Be it law school, culinary school, kindergarten or college, every diploma deserves a party, and not one that requires an advanced degree or financial aid. Pretend graduation entertaining is a class and we're the nerds who draft the detailed outlines and let you study off of them for the midterm. You can blow off the books and snooze through the semester--it's Graduation Entertaining 101 and we're your Cliff's Notes.

Advanced Theme Theory
While graduation party themes can be as elementary as "Hats Off To the Grads" or "Good Luck, Grad," themes like "The Last (Home-cooked) Supper," "Jailbreak" and "Animal House" earn extra credit. Send our retro graduation invitation; with subtle colors and an exuberant illustration, it works with any theme.

Dean's List Decor
Get an A+ for ambiance with our graduation cap light strings and garlands. Set a spirited scene with rah-rah college banners, plus creative crepe and fun fringe in school colors. Create fortuitous centerpieces with our decision fortunetellers, financial advisor balls and scattered "good luck" mints. Go for over-the-top dorm-chic with beanbag chairs, video games, glow-in-the-dark ceiling stars, tapestries, lava lamps, incense, candles and black lights. Oh, and don't forget the ubiquitous John Belushi "College" poster.

Cafeteria Food
Our fave grad bash menu has a major in dessert and minor in nutrients. Serve Twinkies and donut holes with our graduation picks, and pop rock candy, gummi hamburgers and Peanut M&M's in colorful takeout containers, plus dorm room classics like pizza and cup-of-noodles. Use our pizza plates and retro dots party set. Set up a cereal bar loaded with your favorite sugar-shock varieties. Wash it all down with coffee, Red Bull and Jolt Cola. If your guests are of age, it just isn't a party without basins full of cheap beer cans (Milwaukee's Best and Natural Light lend an air of authenticity) or a keg with red plastic party cups.

On the other hand, if you are sending Grad off to college with a "Last (Home-Cooked) Supper" feast, opt for a smorgasbord of mom's greatest hits. Think: never-ending helpings of meat loaf, mac n' cheese, veggies and mashed potatoes, accompanied by chocolate milk and apple juice. Finish it off with homemade chocolate cake, apple pie or brownies still warm from the oven. Use our old-fashioned cloth table cover to fortify the "no place like home" vibe.

4.0 Favors
Send guests out into the world with graduation bubbles, graduation cap key chains, mini graduation or "Best of Luck" horseshoe chocolates. Graphic luggage tags and passport covers like those in our Tepper Jackson collection make fun favors when the honoree will be summering with nothing but a backpack and a Eurorail pass.