(Family Features) When years of hitting the books lead to a hard-earned diploma, there’s just one thing left to do: celebrate the graduate with something sweet. A graduation is a major life milestone that deserves plenty of recognition, and a graduation party is a perfect way to celebrate the occasion with family and friends.

Whether the party celebrates a recent grad or accepted student, you can make the moment all the more memorable with these planning tips and personalized party favors and customized gifts from M&M’S.

Make a guest list. Deciding who you’d like to invite is a good starting place because it may influence several other choices you need to make down the road, like where you host the party and what you serve to eat and drink.

Choose the place and time. Another decision you’ll need to make right away is where and when the party will be held. Having a rough idea of how many people will attend can help determine where to host the party, since you’ll want to have enough room for everyone to be comfortable. If you’re timing the celebration to coincide with a graduation ceremony, be sure to schedule your party so any guests who also plan to attend the ceremony can do both. Many families choose to hold open house-style parties for an extended period of time so people who have multiple graduation parties to attend can fit them all in.

Plan your menu. The style, timing and duration of your party all influence what kind of food you serve. If your party overlaps a traditional mealtime, you may want to serve a full meal. However, if you’re hosting an open house format, keeping food fresh for an extended period can be a challenge. If you take care to keep chilled foods cold and heated foods warm, a buffet can allow guests to serve themselves as they wish. You may also find appetizers are easier to heat and replenish throughout the party. Don’t forget about dessert: A celebratory cake or tray of cupcakes are traditional ideas you can complement with other selections, such as candy bars to add colorful fun and variety to the party.

Accommodate gifts. While common etiquette suggests a host should never expect them, most people do bring gifts to celebrate the graduate. You can set up an attractive gift table with a gift of your own to discretely show guests where to place gifts when they arrive, such as an M&M’S Occasion Bottle, which can be personalized to toast your grad with  up to three colors, text, clip art and photos. The bottle stands nearly a foot tall, so it makes for an eye-catching centerpiece at the gift table.

Select entertainment. Often, there’s enough hustle and bustle at graduation parties that you don’t need to go overboard planning activities or entertainment. You might have some music playing at a moderate level so guests can still have casual conversations without yelling, and you may want to display a slideshow celebrating the graduate’s accomplishments along the way to this big day. Other fun ideas include photobooths with props, a signature frame for guests to sign and notecards for guests to offer their congratulations, advice or predictions for the graduate’s future.

Organize party favors. One way to thank guests for honoring your graduate and inspire more moments of fun is by offering a favor that doubles as a memento of the event. For example, M&M’S Class of 2022 Graduation Favor Tins make for a perfect way to send guests home with a sweet reminder of the celebration. Each stylish tin can be customized with a lid design and message for guests and be filled with a delicious serving of personalized candies that match the party’s theme.

For more colorful ideas, including customizable gifts and party favors for celebrating grads, check out the full 2022 Graduation Gift Guide at MMS.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (graduate with parents)

SOURCE:
M&M’S