How to throw a great birthday party
From all the beautiful holidays that come throughout the year, birthday is the one that is totally ours to own it. Most of us want to make that day special and throw a great birthday party that our guests would always remember.
A few days ago I was celebrating my birthday party which, against all the odds, I decided to organize in a very unusual way. I took a risk and it turned out amazing for my guests. Some of them couldn’t even hold back their tears of amusement. I was feeling blessed.
Read through to revise your list of great birthday party rules.
1. Great birthday party rule #1: Don’t make it all about yourself
We all love being at the center of everyone’s attention and making all lights on us. However, a great birthday party is never a one (wo)man show.
Why do you think everyone longs for their prom? Because all of them are queens and kings on that night. Do the same for your birthday guests. Make your birthday really inclusive — plan games and activities that will make them feel special. See more in rules #7 and #8.
2. Great birthday party rule #2: Choose your guests wisely
Your guest list should be exhausted by those names that make your heart beat faster. Surround yourself with those who reciprocally love and cherish you.
However, you must remember that not all of them are familiar and their interests might differ. Don’t try to create a homogenous group of guests, but make sure that each of them feels comfortable among the people they were invited with. For that, you should create a very well-thought table plan.
Investigate the professional backgrounds and interests of your guests and locate their seats in a way so that they find a good discussion topic with their neighboring guests. Moreover, consider their needs. They might need some professional advise or opinion from others in their field, make sure the table plan gives them an opportunity to leave your party having their problems solved.
Just use your critical and analytical thinking skills. Trust me, this is fun.
3. Great birthday party rule #3: Dancing and eating are not enough
What’s the real purpose of your birthday party — to spend some quality and fun time with your friends, or to scream and jump without even learning how everyone in the room is doing?
A great birthday party is never all about dancing and eating. It is about communicating and catching up with your beloved ones. It is about creating connections between your unrelates friends who might benefit from the new acquaintance. It is about giving smiles, warmth, and love to the ones that surround you on that beautiful day.
Think of interactive and intellectual games that would water everyone and help them to effortlessly network. Think of an advantage that your guests will get for being at your great birthday party instead of being somewhere else.
4. Great birthday party rule #4: Choose a venue that corresponds to Rule #3
If you agreed with rule #3, then a disco or a music hall won’t work for you for sure. Research a venue that would allow you to speak to and interact with your guests — no constant noisy music.
I went with an anti-café (The Loft, Yerevan, Armenia) which allowed me to play my birthday playlist, gave me an access to a kitchen space to cook or bring in my food, provided intellectual games, and ensured a fun atmosphere to enjoy every moment. It also had a dancing room, movie room, and a grand piano.
You may keep on searching for another type of venue. Just make sure it enables you to realize all of your birthday plans.
5. Great birthday party rule #5: Create your birthday party playlist on YouTube
Music is what will create an atmosphere and set a tone for some fun. Carefully create your playlist, don’t make people complain about the noise and unnecessary beats. I’m sure you have an astounding taste for music.
You can find my birthday YouTube playlist here.
Note: Check in advance if the venue you choose allows to play your own playlist. Remember, you can always negotiate for a favorite song or two.
6. Great birthday party rule #6: Healthy food for everyone’s good
Some people might have some dietary restrictions, you may want to have something that is allowed in everyone’s meal plan. The only way out is to serve some healthy food. That food is the only type of food that almost all of the doctors recommend to their patients when they need to make improvements in their eating habits.
The second important thing is to have some alternatives for your vegetarian and vegan guests as well.
Caution: Ask your friends if they have any allergies to any food ingredients. That’s what cannot be predicted anyhow without asking.
7. Great birthday party rule #7: Make sure everyone has their moment to shine
Do your guests have any hidden or unhidden talents? Then make them shine during your great birthday party. This will make them feel special and appreciated.
What happened during my birthday party is the following: one of my friends plays piano super amazingly, another one dances, and I sing a little. I asked my friend to play some music that I knew the words to. We performed the famous song Hallelujah, and our dancing friend showed a small dance to that song. It both spiced up the party and made them surpassingly happy to demonstrate their talents.
8. Great birthday party rule #8: Remind everyone of their dreams
What do we usually do before blowing out the birthday candles? Currect, we make a wish. Now imagine, that instead of making one wish, you make a dozen. How it happens? You ask everyone to make a wish, not for you, but for them.
Here is my story. I cooked 2 types of healthy cakes and asked everyone to take one of each. I gave them a piece of paper and a pen asked them to write down their:
- Dreams and goals
- Fears
- Ways to overcome fears and/or turn those into an opportunity to achieve their goals
Then I gave a candle to each of my guests. We lit those. Then I asked them to think of what they just wrote on their paper and blow out the candles. I could see their happy eyes and amazement. They were fascinated.
Note: Writing down your goals helps you to think of them more thoroughly than having them in your mind. It helps you to visualize and put together the bigger picture.
9. Great birthday party rule #9: Fun and inspiring movie hour is never a bad idea
We hardly allocate some time to watch a movie if we have our crazy and super busy schedule on the table. Give your guests some leisure. Choose a movie that is both fun and inspiring. Bring some popcorn and organize a movie night as a continuation of your birthday agenda.
My case: I bought some popcorn boxes that are served in the movies and made some healthy popcorn (no added sugar or caramel). I chose the movie “The Devil wears Prada” and took my guests to the movie room to give them some inspiration. The movie length was about 2 hours. I made sure that my guests were aware of that in advance so that if the need be, they informat home that they’ll be a bit late.
10. Great birthday party rule #10: Mind your budget
You shouldn’t spend a fortune to organize a great birthday party. Just a little research and planning will help you optimize all of the expenses.
Here are a few steps to guide your birthday party budgeting:
- Create a list of all the things you will need to pay for
- Underline the items that carry the highest price tags
- See what some of the more affordable alternatives to your items in #2 are
- Identify those things from your list that you already have so that they can be excluded from your list
- Carefully observe the unnecessary items and take them out from your list
What is your rule #11?
