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Graduation Party Trends: Keep it Simple, But Add a Twist

Pulled pork or sub sandwiches? Photo boards or video slide shows? These graduation party planning tips will help you plan the best party for your graduate and family.

For high school seniors, graduation season is a time to celebrate and look forward to what the future has in store.

Their parents, however, may be worrying about more immediate concerns if they have a graduation party or open house to plan.

Since the number of guests may vary, depending on how many other graduation parties are being held on the same day, experts say it's best to keep your graduation party simple while adding a few unique touches.

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Deb Kowalski of Kowalski's Markets said more families are opting to host brunches this year so graduates can hit afternoon and evening parties for other friends. Themed parties that center around the grad's favorite are also popular this spring, she added.

Linda Day Anderson, the director of culinary promotions for Kowalski's Markets, listed several food options that are almost universally popular: barbecue pulled pork, chicken or beef with salads and fruit, taco bars, sub sandwiches, meat and cheese trays, chicken wings and pizza.

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"Just think of the foods teens like and that's what you'll find at open houses," she said.

When it comes to dessert, many parents are passing up the traditional sheet cake in favor of trendier "cupcake trees," Anderson added. Other popular sweets include root beer floats and make-your-own ice cream sundae bars.

Ginger Venable, the Eden Prairie author of "Graduation Parties: Everything You Need to Know from Start to Finish" and founder of GraduationParty.com, said "dare to be different" is the motto she encourages parents to follow.

"I think sometimes parents believe they have to go all out to make the party special, but if you add just one unusual element to the event, it makes a big difference," she said.

Examples of special touches Venable has seen at parties include cotton candy machines, a Greek-themed menu for a graduate of Greek descent, a DJ and an ice cream truck.

While Venable said many families scaled back their parties last year, big parties are likely to return this year, but with a twist.

"I know of several families that are co-hosting parties, which can cut down on costs," she said. "Sometimes the two grads are related, maybe they've known each other their whole lives or maybe they are neighbors."

If you’re invited to a co-hosted party but know only one of the grads, Venable said it's acceptable to bring a gift only for the graduate you know.

Other tried-and-true grad party favorites include photo boards.

"The adults love to see themselves in those pictures, so try to include as many as you can," Venable said, including video loops of the grad's high school activities and balloons and paper products in either their high school colors or colors of the college they’ll attend.

Venable said graduates should always be required to stay at their party from beginning to end, and added that it's not a bad idea for parents to help them brush up on etiquette.

"The kids will be going to a lot of grad parties, so when they are at their own, they should be talking to the adult guests," she said. "Suggest some topics they can talk about with their friends and relatives. It will help the conversations go more smoothly."

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