5 themed-party ideas to throw in your twenties
When I was a poor benighted teenager I used to think that a party was an event where as many people as possible squeezed into a starkly lit space, drank some unidentified alcoholic liquid from a plastic cup and shouted at one another over deafening drum n bass. Now I’m older, wiser and oh-so much more sophisticated so I understand that a true party is a choreographed confection carefully prepared for the delight of a few close friends. Here then are some suggestions for those of you who prefer to think of the party as an art form rather than merely an excuse to get hammered.
The Murder Mystery Dinner Party
You really need to do your homework if this is going to work well. There’s a great variety of games available to buy, ranging from the standard country house murder to sleazy, rather more adult fair. Whatever you choose you’re going to need to spend some time getting your head around the presentation of the game; what you don’t want is long tedious stretches while you reread the pamphlet and try to make sense of what happens next. You can have great fun allocating character roles to your friends and then getting them to dress the part. You can also help create the mood by turning your pad into a crime scene with a little tape, a chalk body outline, some bloody handprints and those cute little yellow evidence markers they use on CSI. A word of warning though, you’ll need to curb your excessive drinking for the night, this one needs a sober head to make it work.
Hollywood Glamour Cocktail Party
Roll out the red carpet, the faux fur, the top hats, the white tuxedo and travel back to the age of Bogart and Bacall. A butler and a mixologist will mean that you can mingle while everyone gets swiftly sloshed. Nothing ignites a party like a round of stiff cocktails and dressing up to get drunk is so much more fun. For a real touch of class, set up a poker table, you can brush up on the rules here. This one doesn’t come cheap though and if you’re going to be serving more than one type of cocktail you’re going to need a pretty well stocked cabinet. Worth every penny though.
Grown-ups Halloween Party
Everyone loves a zombie and basic zombie is so easy to do, an old shirt, a bit of ketchup and away you go. Encourage your guests to be a little creative by introducing an element of competition with categories for vampire, werewolf, witch and warlock. Bloody Marys and red wine are the obvious drinks but you can get much more creative with repellent nibbles. Lychees make fine eyeballs and sweet potatoes can be whittled into any number of internal organs.
70s Hippy Picnic Party
A chance to get out the beads, the face paints and the baggy pants. Get hold of a record player and whack on some good old fashioned vinyl. Whip up some brown rice and lentils and maybe some far out sweets. Encourage musical guests to bring along their guitars and in laid-back hippy style bring plenty of blankets, or ponchos, in case you fancy extending the party into the evening.
Mad Hatters Tea Party
An English garden on a sunny afternoon, decorated with appropriate props (think packs of playing cards, top hats and giant chess). Set the table with mismatching cups and saucers, lots of teapots, filled with booze and encourage your guests to come dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland. A myriad of wonderful ideas can be found here.
