Chromatic Party

Essentially, the theme of this party is color! Each guest should dress in colorful clothes, with bonus points for those who show up wearing only one color. The decorations should be in every color of the rainbow: the brighter, the better.

Of course, the best part of any party is the food. Each dish has to be only one color. This could include anything from colorful cupcakes to an entire dinner, as long as each dish is monochromatic. Here are some ideas:

Red: red bell peppers sliced up, strawberries, red smoothies, apples
Orange: carrots, oranges, macaroni and cheese, cheez-its, cheddar cheese, doritos
Yellow: lemons, lemon cake/squares, lemonade, corn, bananas, scrambled eggs
Green: broccoli, spinach, green pasta, brussel sprouts, edamame, saag paneer, grapes, avocado/guacamole
Blue: blueberries, blue corn chips, blue potatoes, blue smoothies
Purple: cabbage, grapes, blackberries, eggplant
Black: black beans, wild rice
White: pasta, angel food cake, meringues, vanilla ice cream, hummus, saltines, potatoes
Brown: chocolate, bean dip, lentils, beef

Of course, food coloring can be used to make things like cake and cookies any color you like. Some other options are Jello and M&Ms, which you can get in pretty much any color too.

Sequential Number Party

On my 23rd birthday, my sister called to wish me a happy birthday. We talked for quite a while, and somehow delved into the realm of party ideas. We decided that, since it was my only (1) 23rd birthday (thus, 1 2 3), I should throw a sequential number party.

The sequential number party is simply a party that revolves around the numbers 1, 2 and 3. It can presumably, then, be extended into any sequence of numbers: squared numbers, cubed numbers, the Fibonacci numbers. For simplicity of explanation, I will explain the 1,2,3 theme, and one may modify the plans to fit any other theme.

Each guest is invited to bring one of a certain item, two of another, and three of yet an other item. For instance, Guest A may bring a button, two paper clips, and three ribbons. Party favors, in turn, would also include a selection of items in similar style: perhaps a kitkat bar, two snickers, and one pixy stix.

The food also should reflect the theme. My favorite idea uses cupcakes. There is a selection of three plain flavors: chocolate, yellow, and red velvet cupcakes. Then, there are the marbled cupcakes with a mix of chocolate and yellow cake, chocolate and red cake, and yellow and red cake. Lastly, there is a triple marble cupcake, with all three ingredients. To further reflect the sequential number theme, choosing only two types of marbled cupcakes would produce 1, 2, and 3 kinds of cupcakes (in reverse order-- three plain, two marbled and one triple-marble). To really drive the theme home, put only one sprinkle on the plain cupcakes, two sprinkles on the marbled cupcakes, and three sprinkles on the triple marbled.

Ask guests to RSVP for one, two or three people on the invitation. Suggest that they can come once, twice or three times. Ask everyone as they arrive if they would like one drink, two, or three.

Games involving the numbers 1, 2 and 3 can also be played, or possible playing one game once, another game twice and then a third game three times.

Reverse Surprise Party

The Reverse Surprise Party:

This party idea is a spin on the traditional surprise party. Usually, the guest of honor is the one who doesn't know that it's a party. In this version, the guest of honor is the only one who DOES know that there's a party going on.

The party planner has to invite each guest separately or in small groups. Invite someone over under the pretense of needing help fixing a computer. Invite a small group over to watch a movie. Tell someone you need help crocheting, and try to get everyone over without suspecting that you have other plans in mind.

As each guest arrives, surprise them. "SURPRISE! IT'S A PARTY!!!" No one will suspect a thing.