If you love summertime parties and sports, what better reason is there to get your friends together than an Olympic themed party? Whether you choose to have guests watch the events is up to you (but we’d recommend projecting your television screen onto a wall or other large area). Here are some ideas to ensure your celebration is a huge success:
- Invitations: Everyone recognizes the multi-colored Olympic rings, so make these the center of your get-together. Your invitations should include this symbol, and you can write the details in a font that is red, green, black, yellow, and blue. Tell your guests they should come dressed as their favorite summer Olympic athlete, whether that person is a swimmer, gymnast, runner, or even an archer. (Props will make their outfits even better, so encourage them to embrace their costumes to the fullest.) If you have any special events scheduled, such as relay races or even just a viewing of the games, be sure to include this information in the invitation so your friends and neighbors can plan accordingly.
- Food: Summer is the perfect time to barbecue, so keep that grill running! You can grill vegetable skewers alongside shrimp or chicken strips. Steak, burgers, and hot dogs are also crowd favorites, and you can use a number of marinades, from Italian dressing to Cajun spices. Or, to celebrate the global reach of the Olympics, include food from various countries throughout the world. Everything from Jamaican jerk chicken patties to Chinese eggrolls can be set out on a table with the country’s flag and a brief description of the food. Serve the food on paper plates in the five colors of the Olympic rings, and offer napkins in the same colors. (Or, as a third option, have a “fish and chips” food theme in celebration of the 2012 hosts of the event.) Give out personalized chocolate medal Olympic favors with ribbons as part of your dessert.
Centerpieces: The Olympic torch is another easily recognized symbol of the games, so why not include one as the center of each table? You can create a torch of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper and surround it with confetti. Or, have first, second, and third place medals serve as the inspiration for your centerpieces. Include candles in gold, silver, and bronze in a three different sizes, and place them on a small mirror in the middle of your tables. This will create a gorgeous effect if you dim the lights later in the evening. Another option is to celebrate the USA with a patriotic lollipop centerpiece.
- Favors: Give guests a reminder of your event with olympic favors. Our chocolate medals with a ribbon for the neck are a favorite. Other great souvenirs include custom mint tins and Olympic cookies.
