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High School Graduation Party (1 Viewer)

Cjw_55106

Cjw_55106

Footballguy
For those of you that have been there, done that, I have two questions for the graduation party.

First, how do you even begin to guess how many people will show up? I mean, you basically invite everyone and not only do you not know who will show, you don't know if it will be their third party of the day and they aren't eating at yours or if they are bringing all five of their kids and hitting the buffet hard.

Secondly and probably more important, do you have any tips on what is good to serve, keeping in mind things sit for longer than normal and I don't want to waste a bunch of stuff. 

We will likely rent a park building that has an outdoor shelter as well as an indoor place that will have one standard refrigerator with freezer. Certainly not big enough to store tons of ice. 

 
Have done two in the last 4 years. Don’t know what to tell you about the number of people who may or may not show up. We had a 100+ at each of our parties and ended up guessing pretty close on the food.

First party my buddy smoked some pork for us and we had pulled pork sandwiches. Everyone loved them. Second party we went with a sub sandwich bar. Sandwiches already had the meat on them and then we had a selection of sides and toppings. We weren’t expecting much feed back but we had multiple people tell us they loved the subs. 

 
Same as Ravioli, we ended up with just over 100. I'd count just the family members you think are going to show. The classmates/friends pop in and out randomly as they are hitting multiple parties. They ate very little, more appetizer than main meal. 

I also did the pulled pork. Smoked about 60 lbs and put in slow cookers to stay warm. One pot with BBQ, other with gravy. I also did 2 briskets. Those I just put in those silver warming trays. 

Lots of compliments on both. 

For the salads that need to stay cool, they sell inflatable trays that you load with ice and lay your plates on top or surround with ice. Kind of like a mini blow up pool. 

Veggie trays, taco dip and a few desserts and you are set. 

Other than plenty of alcohol. 

 
Done four of them walking tacos and a nacho bar for the all the kids. We did the pull pork and beef couple things to keep in mind keeping food warm. Roasters are better than the sterno trays.  Also do the watermelon with fruit you can get those little inflatable cooler trays. Start buying cases of water right now. A sheet cake is nice but I suggest brownies and cup cakes for entertainment a karaoke and bounce house are essential whatever you do don't get silly string worst stuff in summer 

 
We rented the backroom of a restaurant and for the people we wanted to come to the party, we just inserted an invite in their graduation announcement. There were several pop-ins that showed up, but we had so much food, it turned out just fine. The place was pretty awesome as they decorated for us and it was nice to be able to enjoy the day by letting them do all the work vs. me having to cook and prep a ton of food. 

 
Beef Ravioli said:
Have done two in the last 4 years. Don’t know what to tell you about the number of people who may or may not show up. We had a 100+ at each of our parties and ended up guessing pretty close on the food.

First party my buddy smoked some pork for us and we had pulled pork sandwiches. Everyone loved them. Second party we went with a sub sandwich bar. Sandwiches already had the meat on them and then we had a selection of sides and toppings. We weren’t expecting much feed back but we had multiple people tell us they loved the subs. 
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I wasn't even there and I love the subs. That sounds awesome! 

 
Pulled pork (beans, potato salad) or a taco bar are the usual favorites around here.

Had a neice that did a pasta bar that people liked - couple kinds of pasta, one big pot of red sauce, another of alfredo, and some ceasar salad, maybe garlic toast.

If you haven't used a roaster before, two tips: 1. get the liner bags - makes cleanup way easier. 2. put some water under the pan to keep things from burning.

 
I'd ask any family you invite to RSVP to get a good idea,  then just guess on any friends

Agree to have something that makes good leftovers (pulled pork, taco bar, etc)

Worst case if you run out of food you can always have some pizza's delivered 

 
As we used to say during my concert catering days: "We are here to feed them, not fatten them up."

In other words, plan for who you KNOW is coming, and add 10 people. You will have plenty of food. 

 
are you inviting kids, their parents or your family or all of the above?  wouldn't this usually be for your kid, his/her closest friends and your immediate family at a restaurant?

I'm shuked.....

 
gianmarco said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but that seems excessive for high school graduation.  Is it really that big of a deal?
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Since she's away at college, figure now is the time for the party. Home on break now and that circle of friends is already changing after one semester. 

We'll have another party at college graduation but I see that as immediate family and grandparents, etc. 

 
Chemical X said:
are you inviting kids, their parents or your family or all of the above?  wouldn't this usually be for your kid, his/her closest friends and your immediate family at a restaurant?

I'm shuked.....
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This.

100 people?

Not to be insensitive, but graduating high school just isn't that big a deal, IMO. If anything, save that money and send your kid on a trip with it instead as a graduation gift.

 
gianmarco said:
This.

100 people?

Not to be insensitive, but graduating high school just isn't that big a deal, IMO. If anything, save that money and send your kid on a trip with it instead as a graduation gift.
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The internets tells me the party is regional. In these parts, everyone has a high school grad party. 

 
Cjw_55106 said:
The internets tells me the party is regional. In these parts, everyone has a high school grad party. 
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What's interesting to me is that we (society) congratulate people for graduating high school and say "Yay! Nice job!"....but if they don't graduate high school, they are a piece of ####.  :lmao:

Kind of funny to me.

 
Cjw_55106 said:
The internets tells me the party is regional. In these parts, everyone has a high school grad party. 
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Yep same here in South WI.  I just assumed everyone had these parties.  Most a just at houses but all have food and beers for the adults.  I have 2 kids in high school and have gone to a few of these each of the past couple of years. 

 
gianmarco said:
This.

100 people?

Not to be insensitive, but graduating high school just isn't that big a deal, IMO. If anything, save that money and send your kid on a trip with it instead as a graduation gift.
Click to expand...
It's really not that big of a deal.  Spend a few hundred (maybe a little more) on some food and drinks and have people show up and have a good time.  You don't need to spend thousands on this. Plus your kids are raking in cash at these things.  You should be bringing a card and a minimum of $20 if invited and you attend. Usually more if it's relative or close friend.

 
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Pipes said:
Yep same here in South WI.  I just assumed everyone had these parties.  Most a just at houses but all have food and beers for the adults.  I have 2 kids in high school and have gone to a few of these each of the past couple of years. 
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Yeah, our house it just too small...especially if it rains. For $200 we can have the indoor space as well as the park and outdoor picnic tables. 

 
Cjw_55106 said:
The internets tells me the party is regional. In these parts, everyone has a high school grad party. 
Click to expand...
Since I'm in the same neighborhood, I can confirm this.  Graduation parties are the way it is done here.  It is usually a party put on by the parents, catered in your house/yard or at a park.  People come to visit and have free food and drop a card with money for the graduate.

My step daughter graduated a few years ago.  We put on a party.  Of course we had to re-do the back yard (sod) and deck (strip, replace boards, paint), then cater the party.  I could have just written my step daughter a check for half of what we spent, skip the party, and she would have been ahead on the deal.  But, she wouldn't have had a party. :shrug:

I will offer that deal to my two boys who are both in high school, and I know at least one of them will take me up on it.  My wife will try to veto it though.

 
gianmarco said:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but that seems excessive for high school graduation.  Is it really that big of a deal?
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like others have said pretty much everyone does this up this way, it normally called a "graduation open house".  100 people would probably be the norm but never all there at one time.

I did not realize it was a regional thing.

 
Cjw_55106 said:
Yeah, our house it just too small...especially if it rains. For $200 we can have the indoor space as well as the park and outdoor picnic tables. 
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Not a bad deal at all.  Just an excuse to hang outside and drink beer on what is hopefully a nice early summer day.

 
NutterButter said:
I can only pray that my wife doesn't want to do something like this.   Dinner with close family is all that I'd do.   
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I can only tell you from our experience--these past few years have been so freaking expensive, I am going to be paying credit cards for a couple years due to it.

Between graduation announcements, cap and gown, yearbook, ACT tests, SAT tests, AP tests, college application fees, transcripts fees, homecoming dress,prom dress, senior pictures, we bought her a nice lap top as a graduation gift, graduation gifts for her friends, the decorations for the party, the cost of the party. paying for all the things for her dorm room (fridge, pillows, sheets, printer, towels, shoe rack, drying rack, clothes rack), text books (dropped $500 just yesterday for this semester's books) and last but not least, paying for college. Luckily my daughter went to an affordable school, but I have taken over 15k in loans already. The old days of kids taking out massive loans are gone. They are capped at $5,500 as Freshman--so the rest is on you as parents. 

Start preparing when they are in 10th grade guys--it gets bumpy and expensive---junior and senior years.  

I about fell over this morning when my daughter started talking to me about buying her a car  :shock:  

 
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Courtjester said:
I can only tell you from our experience--these past few years have been so freaking expensive, I am going to be paying credit cards for a couple years due to it.

Between graduation announcements, cap and gown, yearbook, ACT tests, SAT tests, AP tests, college application fees, transcripts fees, homecoming dress,prom dress, senior pictures, we bought her a nice lap top as a graduation gift, graduation gifts for her friends, the decorations for the party, the cost of the party. paying for all the things for her dorm room (fridge, pillows, sheets, printer, towels, shoe rack, drying rack, clothes rack), text books (dropped $500 just yesterday for this semester's books) and last but not least, paying for college. Luckily my daughter went to an affordable school, but I have taken over 15k in loans already. The old days of kids taking out massive loans are gone. They are capped at $5,500 as Freshman--so the rest is on you as parents. 

Start preparing when they are in 10th grade guys--it gets bumpy and expensive---junior and senior years.  

I about fell over this morning when my daughter started talking to me about buying her a car  :shock:  
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did you get her a car at some point?

 
Courtjester said:
text books (dropped $500 just yesterday for this semester's books)
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I you haven't already, check out Amazon.  They have a book rental program.  Was able to get a few of my daughters books there for first semester.  It was somewhere around $30/each for the semester.  At first she insisted that she would probably need to buy the book so she could write/highlight it, but she was able to adjust her learning/studying habits for the price difference. 

 
Sorry to hijack the thread, but to answer, we do rent books thru Amazon and Barnes and Noble. What is irritating is the teachers insist on teaching from the latest edition—some of which just became available last week and Amazon didn’t even have them as a rental option yet. It is frustrating because we have one book for this semester rented coming today and the professor sent an email out last night reminding students to get the Sixth edition of the book—-well you guessed it, we have the fifth edition coming because that’s what her syllabus told us to get and the Sixth was only made available to the campus bookstore today.

In addition, two of her classes require an on-line access card that comes with the textbook, so you have to buy the book/card package together because the access code expires six months after initial access. The access code, just buying separately, costs almost as much as the book/code combo.

it is a big racket  :rant:

 
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