Who says you have to drain your bank account to celebrate your child’s graduation? Even penny-pinching parents can honor their son or daughter’s academic success in style. The key is to think frugally and creatively.
For example, while you may not be able to serve up a five-course meal for 200 at a fancy restaurant, there are ways you can feed all of your graduate’s friends if you budget carefully. One way is to select a themed buffet. Mexican food makes for a great buffet option and you can spice up the meal by offering fun options such as a taco bar. Include soft and crunchy tacos, plus a variety of tortilla chips. Then, add on the flavor with seasoned beef or pork, shredded chicken, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, refried beans, onions, tomatoes, olives, cheese, lettuce, and other easy toppings.
Another popular buffet option is pizza. This is a particularly appropriate selection for teenagers. Allow guests to choose their own toppings, such as pepperoni, sausage, ham, olives, mushrooms, green peppers, caramelized onions and pineapple.
If the weather permits you could host the party outdoors. Consider having a barbeque complete with hot dogs, burgers, ribs, and chicken. You can round out the economical menu with fruit salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob, chips, baked beans, and potato salad.
Hosting a casual post-commencement brunch is another way to reduce party costs without compromising on style or the guest list. Serve up pancakes, scrambled eggs, donuts, fruit, muffins, bacon, sausage, toast, juice and gourmet coffee to grads who have been up all night partying.
To save on party decorations, consider making some of your own. For example, you can turn an ordinary table into a mortar board replica by following these simple steps:
First, wrap a black tablecloth around the surface of the table and tape the edges to the underside so none of the fabric is hanging over the edge.
Second, wrap another tablecloth around all four legs of the table to form the cup of the mortar board hat. Secure all sides with tape.
Finally, use yarn to create a tassel in your grad’s school colors. Be sure to leave enough yarn to secure the tassel by looping it around a large punch bowl placed in the center of the table.
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