Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I'm turning 17 on October 24th and I'd like to have some sort of party. I didn't really do anything for my 15th or 16th birthday and I'd like to do something this year. I don't have a big budget at all, it's just my mom and I so we can't really afford something extravagant. She works part time as a CNA and is in college for an LPN, so money is tight.
By Mariegrace
Why not have a Spa Party at your house?
You can buy a bunch of nail polishes (and nail files/decals/polish remover/etc.), some nice-smelling lotions, and cheap ingredients for facials & pedicure scrubs.
Watch a quick YouTube video on how to *properly* give a facial and/or pedicure & then take turns giving them to give each other while gossiping and eating.
Speaking of eating, you can serve a *bunch* of various appetizers instead of a "meal" ~ or go with tried-and-true pizza.
Whatever you do, Have **Fun**! :-D
My 17th birthday is in the beginning of December and I want to have an Alice in Wonderland theme, but I'm not sure how it will work since it's not nice outside.
By Alanna B
I saw a TV show with a party with this theme. The guests all dressed up as characters from the book. They played croquet (although you couldn't do that outside, I suppose, but maybe you could figure out how to do it inside. ) The foods were labeled with signs that said "Eat me" and "Drink me". You could make cookies that were shaped like mushrooms or something else from the book.
At the Mad Hatter's tea party, they all kept moving down one place, so the Hatter could get a clean plate. That reminds me of musical chairs, so maybe you could have some sort of game where a timer goes off and everyone has to switch seats, and ? well - something fun happens. Maybe the person without the seat has to do something - sort of like Truth or Dare. You could use giant paper flowers for decorations. Just about any odd thing would do, as it is all about being zany and out of this world fantasy. Reread the book or watch the movie for ideas.
I want to do something for my 17th birthday that hasn't really been done before? I don't want to have a party and it has to be something that isn't going to cost much. Something that is going to be fun and boys and girls can both do.
By Chelsea G.
You could try a "scavenger hunt". Make lists of things for people to find and give prizes. You could have teams or couples. Did this with a high school group. They loved it and want another one! I had 1 mystery item and left clues numbered 1 to 15 to find the mystery item. They had to find the clues in order to find the next clue. This was an added bonus along with the listed items.
We had fun stuff on the list like: a hair from the head of a stranger, along with a signature stating they gave the person a hair; a "take-out menu" from a certain type of restaurant (give everyone a different type of restaurant) with an employee's name on it, etc. Make the items hard, but not impossible, and have a time limit. We had a great time...lots of laughs!
I'm going to be turning 17 in July and I have no idea what to do! I'm wanting to invite lots of friends. I want it to be fun for everyone, but I'm wanted to do something I haven't done before.
I've had a pool party. I can't hike. I've done like a big picnic party before. I need help fast!How about a softball game and then a run through some sprinklers to cool off?
My 17th is on Christmas day and I'm 7 hours away from home with no friends close by and only my immediate family. The closest friends and extended family are an hour or 2 away and I have no idea what I want to do.
I'm in a big city, but most things are expensive here. I think I want to go around to op shops and antique and craft shops, but I don't have anyone to go with. I have no idea what else to do, any suggestions?You can FaceTime them and make plans in the future when you can get together. It is hard to spend a birthday without your friends. You and your family can go out for a nice lunch or dinner.
Will you be getting together with family and friends for Christmas? If so, can do a birthday + Christmas party?
Many will be busy for Christmas with their family though. Do you have a best friend that you can spend time with, the two of you?
I'd go shopping then have a group Skype or Google Hangout video chat with all the friends later on :)
I will be turning 17 on July 1st and I don't know where I want to go. My last 4 birthdays have been horrible and I really want to have a great one this year.
I know that I want to spend it with my friends. I just don't know how. Any ideas?I am going to be 17 on Saturday and I have no idea what to do or where to have it at. I want to have it where everybody knows how to get there. I want to spend it with my family, friends, and boyfriend. I need suggestions fast and quick.
You will need to have it at a place where you don't need reservations. I would suggest the movies and pizza or burgers.
So my birthday is on April 6, next Wednesday. I'm turning 17, but I'm not sure what to do because I have school that day. I want to do something special with my family, my best friend, and my boyfriend.
I would plan something over the weekend, but I have prom! Any ideas?Plan the party the week before your birthday, or the week after the prom. I would do it after the prom because it will give your guests something to look forward to.
I am almost 17, I will be 17 in July 3rd. I dont know what I want to do for my Birthday, like if I want a party or not. Please help, I need some ideas.
My birthday is in October and I was thinking of doing a bonfire, but if you guys have any other ideas that will help me have a better birthday please let me know.
Two of my children were born in Oct so we always had fun parties...
We've created haunted houses,held costume parties, visited a cornfield maze, pumpkin decorating contest/parties (and gave the finished pumpkins to our library to raffle off to earn them some money), had haunted scavenger hunts on our property at night with flashlights and even a fun grand costume/fall event at a hall with everyone dressing as their favorite character in a book or show/movie. We even had some trampolines and fun houses at one big bash!
Tomorrow is my birthday and I've planned on celebrating it with my family until afternoon and then at around 7pm, until about midnight, there are gonna be some friends coming over. I actually planned on having a bonfire, but it might rain tomorrow so I need ideas for before it gets dark and in case it's raining and we can't have a bonfire. I need some ideas to keep them entertained during the party, before the bonfire and in case we can't have the bonfire at all.
We have a whirlpool, but it's only for 4 people (and there are going to be 6 all in all) and we also have a soccer table, a big TV (although I don't wanna watch movies all the time) or maybe chocolate fondue. But I don't know if that stuff would be too boring. I would really appreciate some more ideas!Since it's pretty late I'd suggest cool box games. Cranium is a fun one that offers an assortment of different things to do that gets folks laughing!
I want to invite my friends to go somewhere to eat on my birthday. I don't know what is the 5 star restaurant, so do you know what is the best restaurant in Rickmanworth for a 17th birthday?
By Harriet S.
I don't know any restaurants in your area, but I will tell you that 17 year olds do not want to go to a 5 star restaurant. Most 17 year olds would not appreciate the food that is served in such places. An upscale family chain would be a much better choice.
Here we have places such as Red Lobster, Boston Pizza, and Earl's that are upscale but serve food that teenagers appreciate. You also want to pick a place that your guests will enjoy. I have taken adults to places with lovely menus, and they couldn't find anything to eat because the restaurant didn't serve chicken fingers!
Lunch is often a more affordable option than dinner, as well. If you let the restaurant know it is your birthday, they usually will do some sort of happy birthday song and dessert for the birthday person.
I will be 17 in June. I need birthday party ideas? I have done everything I can think of, movies, bonfires, luau, masquerade, swimming, sleepover, 70s and more. I have a very huge family and quite a few friends who come. Most parties are usually 100-150 people with their ages ranging anywhere from 4-60 years old. It's so hard to find ideas to where it's fun, but not based around just teenagers. Help?
By Halley
How fun, Halley, to have such a diverse group celebrating your birthday! I was lucky to grow up with a similar mix. The one thing that draws everyone together is, of course, food, but before (or after) eating, why not arrange different games for different ages? Tag and hide-and-seek, kick the can, frisbee for younger, more energetic types? Cards, backgammon, cribbage for those who prefer to be a bit more sedentary? That said, we used to love to organize teams and play slow-pitch (baseball) with various older folk filling in to coach and referree.
Does your crowd contain any musicians? With that many people, think of the jam session you could have!
I hope these ideas help, and I hope you have an excellent birthday.
I have no clue what to do for my 17 birthday.
By Lacy T.
I'm turning 17 on February 28th. I don't know what to do for my birthday. I need something that will entertain my friends and boyfriend, he gets bored easily. I was thinking of having a bonfire.
By Rhi Rhi
Oh My! I have the same birthday too! You can have a hotel sleepover party?
I'm having my 17th birthday in a few months and I'm going out for lunch. How do I keep my friends entertained while we're there?
I know we can talk, but I don't think we'd be talking for the full 2 1/2 hours.
By Ashleigh
You do not provide any information about: the size and type of restaurant in which you will have lunch, the number of guests, and the size of the area, etc. Without this information, it is difficult to recommend activities. Except, of course, 2.5 hours on phones.
Your friends and you can play games, the old fashioned way, with cardboard and spinners such Monopoly, Trivia etc.
I'm turning 17 on February 1st 2015. I don't want to spend too much money. I don't have a budget either. I want to have fun with my friends. I'm not planning on inviting too many people. I just need some ideas on what to do for my birthday. I have less than a month to plan. Help!
By Jammie M.
I'm struggling for my 17th too. My 17th is February 28th. I'm thinking of having a bonfire. It's easy and cheap. Also you get to camp outside for the night which is pretty fun. You also can invite a lot of friends.
So I turn 17 on December 12th, but I don't know I what to do for it. Last year was my first time having a party or doing something for it with friends by going out for a movie and hanging out in a hotel room.
But this year it's a total blank. I want to do something fun, but not expensive. However, where I live either it's fun, but expensive or just entirely boring. So please help me out here.I'm turning 17 January 9th and I want to have my two very best friends over. What are some things we can do?
My daughter's birthday is on November 2nd and she is turning 17. I have no idea what to do for her.
I didn't have a sweet 16 for her so I want to have something big like a sweet 17. LOLI know when I was 17, I was a young teenager who didn't have a house party but went out with friends to celebrate. We went to the movies and a restaurant afterwards.
Did you speak to your daughter about having a party? What her thoughts? Maybe she can let you know what kind of party she may want?
I am going to be 17 on July 27 and I'm inviting a lot of friends over. t will be a max of 25 people. I dont know what I should do for it. So what should I do?
It will probably be hot. If you have no pool, set up a sprinkler system. Have either hero sandwiches or a barbecue and plenty of ice cream, cold drinks, and birthday cake.
So I'm turning 17 on the 28th of this month, July. I need decoration ideas and gift ideas. Any help?
Yes, I'm the mom of a young lady who is turning 17 years old on the 22nd of this month I would love to do a BBQ in my back yard with some of her girl & boy friends! any ideas to help this party to be a blast?
I would like to throw a birthday party for one of my best friends. Her birthday is December 20th and she will be turning 17. That automatically rules out a cook out which was what I was wanting to do. It will be a surprise party. My parents are pastors of a church and they told me we could use the church for her party, and I'm happy about that so we don't have to rent somewhere.
But I need some ideas as far as themes and decorations and what to do. Please help. Any advice would be very helpful to me! Also keep in mind I am on a very tight budget for this.Could you combine it with an act of charity, like making gift baskets for those in need?
Get a frame & mat for one big picture or a frame & mat for a collage. Have guests sign the mat & take one group pic for the big mat or lots for the collage. Disposable cameras scattered around the room would be fun for candid shots. Have a corner of the room decorated so people can take some prom-like pictures.
It's cheaper if you have guests lend you a hand in buying/prepping the food.
Budget conscious ideas for food:
Baked potato bar
Pizza bar - Guests can make their own pizzas. Either get dough & sauce at a local pizza place, or get frozen pizzas & add extra toppings before baking. Or, use bagels, English muffins, flatbread, pitas for crust - lots of possibilities - use your imagination!
Taco bar
Ice cream Sundae bar - we have done this a lot, because we ask our daughter if she would rather have cake or a sundae bar, & she ALWAYS picks the sundae bar!! Don't forget bananas for splits or brownies for hot fudge cake!!
Hawaiian haystacks - www.cooks.com/
Rsvp party goers & have them bring ingredients for any
of these ideas.
Have someone burn some cds - have a dance & then give the cds to the one with the birthday as a memento.
