Everyone deserves to feel special on their birthday, whether it’s the big 9-0 for Great Aunt Martha or baby’s first birthday for little Braden. Birthday party themes don’t need to be expensive, nor do they need to feature tons of store-bought designer decor.
What you do want, however, is a theme that’s perfectly tailored to the birthday celebrant and can be generated using your inventive DIY skills. After all, DIY is where it’s at!
Paper Mart has thousands of crafting products waiting for your designs. We have everything from plastic champagne flutes to party favors to printed cupcake wrappers to ribbons to bows to wrapping paper and more. In need of some birthday decor inspiration? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Birthday Party Themes: Flower Power
Start with thick corrugated cardboard sheet cut into various simple flower shapes, and cover with colored paper (such as tissue paper or premium colored crepe paper) you’ve cut to match. For an extra shine, dip a sponge brush in a mixture of water and glue. Then brush it over the paper. Gently does it! If you’d rather stick with a one-step process, pick up colored corrugated paper sheets and get those scissors at the ready.
Large cardboard flowers can serve as a backdrop for table decor. They can also be used as props if the birthday girl loves theater and wants have her own impromptu play. Simply cut out holes for the eyes, and attach some type of elastic or string (such as colored jute cord or baker’s twine) around the back.
Another easy decoration is a vase full of beautiful petals. For this item, you’ll need clear glass vases and your choice of decorative petals.
If you want to bring the frills up a notch, look for lace doilies that you can cut into flowers. First, use colored pencils to add detail to the doilies. Take 5 to 6 of them, fold them in half 4 times, and snip a rounded top edge on each one. Then, lie them on top of one another and fan out the edges to avoid overlap. Secure them in the middle with a push tack or fastener, crinkle or fluff up the sections and voila! Decorate whatever you want—light fixtures, photo frames or even the table and chairs. To make them pretty and practical, secure the flowers onto pencils and wrap them with floral stem tape. You could even attach them to green wood plant stakes for a never-fading bloom!
Beach Livin’
Whether you’re designing a tropical celebration or a serene coastal scene, you’ll be all fired up for the sun, sand, and memories with a beach motif as one of your birthday party themes.
What does it matter if you’re miles from the beach and it’s the middle of winter? There’s a beach party springing to life at your birthday bash, no question about it!
For a more tropical-themed party, aim for large palm tree decorations, bright colored utensils and dinnerware and plenty of oversize flowers. Many of the flower ideas listed above will easily apply here, too. For palm trees, look for colored fabrics or colored corrugated paper you can cut and shape into palm fronds. You can even use plastic table covers! Spread them out and use a chalk marker to outline each leaf before cutting. Then, bundle them up and attach the fronds to a large stick or broom handle. If you have any empty plant pots lying around, secure the stick in the pot with a weight, or tape it to the edge.
You can fill one of your birthday party themes with seaside wonders. Just look for decorative mesh in shimmery shades of blue, green, pale yellow, cream, and white. This 1-inch metallic stripe deco mesh or this 1 3/4-inch stripe half solid metallic deco mesh would fit in nicely as a backdrop. You can attach cut-out shapes of crabs, seashells, birds and whatever else you’d like.
Don’t forget to add other little details, such as tasty treats in the shape of beach critters. You’ll also want to bring out homemade tropical punch, complete with little paper umbrellas.
Hollywood Lights
Maybe more upscale birthday party themes complete with the glitz and glamor of Hollywood are appropriate for the celebrant. Paper Mart has you covered! Aim for plenty of gold-toned details here, and don’t forget to tell your guests to perfect their red-carpet smile. Hire a professional photographer or ask cousin Dave (if he’s got the skills) to take photos of guests as they come through the door.
Add in plenty of metallic and opaque balloons and numerous homemade name card plates that mimic those of the stars. Then stand them up with these plastic card holders for easy visibility. Perhaps you could even set up a fun awards celebration that brings out a bit of silliness. Make up a game, and give awards out for the best response, best karaoke song, best moonwalk or best whatever you want.
You don’t need to rent expensive dinnerware, either. These plastic metallic utensils are disposable, yet look top notch on the table. Complete the look with a burlap table cover and plastic champagne flutes to toast the birthday guy or gal.
Paper Mart has all this and more waiting for your DIY skills. Who knows, your birthday party themes could become the talk of the town.