Fun Graduation Party Themes

Everyone looks forward to the milestone of graduation. Whether you’ve got a high school or a college graduate, you’ll find fresh ideas here to help you plan the party of their dreams.

Start planning early so that you can find good deals on items that might come in handy for your party!

Create a tongue in cheek jab at the life that awaits your graduate and his or her friends in their new work life. Create a theme around office supplies. You might even want to bring in a desk and create a cubicle complete with coffee mug, computer and phone. Sprinkle the décor with pencils in cups, staplers, paper clips, lunch receipts, neckties and business attire. Really have fun with mocking the working life.

Even if you’re not planning on having all the guests sleep at your house, you can still have a fun party if everyone comes in pajamas. This will make a relaxed atmosphere that’s fun from the start. Project movies on a big screen or on a sheet outside. Have popcorn and other sleepover snacks, bring in some graduation cookie bouquets and other unique treats to make it memorable.

Have bunny slippers on and show up in curlers and a bathrobe. The kids will love it. Carry the theme through by having lots of pillows and sleeping bags around.

Since your graduate and friends will be looking forward to a bright future, why not throw a party that celebrates the lush life? Decorate with lots of bling. Roll out the red carpet. Have oversized diamond ring trinkets on the table and play money sprinkled throughout. Serve mocktails like daiquiris and clear drinks in martini glasses. Have a limo cutout (or rent a limo) for guests to take pictures in front of.

Music will be the focus of this party. You can either hire a band to bring the party to life or a DJ. Or, if budgets are tight, ask guests to bring their favorite CDs (labeled so you can return them) and have a family member man the music. You can also hook mp3 players right into a sound system, so ask the graduate to provide his or her favorite tunes.

You can carry the theme through with musical notes on paper products, and props and decorations that celebrate music. You can have musical notes cookies or cake or have the bakery decorate the cake as an iPod or mp3 player.

With every teen online now, why not have a theme that celebrates their new way of communicating? Create Facebook or Twitter props. Blow up the Facebook or Twitter logos and use them as table décor. Have them screen printed on edible paper at a bakery with a cake shaped like a computer screen. Print out blank profiles for guests to fill in and share.

Have old keyboards (from thrift stores) and cutouts of computers screens. Set up a few laptops around the party for guests to check their Facebook pages. The graduate will love that you’re hip enough to carry out this theme.

Celebrate your graduate’s newfound sense of freedom with symbols of the good life. Have open bird cages (free as a bird), sports cars (Matchbox or remote controlled cars are fun), props from the open road such as a fake asphalt runner with yellow lines painted down the middle, road signs that say “Freedom next Exit” and other playful décor. Locks and keys are also fun graduation party favors.

Most graduations happen in the spring, so throw a party that gets everyone looking forward to the summer fun that’s just around the corner. A beach theme is always a hit. If you don’t live anywhere near the beach, you can still create the mood with beach towels, blow up floats, kiddie pools, flip flops and sun hats.

Give out sunglasses and other unique beach favors and ask everyone to come in beach attire. Serve fun beach foods like hot dogs and hamburgers, watermelon and icy cold drinks. Throw in an inflatable shark or shark décor too for added amusement.