From big birthdays to weddings, to celebrating life’s little moments, we all love a reason to throw a party and create a special, memorable experience with loved ones.
Whether you’re planning on throwing an all out extravaganza or an intimate dinner party, Amy Greenshields, party expert at cardfactory, reveals the six party trends you can expect to see in 2024 to arm you with all the tools to wow on the celebration circuit next year.
Looking to the future with ‘divorce parties’
The trend towards celebrating life’s less traditional milestones has been on the rise for some time, and with new data from cardfactory revealing that one in five DINKs (that’s couples on double incomes with no kids) would like their friends and family to celebrate them leaving a negative relationship1, it’s clear that this trend is going nowhere.
Party expert at cardfactory, Amy Greenshields, comments: “Being there for your friends through their toughest moments is just as important as being there to celebrate their happiness and successes. Sending a thoughtful little gift or a personalised card when your friend is going through a breakup is a small but powerful way to show them that you care.
“Although it’s not for everyone, our research and recent social media trends show that going one step further and celebrating via a ‘divorce party’ is something that more of us are keen to explore. Rather than dwelling on the negative, use a divorce party as an opportunity to focus on a brighter future and celebrate all the exciting new experiences the divorcee has to look forward to.”
Celebrating in sober style
The trend for sober gatherings is also gaining momentum, with sober party ideas flooding social media and Google searches for ‘sober party’ up +102% in the last month alone2.
Amy reveals how to throw the perfect sober celebration: “Saving money on providing alcohol for a celebration means you have more budget to play with to create a fun, festive and sociable atmosphere. Use that budget to invest in decorations to set the mood such as a balloon arch or banner, fun party games to break the ice, and of course, lots of tasty non-alcoholic drink options!”
Staying in is the new going out
As the cost of living crisis continues, we’re having to get more creative in how we socialise and throwing a gathering at home is an affordable alternative to going out. Whether for a milestone birthday or as an excuse to catch up with old friends, the experts at cardfactory predict that the house party will experience a resurgence.
To throw the perfect house party, Amy advises: “When preparing for a celebration at home, it’s always a good idea to set a theme to give your party a central focus and tie everything together.
“Once you’ve set the theme, make sure all the decorations, music, and even the food and drink relate back to it. Depending on the event you’re celebrating, you could opt for anything from a ‘Mexican fiesta’ vibe to a ‘pink party’ where everything is pink. Whatever theme you go for, the more you stick to it, the more impressive it will look.”
The disco revival continues
Over the last few years, disco themed soirees have risen in popularity and recent data shows that the trend is set to continue. With the hashtag ‘discoparty’ gaining 97 million views and counting on TikTok3 and searches for ‘disco theme outfit’ up +50% on Google4, prepare for 2024 to be another year of disco balls and dancing.
Amy comments: “The disco theme has become a firm favourite with partygoers and it’s clear to see why. With dancing an essential, glitter a necessity and a touch of old school glamour an added bonus, what’s not to love?
“Setting the scene for your guests from the get-go is the best way to create a dazzling disco party. Incorporate a foil fringe door curtain to welcome guests in, with a big party balloon banner, iconic 70s tunes and of course, a glittering disco ball, and you’ve got yourself a disco to go down in the history books.”
Pets deserve parties too
Another trend going nowhere any time soon is that of celebrating our beloved furry friends. With TikTok content boasting over 146m views for ‘#dogparty’, and ‘#catparty’ having a further 47m views5, the experts at cardfactory predict that we’ll see even more pet paw-ties being thrown in 2024.
To throw your pampered pet the ultimate extravaganza, Amy comments: “Start the event off with a party hat (if they allow) for the birthday boy or girl, showing them all their decorations before any guests arrive.
“Dogs and cats especially will get distracted by hanging decorations so opt for decor that can be placed out of reach, like bunting for example. Place cards up high on mantel pieces and organise their presents into a bag so they don’t mistake their gifts for a chew toy.
“Be careful to avoid louder noises as this will startle your pet, so this means avoiding things like party poppers and loud music.”
Nostalgia lives on
After a year of nostalgia sparked by the long awaited release of the Barbie movie and a surge in 00’s ‘romcom core’, cardfactory predicts that the trend for nostalgia will live on in our parties next year.
Amy comments: “Nostalgic party themes are having a real moment on social media recently, with 80s and 90s themed bashes galore and even a trend where the dress code is ‘come as your 16 year old self’ experiencing a surge in popularity on TikTok.
“A nostalgic party theme needs all the traditional party tropes to work, so think lots of balloons, party bags and themed tableware. Make sure whatever nostalgic decorative theme you go for also translates into the food, the music and the dress code for the ultimate nostalgic night.”
For more celebration and gifting ideas, visit https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/.
