You could throw your coming of age party at home, but let’s be honest — with that many youths around it’ll probably get wrecked.
Instead, hire an area or a room in a pub, bar or club. That way, someone else will have to clear up the mess and there’s also less chance of elderly relatives completely taking over the show.
If there scope for decorations, get a big banner strung up announcing the occasion. If you’re not easily embarrassed, get some photos of yourself as a kid and as a teenager blown up as posters or projected onto a wall. That’ll give your friends something to laugh at as the night warms up.
Whether you throw a costume party or not, the birthday person should be decked out for maximum attention and, if you choose, maximum embarrassment.
Before the party, buy helium birthday balloons so you can tie them to the birthday person’s wrist. The birthday person is instantly center of attention, and you don’t run the risk of losing them in a crowd.
To get the whole party involved, throw a toga party. All you need are white sheets and green wreaths to wear in your hair and a big group of people to chant “Toga! Toga! Toga!”
Turning 21 should really be all about drinking, dancing and flirting.
Finding a decent DJ is probably the most important part of your preparations. Get it right and you and your mates will end up dancing the night away to all of your favourite tunes while your dad does that awkward little shuffle and your nan stuffs her ears with loo roll. Get it wrong, and it’ll be grandma cutting some rug while all your mates head off elsewhere. Maybe get a local band to perform live – that always gives the evening a special touch.
Make sure than everyone stops to sing you a big rousing Happy Birthday. But whatever happens, make sure your dad doesn’t get any chance to make a big teary speech, and don’t let your uncle anywhere near the record decks.
Food is a bit wasted on 21-year-olds if there’s a bar anywhere in sight. Guinness probably counts as a dinner, as do peanuts.
If you’re going for the posh angle, you might want to throw in a smart finger buffet, but you’ll probably be thanked more for putting the money on the bar tab instead.
Make sure somebody sorts you out with a serious cake. Just because you’re a grown-up now doesn’t mean you can’t blow out candles.
There are two choices really — either cocktails and champagne for a touch of glitz or alcopops and cider for a touch of reality. Just bear in mind that 21-year-olds place far more value on quantity than they do on quality.
For a non-alcoholic option, offer some tasty fruit cocktails with a touch of lemonade fizz. |
| 1. | Alright / Supergrass
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| 2. | Teenage Kicks / The Undertones
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| 3. | Fluorescent Adolescent / Arctic Monkeys
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| 4. | Hoodie / Lady Sovereign
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| 5. | Happy Birthday / Stevie Wonder
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| 6. | Golden Skans / Klaxons
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| 7. | Same Jeans / The View
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| 8. | Smile / Lily Allen
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| 9. | 1 Thing / Amerie
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| 10. | Hips Don't Lie / Shakira |
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