80th Birthday Party Ideas

An 80th birthday is definitely a reason to celebrate in a large way! Whether you are having a small gathering of family and friends, or a large party where everyone is invited, a few special 80th birthday party ideas will make it a birthday to remember!

You can do a great 80 birthday party without a theme; just birthday party decorations, great photos and memories, and great 80th birthday decorations. But choosing a theme for an 80th birthday is a great way to create a fun party. Here are a few great ideas:

"King/Queen of Hearts" or "Crazy 80's" - Casino Theme Party Ideas
"Aloha 80!" or "Having a Hula've good time at 80" - Luau Theme Party Ideas
"Nacho Ordinary 80th Birthday" - Fiesta Theme Party Ideas
"Having a Ball at 80!" or "80 and Still Swinging!" - Baseball Theme Party Ideas
"Over the Hill and Taking on the Back 9!", or "On Par at 80!" - Golf Theme Party Ideas

80th Birthday Party Invitations

First things first. An 80th birthday party deserves a great invitation. Pick one that fits the theme of the party, or one that highlights the guest of honor. Here are a few popular styles that will really impress everyone:

80th Birthday Invitations - Our most popular 80th birthday invites... add pictures and customize the wording for the event!
Ticket Invitations - Unique invitations that look like real event tickets.
Caricature Invitation - A caricature invitation not only creates a great piece of art you can use several times during your event but it will also let you feature hobbies and character traits that can help theme your party. This is a completely custom invite, the only limit is your imagination!

You can make your own 80th birthday invitation with cardstock and a printer. Throw some 80th birthday confetti in the envelope to make it special. Include some fun wording -

80 Years Young! Join us in wishing Dorothy a very Happy Birthday as she turns 80!
Celebrating the 59th Anniversary of his 21st Birthday... Joseph is Turning 80!
Jackie is turning 80, isn't that great? We're having a party so please save the date!
John is turning 80! Please join us for a party in his honor!

Invitation Tips: Traditionally, it is advised to send out invitations eight weeks before your event. At the very least get the invites out 2-4 weeks before the party. The sooner the better, but don't let this keep you from getting fantastic invitations at the last minute. You can always rush them if time is an issue. Make sure you include the reason for the party (Rita's 80th Birthday), the date/time, and the location of the party. You can also include RSVP information and the host/hostess name.

80th birthday decorations and party supplies

Welcome your guests in the party space with a few of these 80th birthday party ideas for your entrance:

Personalized photo banner - over the doorway or near the entrance
Or create a large "Happy Birthday" banner from kraft paper and acrylic paint... you can have guests sign it as they come in.
Balloon bouquets flanking the banner and the door
A lifesized cutout of the guest of honor with a speech bubble welcoming the guests (add a balloon bouquet near the cutout)
A balloon arch over the doorway

80th birthday party ideas that we love create memories for the guest of honor and the attendees. Here are a few that are easy to do:

Set up a table with mementos and pictures from the life of the birthday guy or gal (graduations, wedding day, past birthdays).
A sign in where guests can leave birthday wishes is a fun element to add. You can set out an oversized birthday card, a guest book, or a personalized sign in board.
Do a video guestbook! Set up a space where guest can go and leave a message, or designate a person to go around and collect videos for guests wishing the guest of honor a happy birthday!
"On the Day You Were Born"- Go to the nearest library branch with a newspaper archive. Copy some news articles from the "birth day" if you can. You can also search online for major events that happened the year of the guest of honor's birth, and print out a few "fun facts from the year of your birth" sheets. Leave them on the tables around the room for great conversation starters.
Add lots of colorful crepe paper streamers in with these 80 decorations

80th birthday party menu ideas and table decorations

Take into account the age range of your 80th birthday party when planning your menu. If if you have several seniors on the guest list, plan on having a few lighter menu options, and avoid spicy and acidic dishes. Chicken salad sandwiches, casseroles, roast beef and fruit. It's easy to offer sandwiches... go to a local deli and have them made up. Or offer cold cuts and sandwich fixings. You should have non-caffeinated drinks on hand as well!

If you are having the party in a home you can use 80th birthday paper goods on the tables or the buffet. If you are having your party at a banquet room or in restaurant, they will provide menu choices and the plate and glasses. You can bring 80th birthday themed plates and napkins for the dessert table, or drink napkins for the bar.

There are many of great ways to decorate the tables -

Group 3 or 5 frames with pictures of the guest of honor throughout his or her life in the middle of the table. Add a few votive candles around the frames, or scatter 80 confetti around them for a pop of color.
A Personalized Photo Centerpiece is a custom and versatile table decoration. For a low centerpiece you can add a vase of flowers to the center. For a centerpiece with height (to help fill a large room) have a balloon bouquet come out of the middle!
A balloon arch over the buffet would be a great party decoration. Less involved, but just as fun... use crepe paper to create a canopy over the table.
Don't forget the bar and cake table! Add some balloons/flowers/pictures/a lantern on the bar to echo your other decorations. Set our fun 80th birthday theme beverage napkins.

Don't forget to have a great birthday cake! Depending on your guest list size, it might be fun to do 80 individual cupcakes served on a tiered party tray, with a birthday candle in each cupcake. What a photo op that will be! If you are having more than 80 people you can always hide another box of cupcakes under the table and restock the tray as needed.

For another personal touch, consider these personalized water bottle labels or custom beer bottle labels, which your guests will love! The combination of table decorations and photos will make for a great 80th birthday party.

80th birthday party ideas - games and activities!

Let your party location dictate your activities. I think you'll find your guests are happy to enjoy each other's company. If you want to have a few activities for guests here are a few of our favorites:

Feature a picture slideshow - Include pictures in a "Then and Now" format, or do a "Looking Back, and Looking Forward" which includes place's the guest of honor want to go see, or things he or she wants to do after 80.

Have a roast/toast - Make sure your guests know your plan, and ask them to bring a favorite story to tell. We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings (at least not too much), so use this approach only if you know the guests and are sure they won't "cross the line." The other option is to have a single person do the roasting. Best friends are perfect for this. They know all the secret little stories, but they also know where to draw the line.

80th birthday photo op - You can either chose a fun photo op for your guests to stand behind, or set up a background with a scene setter and leave a basket of funny wearables nearby (and 80th birthday glasses). Guests will get great pictures, and you can collect copies later to give to the guest of honor as a memento.

Get out on the dacefloor - If you have the space and budget for it, hire a DJ or band to rock the dance floor. Include the guest of honor's favorite tunes, or just a great dance mix that will get everyone out of their chairs to celebrate!

80th Birthday Party Favors
Send your guests home with wonderful memories and a great party favor that is customized for your party. Here are a few ideas for 80th birthday party favors:

Personalized Candy Bar Wrappers with a personalized message! Add a photo to many designs, and customize the wording in the ingredients! Wrapped around a dark or milk chocolate bar, it's a sweet way to say thanks for coming!
Mint and Candy Tins - add a message and even a photo to many of the tins... a very popular party favor.

From all of us here at Party411.com we hope you have a perfect 80th Birthday Party!