The '80s were all about excess, so make your decorations dramatic and colourful. Look for paper cups and plates in neon colours, animal prints or black-and-white geometric patterns. Plaster the walls with posters of quintessential '80s pop stars like Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Cyndi Lauper, New Kids on the Block and the queen of the decade, Madonna. To really get in the spirit, pop in a DVD of a John Hughes movie or an '80s band's video collection and have it playing, on mute, during the event.

Looking for a unique '80s party tip? Make yourself and your guests part of the decor! Before the party, ask your guests to lend you a photo of themselves in their wildest '80s outfit. Make enlarged copies of these photos and hang them up around the party area. During the party, your guests can guess who's who and laugh at all the bi-level haircuts and pegged pants. If you aren't old enough to have been a teen back then, you can easily find retro photos online of stars like Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe and Molly Ringwald looking their '80s best.

Thanks to the arrival of MTV, '80s fashion was defined by music. Inspired by pop stars like Duran Duran and Wham, guys wore frilly shirts, superskinny ties and huge op-art belts. '80s chicks emulated their musical idols with Bananarama-style overalls, Pat Benatar-esque headbands and Madonna's layered mesh-and-lace ensembles.

And don't forget the makeup, guys: From the new romantics to the punk rockers, all the gnarliest dudes sported eyeliner, lipstick, glittery eye shadow and way too much mousse in their hair, just like their girlfriends. Want more '80s party costumes? '80s ladies also sported leg warmers, rubber bracelets and sideways ponytails, while guys channeled Miami Vice-era Don Johnson with pastel-hued suits.

Get into the '80s groove with a lip-synch contest to beloved '80s songs, or put on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and have a contest to see who can do the best moonwalk. If you have a video game system, buy some of the classic '80s video games like PacMan, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong and Asteroids — you can also find versions of these games online and play them on your computer.

Plus, pay homage to the classic board game Trivial Pursuit, which launched in 1982, by splitting up your guests into teams to answer questions about random factoids and earn those little pie wedges.

Yuppies and Valley girls made sushi big in the '80s, as well as appetizers like artichoke dip served in a bread bowl. Kid-friendly treats like Rice Crispie treats make great snacks for an '80s party, and you can celebrate the frozen yogurt fad with a fro-yo cake. Finally, no '80s party guide is complete without mentioning classic sweets like Fizz Wizz Space Dust, Anglo Bubbly, Dolly Necklaces, WHAM Bars and Parma Violets.

80's Wine Cooler (serves 4) • 16 oz. Chablis® white wine • 24 oz. 7-Up® soda • 2 oz. grapefruit juice • 2 oz. pineapple juice • 2 oz. lime juice • 2 oz. lemon juice Mix fruit juices together in a glass. Pour 4 ounces Chablis into 4 wine glasses, then add 6 ounces 7-Up to each glass. Divide the juice mixture evenly, and serve.

Non-Alcoholic - Capri Sun, Fresca, Jolt Cola

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