Smart Graduation Party Planning Guide
By Penny Warner
Hosting a final farewell to school days doesn’t require a lot of pomp and circumstance. Just follow these easy tips to make your graduation celebration the top of its class.
Graduation Theme
Begin your “Class of …” celebration with an Oriental Trading Company party pack that includes invitations, decorations and paper products. Or personalize it with a special theme, such as “Take a Break” with a tropical setting, “You’re a Star” with a theatrical background, “It’s a Jungle Out There” with a rainforest theme, “Smooth Sailing” with a nautical touch, or “Show Me the Money” with a financial look.
Invitations
For invitations, write the party details with a calligraphy pen on white parchment, then roll up and tie with ribbons using school colors. Or make mortarboard (grad cap) invitations from black cardstock tied with a tassel and write details in silver ink.
Create a fake “final exam” for your invitation, and ask multiple choice questions such as, “At Laura’s graduation party, you want: a. lots of food, b. a disc jockey, c. a toga party, or d. all of the above.” Or make personalized “report cards” with party details included.
Include a kindergarten picture of the graduate, along with the senior picture, for a “Before” and “After” invitation. And ask guests to come dressed as school stereotypes, such as a cheerleader, jock, nerd, skater, teacher, principal, or custodian.
Decorations
Tape up banners, garlands, and “Class of …” signs in school colors. Hang mortarboards from the ceiling, as if they’re flying through the air. Decorate the room with school mementoes, such as saved dance tickets, dried corsages, prom programs, textbooks, old reports, beat-up binders, or pictures from a yearbook. Give the guests grad caps to wear and megaphones and clappers to use at the party. Rent movies to play in the background, such as “Rock and Roll High School,” “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” or “Clueless.”
Cover the table with the newspaper want-ad section, and circle some of the ads. Write famous quotes about the importance of education on scroll paper and use them as placemats. Have the school mascot serve as a centerpiece.
Games and Activities
“Who’s the Teacher?” Write the names of teachers on sticky labels, place them on guests as they arrive, and have players ask “Yes/No” questions to find out who they are.
“Whatever Became Of…” Write up funny predictions about guests, such as, “Matt Warner, captain of the football team, now has his own chain of drop-in brain surgery clinics…”
“Autograph Session.” Give the guests autograph bears, dogs, caps or books to sign.
“School Scrapbook.” Set out scrapbooking materials and have the grads make their own memory books.
Refreshments
Have “cafeteria helpers” wearing aprons and hairnets serve classic cafeteria food (only better quality) on trays. Give each dish a name card, such as “Meat Surprise” or “Broccoli Jell-O.”
Offer popular school foods, such as pizzas, hamburgers, chips, and sodas. Serve them from lunch boxes and pour drinks from thermoses.
Make a cake centerpiece that looks like the school mascot or a mortarboard.
Prizes, Gifts & Favors
- Grad hats, clappers, and megaphones
- Scrapbooks
- Autograph bears or address books
- Grad antenna balls
- “Class of …” photo frames
- Pencils with school name or pens for future use
- Key chain for the “key to the future” that comes with a flashlight, compass, tool, or
whistle
- Funny tie to wear to work
