Celebrate Family Birthdays at Home

These tips and tricks will help make the most of your at-home family birthday party. Plus, learn how to transform your house into the perfect event location.

Make Room for a Party

  • Find the best room in the house. Do you have a large backyard or family room, or a kitchen that’s perfect for entertaining? Take advantage of your home’s best feature. Choose a space that’s large enough to accommodate seating for all your guests and provides easy access to the bathroom.
  • Set up plenty of seating. Even if you expect your guests to spend most of their time mingling, make sure everyone has a seat. Repurpose chairs, ottomans and bar stools from other parts of the house. Invest in a few folding chairs you’ll reuse over the years. Beanbags and oversized pillows make for comfortable floor seating if your party is casual.
  • Don’t forget the tables. Set out small end tables or plant stands among your chairs. It’ll give guests a place to set drinks and plates.
  • Prepare for the food. If you’re not hosting your party in the kitchen, you’ll need a table to serve food and drinks. Pull in your dining-room table or line up card tables. Cover mismatched tables with decorative tablecloths. Keep the food off to the side but allow plenty of room for guests to form a line. Scatter serving platters around the room to make appetizers available throughout the party.
Set the Mood

  • Choose a theme. A theme can make your party a special celebration instead of another night at home. Let your theme be your guide for decorations, party supplies and menu choices. Here are some ideas:
    • Movie night: Hang old movie posters, and serve popcorn and candy.
    • Beach party: Play sand volleyball in the yard, use tiki torches for lighting and give guests flower leis.
    • Casino night: Decorate with playing cards, dice and poker chips.
  • Have fun with decorations. You can choose anything from streamers and balloons to flowers and candles to decorate. Just a few touches here and there can make a big impact, so don’t feel the need to go overboard. Wall hangings and table toppers can enhance your theme. Put one or two decorations on the bathroom counter for added effect. Buy matching plates, cups, silverware and napkins.
  • Turn up the mood music. Make a playlist of appropriate background music that works with your theme. An MP3 docking station will keep the tunes pumping during the party without pulling you away to play DJ. Set the volume low enough that guests can easily talk over the music.
Last-Minute Details

  • Stock up on supplies. Plan to have twice as many cups as guests and plenty of napkins. Have extra toilet paper in the bathrooms, buy large garbage bags to help with cleanup and always remember to get bags of ice.
  • Take care of the cats and dogs. Put family pets in a safe place away from the hustle and bustle of your party. Even the friendliest animals can be unpredictable in a crowd of strangers, and you never know if your guests have pet allergies.
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