Celebrating someone’s birthday is always a fun, festive time for everyone involved. But when you’re the host, there’s so much to think about—food, games, dessert, and presents—it can all feel a little overwhelming. Fortunately, with a little planning and a lot of preparation, your birthday party can run smoothly and your guests can leave feeling happy.

1

Pick a location for the party.

  1. Make sure your location is big enough to hold all of your guests! You can host a party at your home, a local park, a restaurant or bar, a community center, a roller rink, a bowling alley, or even at some zoos! Choose a date and time that will work for most people, like on a weekend or in the evening.[1]
    • Little kids might appreciate a party at a place with activities, like a roller rink or a bowling alley.
    • Older adults are probably fine with a party in your home or at a restaurant.
    • If gathering in-person isn’t an option, you can throw a party via video chat. Invite your guests to join a meeting on Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype, then eat and chat like you would at any other party.
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2

Pick a theme or color combination to base the party on.

  1. This will make decoration and food shopping way easier. If you’re planning a party for a small child, you might choose their favorite book or TV show. If it’s for an older kid or a young adult, something a little more sophisticated might work.[2]
    • Jungles, zoo animals, pirates, princesses, and ocean life are all fun themes to choose for a little kid.
    • Glow in the dark/neon, sci-fi, night club, and the beach are all great themes for a young adult.
    • Older adults probably don’t need a theme, so you can just choose some fun party colors instead.
4

Buy finger food to feed guests.

  1. Your guests will probably eat as they walk around and chat. Pick up some food that’s easy to eat on the go, like chips, sandwiches, and ice cream bars.[4]
    • If you’re hosting a children’s party, be sure to check with the other parents to see if anyone has dietary restrictions.
    • Popcorn, pretzels, and M&Ms are all fun finger foods that your guests can eat.
    • If you’d like a healthy alternative, try vegetables or fresh fruit.
    • Older adults might like food that’s a little more fancy, like crab puffs or mini quiches. If you’re hosting both kids and adults, try to get a variety of food that everyone will like.
6

Buy (or make) the birthday cake.

  1. It’s the most important part of the party. If you’d like to get a professional to make your cake, head to your local bakery a few days in advance to put in your order. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make and decorate the cake yourself the night before.[6]
    • If your party has a theme going, decorate the cake to match it. You can use fondant, frosting, or plastic cake toppers for a fun and easy decoration.
    • If you don’t want to deal with cutting up a huge cake for all of your guests, get some cupcakes instead. You could also splurge on some cookies as an extra sweet treat.
    • Don’t forget to grab some candles!
7

Put up decorations to make your location look festive.

  1. Make sure they fit your theme! Balloons, streamers, banners, and confetti are all birthday classics that can’t be beat. Try decorating the outside and the inside of your location to set the mood for the rest of the party.[7]
    • If you’re going for an animal theme, put up cutouts of jungle animals, zoo animals, or aquatic animals.
    • If you’re hosting a party for a teen or young adult, try putting up a disco ball and a fun “happy birthday” banner.
    • Or, try a murder mystery party with cobwebs and old silverware.
    • You could also grab a few party hats or silly glasses for guests to wear.
    • If you’re hosting the party outside, grab some outdoor lights or hanging lanterns.
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10

Have the recipient open up their gifts during the party.

  1. This is one of the most fun party traditions there is. About midway through the party, have everyone sit down and watch the birthday girl or boy open presents.[10]
    • This is especially important during a party for a little kid. It’s always fun for their friends to see what kind of toys and games they got.
    • If you want to remember this moment forever, have someone record the gift-opening with their phone.
    • If you’re hosting a party for an older adult, opening gifts in front of everyone isn’t required. However, it can still be fun!
    • If you’d like to send out thank you cards, make sure you write down who each gift is from.

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I host a birthday party just for family members living in the house?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    All the steps in the article will still apply. Depending on how many people there are in your family, you may have to adjust some things.
  • Question
    Is it my responsibility as the host to provide my invited friends with transportation?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, it's not typically the responsibility of the host to provide transportation for attendees.
  • Question
    How do I invite people if I don't have friends?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Family is fine, too. Try opening up to more people a few months in advance so you do have friends to invite.
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About This Article

Natasha Miller
Co-authored by:
Party Planner
This article was co-authored by Natasha Miller and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Natasha Miller is an Event Planner, Chief Experience Designer, and President of Entire Productions, an event and entertainment production company based in San Francisco, California. Notable clients Natasha has collaborated with include Apple, Google, Gap, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Salesforce. Natasha and Entire Productions has been awarded Inc. 5,000's "Fastest Growing Companies in America", Entrepreneur Magazine's 360 List of "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America." Entire Productions is also a Certified Women Business Enterprise. Natasha is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). This article has been viewed 110,419 times.
8 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 33
Updated: December 11, 2022
Views: 110,419
Categories: Etiquette | Party Planning
Article SummaryX

To host a birthday party, decide on a fun theme, like Disney characters, with your child and send out invites to the guests 3 to 4 weeks in advance. On the day, try to set out the food, drinks, and games 30 minutes before the party starts so you can take a moment to settle. As the guests arrive, greet each of them, take their coat, and offer them a refreshment. Then, during the party, try to make sure your child opens their gifts so everyone can see what they got, but keep in mind this may not always be possible. For tips on buying supplies for a party or hosting a party for adults, read on!

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