Planning a kid’s birthday is relatively easy. You ask them who their friends are, what kind of food they want, what kind of theme they want, and then you tailor a party from their answers. Kids are easily impressed by decoration, and will revel in any chance to eat sweets and jump around in a big group for three hours.
Adults, on the other hand, have it a little more difficult. Throwing yourself – or a loved one – a birthday party involves forethought, a keen eye for home décor and an activity that will keep everyone engaged (which is decidedly more difficult to do when you’re an adult).
In this post, let’s discuss birthday party ideas for adults and how to craft the perfect evening, one that starts with a beautifully decorated home and ends elsewhere with a fun activity. Here’s how to plan your adult birthday for maximum attendance and maximum fun!
Plan in Advance
Kids don’t exactly have full schedules, so when you choose a date for a kid’s birthday party, you can pretty much do so at random (or around your own schedule). With adults, the planning process takes more care. The first reason you want to plan in advance is so that you give as many people as possible as much time as possible to save the date.
Another reason to plan in advance: it takes time to decorate your home. If you want to go with an elegant gold and silver motif, you need to order the supplies, install the decorations and possibly even move furniture around to facilitate a large group.
Decorate According to a Theme
A party is better with a theme, period. Rather than snatch up generic party decorations (yellow streamers, red Dixie cups, blue paper plates) give thought to creating a cohesive aesthetic. The theme can be as quirky and specific as you want:
- lumberjack themed
- casino themed
- murder mystery themed
- even Star Wars themed!
Or the theme can be more general:
- glamour themed
- cocktail party themed
- 80’s themed
- seasonally themed (Christmas, summer, etc.)
Plan an Activity (Before Things Get Messy)
There’s no sense in staying put at your home the entire time. A party that begins and ends at home is not only unimaginative, but it’s also a real pain to clean up afterwards. Before things start getting too messy (read: before that one friend downs a bottle of wine and spills salsa on your couch) head out to an activity.
Pair your activity with whatever theme you’ve chosen. For instance, if you’re doing a lumberjack themed party, take your guests for an axe throwing birthday party. If you’re doing an 80’s theme, head to a bowling alley (bonus points if they have laser bowling!). If you’re doing a cocktail party themed, naturally, head to a swanky cocktail bar. The addition of a secondary location or activity gives structure and life to a party.
Throwing a party in adulthood may be a little more complicated than when you were a kid, but it’s not impossible. With some advanced planning, some on-theme decorating and an activity to round out the evening, your birthday party will be a smashing success!
