Our theme is called "Back to the oldies" For my mother's 61st birthday party my boyfriend and I rented a banquet hall at the Holiday Inn. I sent out invitations with a boy and girl dressed in 50's attire dancing on the front. Everyone was told to dress in oldies clothes. This was a surprise party so we told her that we were taking her to dine in the hotel's restaurant, which doesn't even exist! I got string to hang through some old records I got a thrift store and hung them from the ceilings. I also bought a life-size cardboard figure of James Dean. I bought 6 six-pack bottles of coke(the glass ones) and decorated them with flowers and confetti for the center-pieces. I later gave these out as prizes. I made a game called " how well do you know Joyce" ( this is my mother) and put tons of personal, but fun questions about her and had the guests and my mom fill it out at the same time. I later read the answers out and everyone graded their own paper. You would be surprised at how much her own sisters and children did not know about her! Everyone dressed in 50's attire and anyone that showed up without a costume could put on something small that we brought (like a pack of cigarettes to roll in their shirt or roll up the bottom of their jeans) or they had to wear these hideous hats that my boyfriend bought at Wal-Mart in the toy department. My brother eventually had to wear a hat and dance with James Dean for not dressing up, it was hilarious! It was a blast... Mom cried forever over her wonderful surprise.