How Often Do You Throw Parties?

[JDacapo]

I've recently discovered how fun it can be to throw a party. It's quite challenging, but if you do a lot of chatting, playing and appreciating, and of course serving food and inviting guests to join in fun activities like games or the bubble-blower, these parties can be a success!

How often do you throw parties, especially for graduations or birthdays?

[AlexandraSpears]

Not very often. However, I do like throwing family reunions once in a while (where you have a whole bunch of relatives invited).

[Fivey]

Almost never. I don't like dealing with mechanics like that. Can't be bothered.

I remember my first sim party. I was intending for host Brandon Lillard (wasn't too keen on aspirations yet) to pop the question to his boyfriend Ulysses while the party was going on, but nobody came to the party and it was a disaster. He said 'eff it' and kneeled down to his knee after the horrible party was over. Of course, Ulysses accepted the proposal.

[Peni Griffin]

I almost always throw a graduation party, as it's a great chance to bring the sim's family together with his college friends, stage emotional good-bys and hellos, and establish the state of mind of the graduate.

Birthday parties vary. Toddlers sometimes have fears of them, especially shy ones. Important household members might not be able to arrive in time, or might be so low in motives as to doom the party from the start. Some families just aren't the party types while others will use any excuse. Martin and Allegra Gorey would have sooner thought of vacationing on the moon than throwing their only child a birthday party; inviting household on Joshua and his kids so she could bond with her cousins was as far as they'd go. Shy Madeleine Moiselle's big brother Dominic is as outgoing as she is shy, wanted to throw a party, and has a lot of teen friends, so he ignored her fear of parties ("Oh, she'll like it once it gets started") and threw one for her teen transition. Brothers do crap like that.

I almost always throw wedding parties because that's more fun and satisfying than just exchanging rings; but Clovis Point and Sadie Hawkins were both pregnant, he had no family, and hers hated him, so - exchange of rings in the kitchen as part of a date it was. And Natalie Drest and Erik Swain got married in the middle of the llama flu epidemic when large gatherings were banned.

I don't always fill party wants, because then Pleasure and Popularity sims would become addicted and it wouldn't be fun anymore; but I fill them pretty regularly. And the Greeks customarily have at least one each per rotation. They're a handy way to keep connected and set up drama. Almost all cow mascot incidents happen at parties. I hardly ever have one tank anymore.

[Charmful]

I will always do a graduation party. Weddings, always unless I have it my head the two sims don't care and would rather get it done so they can live life and save money by not throwing a party. Birthdays sometimes for a kid>teen and usually for adult>elder. I haven't thrown any anniversary parties yet. Sports parties rarely, toga parties sometimes, and house parties depends if it rolls up on a want and they have the day off.

[MsScribble]

I do like throwing sim parties but they don't get many. My sims are so long-lived there's almost never a birthday party but I do like a New Years Eve 'do.' I think I'll start throwing pool parties. I'll put the bbq right next to it, lock all the doors so they can't go inside and eventually they'll start switching into their bathing suits, before deciding that the diving board is too scary and switching back again while I silently scream at them because there's a pool ladder two steps away.

[lazzybum]

Wedding party is a must for me. Birthday parties are more often for older sims, but I use the birthday cake for all age ups. I do like throwing parties just for fun. Seems like theres always some sort of party once a week for my sims :D

[sushigal007]

I don't very often do parties, but I have recently started giving them a try. The Oldies anniversary one went well, but Lucy Burb's birthday party was a dud because I lost track of time and she went and grew up on her own instead of using the cake. :(

[simonem]

I throw parties just by inviting a load of people over. I don't like having to watch a scoreboard when they should be having a good time.

[Peni Griffin]

I've only thrown two anniversary parties because I've only had two elder couples reach what I consider old enough + be social enough to want to throw one. In those cases they practically threw themselves, as both couples are the parents of large broods. Invite over the kids, and their spouses and children if there's room, set out the buffet, turn on the music if it's not already on, and let everybody free range. Goz and Kitty Hawkins mostly canoodled on the couch while their kids talked, joked, played, danced, and ate with each other. Even the ghost dog showed up. Mary and Nathan Gavigan had to work a little harder because they don't have as many kids and they don't get along as well.

Marie and PIerre Curian could probably throw a pretty good one, but I haven't done it because it wouldn't occur to them. They might throw one in conjunction with their son moving back in after college. Better hurry if I'm going to do that, though, as Marie's on the verge of clocking out. Red and Livva Ann Onions (well, Livva Ann, really, Red never wanted to throw a party in his life) are getting to where it's time. Their family isn't that big, but Livva Ann and her son and daughter have a lot of friends in common.

[HarVee]

It's too much of a hassle for me to bother with. So I rarely throw any parties on this game.

[M.M.A.A.]

Every birthday, since the days that sims grow up by are counted as years and so having a sim enter a new life stage is something big.

Besides, its good to have family members together.

[Gcgb53191]

I do it occasionally depending on he sim. Usually for toddler's birthdays I will just invite a few core family members or none at all depending on the day it falls. When its a child birthday party he'll invite his close friends (if he has any) and some family members too. I'm also trying to have Thanksgiving dinner around fall so I can invite the entire family over but its hard when they all don't know each other lol. I almost always have graduations parties unless the sim doesn't have a lot of friends or I'm so bored of them being there I just make then move back. I also always have wedding parties.

[dieKristina]

Not so often actually. I tend to get lazy when I play and do what I feel most comfortable with - which is just playing a family and fullfil their wants. I try to always have graduation parties, wedding parties and sometimes birthday parties. But unfortunately I rarely have a party if their is nothing "special" to celebrate. I really should throw parties more often, since I mostly end up enjoying it a lot when I finally "force myself" to do it. I like all unexpected things that happens during parties and it´s a great opportunity for my sims to meet other sims. It´s not that hard to get a great party score either once you learn how to do it. So the only explanation I have to why I often hesitate is that I am somewhat lazy ;) .

[Sunbee]

If I'm playing a greek house, every day. I have 48 hour semesters, so my greeks have to scramble sometimes to get their grades up. Or not get their grades up, you know. (This cancels out my tendency to make everyone a straight A student because it is so easy to do.) Sims who roll the want for a party generally get one within a day or two. Otherwise not.

[AlexandraSpears]

One time I created two Greek houses in a college associated with Riverblossom Hills, each consisting of four born-in-game Sims. Gabe and Alexandra O'Mackey had twin sons, while Jason O'Mackey and his wife had twins, a boy and a girl, then there was Leod McGreggor's son, another born-in-game Sim, and a couple of townies I sent to college...so I split them up, boys here, girls there, and each of the boys was engaged to one of the girls.

They were constantly having parties. Why not? It wasn't like they had to work on skills, since most of them had been born in game. I think each house had one party per semester. It was actually pretty fun, especially since they had pool tables, bubble blowers, and the like. Leod McGreggor's son Scott had a fight with a professor at one party and the party turned out great!

So there are times when I'll let them be party animals, other times where I'm like, meh.

It was actually the first time I'd played a Greek house...make that two of them at once, rotating each semester.

In fact, here's Leod's son and his fiancee, Jason O'Mackey's daughter, at a toga party. And the fun of having TwoJeffs' cow mascot trophy head:

http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af292/alexandrasims2/snapshot_3ba8951d_5bab0011.jpg

[JDacapo]

Well, neither of Sinjin's twin sons rolled the fear of parties, and both got the memory of having a great birthday party even though the cinematic played for only one of them. Also, they had both gotten A+ report cards that day before arriving home, so that was awesome. Both grew up well, like their big half-brother Kunzite.

As for graduation parties, I don't know if I'll have one for Claire Ursine since she is incredibly shy, though I might have one if she doesn't roll the fear for it. I think she has permaplat, though I'm not sure. It's so cool though, to have parties where there's a cinematic - just makes the whole thing worthwhile!

[revit]

i wish i can throw party like i did in the sims. random people come to your house so you can have more friends. also it doesn't have time so people can stay in my house until night. i wish sims 2 has that feature. >,<

on topic: i did it once. Cassandra's wedding party. it went successful. at the end of the party, Cassandra and Don went to honeymoon and returned to home with their mood is full.

[Jinyuu]

Well, I throw parties all the time that signify something, like birthday, weddings, graduations..
But just a party/sports party thrown just for the heck of it? Rarely.

[music2ologist]

It's too much of a hassle for me to bother with. So I rarely throw any parties on this game.

When the guests arrive, put a hot-tub and a bubble machine in the garden. There won't be any hassle. If a guest is inclined to be solitary, the host can soak or blow, and invite the hermit to join. It's the easy way to a roof-raiser.

[saskganesh]

Pretty much only to fulfill wants. Some of my popularity Sims have them every weekend (yea, I only have them on weekends). I find them very useful for teens

I've stopped having wedding parties, for as my sims get more stuff, and live in increasingly larger houses and lots, the guests are more inclined to go bowling and play with other toys scattered around the place and smustle in the third floor bathroom than gather around a wedding arch.

Much of the time, I just have people come over. There's more upside.

[omglo]

It depends. Outgoing Sims and college students usually have a lot of parties just for the heck of it. I try to have every family get together for a family reunion so they can get that memory. I don't usually do birthday parties unless the Sim or their parents roll the want to throw one, or if they're outgoing. Only a few Sims get a wedding party. Most of them don't even get an arch. Every sim who has a family gets a graduation party. I"m more likely to have a party if they have the money to rent some cool stuff, like the DJ booth or the bubble blower and to build the bonfire if it's an outdoor event.

[Peni Griffin]

Music2ologist, the bubble blower can tank a party if you don't have the "bubbles are social" hack.

I'm not a big fan of relying on objects to assist your parties; you can get a roof raiser in a nearly empty house if your household works it right. Mary Munny tends to throw roof-raising parties, but remarkably few of her party objects actually get used - people graze the buffet and dance without touching the instruments, climbing into either of the two hot tubs, or using the dance sphere. (The dance sphere is generally hogged by the chance walk-by who crashes the party.) The most probable reason is that she throws parties mostly for her nearest and dearest with only a couple of outliers, to whom she pays special attention. Even her anti-social son can relax and enjoy himself if the party consists almost entirely of people he's known forever.

If the host invites people who like each other, and takes the time to greet each one with a hug or gesture, you can pretty much let the non-purposed party run itself after that. If it's a mixer, the host can go around introducing people and influencing them to interact. Once the party is going well, the host can relax and choose an interaction that can include multiple people - hang out, kicky bag, hot tubbing, even watching TV - and things should go all right. If you're matchmaking, having the host call the targeted sims into the group activity is a great way to advance the cause.

One reason Greek parties are almost always good ones is because there's so many people in the household to head off the guests who insist on sitting down to do assignments. Group study looks wrong, but is okay to allow it as it's a social interaction. (When Greg Aerius threw toga parties, Ernest Munny and Sage Ann Onions would go off in a corner and do group research together. Why it took me so long to realize those two were set on each other, I can't imagine.)

[miss.pink]

I never throw a party only weddings.

[maxon]

Oh I love the occasional shindig. I do weddings - though generally those are more to open up opportunities for sims to fight and/or fornicate wildly, nothing quite like seeing one of those big meringue dresses launching into a fight cloud when the bride realises (too late) that her new husband has been pegging the chief bridesmaid for months now. Or better, the best man. Makes for good furious-sulky honeymoon storylines as well and midnight trysts on the beach with one of the locals in revenge. Annnnyway. Um - I do birthdays but it tends to be only child-teen and adult-elder. That's because with toddler-child, the sim is too young to really know anyone outside the family and with teen-adult, they are usually off to college instead. I do a graduation party for every cohort at university but don't use the party feature for that, they just go on a big outing to some club or something or throw a massive party. I like those. I quite like the golden wedding parties because I like playing with elders and having the family round and there is usually some family issues which can ignite into a full-blown row. I like funerals too. There's a funeral mod which I have been meaning to have a look at with SimPE. It was never finished by the original maker. For the time-being, I just do a funeral but use the mourn function of the mod (which is hilarious) and throw a wake.

[YukiShine]

I just recently started throwing parties at all. But still not very often.
I pretty much exclusively play the Test of Times challenge at the moment. Stone age parties are quite interesting to play, as I can't buy most party games, or electronics. Usually the parties are still allright, though, but of course not really awesome.

[Cyjon]

You don't need electronics for a good party. Party score is based on changes in STR and LTR so socializing is the only requirement. There are a few other things like you get a big penalty if there is no birthday at a birthday party, or no wedding at a wedding party, but other than that it's only relationship changes that determine party success. People can be whining from boredom, pee on the floor, half your guests can die in an uncontrollable kitchen fire and none of that will have the slightest effect on party score.

[YukiShine]

Yep. ^^ I just find it easier to have a party game or two, or especially some music...

[maxon]

You don't need electronics for a good party. Party score is based on changes in STR and LTR so socializing is the only requirement. There are a few other things like you get a big penalty if there is no birthday at a birthday party, or no wedding at a wedding party, but other than that it's only relationship changes that determine party success. People can be whining from boredom, pee on the floor, half your guests can die in an uncontrollable kitchen fire and none of that will have the slightest effect on party score.
I know <sigh> from my POV, that would be a wild success. I've had parties where all they've done is sit on the floor and hang out. You can get the had wild (great) party memory for that one. Sims, on reflection, are really very dull as human beans. I guess it's a good thing they're not.

[Simdrew1993]

Not to often if I do it's usually a Nintendo party with all Nintendo Sims lol, but sometimes they fight, like Mario against Wario, and Bowser trying to make his move on Princess Peach ugh and then she slaps him, then it turns into a disaster usually but is fun and worthwhile anyway,

Also in my game my Sims used to be able to eat the Birthday cake or wedding cake and the only option when you click on it now is clean up, it used to have the option cut, then they would serve it and grab a plate, I have seen online the options disappeared for a few other people as well, is this normal? my Sims can only eat the cake if it is a celebration,wedding or birthday itself, but if it's not that specific special day in the game they can't eat cake, I want CAKE!!! I re-installed everything all over again too without any custom content, can someone please reply to this and tell me what is the problem?

Otherwise I am just gonna think....The cake is a lie!!! :rolleyes:

[Peni Griffin]

The cake seems to spoil after 6:PM if nobody's used it for a birthday. You can always "Serve Dessert" and choose Chocolate Cake.

[StrangeTownChick]

I've never done birthday parties. Never felt the need to. It's just....get a cake, grow the kid up, and return to your normal lives. On the other side of the coin, I always do wedding parties. Even when John and Dava Peterson (who started as adults and had no relatives) got married, they had gone out on enough dates to meet enough people to throw a decent party. I just find wedding parties the most fun and easiest to boost. Regular house parties only appear in the Peterson household because I only do them if a sim wants one, and John is a Pleasure sim and Dava is Popularity.

[frankokomando]

Not very much. My parties always end up as a disaster and my sim cries for days because of it. :|

[AlexandraSpears]

For a really wealthy couple I like having a huge wedding party, complete with honeymoon (I have BV). Otherwise it's just propose marriage and be done with it.