Celebrate In Style!

What are the best party ideas this year? We’ve put together a list of what works well for birthday parties (and, in fact, all kinds of celebrations) and what’s new and on trend for parties this year. In case you can’t find any of these products locally, we’ve included links to Amazon [disclosure]. At the time of writing, larger parties aren’t possible but here’s some ideas from Heart Radio on how to celebrate your birthday during lockdown: Fun ideas to make your big day special

Our Top Party Picks 2020

Here’s our top party picks for 2020 – unicorn cake toppers, rainbow decor, personalised cake toppers, camo themes, dog parties and balloon arches. We love these party ideas for adding impact to any celebration.

Unicorn Cake Topper

What we love about this is the height the individual pieces add to the cake (homemade or shop-bought) to really give the WOW factor. Perfect for unicorn fans.

Rainbow Decorations

Uplifting and hopeful rainbow decor.

Glitter Cake Toppers

We’ve tried and tested these toppers and they really do make a cake extra-special.

Camo Theme

A camo theme works well for outdoor parties.

Dog Parties

Balloon Arches

Party Ideas – Invitations

An electronic invitation always seems to work best for most parties. There’s plenty of free templates available on Canva which is super-quick and easy to use. Just attach your design to an email and off you go.

Or here’s some other ideas we found on Amazon.

Personalised Jungle invites

Personalised unicorn invites

Party Ideas – Decorations

There’s loads of inspiration for party themes and decorations on Pinterest which is always our first stop. Bunting, banners and honeycomb hanging decorations are all perfect for adding some pizzazz to any setting.

Happy Birthday

Jungle Party

Unicorn Party

Party Ideas – Football Party

Frozen Party

Bunting For Outside Or Inside

Party Ideas – Balloons

Balloons never go out of style for a birthday. They are a good ice-breaker for the early children to play with while others arrive. Kids never seem to tire of bashing them up in the air and chasing them around the room. A helium-filled balloon is a great going-home gift but as you probably expect, the canisters you buy online don’t keep the balloons up that long. We love the new confetti balloons. Remember balloon weights if you’re using helium balloons for decorations on tables.

Balloon Arches

Balloon Arches are the big thing for 2020. They take a little time but the effect is amazing – a real showpiece.

Party Ideas for a Frozen 2 Party

Happy Birthday Confetti Balloons

Happy Birthday Balloons

Party Ideas for birthdays

Helium Canister

Party Ideas – Inflatables and Props

Inflatables are a great way to dress a setting without having to spend too much money. Children will love playing with them too. They also make a very desirable going home present. Photo-booths are a current trend for birthday parties. There’s a wide range of props to buy online. These make brilliant photo memories for social media or making in to Thank You cards.

Party Ideas for a Jungle themed party

Party Ideas for Dinosaur Parties

Photo-Booth Props

Party Ideas – Party Games

You won’t need reminding of all the traditional party games but there are some family games that work well in larger groups too. Here’s two of our favourite party ideas for games and see more family games which might be suitable.

Party Ideas – Bop It

Hot Potato

Party Ideas – Face Painting

Face Painting can work well at a party for younger children if there’s other activities – such as a bouncy castle – on offer too. We recommend practicing styles and not trying to be too ambitious. Sometimes, a smaller motif such as a butterfly on the cheek works well but doesn’t take too long if there’s a queue.

Party Ideas – Party Bags

Party bags are the perfect way to round off a party. If you don’t want to go the traditional route, read our post on alternative party bags. See also our page on Latest Toy Crazes for ideas. Otherwise, here are our favourite bags and fillers:

Snowflake Paper Party Bags

Perfect for a Frozen party.

Party Ideas – Paper Bags

Go more eco-friendly with paper bags in a variety of colours.

Emoji Drawstring Party Bags

 

DIY Cone Sweetie Bags

Make sure you have a mix of larger, lighter sweets (flumps or marshmallows are good)  and smaller treats or the cones will be too heavy.

Pre-Filled Party Bags

This is the no-hassle party bag solution. You can buy exact numbers so you’ll probably save money too. See also our blog post on how to keep your party bags plastic free.

Crazy glasses

One of the best party ideas – crazy glasses are always a winner!

Slap Bracelets

Remaining super-popular for parties in 2019, this is one of the best party ideas for kids.

Super Hero Snap Bands

Bubbles

A bubble machine at an outdoor party for toddlers is a great idea too.

Stationery

Dinosaurs

Pinatas

A pinata is great fun at a kids’ party and works well at the end of the event to revive the excitement. Make sure everyone takes their turn and shares the gifts.

Unicorn pinata

Unicorns are one of the standout toy trends of the last year. If you’re hosting a unicorn party, you may also be interested in our post on unicorn presents.

Dinosaur pinata

Gold star pinata

Football pinata

Pinata presents

Also add small sweets (packs of Haribo are perfect as they are quite light) to a mix of party gifts.

 

Party Ideas – Why buy party supplies online?

The key reason for buying party supplies online is the range. Although it’s much easier now to find themed party accessories at supermarkets and specialist toy and gift shops, the best choice is on the internet. This is especially true if you’re looking for niche products such as Fortnite or Paw Patrol. You also get the best party ideas by shopping this way.

Check prices for the best party supplies

The internet is a good way to compare prices but shopping around takes time. You may decide it’s worth paying more to buy from a trusted seller rather than trawling through the price comparison and voucher code sites. And, a great deal isn’t as great if the delivery charges are sky-high. A trusted site offering free delivery and returns (this may be very important if you order multiple items to check sizing) may be cheaper in the long run.

Check specifications

Be sure to check the actual size, colour and quantity of goods before you buy. Read the description carefully because the picture might not show the reverse of a product which has a detail that’s important. Also, some retailers do not guarantee you will receive a certain colour of product which can be especially true of party products.

Party Ideas – Read reviews but keep perspective

Reviews are a great way for consumers to share knowledge and provide useful feedback for retailers. But always look at the broader picture of reviews especially for party ideas. Do not be put off by the odd negative one – the reviewer may have an axe to grind.