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It’s the festive season and that means it’s party time! Everyone’s letting their hair down and getting their groove on, from tax accountants and corporate lawyers to nursery school teachers and veterinary assistants. Businesses start holding their end-of-year functions from around mid-November, simply because venues are booked out months in advance. And you’ll have to look hard to find someone who hasn’t been invited to at least one New Year’s Eve party.

The glut of parties means that people are willing to pull out all the stops to ensure that theirs stands out from all the others. And this means that many people are opting to hold themed parties.

Now, very few people feel neutral about themed parties; they either love them or hate them. How ever you feel about them, there is no denying that they are supremely popular.

Let’s look at how far people are prepared to go when it comes to organising their themed party:

• Level one: colours

This is about as basic as it gets. All that is required is that guests wear a particular colour or colours. It can be part of a larger theme – like a sports team or cancer awareness – but no heavy obligations are placed on guests.

When it comes to decor, coloured table clothes and streamers will do.

• Level two: hats

Now guests are expected to make some kind of effort. A lot of people have caps or sun hats in their cupboards, but just as many don’t and so they have to hunt, beg, borrow and rent. Themes can be very general, like ‘hats’ in which case any hat will do; or more specific, like hats from the 16th century.

Generally decor for level two parties is still undemanding but some people with specific themes might want to go the extra mile, for instance Tudor decor to go with 16th century Henry VIII.

• Level three: costumes

As far as guests are concerned this is as demanding as it gets. Some people will put on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt and call themselves soccer players. Jeans, a plaid shirt and a toy gun will turn anyone into a cowboy. But some people go all out and come as Darth Maul, face paint and all. Again, it can be generic – costumes – or specific – Zombies.

Bear in mind that the decor will have to reflect the effort put in by your most over-enthusiastic guest. Darth Maul shouldn’t feel he made more effort than the host. Fortunately, when hosts ask for costumes they generally have great matching decor in mind.

What is also fortunate is that you can rent great decor and accessories from specialist party hire companies, so you don’t have to make everything yourself.

Sandy writes on behalf of Styled Functions, a hiring company that provides a range of party decor options, such as chair covers, crockery, tables, cake stands and glasses.