Confirmation is a major event in a Catholic person's life. It is the day on which a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, adopts the name of a saint, and affirms a commitment to enter adulthood and live as a Catholic. Confirmation parties are a matter of taste; they can be solemn and small or grand and celebratory. It depends on the wishes of the guest of honor and the family hosting the affair.
Warm-Weather Events
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Like First Communion, Confirmation can occur at any time of the year, but large-scale ceremonies generally take place in the spring, so the opportunities for an outdoor event are many. Families may wish to throw backyard barbecues or picnics in a public park or forest preserve for a large number of guests. This approach lends itself to all sorts of recreation (e.g., swimming, volleyball, basketball, or whatever the weather and facilities allow).
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Group Parties
Young Catholics are typically confirmed in eighth grade and may wish to celebrate the occasion together. Teaming up with the parents of your child's friends allows you to pool your resources and organize a large celebration. The logistics are more difficult because this approach requires the rental of a hall or a host willing to open a large home or back yard to many guests. The advantage is that there will be plenty of young people around, and the adults may enjoy a chance to mix with people they don't ordinarily see.
Spend a Day With the Sponsor
Confirmation candidates are required to have a sponsor, an adult friend or family member who is already a confirmed Catholic. This person's role is to serve as a guide throughout the preparation for the sacrament. Above and beyond any family celebration, it is meaningful for both the sponsor and the newly confirmed Catholic to spend a special day together, either at a fun event such as a baseball game or in a more solemn way such as on a retreat.
Theme Parties
Families that wish to have large, festive parties may want to build their party around the newly confirmed Catholic's interests and tastes. Sports themes or motifs such as a beach party are popular. Particularly devout families may wish to have a Christian artist perform as musical entertainment (this works best in a rental hall setting, and it may be expensive depending on the performer's fee).
Adult Confirmations
Although the majority of confirmations are for eighth graders, many Catholics are confirmed well into adulthood. They may wish to host their own celebrations, such as a private dinner with friends, family, and the priest who administered the sacrament. Adult confirmations are done throughout the year and often on a one-by-one basis, as opposed to a large group, so it may be easier for clergy to attend a celebration.