Texas Theme Party Ideas

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With its rich history, Texas provides ideas for multiple directions you could take for party themes, from its Spanish and Mexican roots through statehood days, cattle ranching and the oil century to modern-era sports teams and the state's musical heritage. Some themes work with a mix-and-match approach while others stand alone. Whatever theme you choose, play Gene Autry's "Deep in the Heart of Texas" or your favorite Willie Nelson song to welcome your guests as they arrive.

A Colorful Array of Teams

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Use any and all team-color themes for a sports-inspired party. Arrange team colors in pennants, streamers and flags around your house and yard, and pick one team's colors for food -- such as the orange and brown of the Texas Longhorns or the red, white and blue of the Rangers. Ask guests to wear their favorite team's colors to the party and use their choices to divide them into teams for relay races, a tug-of-war or if space allows, a touch-football game.

A Gushing Celebration

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Spindletop, the oil gusher that blew in 1901, ushered Texas into the 20th century and is an apt image to inspire at a Texas-themed party. Design your own gusher out of cardboard for a wall decoration with streams of black, crepe-paper oil spilling out the top; set replica oil wells on tabletops; and place colorful signs with the names of early oil producers in a vase for a table centerpiece. Use the black-gold theme for party food, with black-olive tapenade for appetizers, dark-chocolate desserts and dark beer or cocktails that look like petroleum.

A Food Fest

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A celebration of Texas culinary history mixes foods and decorations. Create a Texas-shaped arch from cardboard over your front door to let guests know you plan to celebrate all of Texas. Decorate your walls with portions of the map -- highlighted with the cuisine of different areas -- and serve food from those areas. Include shrimp from the Gulf, Tex-Mex food with pictures of Spanish and Mexican landmarks, a beef dish with a map of the trails taken by cattle drives, or chicken-fried steak from European settlers.

A Musical Jamboree

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From blues and country to rock, Texas has a rich musical history your party can celebrate with enlarged portraits of musicians, music trivia games and dancing to your favorite songs from Texas bands. For party decorations, use album covers, musical instruments or replicas made from cardboard, and posters or signs from the Austin City Limits music festival and television show. Serve festive Texas food such as grilled sausages and hamburgers, corn on the cob, cornbread and potato salad to match the casual tone of the party.