A jukebox is one of those 1950s party essentials.
A theme party is a great way to celebrate a birthday as it helps focus the party planning process and gives your guests a clear idea of what to wear and expect. A '50s birthday party works well, especially if the birthday boy or girl grew up during that famous era of greasy hair, poodle skirts and rock 'n' roll. If you have lots of '50s memorabilia lying around the house, you're halfway there. Many of the decorations and other party necessities can be borrowed or purchased cheap.
Decorations
The decorations are one of the main focal points of a '50s-themed birthday party. You'll want to create the atmosphere of a '50s diner or rock 'n' roll dance hall, so an inflatable jukebox (or better yet a real one) is a great decoration if you can find it. A color scheme for a '50s party is pink, black and teal, so buy balloons, streamers, confetti, plates, cups and tablecloths with those colors. If you have any old '50s rock 'n' roll or rockabilly records, hang them on the walls around your house or event space. Any kind of old memorabilia you have, like vintage Coca-Cola signs, movie posters and high school sports pendants, can add to the atmosphere.
Menu
The 1950s are often associated with greasy diner food like hamburgers, fries, onion rings, pizza and hot dogs. You can make these things as basic or as gourmet as you want by adding interesting seasonings or using fresh organic ingredients. You can also order take-out from a classic '50s-style fast food restaurant in your area, if there still is one. These foods are best served in finger-style appetizer format. If you have waiters or a caterer, see if you can get them to wear '50s style soda jerk outfits with triangular paper hats. Milkshakes, root beer floats and flavored sodas will give your party that '50s diner feel, but have plenty of other drinks on hand. You also can get creative with the birthday cake by making it in the shape of a rock 'n' roll record or Elvis Presley.
Music
The 1950s were an incredible decade for music and there's lots of great party music to choose from. Artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Herman's Hermits, Peggy Lee and Les Paul recorded some of the most popular songs of the 1950s. You also can play selections from popular 1950s Broadway musicals and movies like Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, My Fair Lady and The Sound Of Music. Encourage guests to do 1950s dances like The Stroll, The Twist and The Jitterbug.
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