Graduation Party Ideas

Do you have a special grad in your life? Here are some graduation party ideas for invitations, decorations, activities and lots more to help celebrate their achievement!

Graduation Party Invitations

Set the stage for an awesome party right from the start by sending great invitations. Here are some inspirations for making your own graduation party invitations, as well as some that we really like which you can purchase online:

Diploma Invitations -- Make your invitations look like diplomas by using a black calligraphy pen to write your wording out on cream colored stationery. Then roll up the invitation and tie it with a red ribbon. (Or check out these great diploma invitations from Tiny Prints.com.)

Final Exam Invitations -- Create graduation themed invitations that look like a final exam. Choose your wording to say something such as, "If you were going to _________'s graduation party, you would expect:

a) Good Friends

b) Good Food

c) Good Music

d) A Great Time

e) All of the Above!

**General Tips for Invitations** -- If you choose to make your own invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your party. It is also helpful to put the RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email. Don't forget, graduation time is a busy season for parties, so be sure to get your invitations out as early as possible, and don't be too upset if not everyone can make it. Many people have family priorities.

Graduation Memory Album Announcements

Graduation announcements, Elegant Future

Elegant Future Invitations

Fast Lane Graduation Invitations

Graduation Party Decorations

Graduation parties are all about memories and nostalgia, and when it comes to decorations, some of the best graduation party ideas are those that make everyone feel special! Here are some suggestions for your party decorations:

Make a Photo Memory Board -- Collect, or ask your guests to bring, old school photos or group shots of friends throughout their school years. Put out large pieces of posterboard and double sided tape and make memory boards of all the special times your group has shared together.

Create a Photo/Video Backdrop Area -- Using school colors, set up a photo backdrop area somewhere at the party where your guests can go and take pictures of themselves and their friends. You can also set up a video camera here and ask everyone to make a few comments for the guest of honor...share a memory, make a wish or a prediction for the future, or just tell why that person has been a special friend.

Use School Colors and Mementos -- Decorate your party with balloons, streamers, and tableware in your school colors. Have a great mascot? Don't forget to include it in your decorating. Other school items that can make good decoration pieces are old trophies, yearbooks, and letterman jackets. Consider making a table centerpiece out of graduation caps and diplomas made from rolled up paper tied with red ribbon.

Hang a Personalized Banner -- A nice way to welcome your guests is to use a large sheet of paper or fabric to make a personalized congratulations banner and hang it from the front door.

Check out Celebrate Express.com for a HUGE selection of graduation decorations and partyware in lots of different school colors and themes. Here are a few of our favorite examples of graduation themed items that they offer:

Outdoor Graduation Decorating Kit	Keys to Success Party Supplies	Mortarboard Lanterns
Grad Celebration Party Supplies	Grad Stars Party Supplies	Colorful Commencement Party Supplies

Activities

Often, a graduation party doesn't need too many activities, since there is usually a lot of reminiscing and talking. However, it's always nice to have a few creative party activities to help make your event extra special.

Signable T-Shirts -- As your guests arrive, give everyone a t-shirt and a colored Sharpie marker. You could even have these personalized with your school name and class year. Let everyone roam the party and sign each other's shirts to create a fun remembrance of the evening.

Save 10% on Graduation Decorations from Stumps!

Penny Counting Jar -- Put out a large glass jar full of pennies and have everyone estimate the number. Whoever guesses the closest gets to keep the jar as a contribution to their college fund.

Time Capsule -- Ask each of your guests to bring an item that symbolizes their time at school for a time capsule. Leave all of these out for everyone to see and talk about during the party, and them box them up to be brought out at a 10 year reunion.

Slide Show -- If you have time, make a slide show of your graduate or of all your guests and set it to the music that has been important to them over the years. Have the video rolling throughout the party. This is a surefire way to stir up memories, laughs, and probably a few tears. (**This is also a great activity for the graduate himself to do.)

Signable Picture Frame Mat -- Buy a large frame that has a white mat around it. (available at local frame or craft stores.) Ask all of your guests to sign the frame as a special memento for the graduate.

Oh, the Places You'll Go! -- During a quiet moment, share this classic Dr. Seuss book with your guests. It makes an excellent read-aloud as a party closer, and it also makes a great party favor for your guests to take home.

A Graduation Party Treat

The menu for a graduation party should be set by your budget, taste, and the size of your group. You might consider keeping it low key or even having it catered so that you can enjoy the big day as much as your graduate. Here is one fun and easy graduation party idea for a mortar board snack:

Graduation Cap Treats -- You will need:

Miniature Peanut Butter Cups
Chocolate covered Graham Crackers
Chocolate Frosting (for glue)
Red Licorice Laces
Red Hots Candies

Turn the peanut butter cups upside down and use frosting to stick on the graham cracker "mortar board". Use the licorice laces as a tassel for the cap (cutting them with a knife if they aren't thin enough). Stick on the tassel and red hot button using more frosting. Hooray!

Graduation Party ideas for Favors

Graduation parties are about friendship and memories, so make your party favors focus on these things as well. Here are a few of our favorite graduation party ideas for take aways:

Small address books where everyone can keep new phone numbers and email addresses
Picture frames to hold a special remembrance
"Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss
Signed T-Shirts from your party

Here are a few more fun options:

Congrats Grad Gold Graduation Bead Necklace

Congrats Grad Bead Necklaces

Signature Graduation Cap

Graduation Bubbles

Hope you found some useful graduation party ideas on this page. Congratulations, and enjoy your celebration!

If you enjoyed these graduation party ideas, you might also enjoy these parties:

End of the School Year Party

Backyard Barbecue Party

Back to School Party

Share Your Party With Us!

Have you hosted or attended a great party recently? We would love to hear about it! Tell us about your party and what made it special. We'll post it here to share with all our readers. Plus, your party will automatically be entered in our next party submission contest!

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