Graduation Party: Food, Decorations, and Favor Ideas

In my family, we’re hitting several milestones this spring. My oldest son is graduating from high school. My daughter is receiving her First Communion, and my youngest son is graduating from Kindergarten.

I’ve decided to throw a big party; I feel the need to plan big. Normally, I plan a big party for First Communion. This year, I’m combining our First Communion celebration with my son’s high school graduation. Yes, it’s a bit of a tightrope to walk to combine the 2 occasions, though doable.

Party Colors

My son’s high school colors are green and white. I’ve decided to use mainly green and white with gray tablecloths and black accents.

Since this is a graduation party first and foremost, my emphasis will be on decorations, activities, and favors for graduation. Because we’ll be holding the party in a large space, I can set up a spot just for my daughter. I’ll decorate it with her colors and put out her First Communion Album for people to look at.

Graduation Party Food

Food for the Party had some fun food ideas including this cascading display of fruit. I know my kids would head to this like a bee to honey, plus I love how healthy fruit it.

For dessert, I ordered a large sheet cake to keep things simple. Chocolate Graduation Cap Pops would be more work though so eye-catching! The Diploma Cookies might easier to make.

I can add some fun to the paper products by turning the napkins into fake diplomas like these from Party Pinching.

Graduation Memories

I’m working on a few ideas for commemorating my son’s graduation. For First Communion, I make an album which has lots of family pictures. I keep adding to it after First Communion. For graduation, I’m making a photo book remembering my son’s 19 years of life.

At the back of the book, I’d like to add in notes from family members just as I did for the First Communion Album. This memory jar from Feathers in the Woods is an easy way for family members to share their favorite memories of my son.

I’m also going to set up a photography area where we can take pictures of the graduate with family members. While we will do the serious photos for the memory book, I’m also putting out a few props for people to use like fake mustaches, graduation caps, and leis. If anyone puts a photo on Instagram, we can have a hashtag to collect all the photos at the end of the party with the help of this Instagram Party Printable from It is a Keeper.

Graduation Party Resources

DIY Corn Hole Board | The Sits Girls	{Tutorial} Graduation Caps for Push Pops | Frog Prince Paperie
Graduation Wing Ding: Bacon Wrapped Grilled Wings | Faith Filled Food for Moms	Graduation Gifts for All Kinds of Grads | A Life in Balance

Meet Barb

Barb Hoyer has written 4097 posts.

After working in the fundraising world for over ten years, Barb is an avid runner, writer, photographer, parent volunteer, and lover of dictionaries and thesauruses. Wife to an engineer and mom to 5 kids, Barb lives in the suburbs of Philly. Her idea of relaxation is an afternoon on the couch with a stack of books.

• View all posts by Barb →
• Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Google+