- Throw a fun birthday party for your teenager, and make sure to get his input.teen on the party with noise-maker image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
There is a variety of party ideas that most teenagers would define as "cool." Destination parties, extravagant themes or low key get-togethers are all possibilities depending on your teen's personality and desires for an upcoming birthday party. Hosting a cool teen party does not have to break the bank; you can adjust just about any party idea to fit your personal budget. - A Hollywood-themed party is a great idea for teens. It allows them to get dressed up and act like a celebrity attending an awards banquet. There are many directions this idea can be taken: a movie opening night premiere, a Hollywood awards party, red carpet paparazzi or old-time Hollywood. Be sure the invitations resemble the chosen Hollywood theme. For example, invitations for an awards party theme should be shaped like a Grammy or Oscar award, or should look similar to the invitations those events send to celebrities.
One thing is for sure: You cannot think about Hollywood without picturing red carpets and VIP areas. Purchase some inexpensive red fabric to resemble the red carpet to place on the inside or outside of the party entrance. Set up a VIP area with finger food, magazines and sparkling cider. Ask the party guests to dress up as their favorite actor; escort them down the red carpet one at a time, and set up another family member to take photos of each entrance and candid shots of the party. - For a Mardi Gras masquerade party, start with themed invitations. Cut mask shapes out of black or any other colored paper for the invitations, and print or paste party information on the back. To make the invitations more festive, punch a hole on the side of each mask and add Mardi Gras beads (popular Mardi Gras colors are gold, green, purple and yellow). Decorate the party space with Mardi Gras-colored masks, beads, streamers and light bulbs. Ask party guests to come dressed up in masks. You can also provide materials to make their own masks at the party. Include Mardi Gras colors and shapes in the birthday cake, such as gold and purple masks.
- Hotels often have regulations regarding the adult-child ratio in a room, so an open invitation to sleep over is probably not a good idea. Instead, invite only a few guests, or make sure that guests who will not be able to sleep over are aware beforehand so they can arrange a ride at the end of the party. Hotels are a great place to host a party because most hotels have pools the teens can swim in and a restaurant for a celebratory dinner or breakfast the next day. Decorate the room with basic party supplies (streamers and other party favors) or with any other decorations that are appropriate.
