Hosting A Great Themed House Party
Your home is your sanctuary. It can also be your bar, nightclub, casino and cinema. The spot where you gather a bunch of your closest friends together, mix up some drinks and see where the night takes you (even if you never leave the couch). If you want to take your next get-together to another level, why not host a house party it a party theme? Take inspiration from your favourite decade, the latest Netflix smash or your summer holiday destination. Using the right cocktails, it’s sure to be a smash so with the perfect matching recipes to elevate your ‘staying in’ nights to new heights. Get ready to turn your humble abode into the ultimate house party theme hotspot.
House Party Theme Ideas
1. How to choose a party theme
When choosing a party theme to host at home, it’s important to consider everyone’s preferences and interests. What gets your favourite people energised and excited? If you're all movie lovers, a movie-themed party could be a hit. If you enjoy a little blackjack or Texas Hold’em, a poker night might be the way to go. Maybe you’re counting down to the Oscars or Grammys and want to dress up for an at-home ‘awards night.
2. How to match your party theme to your cocktail recipes
Cocktails add a layer of fun and sophistication to your home party. It is suggested to create a signature cocktail menu based on your party theme. Use high-quality spirits like Tanqueray No Ten Gin, Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka and Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky and give your guests a few options, from classic cocktails to bespoke creations. Our top tip is to create a DIY bar with a range of mixers, garnishes, and barware so everyone can customise their own drinks, and so you don’t get stuck in the kitchen mixing and shaking. Leave that for the dance floor!
Finally, because all grown-ups deserve a grown-up drink, we recommend including a couple of non-alcoholic options for anyone fancying something delicious when they're not drinking. Find inspiration for refreshing and flavourful alcohol-free cocktails made with a selection of non-alcoholic mixers.
3. Cool 80’s party theme
Fancy throwing a decade-themed party? The music, the movies, the games, the fashion…let’s go back to the ’80s! If you’re throwing an ’80s-themed bash, the décor is a great place to start. Use neon colours like hot pink, electric blue, and lime green for your decorations. Keep the party energised with an ’80s pop playlist banging out hits from Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince. You could even host a dance-off to showcase everyone’s best moonwalk or the Electric Slide. Imagine everyone decked out in legwarmers, off-the-shoulder tops, and acid-washed jeans – all while sipping delicious 80’s themed cocktails. The video gold will keep you laughing for days.
80’s party theme cocktail recipe
Flashback Fizz
This refreshing alcohol-free cocktail will give your guests that fizzy 80s tang! Made with Tanqueray No Ten Gin, cloudy lemonade, cranberry juice, raspberries and a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
- 45ml Tanqueray No Ten Gin
- 25ml Lime juice
- 50ml Cranberry juice
- 50ml Cloudy Lemonade
- Raspberries and lemon slices for garnish
Steps
- Add all ingredients into a highball filled with ice.
- Add a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint for that colour pop!
4. Nostalgic 90’s party theme
If the ‘80s isn’t your vibe, aim for a bit later in the century. Ah, the ‘90s. It wasn’t just a decade, it was an era. Full of iconic and cultural moments. Cable TV became mainstream. The internet went live to the world. The explosion of music, from Britpop and Grunge to hip-hop and R&B, became the soundtrack of a generation.
If you’re throwing a ’90s-themed bash, there’s no shortage of cocktail inspiration. You can go ‘Sex and the City’ and serve up Cosmopolitans, or ‘Big Lebowski’ style. Or you can mix and match cocktails to whatever ’90s-themed characters your guests show up as. There are no rules! Just make sure you have all the spirits and barware you need.
90’s party theme cocktail recipe
Passion Star Martini
Shake together some Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka, passion fruit liqueur, and lime juice, then strain it into a martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lime peel, and your guests will feel like Hollywood royalty.
Ingredients
- 35ml Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka
- 25ml lime juice
- 15ml passionfruit liqueur
- 15ml vanilla syrup
Steps
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake hard until very cold.
- Strain into a cocktail glass and spritz a bit of lime zest over the top.
5. Host a budget-friendly cocktail party
Themed parties don't have to rinse your bank account. To keep things budget-friendly, consider having a potluck-style gathering where everyone brings a dish or drink to share. Get inspired by other countries and cultures to set your theme – like an Italian trattoria theme full of pizza, lasagne, gelato and cannoli. Go one step further and really nail the theme by serving classic Negronis. Or consider batching cocktails to keep the costs down. Cocktail recipes like a Summer Punch, a Classic Gin Bramble or an Alcohol-Free G&T save the pennies and save you valuable hosting time in the process.
