Throw a fun birthday party without spending a fortune.
Birthday parties on a budget won't break the bank. Whether the birthday boy is 21 or 41, you can have a champagne event on a beer budget. Instead of gifts, have every guest contribute something for the party, from appetizers to decorations. When the evening is finished, your guests - and the guest of honor - will remember the party as being one of the most festive of the season.
Instructions
1. Pick a theme for the party. Sports works for guys. For the special woman in your life, choose an era such as the '60s, or an exotic location such as Bali. The rest of the party falls into place.
2. Assemble invitations that reflect the theme. If you've chosen baseball, send an email invitation - no postage required - that says something like "Join us for the seventh-inning stretch and celebrate Jim's birthday. Instead of a gift, we're asking all our friends to contribute to the festivities."
3. Make a list of everything you'll need for the party. As host you'll provide the ice, the cake, decorations and the entree. When a guest tells you he'll be coming, ask what he'd like to contribute. He'll most likely respond by asking what you need. Choose two or three items from your list. When he chooses one, cross it off your list. Items could include beer, wine, chips, dip, appetizers, salads, paper cups, paper plates, rolls, chicken wings, deviled eggs, chili or other food that is easy to make and transport.
4. Bake the cake yourself. It's much cheaper than buying from a bakery. If that's out of the question, choose cupcakes instead of a sheet cake. For a baseball-themed party, decorate each cupcake with a baseball, using the colors of his favorite team or the numbers of his favorite players.
5. Decorate with what you already have. Use sports jerseys and equipment as part of the decor on the table. Ask attendees to wear their favorite team's T-shirt. Your guests will be part of the decorations. Spray paint cheap new paint buckets in team colors and fill them with ice and cold bottled drinks. Buy baseball caps at the dollar store or order them online. Stencil your guy's name on the cap along with his birth date. Hand them out as party favors.
6. Play party games that are more fun than complicated and that don't require a lot of equipment. For example, buy a Wiffle baseball and plastic kid's bat. Set up a course in the backyard where the object is to hit the ball as close as possible to targets you've arranged. The winners get cheap plastic trophies.
7. Offer food that gets guests mingling. A taco bar fits that bill perfectly - and is cheap, to boot. Set out shredded cooked chicken or cooked ground beef. Offer shredded cheeses, beans, salsa, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, tomatillos, green peppers, spicy peppers, onions and any other taco toppings you can think of.
Tags: favorite team, food that, your list