"The holiday season will be here before we know it, bringing with it parties galore, but let’s be honest: You certainly don’t need a major occasion to host a memorable get-together. If you’re eager to entertain and are looking to make the average Friday night feel a little more festive, I’m here to help. A themed event is just the thing to spice up your weekend plans—and it doesn’t have to take a ton of time or money to throw one together. Read on for five super-simple yet creative “just because” party themes you can try starting this weekend!
1. Midnight(s) Madness
Swifties, this one is for you. If you, like me, are counting down the minutes until Taylor drops her latest album, Midnights, then of course you need to host a little get-together to celebrate! Even if you can’t take a day off work this Friday to stream the album all day long (although, TBH, I bet some people will do just that), plan to have a group of girlfriends over once the clock strikes 5 pm and get listening. In the spirit of the album name, don your chicest black outfit, pop some bubbly, and set out your favorite midnight snacks (pizza, popcorn, chocolate chip cookies, and the like). Truly, can you think of a better way to spend an evening?!
2. Post-Halloween Sugar Rush
Between football games, fall travel, October weddings, and all sorts of other events, this season can be busy. If you’ve had trouble finding a date for all of your friends to get together in advance of Halloween, there’s still time to dress up and celebrate as a group. As you probably know by now, November 1 is an optimal day to host a post-Halloween gathering, since bags of candy will be on major sale. Head to your local CVS or Target and stock up on sweet treats galore, then cue up that Halloween playlist (or Hocus Pocus 2) just one more time for a night of costumes and conversation with your crew. Spooky season doesn’t have to end quite yet!
3. Fall Fashion/Accessory Swap
This party idea is nothing new: Basically, you and each of your invitees will go through your closets and bring a few items you no longer wear to trade with the rest of the group. For a fun twist, we like the idea of making this party specifically accessories-focused and skipping the clothes. After all, jewelry and bags are great one-size-fits-all pieces, and we tend to rotate ours out on the reg. You could even structure this a bit like a White Elephant party, where guests draw numbers from a hat to determine the order of “shopping” and a certain number of “steals” are permitted.
4. Make-a-New-Friend Party
Sure, parties with the same group of five to 10 people have a certain level of comfort to them. But why not expand your social circle a bit by hosting a party where each guest gets to bring a friend that the rest of the group doesn’t know? Who knows, maybe your BFF’s coworker will share your interest in forming a book club, or your roommate’s cousin runs the same trail path that you like to take on Saturday mornings. There is a whole world of not-so-strangers out there who could end up becoming great friends—and may become regular fixtures in your social circle after this!
5. Takeout-Tasting Party
The other day while ordering my UberEats usual (pad thai with chicken), I realized just how many places there are around me that offer this exact same dish. If only there was some way to form an official ranking of the best version in town… Well, there can be! Poll your friends on a dish you’re eager to rank (maybe it’s spaghetti carbonara, pepperoni pizza, or chicken and broccoli) and coordinate who will place an order from each restaurant. When all the orders arrive, everyone can take part in an official taste test and share their preferences at the end of the night. Be sure to stock up on a variety of beverages and plenty of utensils to make this get-together fun and easy!
