Frugal Party Ideas

[Momto2Boyz]

Due to lack of enthusiasm from my extended family members, my hubby and I have decided to throw a surprise birthday party for my mom's 60th birthday. She is always the one who makes a big deal out of everyone's birthday, and my dad and brother (bless their hearts) are less than creative and enthused about planning & throwing her a party.

As of right now, Dh and I will be paying for the party, but I am hoping that some extended family members will help to pitch in...and I'm sure that they will...I just don't want to count on it, in case they don't!

So, we will be renting a banquet hall (most expensive part...but not horrible, would love to do a BBQ, but March weather in the Midwest, won't accomodate my hopes), doing our own "catering", so we can do it on the cheap, but elegant. I want to do a theme, because my mom always does theme parties, so I think she will love that. So I will need to get some frugal party decor ideas! They offer a cash bar, so I think we will take them up on that, so I don't have to buy beer or pop or wine (is that too cheapo to ask party goers to pay for drinks?).

I would love to hear any ideas that anyone can give me, so I don't go totally overboard on my budget, but can still throw her a great, memorable party. I am going to anticipate about 40 guests, but I don't have the guest list done yet, so it might be more or less!

[Daisygirl]

It depends which way you want to go. If you want to be funny (well, to some) you could do what one of my friends did for her husbands 50th. She threw a one-foot-in-the-grave party, completely with guests dressed in black and funny fake tombstones and ghosts all over the place (she raided an after Halloween sale).

However, this being a mom, you should probably do something sweet and elegant. Consider maybe a tea party. Somethig like that would be cheaper for catering, since it is snacks instead of a meal. What is something your mom is interested in? you could theme it that way.

Give me a direction to go and I'm your girl - I love parties on the cheap!

[Momto2Boyz]

I would love the foot in the grave party...if it was my Dad. My mom is doing "well" with turning 60, but I wouldn't want to push her over the edge into freaking out about it!

Okay, she is big into crafting, quilting, sewing. She has tons of cats (farm cats...no indoor cats), and other than that, no major interests.

So I am willing to recieve whatever ideas you have for me! I just want this to be really special for her. Oh, I should also note...that she is not really a tea party kind of girl. She is a farm wife, very practical, etc!

[starsapphire]

How about a Hawaiian luau/beach party-style theme? Buy a bunch of those cheap plastic leis from a party store, or online, everyone wears Hawaiian shirts or hawaiian print-type stuff, etc. There's lots of good ideas if you do a Google search for hawaiian theme parties. Just an idea.