can’t afford a big party, don’t feel guilty. The prospect of an evening shared with a few friends or family members is usually a pleasant one for the birthday boy or girl.
If you’re acting as the host yourself, you might want to enlist several friends to help the party run smoothly. Designate someone to serve the cake or to make sure guests are provided with drinks or ice cream. Knowing you have helpers will often reduce your anxiety as you prepare to throw a birthday party and give you a chance to enjoy the party on your own.
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