Party Theme Ideas

You could make it a "World Theme" and have each guest bring a dish from a different culture. That way, you have many flavors, different decorations, and a topic of conversation.

You could have an Iron Chef theme; have a secret ingredient everyone must use and let them cook.

Or a Tiger-beat theme where you play old boy-band music, everyone comes as a fangrrrl.

The old standby, murder mystery. Maybe an Agatha Christie party.

Toga party.

To-ga! To-ga! To-ga! To-ga! To-ga!...














What?

Mardi Gras/Carnival theme is good, especially if you are approaching the actual date (2/20 and 2/17 respectively).

Masks, beads, etc.

How about making the theme about solving a mystery.

The decorations, including headpieces, tables and props could offer clues.

The guests would be motivated to inspect everything with anticipation of some great prize.

Lots of mixing and conversation with a fun factor built in to the whole experience.

Mystery possibilites: some secret of yours, some secret of a popular friend, a Clue type game: mrs. white in the kitchen with the candlestick, etc.

How about a Morroccan-themed party? Belly dancers, rose water to wash their hands after eating, giant pillows to sit on...

Renaissance Faire. Everyone can come in bodices and codpieces.

Or have a slumber party. My girlfriend did that when she turned 35 -- she rented a hotel room, and nine of us showed up wearing pajamas. We ate popcorn and pizza, talked about boys, and watched a bunch of movies from the 80's. It was loads of fun.

Codpieces give me a rash.

Disco theme, everyone dresses in glittery 70s gear, and lots of boogie-woogie beats will have everyone dancing.

1980's theme, with big shoulder pads for the women, thin ties and pleated pants for the men, and Brat Pack movies for the DVD (or VCR!) player, or Duran Duran and other new wave tunes for the dancers.

A friend of mine had a "bootlegger/gangster" party. Costumes ranged from flapper dresses to zoot suits; a nice Al Capone theme.

I once went to a Halloween wedding. The theme was "marriage is the death of all hope," and everyone was asked to dress as ghosts, zombies, dead people, etc.

Have a fun 30th!

For my 30th, I went with a "get drunk and forget I'm turning 30 party." It was a great theme with lots of shots and some vomiting later in the evening.

The downside...I was still 30 the next day!

I went to a theme party once where the guests were dressed as emotions. There were some creative touches, but nothing like the guy who showed up wearing nothing but a pear around his crotch.

The host of the party had a fit. She yelled at the man for not following her theme, and he said, "But I am an emotion! I'm in dis-pear."

Come as your favorite office machine consumable supply!

(sound effect: crickets chirping)

OK, I'll. . .I'll be. . .going now.

You could have a mummy unwrapping party, they're pretty cool. And hardly anyone does them anymore, so yours will be unique.

For my last birthday party, the food theme was Cakes That Look Like Entrees and Entrees That Look Like Cakes. I made a double layer meatloaf using 8" cake pans and "frosted" them with mashed potatoes, somebody made a Bundt cake that looked like a pumpkin, somebody else made a vegetarian casserole that looked like pineapple upside down cake, and the main birthday cake looked like a meatloaf.

For my 35th my friends staged a 'James Bond' themed party.

There was a Bond movie playing on every tv in the house and 'martinis' and a roulette wheel, and my ex even sobered up enough to wear a suit jacket and a bow tie and act like a Maitre' D.


....'Birthday......
Happy Birthday......"

I stopped having themed birthday parties when I moved out of my mom's house.

Granted, I was 35 at the time, but still... the point is, I don't throw parties for myself.

And the last "surprise" party someone threw me was 10 years ago. I haven't spoken to them since.

Drat.

*makes mental note to call Budweiser and the caterer to cancel deliveries for tomorrow's We Love the Ferret surprise party*

Last time I sign up to handle the food and booze.