So I'm throwing a b-day party and inviting a bunch of different people..
 

Next tuesday I'm throwing myself a 25th birthday bash get together and I'm inviting all my friends in the area (about 24 or so). Some people from college and some that I know outside of college. I'm going to obviously know everyone there but I'm afraid it might be a little awkward for all my friends. Some know each other, some don't. I've never done anything like this before. Can anyone offer any advice on how I can bring everyone together and also give them my attention? I don't want to ignore anyone there.

Be sure you greet everyone when they arrive, and then just mingle. Try not to spend all your time with one small group of people. You can also try dopey "mixer" games to get people to know each other, and that way you don't have to feel like you're the only person at the party that someone knows. I went to a party recently where the host had all the guests make name tags that included your name, a hobby, one word that describes you, and your favorite place to go on vacation. It was a good way to break the ice - walk up to someone and read their name tag, ask questions about "why Thailand" or whatever.

How about a big game of Spin the Bottle?
(kidding, of course...)

lurkette's right on both counts... mixer games are dopey, and you can definitely pull off "host(ess) with the most(ess)" role by making sure you don't spend more than a few minutes with each group. It sounds so "Gone with the Wind" to think of yourself as the social butterfly who needs to hop around from conversation to conversation, just making yourself available, but it doesn't need to be this way :)

Other things I've noticed about parties with mixed invitation lists:

1) Sometimes groups don't mind being "groups", and not mingling. This isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes events like this are good ways for groups to hang out, when they may not normally have this avenue.

2) You may have the opportunity to do some good introductions where you know people can hit it off together. For instance, maybe you know someone from school who you think would fit in well with on of your post-college crowds... invite a couple of people to walk around with you and meet people. If they're the social type, they may jump at the chance to get to know some new people this way.

Oh! and Happy birthday! What should we bring to the party? :D


edited for gender/PC-ness

Naked twister! Oh...wait...no?

hmmm...something like Catch Phrase, maybe (or is that too dopey? :) )

And happy birthday a little early :)

Sounds like your throwing your first cocktail party...

Place food on one side of the room/house and drinks on the other. Also only having seating for about 2/3 of the people who will be attending. Both encourage people to move about and chat with one another. Just make sure you try to introduce people from one group to individuals in the other.

Whatever you decide to do I wouldn't really worry about it. Everyone will have a good time. Its your birthday and that's not a day to be spent worrying about the little things... BTW -- Let us know how it turns out.

Play Cranium!!!!

Cranium rules! It's a load of fun.

But i'm rather biased towards it, anyway.

my .02... relax and enjoy it. your friends will enjoy themselves too if you are.

Thanks everyone for the advice. We're all meeting at a tavern so dopey games in public might attract too much attention lol.

sometimes dopey games in public attract chicks.

Hey thanks...I like all this advice, and it appicable because I'm having a party next Friday.

A good party mixer strategy is to not have all the food in one place. It encourages mingling.