19506

Awesome 80's Party -40yr- 80's Sayings

March 2009

Kerry in Craig, CO USA

For my best friend's 40th birthday I had a SURPRISE party for her with a Totally Awesome 80's" Theme!

For the decorations I just went with solid colors - pink teal and purple - streamers plates serviceware cups etc. On the tables I had slap bracelets Razzles candy (found at the local dollar store) plastic dark sunglasses. I tied balloons to cans of Aqua Net Hairspray (yes it's still available - you just have to look hard!) and for the centerpiece on the food table I tied balloons to an old "Boom Box" and a stack of cassette tapes that we found in the garage! I made the invitations myself on the computer using clipart I found online and the front said....Dust Off Your Legwarmers...Tease Up Your Hair...We're Having a Surprise Party for *****... Hope You'll Be There! The colors on the invites were the same as the party and I found clip art of legwarmers and cassette tapes! Very cute.

The inside said….  (Friends name) is turning 40! Let's Celebrate Good Times C'Mon! Location: Our House! In the Middle of Our Street! - with the address and time. I put a note in the invite telling everyone to dig in their closets and "tight roll" their jeans and come dressed in the spirit of the 80's! I also gave some ideas such as … Karate Kid Bon Jovi Madonna Punk Rock Big Hair and Leg Warmers!... You get the idea!

Food was just finger food and lots of "adult beverages". The most important part of the 80's was the music so I had our local DJ at the radio station make me up some cd's using a list that I got off of itunes. I also had classic 80's movies playing in the background with the sound off - Top Gun Risky Business Dirty Dancing St. Elmo's Fire etc!!! I had most of these in my collection and I borrowed some.

I also printed a lot of pics off the internet of different 80's movies and different 80's sayings like: Gag Me With A Spoon Grody to the Max! Far Out Like Totally Awesome Dude etc. I printed them out and glued them to neon colored card stock and hung them up on the walls of the garage (where the party was held!)

I shopped the local thrift stores for my outfit (and the birthday girl's since she had no idea!) and I made sure to pick up extra things that we could throw on people that didn't come dressed! Lace fingerless gloves fanny packs colored slouch socks neon shirts leg warmers and lots of gaudy plastic jewelry! It was loads of fun!

We also made sure to have a couple of hair crimpers and blue eyeshadow and mascara available for the ladies to use if they wanted to! It didn't take long for the dancing to begin and everyone had a "Totally Awesome" time.

The Birthday Girl was so surprised and she had the time of her life! It was the first time I have done an 80's party and everyone said it was a huge success! Other ideas that I had but didn't have time to do - I was going to section off an area and have "Spin the Bottle" and another area for Break Dancing! I was worried about the slap bracelets and sunglasses for an adult party but judging by the pictures they were a big hit - especially during the song "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night"!"

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