Throw a Smart Graduation Party

Professional party planners Mary Anderson and Ginger Venable offer ideas for hosting a graduation party.

• Have an old class photo enlarged to jumbo size, and hang it up as a poster. The guests will enjoy seeing themselves, and it makes a great keepsake.

• Make a tribute board with lots of fun photos from the life of the graduate. Make it colorful with bright paper and stickers.

• Decorate a mailbox and use as a centerpiece. Guests can put their cards in it, which will keep them all together and safe.

• Create custom frames with puff paint or stickers. It's great for displaying a senior photo, the graduation announcement or invitation to the party. Make several of them to give away as gifts to the friends of the graduate.

• Make festive centerpieces by painting or wrapping flowerpots in colorful wraps. Add some fresh potted flowers and personalize them with baby photos attached to garden picks.

• Chocolate mortarboard treats would be fabulous for the buffet table. Assemble the mortarboards using miniature peanut butter cups, chocolate bars, peanut butter and fruit rolls. Adhere a chocolate square to an inverted peanut butter up with a little peanut butter. Cut out a fruit roll and make a tiny tassel.

• Fill a gift basket with items the graduate might overlook. Include a camera with extra film and batteries, a distress sign for the car and pens and stationery for writing thank-you notes. Include some stamps for the notes.

• String up a clothesline and fill it with sports jerseys that the graduate has worn throughout his or her career.

Don't forget to place a big sign in the yard so guests can easily find the house.