A milestone birthday like the 18th birthday should be memorable and fun. But what if you have to do it on a budget? Not to worry. We bring you some inexpensive ideas that you can use to bring in your kid’s 18th birthday in style.
Birthday parties for kids are relatively easy to organize. You make the food they love, get a stunning cake and invite their friends. If you are feeling particularly indulgent and if your budget allows it, then maybe you hire a clown or a juggler. But what about organizing a birthday party for a teen? An 18 year old at that! Turning 18 is one of the first memorable milestones in a person’s life so it definitely calls for a huge celebration. Worried about pulling those purse strings a bit too much? Not anymore! Here are some great and pocket-friendly ideas for that stupendous 18th birthday party.
Pool Party
Who doesn’t love a pool party? It is casual and fun and will be a hit with the youngsters. Organizing a pool party is not very tough, provided you have a pool. Ditch the DJ and play a mixed CD or ask guests to bring their own music and play it at the party. Instead of hiring a fancy caterer, have simply foods laid out on a ‘make-your-own-food’ table. Sandwiches, salads, chips and dip, pasta, such simple items are all you need to satiate a bunch of teens. Make sure to remind all the guests to slather on some sunscreen before lounging in and around the pool.
Barbecue Party
The smell of sizzling hamburger patties and sausages . . . what’s not to like about a barbecue party? One of the most inexpensive ideas is to have a barbecue party. Go the farmers’ market to stock up on the choicest cuts of meat and some wonderful fresh veggies for salads and sides. Again, do a BYO for the music so that’s one less thing to worry about. Instead of store-bought sauces and dips, make some wonderful dips and salsa at home with the fresh produce from the farmers’ market.
Costume Party
This one’s for the girls (and the boys if they’re game). Everyone knows how much girls like to dress up. So, pick a theme of your choice and ask all the girls to be dressed according to the theme … with one little catch: the costumes must be fashioned from their existing wardrobe. No last-minute frantic trips to the mall permitted. Better yet, ask them to come over and then dress up together and have some crazy pictures clicked, followed by pizza, popcorn, tubs of ice-cream, and of course, a wacky move in keeping with the theme.
Board Game Party
Oh sure, your teen will think that hanging out at home is going to be oh-so-boring! Change his mind by having a board game party. Who doesn’t love board games, right? If you have a stack of board games, then great, but even if you don’t, have guests who do bring them, make chits to decide what game to play and while the night away with some good-hearted competition. Pizza, chips, and soda: all you need to make this lot happy.
Water Gun Party
Here’s another really fun idea you can try. Have each guest bring his own water gun (of any type) and towel. Have some tubs filled with water. Divide everyone into teams and have a squirting match. The team that finishes the water in their tub first, wins. Then you can enjoy some sandwiches or hot dogs with some OJ. Inexpensive as ever and sooo fun!
Just because you’re not organizing a lavish birthday party does not mean it can’t be fun and memorable. By some resourceful planning and organizing you can throw an unforgettable 18th birthday party.