by Casey Cartwright Contributor Writer
Planning your own birthday celebration might feel strange at first. You might feel like it’s self-centered or childish. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! Adult birthday parties can be just as warranted, memorable, and fun as childhood celebrations—they just require a different approach. We’re here to help you by revealing some tips for hosting birthday parties as an adult.
Your first step is to plan what you want the night to look like, keeping in mind activities that your loved ones will enjoy. You probably won’t head to a bounce house and open gifts with cake afterward. Instead, maybe you make reservations to have an intimate dinner with close friends, or maybe you host a backyard barbecue instead. You might also consider a themed party that celebrates your favorite hobby. For instance, if you’re an artistic person, you can have your party at a paint-and-sip bar or have people over to follow a Bob Ross tutorial. If you’re a sports fan, you can take your friends to a game or head to a local park for a friendly, amateur tournament.
In fact, the party’s theme doesn’t have to reflect a hobby of yours at all; it can just be something fun and unique to enjoy with a group. For one, you can explore various poker tournament services for your event that come right to your home. These services don’t allow gambling, just the fun of the game. And it’s an incredibly unique party idea that your friends are sure to be impressed by.
If that’s not your cup of tea, however, then there are plenty of other options! For example, you can organize a scavenger hunt, rent a yacht charter, go to a petting zoo, attend an after-hours museum event, head to a club, run a charity 5k, do an escape room, and so much more. Truly, there are endless possibilities for amazing party themes and activities that your adult friends will love, whether or not they relate to your hobbies.
What you decide on should depend on your interests and budget, which you should consider early in the planning process. Parties can range from simple gatherings to elaborate celebrations, and there’s no right or wrong amount to spend. Set a realistic budget that won’t stress you out financially, then work within those parameters to create something special.
After all, the good people in your life won’t care if it’s an expensive or thrifty celebration. Speaking of which, your next step is to figure out your guest list. Your friend circle has likely expanded beyond school, so you can consider mixing groups. Maybe you get together your work colleagues, college friends, family members, neighbors, and fellow hobbyists. Mixing these groups can encourage interesting conversations and help expand everyone’s social network. However, think about the dynamics between different groups and whether they’ll mesh well together. That’s an important consideration that kids simply don’t have at their birthday parties.
Also, don’t feel obligated to invite everyone you know. Quality over quantity is the key to more meaningful celebrations. A smaller group allows for deeper conversations and more personal interactions. Your birthday party should include the people who truly matter to you and who will contribute positively to the experience.
But as you’re aware, adults are so much busier than children, so make sure you send invitations at least two weeks in advance (more if you’re planning something elaborate or during busy seasons). Digital invitations work perfectly for most adult gatherings and make tracking RSVPs much easier.
You might wonder if you should mention something about gifts on the RSVP, and the answer is yes.
Though the right approach depends on you and your group of loved ones, we recommend specifying “no gifts” on the invitation. Even though gifts are one of the main draws of a child’s party, it can feel tacky to request them as an adult. Now, your friends will probably bring you something anyway, and that’s great! However, it’s best to discourage the act and instead request their presence as a gift. At the very most, you can omit any talk of gifts on the invite and let invitees interpret that.
What you shouldn’t do under any circumstances is send a wish list or request particular presents—this isn’t a wedding or baby shower. After all, the whole point of an adult birthday party is to celebrate relationships and create memories rather than receive things.
One final planning detail we want to discuss is everyone’s favorite part of an event: the food. If you decide to have a dinner party for your birthday, then this is solved. But if you opt for an event, you’ll also have to decide how to feed everyone.
If you’re hosting in your home, then it can be a sweet touch to prepare the food yourself. This way, you can provide your guests with something hearty and nourishing and show your genuine thanks for their attendance. If your guests are up for it, you can also organize a buffet. But if you’re planning an activity outside of the home, then a better plan is to go out somewhere casual afterward.
And don’t forget dietary restrictions and preferences. Make sure to accommodate your vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and doesn’t-like-fish friends. Even if you don’t understand or follow the same lifestyle or have the same dietary limitations, being inclusive here is very meaningful.
As for drinks, consider if any of your invitees are sober for any reason. If so, it’s respectful to have the whole party stick to zero-proof beverages. That said, you can ask your sober friends about their preferences. If they don’t mind other people drinking when they’re not, then you can take that at face value.
Ultimately, it’s not difficult to host birthday parties as an adult, and we hope these tips make it even easier for you. We hope you have the best time celebrating your personal growth, your wonderful relationships, and the unique person you’ve become!
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