Over the Hill | Help Me Host It | Party Ideas, themes, tips and more.

Planning

At some point in our lives we take that step past "Milestone" birthdays and hit a point where every year, heck, every DAY, is a blessing! As a (very old) friend of mine says "I'm old as dirt, and lucky to still be above it!" At this point in life, most people have gotten past the "I’m getting older" issues, have embraced their amazing, full life, and cherish every day of living. These are the parties that become family reunions, when kids, grand kids, and even great grand kids as well as nieces and cousins, and once removed and second this or that, all show up to kiss Grandma on the cheek, share a toast and enjoy the day. There are no rules to this party, with one exception - always consider your guest of honor - make sure that someone is partnered with him/her to meet their every need, to make sure they don't overtire, or to rescue them when Great Aunt Flo pulls out her 107 pictures of her grand kids! Plan around the daily patterns of your guest of honor and let them have a hand in what they'd like to do and who they'd like to invite. At this age, you're guest of honor has earned the right to be the boss!

What is your "Party Picture"?

When planning the Way Over the Hill Birthday the goal is to celebrate a lifetime for your Guest of Honor. Whether it's a significant Milestone (70, 80, 90) or just happens to be a good time to get the entire family in from all over the country, there is a woman or a man who have lived a long, full life, and birthdays at this age are about remembering, reminiscing, and celebrating the family tree that began with this one person.
Avoid surprise parties - for a lot of reasons. Your guest of honor may not be able to handle the surprise, even if it’s a good one. They may also get easily overwhelmed, and need to mentally prepare for a large celebration. But there may be non-health related issues as well - there may be people they have befriended you may be unaware of, or preferences you may not expect. Don't ask your guest of honor to plan their party, but incorporate them into the key areas of planning so that you can make sure that any wants or wishes are met if possible.
This could turn into a family reunion, so really sit down and consider costs and budget. What will you need to pay for? What should your guests be responsible for? Who will be chipping in time, money, other resources??? Will guests be coming in from out of town, staying overnight? Your costs may extend past just the party itself. Sit down and make a realistic plan for the event, and then consider how much various elements will cost. If the party is effectively becoming a family reunion, asking family to help out may be appropriate.

For the party itself, consider decorations, food, drinks, rentals, entertainment, activities, favors, photography…
For the "event" (the weekend, etc.) consider lodging, meals, transportation, etc.

How much help and support will you have from friends, family? Will you be hiring professionals to take on some of the responsibility such as catering, planning, photography?

Delegate, delegate, delegate. The less any one person is responsible for (especially YOU)the more everyone can enjoy the event!

How many people are you intending to invite/do you expect to attend? These numbers are not typically the same, be realistic in attendance estimates as this is the number that really matters.

Typically people over estimate attendance, however, with an event that morphs into a family reunion, you can actually end up UNDER estimating. Family will bring unexpected significant others, or even their extended family and you can end up with a higher head count than you anticipated.

What time of year, week, day will your event be? Are there any conflicts that will limit your event (such as holidays) or perhaps may open budget boosting options for your event (such as hosting a brunch rather than a Saturday event)?
How much time do you have to put your event together?

Picture it! - Take pictures! Print them! Share them!

A Way Over the Hill party is an event that deserves proper memorializing. Chances are you have brought together a lot of family and friends, and these pictures are the ones people will cherish.
Have a plan in place before the event begins to ensure that the photos and video that you want happen, and that it inconveniences yourself, or your designated "photographer" as little as possible.
Consider hiring a photographer. A simple event that lasts a few hours is not going to be the same price tag as an elaborate wedding, with before, during and after photos and hundreds of prints. Bring in a photographer for an hour or two to capture the big stuff and the guests, and the costs will be drastically less!
Disposable cameras allow your guests to shoot candids - moments you wouldn't have gotten yourself.
Designate a couple of guests as photographers, but make sure you meet all of their needs throughout the event as their duties will limit the opportunities to enjoy the party.

Theme

Creating a Sense of Cohesiveness and having a little FUN.

Way Over the Hill (Way Over the Hill) parties are unique in that the sole reason d'être is to celebrate the life of one person. The Theme is their life, or, you can have fun with one element of it. Recreate the USO dances or a 50's sock hop. Did he/she love to travel for an Around the World Theme focused on your Guest of Honor's destinations? Has Grandpa always been a die hard Yankees fan? Has Grandma always treasured her gardens? Take your cue from what stands out in the life of your Guest of Honor.
The theme can be simple, just some colors and a certain style, or it can be incredibly elaborate and inspired, evoking the feel of a place, a time, or an event.
The theme begins at your invitation and continues through in venue, décor, tablescape, music, food, drinks, even your activities and entertainment.
Once you've formed your theme, consider all five of your senses. Find ways to invoke the life of your Guest of Honor, or the element you are concentrating on in each of the senses. The food, the décor, the sounds of your party should all play a role.
Research your Guest of Honor's life to find inspiration. Find family pictures, favorite music/songs, favorite foods, etc.

Venue

How many people are you expecting, and for how long? Do you want to cook, or do you want it catered or provided by your venue? How noisy will your crowd get? Are your people quite and classical, or does "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" remind you of your family gatherings? Once you've thought all of this through, then select a venue that will work for your needs.

Options may include: your home, your backyard (open or tented), a restaurant, a hotel, a rented house, a park, or an event based venue such as the zoo, bowling alley, or a museum.
Remember your Guest of Honor - as we get older, often the unfamiliar can be a source of stress. If this is true for your loved one, then stick with the familiar. If you are going off site, consider a venue that is familiar to minimize anxiety.

$$ Having a party at home can boost your budget, but it also requires more effort on your part - consider price comparing offsite and onsite options. If your guest of honor won't have any difficulty going off site, then consider it. You may be surprised how little you actually save by having your party at home when you factor in the cost of food, decorations, rentals, and how much effort you are able to delegate to venue staff that will allow you to enjoy your own party!
How many guests do you expect to attend?

Offsite options will let you know capacity maximums and minimums
When entertaining at home consider - REALLY consider how many guests your home can comfortably accommodate. Consider how you can open your primary rooms to maximize space, or can expand into your outdoor space. However, don't fall into the common pitfall of overestimating the actual capacity of their home.

Invites

Invitations to a Lucky to be Alive party should warm the heart. An old photo taken of your Guest of Honor, or a favorite picture that captures their spirit.

I have a picture of my grandparents when, for their 45th wedding anniversary they went on a hot air balloon, something they had always wanted to do. The picture is the two of them laughing, with helmets on and a cloudy sky. It's not my grandmother at her most beautiful, or their Grandpa looking dapper and young, but it's a picture that captures the essence of who they are, how they live. This is the kind of picture that should grace a Way Over the Hill invitation!

If you have any requests of your guests (photos, notes for a scrapbook, stories) remember to include them.
Often, at this age, present giving can be very difficult. Does your loved one really need any more figurines or silver? How many sweaters does a person need? So consider some alternatives and present your idea in your invitation. Is there a convenience your loved one would like (a scooter, a special bed, a meal service) or a trip that they would like to take? Everyone could contribute to a specific gift. Or, if there is a project for pictures or slides that you would like to put together you can ask guests to contribute items or money towards the cost of your project.

Why my husband's grandmother turned 80 the person planning her celebration requested family photos and a note to be included in a scrapbook and slide show. The most expensive of gifts could not have meant more than that scrapbook!

Invitations should go out at least 4 weeks before your event, however, it never hurts to send out a "save the date" notice earlier to ensure that your guests have a clear calendar! This is a BIG party, so you want to make sure that key guests can attend and that you've provided enough notice to maximize attendance.
They also serve a practical purpose, providing the following information:

What are we celebrating?
Time of Party
Location of Party
Party details such as meal served, it's s surprise, or dress requirements

How formal does your Party Picture require your invitations need to be?

Printed - all the bells and whistles
Printed - basics
Printed (and designed) at home with invitation software
Prepackaged with details filled in
Treeless invitations sent by e-mail

Include a link to your Party Page with party details, directions, and RSVP information.
Have a system to track RSVP's

RSVP Tracker on your Party Page
Notebook by your phone
RSVP Cards

Send a "Party Reminder" a week or two before the event - this will provide an e-mail version of your party details and directions in case your guest loses the original copy.
Thank you cards can coordinate with the invitations or the theme. You can also take your favorite party photo and personalize your thank you card.

DressItUp

Decorations - A couple of balloons or the whole enchilada, it's up to you!

Again, this party is very specific to the life of your Guest of Honor. Work with pictures, and the element of their life that you have made into a Theme
.
Little touches can have big impact, so think it through and remember the fine details as well as the large strokes.
Select three or four colors that you will primarily be working with - this defines your color scheme.
Consider all of your surfaces - you can include little vignettes in the most unexpected places! Walls, furniture, lighting, centerpieces, linens, chair backs, tablescapes (see below), even the ceiling and floor can all work into your decorations. No surface is off limits when it comes to decorating!
Don't forget to incorporate your food, beverages, and even your entertainment into your decor.

Tablescapes - Your tables are your prime real estate, maximize the effect!

Presentation is key in entertaining, and the table is the frame for the refreshments and meals that you will serve. Make HOW you serve as important as WHAT you serve.
Not only are the tables the primary presentation for the refreshments, but they are also the focal point in the room.
Determine how your tables will be arranged - served meal, family style, buffet, light appetizers… one long table, several smaller tables - start by building the design.
The obvious starting point is the centerpiece, however, also consider the linens, place settings, crystal, place cards, napkin presentation, and even chair accoutrements.

A fun place to inject your Guest of Honor is with your place settings. Consider having place cards that have a small picture and story on one side and the guests name on the other (if you can correlate the picture/story to that guest, all the better!) This will provide something for guests to talk and laugh about. And your Guest of Honor will be so honored to hear all of his/her guests sharing their stories about them.

Functionality! Consider your guests when dressing your table. A large centerpiece will either be a visual obstacle, or, will be removed and therefore a waste of resources. Keep it low, or keep it high if guests will need to see each other across the table!
Finally, remember your FOOD. Food, beautifully presented, is the reason d'être for your tablescape to begin with. Remember that your food should play a role in the design of the space.

Food/Drink

Refreshments - The heart of the party, amusingly, is the stomach!

What time of day will your event be and how long will it last? This will determine how much food you need to serve. Can you get away with light hors d'oeuvres and snacks or do you need a full meal? Or, if your event lasts long enough, do you need both?
If serving a meal, how will you serve it?

Formal seating - limits guests to a selected meal and is typically more expensive when catered.
Family style - dishes are served as they would be at home, allowing guests to select what they want while at the table. This is less formal but more personal than buffet.
Buffet - Allows guests to mingle while they eat, adds variety to the meal selection, and guests can graze throughout the event, reducing rigidity of schedule.

If the event is not at a venue where food is served (hosting at home), the question to ask is, can you cook?? And, more importantly, DO YOU WANT TO? Preparing and serving the food is incredibly time consuming and can severely limit your ability to enjoy your own party. Consider several options:

Make ahead dishes that only require reheating or mild prep work.
Have the event catered (compare costs if you are cooking as a way to budget boost - you may be surprised how similar the costs are for the amount of effort you save!)
Have it catered and pick up (less expensive for a Budget Boost) and hire some local teens to help serve or stick to a buffet.

Have a plan to keep everything hot, or cold, as necessary.
Try to avoid dishes that a portion (15-20%) of your guests won't like. If you know of any special issues, try to have an alternative that will accommodate.
Plan out beverages. Use the Drink Calculator to determine how to allocate nonalcoholic, beer, wine and bar drinks.
Consider a couple of "signature drinks" to simplify the bar.
Have a plan for guests who consume too much - the safety of everyone depends on it.
Refreshments can fit your Theme!

FunStuff

Entertainment - When you want more than just your stereo…

What's your Party Picture, and what's your budget??
Incorporate elements from your Guest of Honor. You can rent a projector and use one wall to run a continuous slide show of fun photos throughout his/her life for everyone to enjoy!
Consider incorporating music that is special to your loved one (but that will be fun for guests as well). Is there a particular period of music that they prefer?
When hiring entertainers, consider the simple pleasures that your Guest of Honor has. Is there something that always lights his or her fancy? If so, can you find it? Can you afford it? Is it realistic? Your Guest of Honor will probably derive most of his/her entertainment from talking with all of their guests, but an additional element can be fun.

Activities - Get people talking!

When someone is ready for a Way Over the Hill party, chances are they have lived a very full life, and have gathered friends in many places. Family, church, the community, not to mention friends from earlier days that they still keep in touch with. There can be a lot of people, many of who won't know each other. This is particularly true when a party is predominantly family, with a few non-kin guests. They can feel left out or end up as wallflowers. Plan activities that get everyone talking, or select a few outgoing folks to ensure that guests who don't know many people are included in conversation and groups. This is particularly true at the beginning of your event, when guests haven't let their hair down yet.
As your party progresses, you can rely on conversation, or you can plan something more formal.

Prizes/Favors

A little something to remember your event by…

A party favor thanks your guest for spending the time with you and the Guest of Honor, and also provides a little reminder of your event. A little memento of your Guest of Honor is all that's needed.

Provide each guest with a small picture frame and a note requesting their e-mail information (if you don't already have it). Explain that you will create a space on line with all of the party photos and e-mail them the user ID and password. Also, you can request that they forward any pictures they took for you to include as well!
If there is something particular to your Guest of Honor that everyone would appreciate, that can be fun to. A specific candy or a treat?
I did this! My Grandmother is a wonderful cook, and there are recipes that everyone is always asking for. So, for her 85th birthday we worked with her to put together a small "recipe book" of the most requested recipes. We used a Microsoft Publisher to put it together and printed it ourselves. It was virtually no cost and was such a fun project that everyone appreciated the result of!