Whether you’re a parent who wants to celebrate their kid’s achievements, or your partner has recently graduated, and you want to do the same, hosting a party on the day that they graduate is the perfect way to do it. They deserve to see how proud you are of them and have their efforts recognized, as well as the opportunity to let off some steam after all of their hard work studying and to get excited about their future. Below are a few tips on how you can organize and throw an excellent graduation party that they will remember and appreciate.
Food
Most graduations take place in the summertime, so this is the perfect excuse to invite everybody over for a BBQ and celebrations. This kind of food is also perfect for big gatherings as you can put out a spread of salads and side dishes to complement what you’re grilling on the BBQ, and people can help themselves. You could even make some pitchers of cocktails, and don’t forget to buy celebratory champagne or sparkling wine to mark the occasion! If you have a bigger budget to work with and would prefer not to worry about preparing the food yourself, you could always look into hiring professional caters to take care of food and drink for you instead. Whatever you do, though, don’t forget to make or purchase a special cake for the occasion!
Decorations
Every party needs some kind of decoration to make it feel festive, and a graduation party is no different! You can run with the theme and make banners featuring the traditional graduation caps and perhaps even rolled up scrolls representing their diplomas or degrees. Some simple floral arrangements on tables would also look nice and sophisticated, with tealights in glass holders that you can light when it starts to get darker in the evening. Fairy lights or bigger lanterns in your garden would also work well as decorative lighting when it gets dark too.
Gifts
Although people’s presence at the party will be gift enough, it’s always nice to give someone a present on their graduation day. This will be something that they can cherish for years to come, whether it’s a thoughtful, sentimental gift or a goofy novelty gift that they can laugh at. Of course, you don’t need to make gifts mandatory for your guests, but some gentle encouragement saying that they would be welcome is worth doing. Look at these examples of the best graduation gifts if you need some inspiration.
Timing of the Party
If you will throw the party on the same day as their graduation, you’ll need to be wary of what time you tell people to come over. Find out as soon as possible what the graduation ceremony schedule will be on the day and whether theirs will be in the morning or afternoon. You’ll need to factor in the time it takes for photographs and perhaps a celebratory drink with their friends and teachers at the graduation venue itself before you can all go back to your place to start the party. Give yourself at least an extra half an hour to get home before people arrive, so you’re not rushing around or have people stuck outside your house because you’re not there yet!
If you want to show someone special how proud you are of them on their graduation day, throw them a party with all their friends and family so they can start the next chapter of their life in style.
