Lights off, UV lights on, party time or a dinner party after all? With these 10 house party ideas, it will be anything but boring.
A house party – a celebration within your own four walls – can look very different: from total escalation to an atmospheric evening with a special flair. To ensure that the party doesn’t slip away from you and that it runs the way you want it to, it’s worth deciding on a certain type of house party from the outset.
Important note: This text dates from before the Corona pandemic. Please act responsibly and in solidarity as long as the pandemic is still ongoing and pay attention to the rules currently in force in your federal state, as well as general safety precautions to contain the pandemic. 😉
Whether it’s a small party with up to 10 guests or a lavish celebration – the main thing is that the party is something special and out of the ordinary. So that the guests don’t just stand around – or worse, sit – it’s worth opting for a certain kind of these house party ideas. A little programme that is not too fixed helps to get the guests talking to each other – you offer them a topic as a conversation starter.
Depending on how many guests you’re expecting, it’s also worth having a party game in reserve such as Taboo, Activity from 18 or Privacy. However, this is not advisable for large parties!
At Greatime you’ll find lots of house party ideas and inspiration for partying together with friends.
10 Brilliant House Party Ideas
1. Theme Party – The House Party Classic
Bad Taste party, Black and White party or celebrations like Greek gods – brilliant house party themes are a dime a dozen. At a theme party, a certain theme is the programme and funny outfits, glamorous decorations and a few original ideas ensure that the party is different from other house parties.
How much time and organisation you put into the preparation is ultimately up to you. Of course, if you want to throw a fabulous Game of Thrones party with all the trimmings, you can put an enormous amount of time into it. When choosing a theme, we advise you to take into account how much time you have beforehand and whether you have a programme planned for the theme party or the theme is simply there to set the mood and act as an icebreaker – some theme party topics require hardly any preparation! For example, a Bad Taste party, a 90s theme party or a Hippie party.
Check out our theme party theme list for 111 ideas for party themes!
2. Pyjama Party – the Cosiest of the House Party Ideas
Gossiping, chilling together, pulling an all-nighter – the pyjama party is not just for kids. It is especially suitable if you invite only 4 – 8 friends and you have a lot to talk about and want to spend a really nice evening together.
The guests come to this house party in their (smartest) pyjamas and everything at the house party should be set to cosy. Series marathons, watching movies, gossiping, playing games without the stress of having to go home at some point, a pyjama party is also a super surprise if you are expecting a special overnight guest.
3. Celebrate in the Dark – The Atmospheric House Party
Small idea with a big effect. It is not for nothing that it is often dark in clubs – this creates intimacy and somehow makes the party location disappear. For a party in the dark, there are of course already a few light sources – ideally black light, disco ball and party lights for dancing, dimmed light sources at seating areas for chilling or a lantern on the balcony and on the toilet the light should of course work. 🙂
A house party in the dark is especially suitable if you are planning a debauched party. It actually only requires some advance organisation, as you have to take care of the light sources.
4. Nostalgia Party – Long Live the Old Days!
You’ve known your party guests for a long time, you’ve been through a lot with everyone, the party doesn’t have to get out of hand and anyway your guest list isn’t that long? Why not make the good old days the theme of the party and spend a whole evening reminiscing.
We don’t think games are uncool mood killers and have no place at a house party – it all depends on what kind of celebration you want. For a nostalgia party, Greatime has three creative nostalgia games with complete instructions that are especially suitable for smaller house parties. If the party is to be steep and loud and sprawling, however, we advise against it.
5. Dinner Party – Not Just for Buffers
Dinner for One sends its regards! A dinner party is not a party in the classical sense but rather a stylish evening. It’s all about feasting, enjoying and eating nicely at home. Yes, that sounds pretty stuffy and not like a real party. But that’s not what a good dinner party is about, it’s about pure enjoyment together over a meal and in the company of good friends.
With a white tablecloth, a beautifully set table with candles, napkins, several courses (for which the guests can also contribute something) and suitable music, it’s a stylish evening.
6. House Party with Cooking Challenge
But even more fun, creative and memorable is a House Party with Cooking Challenge! For anyone who loves to cook and is creative in the kitchen, this is an absolute hot tip! Our cooking challenge could also be called Motto Cooking with Friends: because it’s all about implementing a given motto as well as possible in the kitchen – which of course also tastes as delicious as possible! Here you can find out how our Cooking Challenge works.
So the Cooking Challenge is not just about eating but just as much about cooking creatively together.
7. Cocktail Party – Long Drinks all Night Long
Shake it, baby! The cocktail party is the glamorous sister of the dinner party in terms of drinks. Only long drinks with or without alcohol are served in style from the cocktail shaker. For this party, you should buy a larger selection of really good alcohol and the important mixed drinks. So vodka, brown and white rum, gin and some important liqueurs like Contreau and 43 and some juices, cola etc.. Then add crushed ice and fruit and enough non-alcoholic drinks.
To make sure that the cocktail party really looks like a cocktail party, it is advisable to set up cocktail glasses, a book with cocktail recipes and at least two shakers together with bowls for the fruit and ice on a table, or even better, a bar. A cocktail party is therefore not recommended at raucous student parties where many glasses get broken and a lot of drinking is the programme instead of enjoyment.
8.Creative House Party Ideas for Artists
This house party is all about being creative. It’s like a modern edition of an artists’ soiree from the past, where artists met and exchanged ideas at parties. Only here, everyone picks up a paintbrush or pen and forms a sculpture.
To do this, you get a large canvas, paper, acrylic paint, brushes, modelling clay and anything else you find exciting in the artist supply shop. Or you can ask your friends to bring what they can contribute. Everyone gets a disposable painting suit and then you create a painted and a moulded piece of art together at the house party.
It’s a lot of fun and as a plus you still have a memory – the more alcohol flows, the more abstract the artwork usually becomes. 😀
9. For the Tough – Beerpong Tournament Party
For a wild, boisterous party, you need alcohol, alcohol, alcohol – and at least a good drinking game. If you’re fed up with popular drinking games like I’ve never and want to do something special at your party, be sure to check out whether a Beer Pong tournament might be just the thing. In backpacker hostels in Australia and at student parties in the US, it’s the cult drinking game par excellence. How Beer Pong works and all the rules are explained in compact form on Greatime.
Of course, everyone is free to join in or not 😉
10. Demolition Party – the Legendary Last Party
If you move out, you have a unique opportunity for your house party: the party can really get out of hand, it doesn’t matter if it looks like a pig afterwards. The perfect party for this is the demolition party.
You’re allowed to do what you’re not normally allowed to do: scribble on the walls with sharpie, apply tags with spray cans (be careful – warn in advance where not to do this, e.g. in the bathroom and kitchen). Afterwards you have to repaint everything anyway. Smash old furniture (preferably outside in the garden only one with a sledgehammer, safety goggles, helmet and gloves) and as a special highlight maybe even burn the old exams and everything that reminds you of the lousy ex.
But be careful that the demolition party doesn’t get out of hand!
Which one of these house party ideas do you want to throw?
There are many more ideas for gifts and special activities with friends, family and partner to discover on our ideas portal for your leisure time. We appreciate your Like on Facebook and Instagram!
*There are affiliate links in this article. This means that Greatime may receive a small commission if you buy a product through one of these links. This does not change the price.