Toni, by late May it should be light until 8 PM, will you need lighting or is it just decorative? If that, twinkie lights with little grad caps on them would be cute! lol

Finger foods- little pizza quiches? I would go to Sam's freezer dept and just see what they have, maybe some cheeses and fruit on platters, chips and dips and veggies. Individual desserts. Sam's, baby- you can get everything there. Maybe make some choc covered strawberries? Cookies.

Table decor- would it be fun to deck the tables in white paper and strew some colored markers or pens over them? Then you could all read what the kids doodled later. Warn 'em, though- keep it clean, we're going to show it to all the parents and they'll recognize your writing! lol

I can't believe your boy has grown so much! It seems like they were all just little kids!

Okay here is what I learned from holding 3...figure out how much food you will need...then cut it in 1/2 (you will still have left-overs). In May you probably won't go through as much water as we did in August, but water was as big as Pop (or is it Soda in NE?? haha) to drink.

Picture cakes...though pretty, the picture frosting taste awful, Costco and Sam's club has the best prices and best tasting (unless you have Cub, their cake with the raspberry center is good and cheap!!)

Keep decorations simple...the kids don't care really and it's only an expense to you. Plastic table cloths are a must, makes for easier clean up.

I know pop in cans is easier, but you'll waste less pop if you get it in bottles.

If you want blown up balloons, order early...balloon shops HATE IT when you come in that day to order balloons and expect them to blow up 50 balloons while you wait.

Let's see kid #1 hotdogs and hamburgers. Easy to prepair, but took time away from visiting to cook...kept warm in crock-pot. Fruit and veggies, chips. Ate hamburgers and hotdogs for about a month afterwards.

Kid #2 did Taco's and fixings. Went over good, easy to prepare. Froze left-over taco meat in family size portions. Hard to judge how much we'd need for meat. But still different for grad party.

Kid #3 wanted deli meats (Turkey, ham and Roast beef) & cheese. Went over very well. Had to bring out in smaller servings to keep fresh. Kinda putzy. Croisants, bread and buns for bread choice. Croisants went like hotcakes!!! Just had chips and cake I think with that meal. Very easy, went over very well.

Don't know if that helped.

Vickey-MN

Sam's also has those yummy bite (or two bite) size cream puffs, in the freezer section. Everyone I've ever served them to has loved them.

I love all of flamingo's ideas!

And how about adding more twinkly lights, like the strings of little lights you get for Christmas.? I could see those going up each corner of the tent (and maybe in between, and up to the center at the top of the tent. Maybe decorate trees and shrubs in the yard with the same.

I'll be doing the same thing for my DS in June. I'm going to do finger type foods, meat and cheese trays and salads. Keeping it simple.

for lighting , I'm thinking maybe twinkle lights in the tents and like mingo said, it's day light even at 8 so the lights may not do much good. The tents are mostly red with some yellow, so there may be some contrast with the lights..I hope.
I like the idea of dipped chocolate strawberries. I want some now though! We ordered a cake from a friend and local cake maker,so that's checked on the list. Pretty simple congratulations on top ,,so I hope it tastes ok,,I don't like frosting anyway!

Thanks for reminding me about the balloons ,, I'll give her a call SOON!

I like the idea of marking up a paper table cloth! Something fun to do at least. I'll be leaving out some cameras too.

One thing for sure, I am NOT is a scrapbooker. So instead of scrapbooks I bought two large collage boards and will fill those in with pictures. Stickers were on sale at Hobby Lobby last week so I'll use those to add some interest near each picture. Where, when or what type of sayings most likely. DS made a power point of his school years in his JR year. I've been telling him to find it and add his senior year but that hasn't happened yet. Time to light a fire under him!

I'm enjoying all the ideas so far!

2 things really caught my eye last yr at a Grad party---Fruit kabobs & cookies iced in the school colors!

Good luck, Donna (^_^)

How about a chocolate fountain? They very inexpensive now to buy and still can be rented at a reasonable price. A bit on the messy side but if you put small plates near the items to be dipped most will go for the plate and napkins when getting food to dip. Trays of cut up fruits, and lady fingers, pound cake, pretzels, plain butter cookies etc. can be made up attractively and brought out as needed. I did this at Hallowe'en for 26 13/14 year olds and it was a big hit....oh as for the double dipping bit, it really didn't happen...most stuff was just bite-sized and there were so many "ewwwwwwwwww gross..you better not even think about double dipping!!" statements going around. Kids loved it and the parents that came in to get them polished off the last tray that I brought out. Placed it on a level table with a plastic tablecloth under it ....there were four drops of chocolate on the floor that was far away from the fountain possibly from a long stretch.

toni, I have copied recipes from here & the Cooking & Recipe forums. Here are some that get really good remarks.

Lil Smokies & variations:

1) In Sweet & Sour Sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 can (13&1/4 oz) pineapple chunks
1/3 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped

Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in skillet. Stir in pineapple (with syrup), vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens to your desired thickness. Stir in green pepper. Cover and simmer for about two more minutes.
This is the perfect (according to family & friends) S&S Sauce and can be used for egg rolls, meatballs, chicken, shrimp, fried won-tons, egg foo yung - whatever... angelaid

2) Popped it into a fry pan with 1/2 a bottle of BBQ sauce and a 1/2 a wine glass of Chablis lindac

3) Bourbon Sausages
3 lb Lil Smokies
1 cup dark brown sugar
12 ounce bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
12 ounces bourbon

Bake smokies for 30 minutes at 350 (to eliminate some grease). While smokies are cooking, mix sugar, chili sauce, bourbon in sauce pan. Cook until sauce is reduced and thick.
Add smokies to sauce and stir to coat. Serve immediately in chafing dish or can be made ahead and warmed before serving. Mustangs

4) with grape jelly and bbq sauce. glenda_al

5) with grape jelly, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Put into a large pot over low heat and stir until melted and mixed well. Add meat and simmer over low heat, turning meat up from the bottom to the top so that all pieces are covered, until cooked through. nonnie_ga

6) wrap them in a 1/2 slice of bacon, then roll in brown sugar and bake them. angier_2007
=========================

Ham & Asparagus Roll-ups
12 appetizer servings

24 fresh asparagus spears
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (4 ounce) package crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
12 slices bread, crusts trimmed off
12 slices thinly sliced deli ham
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
paprika
Garnishes:
green onions, curl
red bell peppers

Arrange asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water.
Cover and steam 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Remove from steamer, and cool on paper towels.
Stir together cream cheese and next 3 ingredients.
Roll each bread slice with a rolling pin to flatten.
Spread 1 side of each slice with 2 Tbsp cream cheese mixture; top each with 1 ham slice.
Place 2 asparagus spears, tips pointed toward opposite ends, on one end of each bread slice; roll up, and place, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet.
Brush with butter; sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Serve immediately.
Garnish, if desired.
Note: Freeze unbaked rollups up to 1 month in an airtight container. Thaw in refrigerator, and bake as directed.
dlynn & Southern Living
=============================

Mystery Rolls from 1977 and Beyond

2 sticks butter
4 to 6 oz crumbled blue cheese
2 cans flaky biscuits

Combine butter and cheese on baking pan. Place into 350 oven for a couple of minutes, or until butter is melted. Remove from oven and stir.
Cut biscuits into fourths, then toss in butter mixture. Bake on same pan for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Eat warm.
Pioneer Woman
=============================

SPINACH BALLS
Mix together:
1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted & well-drained
3 eggs (beaten)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick margarine (melted)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
Form into balls and freeze. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. Kjacja

Here many people go from house to house--like a come and go thing. Some people put up picture boards, with a table featuring things from the persons school year if any. We have a great deli here and order from her. Cashew and broccli salad, cole slaw, mixed fruits, macroni salads(her specility) etc. Then put out small paper plates ( or mediam size) sandwitches--people here are use to the turkey or ham with butter on bread and punch instead of cokes goes over here. Sometimes a cake decorated with a larger one undecorated cut in small pieces.

For our girls' graduations, we needed to do more of 'meal type' foods, as we had alot of family staying the weekends.

But I helped at a friends and because they were having it the same weekend as 'everyone else', she wanted finger foods. She went to Sam's and grocery stores and bought all their fingers food. Little quiches, all the different cheesecake bites, cream puffs, little smokies, I can't think of the others, but just all kinds of little things. She got so many compliments on that! Do have someone help you tho...I spent all my time refilling (that WAS my job after all) everything so the hot stayed hot and the cold stayed cold.

We had pulled pork and side dishes when DD graduated. So I'm not much help there, but here are some decor ideas... maybe a little too girly for your DS?

I usually make my own invites, but found some really cute perosnalized ones on eBay. The lady used 3 childhood photos as well as one of DD's graduation ones. I got lots of compliments on them.

I'll have to throw together a small party this year when my DD gets her associates degree. It'll be just the immediate family though this time.

Congrats to your son!

good ol Sam's club. We have one about 85 miles from here. I'll have to take a look on what they have.
Fruit Kabobs sound so good. Do they keep for a few hours though? Do I put them on ice. (google will come in handy too!)
The chocolate fountain could be a hit just for me! I'll have to think about how much room I'll have though.

Kathleenca..thank you for the recipes. I can see people enjoying them all. The pineapple in the smokes sound good.

Marie- I wish we had a good deli around here too!

Sandy-I know you have good food at your parties. Are you having another one next year..lol

Lydia- Hopefully I saved my son's little overalls. They are so darned cute. Looks like an easy project too.(good for me) I'd have to add a stick or a corn cob to the pocket though.

On the tables for decor, I was contemplating putting straight candy canes in small vases filled with yellow marbles. The guest could eat the decor if they wanted. I might add a red fluffy string/bow and note with DS's name and grad date on one end.

What I really want to have is stuffed shrimp. No one around here carries them though and I've never attempted to stuff them myself either. Bacon wrapped shrimp sounds good. I suppose this could be ordered off the net.

Costco, if you have one near you, carries a great shrimp salad.
Gal at our monthly luncheons always brings.

It's tailess whole shrimp, in a mayo based dressing. Really tasty.

I once posted a recipe for spinach brownies, which lots and lots like.

Spinach brownies/squares
1 (10 ounce) package spinach, rinsed and chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
**My method for cooking spinach: cut a slit in one one end of spinach box, micro on HI for 7 minutes.
Remove from box, drain on paper towel and squish all the water out.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place spinach in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook until spinach is limp, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs, milk and butter. Mix in spinach, onion and mozzarella cheese.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Toni, the fruit kabobs go sooooo fast that you don't have to put them on ice--We just kept bringing more out of the frig--My sis, is really talented & she made a big bouquet of fruit flowers too--they were so pretty-

finger food--party rye bread, spread with cr cheese & put a thin slice of cucumber on it, you can sprinkle with dill or top with an olive--

You sure got some good tips here!

Donna (^_^)

Oh, Donna's post reminded me of my favorite little sandwich- party rye and mayo and roast beef with a little salt and pepper and gherkins on the side! My grandmother used to make us those for our road trips home and we all snarfed them up. I need to make some! Yummy.