Celebrate The 1950s With A Decade Party

August 04, 2010 Written by: Tyna Lewis

There really has been no other time like the 1950s. The United States was in one of its most prosperous eras and rock and roll was beginning to burst out onto the scene. The songs of Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry were dancing across the airwaves, and Elvis was just beginning his legendary career. The decade had a style all its own, where poodle skirts and leather jackets were everywhere and unique lingo ran the gamut. Why not celebrate this terrific time period with a 50s-style decade party? If done right, it will have your guests thinking they've stepped out of the 21st century and walked onto an episode of Happy Days.

Of course, just like any other gathering, the first thing you'll need to do is send out enticing invitations. As the fantastic music was one of the iconic aspects of the decade, you'll certainly want to include that on your announcements. Choosing invites that have record players, guitars or jukeboxes will be sure to get guests excited to come to your rockin' shindig.

One area you'll need to take extra care with is selecting decorations. These adornments will transform your home or apartment from a contemporary abode to a 50s sock hop.Try to find an inflatable jukebox, as every soda shop or diner back then had one, and to complete the atmosphere, try to make use of a soda shop scene setter. These two items combined with playing a CD of hits such as "Roll Over Beethoven" or "Peggy Sue" will seal the deal.

Elvis was just on his way to becoming The King during the late 50s, so you should pay homage to his beginnings by arranging a life-size cut out of him to be at the shindig. As a final touch, try hanging up images of vinyl records from the ceiling.

Exquisite extras are a must for any soiree, and that is no different when it comes to a decadent decade-themed extravaganza. You'll certainly need plates, napkins and cups so you should think about purchasing ones that are adorned with a diner scene. Another option would be to use paper goods that have a picture of a jukebox (one word) on them. Consider completing the soda shop atmosphere by serving some appropriate fare. Almost anybody can dig sipping on a delicious milkshake or a root beer float while listening to some doo-wop tunes.


Some of the most recognizable images from the 50s are the classic toys that emerged during those years. A creative, fun way to entertain your guests would be to include some of the most famous ones around your party. Your friends and family will love playing with a wood paddle ball and slinky or challenging each other to an exciting game of jacks or marbles.

Whether or not you were alive during the middle of the 20th century, reliving some of the fun from the decade can be a blast.