From Denise Witmer,
Your Guide to Parenting of Adolescents.
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You can give your high school or college graduate a party that will be the highlight of his/her achievement. Whether it’s a small get together or a large party, its success is in the planning. Here is what you will want to do to make your graduation party memorable for your teen – includes links to more resources. Be sure to read through the planner before beginning, many things coincide depending on your basic decisions.

Make the basic decisions. Are you planning a large graduation party or a small dinner? What does your child want? These questions need answered before you begin to plan anything else.

Set a date and time for the graduation party. This can be harder than you think and should coordinate so that the most people can attend. Write down a few options and start calling those you would like to see come. Narrow down your choices until you have a date that suits the most people.

Plan your graduation party budget. Begin by deciding how much you can spend and then check around for prices of different things you would like to have or do. Write it all down! It is important that you not try to keep all of this in your head as you may forget an important bill. You also want to focus on the event instead of its price tag.

Find a place to have the graduation party. If you are going to use a hall, park or restaurant, you’ll need to begin planning this while you’re picking a date. If you are going to use your home, jot down things you will need to rent like a tent or coffee machine.

Determine your guest list. The size of your event will help with this. Your graduate will need to sit down with you and make a list of friends. Be prepared! He/she will most likely change this list many times.

Choose a fun theme. While the overall theme will be the graduation, you’ll need more than that to pull your party together. A theme for a graduation party can be as simple as the school colors or as detailed as the graduates college major. Choosing a theme will help you purchase supplies and decide on menus.

Purchase graduation party supplies. Paper products, decorations and invitations(free printable graduation invitations), are just a few of the things you’ll need for the party. Be sure to price out these things and write them down on your budget.

Decide on the menu. Will your be having a caterer make the food or will you be doing it? Either way, you’ll need to decide if you are serving a meal or just finger foods.

Get some help for party day. Whether it’s a sibling, spouse or hired helper, you will need lots of help on the day of the party. This is your child’s graduation party, you need to have time to enjoy the event as well. So I will repeat: Do not take on all of the responsibilities yourself.

Tricks and Tips for Graduation Parties

First and foremost, make your gift list with these graduation gift suggestions.

Make invitations into little diplomas. Use a calligraphy pen to script the invitation, roll the paper up and tie with a colored ribbon.

Give each guest a white t-shirt and set out permanent markers so that they can sign each other's shirts. They may not want to have the shirts on when signing if the markers bleed through the shirt on to their clothes.

Make a time capsule. Have each person bring something that has to do with their years in high school. Place this in a box and give to someone for safe keeping until their ten year reunion.

Play pin the mustache on the teacher. Blow up a picture from the year book of one of the teachers, your teen will give you an idea of which one.

Make mustaches out of cut out black construction paper. Place tape on the back of each mustache. Then the game proceeds just like pin the tail on the donkey.

If it's hot outside, a water balloon toss is always fun, (played just like and egg toss but not as messy). Choose the balloon colors to match the school colors.

Have a sign in board. You can use a large scroll to keep the diploma theme or place pictures of as many of the classmates as you can find around the edges of a large poster board.

Place the name of a teacher on a sticky label. When a guest comes in, stick it on their back. They have to ask other guests yes or no questions about the teacher and guess who it is by the end of the night.

Have a memory note station. Set up "note boxes" for each guest, and paper and pens to write notes to each other. The teens can write their memories of the other person down and stick it in their friend's box.

Food, food, food!! Graduation cupcakes are a must.

Video tape the party! Place the video camera on a tripod and just let it roll.

Don't try to have too many activities. Teens love to just get together, talk and listen to music.