Plan A Virtual Party with LYFETYMES Party
There are still many ways to still celebrate with your friends and family and put on the best celebration possible in 2020 you can give them while at home during quarantine and engaging in social distancing. Whether it is a Virtual Party, At-Home Party, Drive-by Party, or Hybrid of them all, we have gathered some innovative ways to celebrate the moments that matter most.
How To Celebrate Virtually In 2020
Planning a Virtual Party and not sure where to start? You can plan any Birthday Party, Baby Shower, Graduation Party, Holiday Party, and more, with LYFETYMES - the fastest-growing party planning platform and app.
At-Home and Virtual Parties can still be festive and engaging. It does not just have to be a Face-time call, you can make it as memorable as you want and it is important to celebrate those milestones and recognize they have been accomplished. You can plan for free at LYFETYMES or if you don’t have the time or non-technical, head to the LYFETYMES Vendors Marketplace to find a party stylist or wholesale goods to help plan and style your entire party at an affordable price.
There are still many ways to still celebrate with your friends and family and put on the best celebration possible in 2020 you can give them while at home during quarantine and engaging in social distancing. Whether it is a Virtual Party, At-Home Party, Drive-by Party, or Hybrid of them all, we have gathered some innovative ways to celebrate the moments that matter most.
Virtual At-Home Party
Virtual Major Moments- Great for Proposals, Gender Reveal, Sip and See’s, and College Admissions
These are intimate feel-good moments that people are going to love to be a part of even virtually. We will celebrate more of them than ever because we want to connect even more with friends and family, as these are the precious memories that will bring smiles.
Most commonly, you will physically be with less than 10 people, most likely people that live in your home only, and having friends and family join virtually. You can still decorate, open presents, have party activities, etc. You may want to move things traditionally at the end of a party to the front- So start with singing Happy Birthday, Blowing Out Candles, opening gifts, that way if people cant stay they at least get the big highlight!
Add some front yard signs to add to the moment!
There are many sign companies where you can hire (and support small businesses) to come decorate your yard with personalized signs overnight so it is ready to go in the morning! You will be surprised by the smiles, great selfies, and honking you get from well-wishers driving by!
Hosting a Successful Virtual Party
At Home & Virtual Parties can be fun, but if you want it to be as successful as possible, then it does require some planning and effort. Here is a quick rundown of how to get it done!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can personalize with a picture or a video and share your LYFETYMES Party Website on FB or via text.
Add a virtual party link/URL to your LYFTEYMES from any of the services you use like Zoom or Goggle Hangouts, so all they have to do click it and party with you!
Add a slideshow link! These are great to include on your website for guests to enjoy!
Add an easy registry link for guests to send gifts to your door! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly.
Determine where in the house, backyard, or space you will use for the party, a fun backdrop can be great for gift opening, a central focus of the room for photos.
Determine Theme and Decor and order to your door ahead of time there are a ton of delivery solutions, like yard signs, food, cake, and balloons that can be dropped outside your door. You can add all your ideas to your LYFETYMES party!
Make an agenda, especially for your video call - make sure you have put some thought into the call- the last thing you want is a boring virtual party! You can create an agenda and digital checklist in LYFETYMES to keep you on track for songs and games!
How To Host An Incredible Graduation Party Quarantine Style
Graduation Party Ideas for Celebrating in 2020! We know this year is going to require us to celebrate creatively. We cover the creative ways to help Celebrate our Graduating Class of 2020!
How to Host a Graduation Party Quarantine Style
by April Sharer and Katie Cunningham
So you set a goal, put in years of work to accomplish it, and now a global pandemic has canceled your moment of recognition? COME ON! You deserve this moment to shine and to celebrate that goal you crushed. You did NOT put in YEARS of all-nighters, stress, and studying to accept your diploma via email and call it good-- you deserve a celebration grad!
Was the Tassel Worth the Hassle?
Unfortunately, this major milestone that so many friends and family look forward to will not happen in the traditional way of years before. Our graduates will not walk across the stage, almost a parent’s visual representation of our children transforming from a child to an adult. The big graduation parties that people travel to will be postponed, or worse canceled
And all that money those seniors dream about envelopes stuffed with cash, like the opening Wedding Scene in the Godfather, are slipping away. Those funds are used for college and to jump-start their adult journey. We are not going to lie to you, it is disappointing for everyone. Thankfully there are still many ways to celebrate our graduates, and even though we may plan a big party later, it’s important to celebrate the moment, the accomplishment, and recognize the graduate!
Let’s walk through some creative ways to Celebrate!
Now introducing the graduating class of 2020! (Quarantine Style)
Make it a Virtual Graduation Party
Virtual parties are all the craze right now. This moment should be shared. It does require some planning and effort to make it great and differentiate between just another Video call. Here is a quick rundown of how to get it done!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add a virtual party link, so all they have to do click and party with you!
Add an easy registry link for guests to send gifts to your door or a cash link to get cash gifts! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly and can be included on your website.
Determine where in the house, backyard, or space you will use for the graduation party, a fun backdrop can be great for gift opening, a central focus of the room for photos. We love balloon decor that spells it out!
Determine Theme and Decor and order to your door ahead of time. There are easy party sets offered here for small parties that ship right to your door, make a few graduation themed treats and stock up on the confetti.
Wear The Cap and Gown, if you have them, if not improvise the walk, diploma, cap, and gown. Go outside and toss that cap while your squad showers you with confetti!
Front yard and Porch Decor, like yard sign decor, or balloon garlands that can be shipped to your door. Most good neighbors will honk for the Graduate if you are telling your neighborhood you are celebrating a graduate via yard sign.
Make a mental agenda, especially for your video call - make sure you have put some thought into the call- the last thing you want is a boring virtual party! Incorporate game activities, have folks dress up in theme costumes, and keep the party moving. You may want to start with cake and gifts.
Make a video memoir for the grad sharing photos and videos from birth- present. Ask your guests to each submit their memories or well-wishes for the grad and incorporate those in the video. This is sure to make the grad feel special and probably on one of the parents’ to-do list for a while! in your virtual party, you can share your screen with the other guests to enjoy!
Don’t make it crazy long. Zoom’s free accounts host parties for up to 40 minutes.
Drive-By or Drive Thru Graduation Party
Drive-By Parties are gaining momentum as a way to get out of the house and social distance safely. It is a great way to feel like you have participated and gone to a party- see each other say hi from a safe distance and show some love!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add your home as the venue, the time it begins, and title it is a “DRIVE-BY GRADUATION PARTY” so everyone knows. You can even add a comment on your website to further explain if needed.
Add registry links in your party for guests to know where to buy gifts your graduate needs so they can drop off and/or a cash link to get cash gifts! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly and can be included on your website, not everyone is going to be able to participate based on location so it’s a great way for them to send gifts they know you need or will love.
Create a “drop-off zone” Determine where guests can safely drop off gifts and decorate the space with balloons so they know where to drop. we have seen a ton of ideas from decorating the trunk of a car, back of a pickup, decked out tables to recycling bins!
Create the appropriate socially distancing space where you will be located, waving from your spot- may be on the porch or lawn chairs from the front yard or window
Don’t forget the Front yard and Porch Decor, yard signs, Garage door signs, decor or balloon garlands-all these can be shipped to your door.
Dress up for your well wishers-Wear The Cap and Gown, if you have them, if not just put on pants, please.
After everyone goes, grab your loot and go inside and celebrate more! Open gifts, have food, decorate inside, record the grad opening gifts to keep for you or share. Shop small themed party sets and awesome balloon garlands offered for small parties right here.
Graduation Party Parade
Similar to a Drive-By Party, this is a bit different. Here are a few differentiators to consider:
The point of the parade is all the participants meet and start following each other at an agreed location (usually not the grads home) and time, so it looks like an actual parade!
Guests pretty much will stay inside a vehicle at all times and may jump out to give a gift quickly and jump back in, so it is helpful to have a close “drop-zone”.to the parade-goers.
It’s a high energy event, expect a ton of honking! It is great fun for guests to decorate vehicles with signs, balloons, and decor- get engaged and have a “Best Decorated Car Float” winner
This is a great idea for teachers and parents who want to celebrate several students with one parade party by visiting multiple grad’s homes.
How will you celebrate your Grad this year?
So Graduation Parties can still be memorable and engaging. Whether you have a small at-home gathering, drive-by parade, or a virtual celebration, throwing a graduation party is no small task. DIY lovers can use our amazing free party planning tools on LYFETYMES or allow our LYFETYMES Vendor Marketplace for help planning, styling, and more services.
The At Home & Virtual Quarantine Survival Guide
There are still many ways to still celebrate with your friends and family and put on the best celebration possible in 2020 you can give them while at home during quarantine and engaging in social distancing. Whether it is a Virtual Party, At-Home Party, Drive-by Party, or Hybrid of them all, we have gathered some innovative ways to celebrate the moments that matter most.
How To Celebrate In 2020
by Liz Grisham and Katie Cunningham
Celebrations both large and small have been canceled or postponed that was planned for the Spring and Summer, which are the most popular Seasons for major milestone life events such as Weddings, Showers and Graduations. Not only has this interrupted these important life events friends and family had looked forward to, but the entire event infrastructure we use to help us with these Celebrations mostly made up of small businesses, have been severely impacted.
Many of us have considered canceling a Birthday Party, Baby Shower, Graduation Party, etc that are coming up in the next few weeks or months due to Social Distancing related to COVID-19. This may seem like a realistic approach to celebrating “when this is over” leaving some very disappointed kiddos, graduates, and moms to be, but the Leading Physiological Experts say this does more damage than good.
Take Your Party Medicine
It’s important to revisit why we celebrate milestones in the first place and the positive emotional effects brought forth by continuing it. It is not just important for our children, but there are major benefits that we as adults can benefit from celebrating.
According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant and others, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience—and even mini-celebrations can plump up the positive emotions which make it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress. Which is so important for all of us right now.
When we have something to look forward to or look ahead to something worth celebrating, we feel more optimistic, according to research led by Hadassah Littman-Ovadia.
Dr. Allen Schwartz states: In my opinion, as a therapist, mental health worker, and human being, these (Celebrations) things are not only not childish, but are extremely important. These celebrations are markers of achievements in our lives and the celebrations to recognize or remember these events help to reinforce to each of us our significance as unique individuals. Perhaps the most important celebration of all is the birthday because it demarcates our arrival on this earth.
Traditions and celebrations surrounding birthdays are important for other, deeper reasons, too, and are a “special – and necessary – part of childhood,” says Heather Ulrich, Ph.D., child, and family psychologist in Asheville.
“Children come to depend on these events for consistency and continuity in their lives and birthdays, in particular, provide unique benefits for children cognitively, socially and for parent-child relationships,” says Ulrich, who is also an assistant professor of psychology at UNC Asheville and the parent of two girls, ages 4 and 7.
“Celebrating a child’s birthday allows parents to demonstrate the joy and love they have due to the addition of that child to our world (and the family),” says Ulrich. “Sharing special experiences and creating memories enhances the bond and security between parent and child, and increased secure attachment has lasting effects on a child's self-esteem, development, behavior, and emotions.”
Celebrating a child's birthday every year helps them to understand “the growing up process of aging each year and assists them in understanding what each age means and its developmental significance,” says Ulrich. “It’s not the party or elaborate celebration that matters; it’s the focus on the individual child for that day and a focus on their new age and development.”
Neuroscience on https://www.psychologytoday.com/ explains what impacts by having positive celebrations can have on emotions:
Celebration Conversations elevate the level of such “feel good” chemicals like oxytocin and the endorphins—neuropeptides produced in the central nervous system. Their release into our system gives us a sense of well-being.
Serotonin that is boosted by cheering and pleasant conversations is widely known for increasing motivation and can even transform stress into success.
When you celebrate, endorphins are released inside your body and you feel incredible. When you accomplish something and don't take the time to celebrate, you are robbing yourself of an important feeling that reinforces your success.
Conversely, if you fail to celebrate, you are training your brain that what you are doing isn't all that exciting and important. Simply put, the lack of celebration will lead to a feeling of emptiness lower our self-esteem over time.
So What in the Confetti do we do?
There are still many ways to still celebrate with your friends and family and put on the best celebration possible in 2020 you can give them while at home during quarantine and engaging in social distancing. Whether it is a Virtual Party, At-Home Party, Drive-by Party, or Hybrid of them all, we have gathered some innovative ways to celebrate the moments that matter most.
Virtual At-Home Party: Great for Birthdays and Baby Showers
Most commonly, you will physically be with less than 10 people, most likely people that live in your home only, and having friends and family join virtually. You can still decorate, open presents, have party activities, etc. You may want to move things traditionally at the end of a party to the front- So start with singing Happy Birthday, Blowing Out Candles, opening gifts, that way if people cant stay they at least get the big highlight!
Do a Drive-By: Great for Birthday Celebrations
Even though we’re social distancing, that doesn't mean you can't get into your car! Deck out your car with balloons and signs then drive by your friends or family’s house. Tell them to look outside and start singing "Happy Birthday" when they come out to look! The extra thought, time and attention decorating your car will make anyone smile.
Trunk Party! Great for Graduation and Baby Showers
The way this works is you have a specified time and date at your house, you turn your vehicle around or put up a table and friends get out of their car (one at a time) and drop off the gift and set it in the trunk or leave on the table. We have many vendors that offer services that set up some amazing banners and balloon displays in the front yard. You can say hi and wave from a socially safe place.
Virtual Major Moments- Great for Proposals, Gender Reveal, Sip and See’s, and College Admissions
These are intimate feel-good moments that people are going to love to attend. We will celebrate more of them than ever because we want to connect even more with friends and family, as these are the precious memories that will bring smiles. These can last around 15-30 minutes, decorate a cute backdrop and have confetti bomb ready!
Hosting a Successful Virtual Party
At Home & Virtual Parties can be fun, but if you want it to be as successful as possible, then it does require some planning and effort. Here is a quick rundown of how to get it done!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add a virtual party link, so all they have to do click and party with you!
Add an easy registry link for guests to send gifts to your door! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly.
Determine where in the house, backyard, or space you will use for the party, a fun backdrop can be great for gift opening, a central focus of the room for photos.
Determine Theme and Decor and order to your door ahead of time there are a ton of delivery solutions, like yard signs, food, cake, and balloons that can be dropped outside your door. We are obsessing over Hero parties where they dress as our Front line Hero’s reinforcing how critical these roles are in our community.
Make a mental agenda, especially for your video call - make sure you have put some thought into the call- the last thing you want is a boring virtual party!
What will be your first Virtual Celebration?
So At-Home and Virtual Parties can still be festive and engaging. It does not just have to be a Face-time call, you can make it as memorable as you want and it is important to celebrate those milestones and recognize they have been accomplished. You can plan for free at LYFETYMES or if you don’t have the time or non-technical, head to the LYFETYMES Vendors Marketplace to find a party stylist or wholesale goods to help plan and style your entire party at an affordable price.
LYFETYMES: Why it's The New Way to Plan a Party in 2020
LYFETYMES is your #1 party planning website and is the NEW WAY to plan a party! Our founder shares why she came up with LYFETYMES today on the blog.
Here’s a little backstory of why LYFTYMES was created.
I volunteered to plan my close friend’s baby shower; I figured I'd crush it. I’ve been the right-hand gal supporting huge corporate organizations in many roles for years. If I could do that, how hard could it be?
So when it came time to start planning, I started with what everyone does. I pulled out my laptop and entered:
"How to plan a baby shower."
"Tools to plan a baby shower."
"I need help planning a baby shower."
I kept getting printable checklists, helpful blogs, and great articles. There were plenty of pictures and inspiration, but I could not find an end-to-end website for all things party outside of weddings.
I went through the same thing planning my niece's graduation party (and let me promise you one thing, you do not want to screw up a teenage girl’s party). I was running around like a crazy person, trying to divide and conquer with co-hosts, worried sick it wouldn’t be the guest of honor’s vision, or I would forget something important.
I was so stressed over it and a full-time job working mom with little time.
I love to celebrate life’s milestones or just throw a party on the weekend, just because. My fondest memories are from these moments, and I hope there are many more.
But as I sat at my computer and thought of everything that needed to be done for my friend’s baby shower, I knew it should not be full of pain points—a baby shower should be full of joy and most of all, fun!
That's why I decided enough was enough, and LYFETYMES was created.
LYFETYMES is a free, fun, DIY website that is easy to use for any celebration or party. It's like having a personal party planner. It’s great for baby showers, birthday parties, bridal showers, graduation parties, holiday get-togethers, or ANY occasion. LYFETYMES has you covered, no matter what you are celebrating!
When you join our party, you will have access to powerful tools like:
Celebration Dashboard
Easily to read dashboards to keep track of important information and updates, including countdown clocks.
Free Sharable Party Website to share celebration details with guests and gather RSVPS
Invitation Station
Build easy email, mailing and texting lists(coming next month), import previous guest lists or from your contacts, send invites and track RSVPs and the numbers of attendees. Great for Save the Dates & Thank You notes. Email & message co-Hosts and guests party updates.
Inspiration Boards
Upload and share your favorite pictures to capture or inspire your vision for decor, cakes, themes, etc.
Vendor & Venues
Your “party motherboard” of all the things you may need for a party all in one place!
Registry & Gift Board
Create wish lists or add registry URL’s that can be shared with guests or begin a new registry with your favorite store.
Planning & Tools
Interactive checklists, add and track to-do’s, assign tasks and due dates. Assign your celebration a budget and track spending.
Food, Drink & Dessert Center
It’s the center of every celebration! You can order catering, book a restaurant, order food delivery or DIY grocery lists – it’s all in one place!
Decoration Center
Browse decorations based on the occasion, purchase from top suppliers or get inspiration for your celebration!
Include the Guest of Honor
Are you hosting for someone? Maybe graduation or baby or bridal shower? No problem, with LYFETYMES you can send your guest of honor a link to help personalize the celebration with a limited view (so you don’t give all the details away!) to help with invites or provide registry information or theme favorites.
Guest View
Guests will be able to view invitation details, mapping directions, gift, and registry information and send the host or co-host questions.
We know that not every day is a party, but it’s still important to remember someone's birthday, anniversary, or any special day. To keep you organized so that you never forget one of these special days, we created LYFEMINDERS: Lyfe’s little reminders - you pick the day, and we will send you a reminder so you can send your love.
You can even plan multiple celebrations at the same time and access past celebrations to reuse tools and information like past invite lists to make LYFE easier!
LYFETYMES has also personalized the experience for all party goers including:
Star of the Show (Guest of Honor)
Hostess with the Mostess (Host & Co-Hosts)
LYFE of the Party (Guests)
We can't wait to start celebrating with you. Come for the party, and stay for a LYFETYME!
Check out our website at www.lyfetymes.com and start planning in 30 seconds and follow us on social media for the best tips, inspiration, and trends.
Party Planning Has Gone Digital in 2020 with LYFETYMES
LYFETYMES is a free digital party planner with tools and checklists for party planning. We help solve the all those pain points with planning a celebration, party or any occasion. LYFETYMES is an all in one place to plan any occasion. It’s perfect for Birthday parties, Graduation parties, Bridal showers, Baby Showers, Gender Reveal Parties, Engagement Parties, Holiday parties like Thanksgiving, New Years, Easter, July 4th, Anniversary Celebrations, Superbowl parties or ANY occasion, LYFETYMES is the #1 party planning site.
LYFETYMES Digital Party Planning
We created LYFETYMES for busy parents, one place where they could manage and plan important moments and celebrations like Birthday Parties, Baby Showers, Graduations, Holidays, etc. As moms ourselves, we spend hours and days planning, we get it. We want to be able to save moms all over the world hours and days of stressful planning.
Another reason was to create a place to share tutorials, DIY Ideas, and support women and build a community of sharing. And we wanted it to be free.
Planning Has Never Been Easier
To us, planning a party is more than décor, that's why we created a Platform and Marketplace that is one-stop and will help you plan from ideation to memories. When you join our party, you will have free access to planning tools where you will be able to start planning in 30 seconds. Anyone that is the family or friend designated “Party Planner” knows there are many verticals to plan for.
Party Planning for The Future
Party Planning for birthdays, baby showers and Holidays. Plan any party for free. All in one party planner. Free event planning for any party. Easy party planning tools and checklists.
Create Personalized Party Websites to text email your guests who can RSVP and get party details. LYFETYMES just launched where you can send a video, not just a picture, and we think it will really knock your guest's socks off!
Celebration Dashboard-Easily to read dashboards to keep track of valuable information and updates, including countdown clocks.
Invitation Station- Build easy email, mailing and texting lists, import previous guest lists or from your contacts, send invites, and track RSVPs. Save the Dates & Thank You notes.
Inspiration Boards-Upload and share your favorite pictures to capture or inspire your vision for decor, cakes, themes, etc.
Vendor & Venues- Your "Party Motherboard" of all the things you may need for a party all in one place!
Registry & Gift Board- Create wishlist’s or add registry URL's that can be shared with guests or begin a new registry with your favorite store.
Planning & Tools- Interactive checklists, add and track to-do's, assign tasks, and due dates. Assign your celebration a budget and track spending.
Food, Drink & Dessert Center- It's the center of every celebration! You can order catering, book a restaurant, order food delivery or DIY grocery lists – it's all in one place!
Decoration Center- Browse decorations based on the occasion, purchase from top suppliers, or get inspiration for your celebration!
Hostess With The Mostess
Are you hosting for someone? Maybe a graduation party or baby or bridal shower? With LYFETYMES, you can send your Guest Of Honor a link to help personalize the celebration with a limited view (so you don't give all the details away!). That way, they can help with invites or provide registry information or theme favorites.
We know that not every day is a party, but it's still important to remember someone's birthday, anniversary, or any special day. To keep all those dates organized, we created LYFEMINDERS: You pick the day, and we will send you a reminder so you can send your love.
You can even plan multiple celebrations at the same time and access past parties to reuse tools and information like previous invite lists to make LYFE easier!
To Infinity and Beyond!
As we grow LYFETYMES, we will continue to share party ideas via our blog. So you can bring a party together quickly with the latest insights around themes when it comes to décor, food, games and activities, and everything party. Hopefully, make some friends, collaborate, and have some laughs along the way!
LYFETYMES Your Celebration Platform and Marketplace
We are committed to eliminating the pain points in planning celebrations and the stress that comes with it. We want to enable you to spend more time with your family and friends enjoying the moment and less time sweating over the details.
Here at LYFETYMES, we want to hear from you as far as the information you want to learn about. With the holidays fast approaching we will have a ton to share with each other, and we can’t wait to start Celebrating all of the milestones in LYFE with you.
Please feel free to reach out to us directly at katie@lyfetymes.com if you have feedback, ideas, or just want to connect. We have BIG things coming for the rest of the year and can't wait to share them.
Keep Partying,
Katie Founder & CEO LYFETYMES
7 Easy Last Minute Graduation Gift Ideas
So you’re heading to a graduation party this weekend and you forgot to buy a gift! We’ve got you covered with easy last minute graduation gift ideas they’ll love. Lyftymes party planning website thinks of all aspects of party planning: from gift giving, to planning the entire party!
It’s graduation season and we’ve got the best graduation gift ideas—especially for you last minute shoppers! Whether they’re graduation from high school or from college, we’ve got you covered with easy last minute graduation gift ideas.
7 Last Minute Graduation Gift Ideas
DIY Money Wreath
What graduate doesn’t want (and expect?) money for their graduation? This DIY money wreath is an easy last minute graduation gift idea!
Check out this video from Sugar Bee Crafts:
Wardrobe Consultation or Personal Stylist for the New Graduate
Not all graduates are off to college—some are starting their own businesses or starting with a corporate job. They need to have a more professional and mature look, regardless of their path. Gift them a personal shopping experience with a gift card to get them started on a fresh wardrobe. This doesn’t necessarily mean a suit and tie collection, but more allowing them to start a solid foundation of classic wardrobe pieces that will last for years.
Check with your local Nordstrom or large department store to book a wardrobe styling session. This is an easy and fast last minute graduation gift and one that will be appreciated for years to come.
Transit Gift Card
Not every graduate has a car waiting for them when they walk to get their diploma. A great last minute graduation gift is a pre-paid Uber or Lyft card to help them get around. And if they have their own car, a pre-paid gas card works great, too!
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Noise cancelling headphones are a great gift for any occasion and a graduation gift is no exception. With the possibility of noisy dorm rooms and libraries, noise cancelling headphones will help keep them focused and talk about an easy last minute graduation gift: you can hit your local electronics store (or Target!) and find what you need.
Luggage
Graduating from high school or college brings big changes and traveling is most likely one of those changes. Whether their traveling to and from a distant college or traveling during a ‘gap year’, solid luggage is a great graduation gift. And one that they wouldn’t want to spend money on themselves!
Amazon Prime Subscription
I think most of us would agree that once you have an Amazon Prime subscription, it’s hard to go back to regular ol’ delivery windows. And let’s face it, kids haven’t developed the proper planning abilities and using a prime membership to have things delivered on a schedule or to have the ability to get things in a day or two would be an incredible gift. And buying them an Amazon prime subscription is easy and works as a last minute graduation gift, for sure!
Graduation Cash
When all else fails, or if you’re really late in planning a graduation gift: giving the gift of money is always welcome. Graduates have a lot of expenses on their horizon: parties, college expenses, new clothes, travel, etc. Giving money as a graduation gift is probably the most popular way to celebrate a graduate and it’s as easy as writing a check or stopping at the ATM on the way to the party! Including it with a heartfelt card is always a sure bet that they’ll appreciate your gift.
Last minute graduation gifts are easier than you think—no sweat!
Trendy DIY Graduation Party Ideas
DIY graduation party ideas to help you celebrate your graduate! Plan your party for free: create party websites, budgets, gifts, order decore and more!
It’s one of the proudest moments in a parents’ journey: when your child walks across the stage, receives their diploma, and throws their graduation cap into the air. If your son or daughter is graduating this year, celebrate this huge milestone with an awesome graduation party using these DIY party ideas!
LYFETYMES can help you plan your perfect graduation party stress-free so you can soak up every moment. Here are some ideas to help celebrate this milestone in style without breaking the bank. So, dry those tears (#proudparent) and let’s get ready to party!
Photo Backdrop
It's not a party unless there's a photo backdrop. There are a ton of options, complete with fringe, balloons, and star garland is Insta-worthy.
It will help commemorate the day for years to come and easily DIY-able. Check out our favorite backdrops here for inspiration.
"Then and Now" Centerpieces
Pictures are a great way to help personalize tables and works as a centerpiece. Take some of the millions of photos you have taken as they have grown up and shared with the guests. Check out our centerpieces Pinterest board for all kinds of inspiration.
Candy Buffet
These are popular for milestone celebrations. You can buy in bulk, find something cute to put candy in with a scooper and it is a great “Thank You” treat for guests to leave with.
You can even personalize the bags with your Graduates name, etc. And your candy buffet can go beyond just candy: you can use DIY dipped doughnut pops, candy apples, and more Your guests will feel like a kid in a candy store! We have great ideas curated for you here.
Metallic Letter Balloons, Balloon Garlands, Jumbo Balloons with Tassels
Balloons have come a long way baby! With so many options available, you can get really creative with your graduation party decorations. You could decorate with words “The Tassel Was Worth the Hassle” with metallic letter balloons for stylish decorating this grad season.
Balloon garlands are very popular from decorating the entrance or incorporating in a photo backdrop. Balloons can serve as colorful but inexpensive centerpieces or create a chandelier.
Another significant trend that adds a pop of color and helps to fill a party space is jumbo balloons with colorful tassels.
Mix in smaller balloons to create an eye-popping display. Check out our Pinterest board here for fantastic ideas.
Theme Party
Like when they were little, one of the best ideas is to have a themed Graduation Party. You can theme based on the College they may be attending including colors, mascot, and personalized décor.
Another favorite theme due to the time of year is a Luau. It's bright, fun, tons of inexpensive DIY decor options and it’s fun to have your guests show up in their best Jimmy Buffett outfit. With LYFETYMES you can invite your Guest of Honor to help with personalization without giving away the party details.
Make a Graduation Money Lei
Along the Luau theme: remember when you used to pin money on the bride’s dress to dance with her? A money lei is a popular graduation idea that puts a modern spin on tradition.
Roll up dollar bills to get it started and use mini clothespins to attach them to DIY lei or buy one here and leave empty ones that your guests can attach money. It’s fun for the graduate to wear around and fun for the guests to pin on them.
Food Bars for Easy Menu Planning
If you are feeding any group of people, the new trend is Food Bars and Drink Stations- they are LYFE-savers!
From Hot Dogs with all the fixings to Taco Bars, you can help save hours of stress and money by having your guests serve themselves. The best part is you can put together a fantastic display with some inexpensive options that will fill them up and leave them happy. Check out some tremendous Bars and Stations here.
The New Interactive Guest Book
You could apply this with anything but skip the boring guestbook, and ask guests to sign a Jenga block with a piece of "Life Advice" with one-liners and their name on the other side.
Or how about a Polaroid guest book where guests snap it, shake it, stick it and sign it. Or if you’re a tech family come up with a hashtag for Instagram for your guests to use, so you get every pic from every guest there- remember when we used disposable cameras at every table?
Graduation parties are the perfect time to mix things up and make things FUN, not stuffy! Use some of these trendy DIY Graduation Party ideas that will make your graduate grin from ear to ear!
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LYFETYMES: The New Way to Plan a Party
LYFETYMES is your #1 party planning website and is the NEW WAY to plan a party! Our founder shares why she came up with LYFETYMES today on the blog.
Here’s a little backstory of why LYFTYMES was created.
I volunteered to plan my close friend’s baby shower; I figured I'd crush it. I’ve been the right-hand gal supporting huge corporate organizations in many roles for years. If I could do that, how hard could it be?
So when it came time to start planning, I started with what everyone does. I pulled out my laptop and entered:
"How to plan a baby shower."
"Tools to plan a baby shower."
"I need help planning a baby shower."
I kept getting printable checklists, helpful blogs, and great articles.. There were plenty of pictures and inspiration, but I could not find an end-to-end website for all things party outside of weddings.
I went through the same thing planning my niece's graduation party (and let me promise you one thing, you do not want to screw up a teenage girl’s party). I was running around like a crazy person, trying to divide and conquer with co-hosts, worried sick it wouldn’t be the guest of honor’s vision, or I would forget something important.
I was so stressed over it and a full-time job working mom with little time.
I love to celebrate life’s milestones or just throw a party on the weekend, just because. My fondest memories are from these moments, and I hope there are many more.
But as I sat at my computer and thought of everything that needed to be done for my friend’s baby shower, I knew it should not be full of pain points—a baby shower should be full of joy and most of all, fun!
That's why I decided enough was enough, and LYFETYMES was created.
LYFETYMES is a free, fun, DIY website that is easy to use for any celebration or party. It's like having a personal party planner. It’s great for baby showers, birthday parties, bridal showers, graduation parties, holiday get-togethers, or ANY occasion. LYFETYMES has you covered, no matter what you are celebrating!
When you join our party, you will have access to powerful tools like:
Celebration Dashboard
Easily to read dashboards to keep track of important information and updates, including countdown clocks.
Invitation Station
Build easy email, mailing and texting lists(coming next month), import previous guest lists or from your contacts, send invites and track RSVPs and the numbers of attendees. Great for Save the Dates & Thank You notes. Email & message co-Hosts and guests party updates.
Inspiration Boards
Upload and share your favorite pictures to capture or inspire your vision for decor, cakes, themes, etc.
Vendor & Venues
Your “party motherboard” of all the things you may need for a party all in one place!
Registry & Gift Board
Create wish lists or add registry URL’s that can be shared with guests or begin a new registry with your favorite store.
Planning & Tools
Interactive checklists, add and track to-do’s, assign tasks and due dates. Assign your celebration a budget and track spending.
Food, Drink & Dessert Center
It’s the center of every celebration! You can order catering, book a restaurant, order food delivery or DIY grocery lists – its all in one place!
Decoration Center
Browse decorations based on occasion, purchase from top suppliers or get inspiration for your celebration!
Include the Guest of Honor
Are you hosting for someone? Maybe graduation or baby or bridal shower? No problem, with LYFETYMES you can send your guest of honor a link to help personalize the celebration with limited view (so you don’t give all the details away!) to help with invites or provide registry information or theme favorites.
Guest View
Guest will be able to view invitation details, mapping directions, gift, and registry information and send the host or co-host questions.
We know that not every day is a party, but it’s still important to remember someone's birthday, anniversary, or any special day. To keep you organized so that you never forget one of these special days, we created LYFEMINDERS: Lyfe’s little reminders - you pick the day, and we will send you a reminder so you can send your love.
You can even plan multiple celebrations at the same time and access past celebrations to reuse tools and information like past invite lists to make LYFE easier!
LYFETYMES has also personalized the experience for all party goers including:
Star of the Show (Guest of Honor)
Hostess with the Mostess (Host & Co-Hosts)
LYFE of the Party (Guests)
We can't wait to start celebrating with you. Come for the party, and stay for a LYFETYME!
Check out our website at www.lyfetymes.com and start planning in 30 seconds and follow us on social media for the best tips, inspiration and trends.