How to plan a great party

One of the best ways to throw a great party is to use a theme. To plan your party, you will need to pick a theme, send out invitations, select a menu, decorate, and prepare games and prizes.

The most difficult part of planning a themed party may be choosing the theme itself. Decide on a theme by considering when and where the party will be held, whom you will invite, and if there is a reason for the party (a birthday, holiday, etc.). You can have any theme you'd like, so don't be afraid to go out on a limb. One of my friends recently threw a Dr. Suess birthday party, and it was a blast. Sometimes the zanier a theme is the better.

Your theme begins when you mail the invitations. This is a fun way to exercise your creativity. If you're having a sports or theater theme, make the invitations look like tickets. If it's a pirate theme, mail out treasure maps or black spots. This will help generate enthusiasm among your guests, especially if you invite them to wear costumes. Be sure to send the invitations out about two weeks in advance so people have enough notice to plan their schedules.

Another great part of planning a themed party is the menu. If you can tie the food and drinks to your theme (like green eggs and ham for Dr. Suess birthdays), it makes things that much more fun. Unique cakes or cup cakes are always hits, especially at kids' parties, and can be relatively easy to make. Find props to hold the food, like football helmets at your sports party or a cauldron at your Halloween bash.

And speaking of props, we can't forget the decorations and music! How you decorate will set the stage for the whole party and help your guests get into the spirit of the theme. These don't need to be expensive, but they should be as thorough as possible. For example, put little touches in the bathroom or kitchen if there's a chance people will be going through there. Play music that fits the theme--if it's the Roaring 20s, for example, don't play classic rock. Prepare a playlist that has enough music to last the whole time.

Games and prizes are essential to a good theme party. If you have a mafia or detective theme, play a murder mystery or guess who game. For prizes, give out spy tools or fedoras. Make sure you have enough prizes for everyone. Sometimes watching a movie can also fit the theme (especially if it's an Oscar or movie theme!) and can be a good way to finish the party off.