What is a hijab party? How do you plan a hijab party? Why should you throw a hijab party?

These are just a few of the questions I have gotten about hijab parties since my first hijab party debut in 2015 for my sister Huda when she started wearing the hijab. When I first started throwing hijab parties, the concept wasn’t widely spread and there weren’t too many hijab party ideas out there. I had to be innovative and had lots of fun coming up with creative ways to throw all types of hijab parties. Now, 5 years and 5 hijab parties later, I have finally decided to compile this guide. So, here’s everything you need to know about planning for hijab parties.

What is a Hijab Party?

A hijab party is simply a celebration honoring the hijab and a young woman who makes the big decision to start wearing it. Donning the hijab is a huge milestone in any Muslimah’s life, and a hijab party is a great way to celebrate the occasion.

Why Host a Hijab Party?

Well, first of all, the question, “why throw a party?” is completely foreign to me. Why does there ever need to be a reason to throw a party? I’m always up for a chance to have some fun! 😉

On a more serious note, I think hijab parties are extremely important for any community that values fostering a love for Islam and building up a generation of young Muslims who are proud of their identity.

Here are only six of the many reasons I think hijab parties should be widespread for Muslim girls everywhere:

• POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS: A hijab party honors the concept of hijab as something to celebrate and cherish. Especially when you live in a society where religious symbols and religion in general is losing its value, I believe that it is super important to create as many positive associations with hijab as possible. Starting the journey of hijab isn’t easy by any means, but having something special like a party to look forward to automatically creates positive associations in a young girl’s mind.
• CONFIDENCE BOOSTER: It is so important to show support to young women who have started wearing hijab, especially in the beginning. A hijab party is a great way to build confidence in a new hijabi, while showing her that her community is supporting her decision at the same time. This is particularly important if the girl is one of the first in a friend group or in her community to start wearing hijab.
• DEVELOPING LOVE: A celebration is a great way to help instill a love of hijab in girls. When hijab is surrounded by things a young girl loves, she will come to love the hijab itself, as well.
• ERASING FOMO: Kids are surrounded by parties and celebrations all the time that many of us prefer not to partake in: birthdays, prom, Halloween, etc. It’s natural for them to feel like they are missing out on something when it seems like other people are having lots of fun they can’t have. Offering alternative options is a great way to make Muslim youth not feel left out or even give a second thought to participating in the same celebrations their peers do.
• INSPIRING OTHERS: This is an important one: A hijab party is not just for the new hijabi; it is also a great means to inspire and educate others around her to see hijab as something beautiful. In that way, a hijab party is as much for the community as it is to celebrate one young woman.
• SET A PRECEDENT: Finally, hosting a hijab party is a great way to set a precedent of making Islamic obligations something beloved to the youth in a community. The idea of Islam shouldn’t just be a list of rules, Sunday School classes, or sitting still during a khutba. Kids should see that there is so much beauty and joy in Islam, and that is something they can experience by attending a hijab party.

How to Throw a Hijab Party

Ok, so now that you know what a hijab party is, the next step is actually planning one. Here is my comprehensive guide on throwing the ultimate hijab party for the newest hijabi in your life!

Theme

For me, one of the most important elements of party planning is picking the theme. I prefer to have one solid centralized idea to base everything on, and I can never think properly until I have settled on a theme. I also never like to throw the same exact party again, so I always try to come up with a new theme for each party I plan. Usually, I stick to a color theme, which is the easiest thing, but I love coming up with other creative party theme ideas, as well.

A theme makes it easier to plan your party efficiently and cohesively. You won’t waste time or money on decorations or party elements that don’t match your theme, and it will be easier to figure out the party as a whole (including games, activities, outfits, party location, etc.).

How to choose a theme:

• Talk to your client (whoever you are throwing a party for), and make a list of everything she likes: hobbies, favorite colors, characters, etc. Even if it seems like irrelevant or random interests now, jot them down. You never know what can turn into a brilliant party idea later.
• Search through different theme ideas and color combinations on Pinterest. You will definitely find something that catches your attention.
• Think about tangible ideas you can come up with based on your list and narrow it down from there.
  • Do her favorite colors go well together?
  • Can you turn one of her hobbies into a party theme?
  • Does one of her favorite characters tie into a concept or idea that would make a great theme?

Party Theme Ideas

Here are some of the party themes I used for hijab parties I hosted over the years:

• Turquoise and Yellow Party Theme: This was the very first hijab party I officially planned when my sister Huda became a hijabi. Her favorite color then was turquoise, and we knew we wanted to incorporate that color into the theme but needed another color to go with it. We tested out tons of color combinations and scrolled through hundreds of images online until we finally settled on turquoise and yellow. Looking back, we did find some challenges finding actual decorations that looked turquoise rather than blue. Some of our decor ended up looking like props at a boy baby shower. Ultimately, we were satisfied with the results.
• Pink and Gold Party Theme: This was the next big hijab party I planned for my cousin Nabiha over 2 years after Huda’s party. We wanted to choose a color theme for this party that would be a sharp contrast from Huda’s theme for it to have its own distinct look, so we finally settled on hot pink, light pink, and gold for the theme colors (even though Nabiha’s actual favorite color was turquoise LOL).
• Ertugrul-Themed Party: I threw an Ertugrul-themed hijab party for my sister Meryem’s hijab party this summer. This party deserves its own post, so stay tuned for that!
• Pastel-Themed Party: I went for a pastel color theme for two hijab parties I planned this summer because both girls preferred pastel colors. However, each party had its own distinct look with gorgeous pastel-colored backdrops, and I loved both looks a lot. Also keep in mind that each pastel-themed party was tied with another theme, as well. You can always choose multiple themes for your party, especially if one is the color palette and the other is an activity-based theme or something else unique.
• Artist/Painter Party Theme: The most recent hijab party I planned was paint themed since the girl of honor was an artist. I incorporated bright paint colors, paint palettes, a painting activity, and the words “Hijab is Art” into the party decor.

I have lots more ideas for future hijab parties, some of which I discussed with some of my past clients but didn’t yet go through with. If you are looking for party theme ideas, you can check out the following list.

Unique theme ideas I would like to see implemented in the future:

• Yes I’m Hot in This Party Theme: For fans of Huda Fahmy’s popular comic series-turned book titled, “Yes I’m Hot in This”, this would be such a fun party theme. It would especially be a great idea for a hijab party specifically, and I would love to see how someone can incorporate themes from the comics into the party planning. It would be so fun if each guest dressed up as one of the recurring Yes I’m Hot in This characters!
• Fruit-Themed Party: I couldn’t yet convince any of my party clients to stick to a fruit decor theme for a party, but I haven’t lost hope yet! A fruit-themed party would incorporate fruit design decor, probably a rainbow-colored theme, fruits on a stick for a snack, and maybe some trivia about unique fruit. This would be great opportunity to discuss fruits mentioned in the Qur’an. Another idea would be to host the party at some fruit-picking location. Fruit lovers would love a party like this!
• Detective-Inspired Mystery-Themed Party: Mystery lovers would go wild for a detective-themed party. You could host it at an escape room or create your own personalized escape room or treasure hunt for the attendees. Party favors could include a “detective kit” including a magnifying glass, a detective hat, and other fun supplies. This would definitely be my ideal party!
• Floral-Themed Party: Who can say no to a flower-themed party? This party could incorporate lots of natural decor, or you could host it at a flower garden. For activities, you could make DIY flower crowns, plant rose pots, and/or have a quiz on different types of flowers. All guests should definitely wear floral attire.
• Water-Themed Party: As someone who loves water so much, I would LOVE a water-themed party. This could incorporate water guns, a sprinkler, water balloons, or other water-based activities. If you have access to a private pool, that would be a great setting for this type of party. Alternatively, you could go to a waterfall or have a picnic by a lake for some beautiful scenery and a reminder of Allah’s creation.
• Costume Party: Most kids grow up dreaming of attending a costume party. This would be a great opportunity for everyone to dress up as their favorite characters and have some fun. For some extra spice, you could host a competition and have everyone vote for their favorite costume. Challenge the guests to make their own costumes!

While a lot of these party theme ideas may seem huge or elaborate, sometimes you can still make an impact by keeping it simple. When one of my sister’s friends began wearing the hijab, we were so excited for her and wanted to celebrate her, but we had moved away and lived many states away. We decided to have a surprise “party” for her at Friendly’s (ice cream store) during a short visit. We were only in the state for about 24 hours, but we were able to celebrate her in a special and memorable meet-up. We all gave small gifts with encouraging messages and surprised her with a “congratulations” ice cream cake. I had printed out coloring pages of hijabis in advance and then asked each guest to write a special message to her on one of the pages. Then, I stapled all the pages together into a personalized coloring book for her to treasure. This get-together was very simple, but we made lots of meaningful memories, and the newest hijabi felt special. That was the most important thing for us.

So, have fun while coming up with a theme, but don’t stress too much about everything being perfect. I would also recommend setting your budget at the beginning and allocating a certain amount for each area of your party (food, decor, etc.). This will help you stay organized and focused as you plan for the party.

Deciding on the Location and Date

Deciding the location is very important for the party – it will help you decide where to set up your decorations, how much room you have for games, and how many people you can accommodate.

Most hijab parties I planned were at home. This made them easy to plan and allowed me to decorate over time. It is hardest to plan a party at an outside location where you have a very limited amount of time to decorate before the party begins. However, it is not impossible, especially if you have lots of hands working together to make it happen.

Setting the date is one of the hardest parts of party planning I feel like. It’s so hard to find a time that works for everyone, but once you have a date, focusing on your party planning becomes much easier.

Guest List

The first thing I do when I start planning a party is create a Google document and start making a list of people we will invite. I usually ask the party girl to write down people she definitely wants to be there from her friends. Depending on the nature of the party, I may add a few family friends/mentors/teachers, as well, to be there for the newest hijabi’s special day.

Most of the hijab parties I’ve held were mother-daughter parties, which allowed mothers and daughters to bond together for a meaningful gathering. This provided a great opportunity for the girls to hear their moms’ hijab and growing up stories. Overall, this made each experience very sweet.

Invitations

Ideally, you will have enough notice to send out fancy paper invitations and wait for RSVPs. Unfortunately, most of the parties I planned were pretty last-minute. When my sister Huda started wearing hijab, we discussed planning a party and decided to push up the date so my grandmother and cousin who were going to visit soon could join. We simply told all of her close friends in-person or by texting them to confirm their availability. For my cousin Nabiha’s party, we made an online invitation through evite to keep track of all of our RSVPs and information in one place.

My sister Meryem’s hijab party this year was the most complicated because of covid rules and social distancing requirements. Because we wanted to ensure that everything would be as safe as possible, we limited our guest list and asked our guests to choose time slots to join to minimize crowding. We also had a Zoom call invite for out-of-town guests and others who would not be able to join in person. I found a fancy online card invitation maker to use that allowed me to add in special sound and visual effects when a recipient would open the card. The only problem with this website was that the free version was extremely limited, and I very quickly reached my maximum invitee count. Still, the fun animated invitation was a hit.

Decorations

Ah, yes. Decorations. Decorations are the guests’ first impressions of the party, the lasting visible remnant of the day (through pictures), and the spirit of the occasion. While it may seem overwhelming to decorate for a party, it’s amazing what you can do with just streamers, tissue paper, and balloons!

• First of all, this is why it is super important to have a party theme. Once you have settled on your theme, you can focus on collecting decorations that match this theme.
• There are tons of things you can DIY or reuse even before you start buying decor. Start by going through things you already have in the house that you use for home decor or other uses.
• Set your budget before starting to decorate. Decide on one or two things to splurge on and save on the rest.

• Michael’s coupons are your friend – go with multiple people and take multiple trips so you can use the coupon multiple times.
• If you chose theme colors that are pretty unique and there aren’t many decor options for sale, don’t worry! Spray paint whatever decor you need to fit the theme.
• Keep in mind that more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better and DIY doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper. Weigh your different options against each other, compare costs, and be aware that some DIY decor options take a lot of time. Also, you would be surprised by how easy it is to DIY lots of pretty decorations. Search up decor tutorials and put together your own pretty party embellishments.
• If you are not super creative or don’t have a lot of time to put together your own decorations, check out pre-made options. I used this gorgeous hijab party template for my sister Meryem’s pastel-themed party. The decor from the template fit perfectly with our theme! I was even able to reuse some of the decorations for our next pastel-themed hijab party.

• You don’t need to decorate every inch of the house/party location to make an impact. Focus on one primary part of the house to decorate; if you have time, you can tackle decorating the whole house, but you want to have time and energy to focus on the other important elements of the party, as well.

• Delegate! This is a very important tip. Delegate, if possible, to friends and family members who want to be involved. My most successful parties involved lots of delegation. I personally have no end of ideas when it comes to party planning; it just isn’t always feasible to do it all. The more people I have around to help me out, the more fun stuff we can do. Planning is also a great bonding experience. If you can plan a whole party together and still have a relationship intact, that’s a relationship to keep!

• Make sure you have good lighting for the pictures. This can be hard for indoor parties at night time, but do your best because you want these pictures to last a lifetime! Bring all the lamps in the house if you need to! Of course, you will get the best lighting outdoors under the sunlight, but that doesn’t mean indoor parties can’t be pretty, too.
• See if you can merge other elements of the party into the decor. Incorporate outfits, games, activities, food, and other aspects of the party into your decor theme to combine everything cohesively together. For example, for my artist-themed party, I set up the painting activity palettes onto the central decor table as one of the decoration elements. In Meryem’s Ertugrul-themed hijab party, we dressed up in the traditional Ertugrul outfits in line with the theme, and guests were just as excited to take pictures with us as they were with the decor.

Games/Activities

In addition to decorating, it’s important to plan activities and something for the guests to actually do at the party.

• GAMES: I have a few go-to games to break the ice and include all the guests. We have a few fun group team-building games that we tend to rotate through at parties. For mother-daughter hijab parties, I always make it a rule that the moms have to play, too, for double the fun!
• TREASURE HUNT: When party planning, I usually get the request to make a treasure hunt; who doesn’t enjoy a fun hunt for treasure? Set aside time to hide different clues around the party location in places where they won’t be found accidentally. Encourage the girls to work together to solve the clues. If you plan to have many different age groups attending, I would include a variety of difficulty levels so everyone can participate.
• SOCIAL DISTANCING ACTIVITIES: My two most recent hijab celebrations occurred during quarantine when we had to make sure all the guests would abide by strict social distancing rules. But the physical distance didn’t mean we couldn’t still have fun together! For our artist-themed party, we had each guest bring their own blanket or sheet, and we all spread out across a big field six feet apart. Each girl had their own painting canvas and paints and we spent the time working on a painting for one other guest (who we chose with an online random name picker). In this way, the guests were able to enjoy bonding time while still maintaining social distance guidelines. For my sister Meryem’s hijab party earlier this summer, we held an online Zoom party option for the main program. I asked Meryem’s friends and cousins to be in charge of different activities, including a Kahoot and another unique online game testing guests on how well they knew Meryem.

Of course, planning games depends on many factors such as how many guests will attend and whether you have to socially distance or not. However, there are always options out there and ways to have fun!

Food

You can’t have a party without food! For most of our hijab parties, we made a list of the party girl’s favorite foods and added them to the menu.

Whether you are planning to serve a full dinner spread or only finger foods or a combination of both, plan to incorporate the party decor with the food. For my cousin Nabiha’s pink-themed party, we set up the dining table with a pretty pink tablecloth, pink flowers, and pink and gold dishware. We also found some pretty floral pink serving plates that we used for the party and were able to reuse many times afterwards.

One of the biggest hits at the party was my chocolate fountain, which I take out every so often for a big celebration. Chocolate fountains are always super popular among guests, but be aware that there will be a LOT of chocolate and a LOT of mess, so be prepared to clean it up! Only use a chocolate fountain if there will be a good number of guests at the party to enjoy it.

Adding pretty, personalized desserts to the menu is a great way of contributing to the decor and food at the same time. For our pastel-themed party, we ordered a gorgeous strawberry flavored cake in colors that matched the party theme from a local business, Hani’s Home Kitchen.

Party Favors

A great party has memorable party favors, and I always like to incorporate some unique game or activity with my party favors. There are lots of fun ways you can give out party favors to your guests creatively. Here are a few ideas from the hijab parties I have planned in the past:

• PAPER FLOWERS: For Huda’s turquoise and yellow hijab party, we stuck a DIY yellow tissue paper flower to each guest’s outfit. Most of the guests were wearing some blue/green/turquoise combination so these yellow flowers were a great way to keep yellow in the party theme.
• GOODIE BAGS: For Huda’s and Nabiha’s hijiab parties, we prepared goodie bags to give out at the end of the treasure hunt. Hunting for the treasure was half the fun, and the girls had a blast. In Huda’s hijab party, we gave out goodie bags with candy and treats. In Nabiha’s party, we put some hijabs and hijab accessories for each girl to fit in with the hijab theme.
• PINATA: We also had a pinata at Nabiha’s party, and everyone enjoyed collecting the candy from the pinata at the end.
• SPECIALLY WRAPPED TREATS: For Meryem’s socially distanced party, we gave out individually wrapped treats including colorful macarons and other snacks in addition to the food we had prepared.
• PAINT CANVASES: For our artist-themed party, we incorporated our painting activity into our party favors. Each guest got her own paint canvas and paints which everyone was able to take home.

Dress-Up/Outfit

A hijab party is a great time to give an important reminder that wearing hijab doesn’t mean that girls can’t dress up and look pretty. Most of our hijab parties were girls-only, so everyone could dress freely in their outfits.

We usually ask everyone to dress up in the theme colors if possible to maintain the spirit of the theme. However, it is also important to give leeway in case they don’t have outfits in those colors. For Huda’s party, we asked guests to wear turquoise or yellow. Some people showed up in green/blue/gold, but it was close enough. Also, the yellow flowers we provided were the perfect touch to keep it in the theme. For Nabiha’s party which was hot pink, light pink, and gold themed, we gave the option to everyone to dress in a variety of shades of pink or gold. Not everyone did, but enough people dressed up in the theme colors to satisfy us.

For Meryem’s party, we asked everyone to dress up in pastel colors or a traditional Ertugrul outfit. What we realized afterwards was that not everyone had fancy pastel clothes, so many of them came in everyday pastel outfits. If you are going for a fancy dress-up party, I would emphasize to guests to dress up in fancy outfits and stick to the theme colors only if they can.

Keep in mind what activities you have planned for the party. Let guests know if they will be running around or participating in activities that have a high chance of getting their pretty clothes dirty. Also, definitely let them know if they will be able to take their hijabs off at the party, so they can plan to dress accordingly.

Have a Photo Booth and Take Lots of Pictures!

A hijab party is such a special occasion, and you definitely want to make this an unforgettable day. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures that you can look back on in years to come.

You can also do a lot with the pictures when you are done with the party: make a scrapbook, make personalized cards for all the guests to thank them for joining, use it for inspiration for your next party, or write a post about planning hijab parties ;).

We hosted Huda’s hijab party only a few months before we moved to North Carolina from Delaware, and the pictures we took served as great reminders of that special day. Her friends helped make a beautiful scrapbook with pictures from Huda’s hijab party, and they all still look back on those memories fondly.

It isn’t hard to find fun props to use for your party.

For Nabiha’s hijiab party, we found lots of ready-made party props from Five Below, Target, and Dollar Tree. We also made some DIY frames out of cereal boxes and scrapbooking paper for Huda’s hijab party.

While we did have a separate photo booth for some of our hijab parties, you can also choose to focus on your main decor and desserts area for all of your pictures. That way you don’t have to decorate two separate places, and you can still do a great photo shoot.

Gifts

Of course, a hijab party is a great opportunity for a new hijabi to grow her hijab collection instantly. In addition to nice hijabs, pins, and other hijab accessories, consider giving gifts related to the girl’s hobbies and interests. This is also a good time to help a new hijabi get new modest clothing, as a new hijabi often has to restart her clothing collection, as well.

Here are some great places to get hijabs:

Modanisa – Modanisa has a super vast collection of hijabs and modest clothing, and my sisters and I love shopping from here.

Veiled Collection – Veiled Collection has some great quality high-end hijabs that most new hijabis would love to add to their growing collection.

Leena’s Hijabs – Leena’s Hijabs is a Canada-based mother-daughter business that gives options to personalize your hijabs!

Haute Hijab – Haute Hijab is definitely one of the most popular hijab sources out there, and they have lots of beautiful styles and colors available.

I would also suggest supporting local businesses that sell hijabs and hijab accessories in your area. If you aren’t sure what specific type of hijabs and clothes the party girl wears, you may opt for a gift card instead. Of course, the most important thing is to share your support and love for the newest hijabi, and that’s all that matters!

What About Covid and Social Distancing?

When I thought about writing this post years ago, I never imagined I would have to account for something like a global pandemic. When my youngest sister Meryem decided to start wearing hijab during the covid crisis, it was a big challenge to plan out an appropriately socially distanced gathering for her celebration. Here are some things to keep in mind if you are planning a similar event.

• Ask people to come in batches. We set up time slots during a two-hour period and asked guests to stagger their arrival to avoid any potential crowding. Even though everyone stayed for a very short amount of time, it was a nice experience to see people face-to-face and get to take pictures together.
• Wear masks at all times. Of course, everyone should be wearing masks and maintaining a distance of six feet at all times. We mentioned this specifically in our invitation to remind our guests to stay safe. This is also a great opportunity for guests to wear personalized masks in the theme colors. We had Meryem’s mask specially made in the same fabric as her outfit by a special aunty who also customized her outfit. She even added embroidery to the mask for a beautiful look. Wearing a mask doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish at the same time ;).

• Take food to go. To avoid the need for anyone to take their masks off during the party, prepare the food in individual containers for everyone to eat once they go home. We decorated the food boxes with pretty “stickers” from Quote Lovin’s hijab party template on Etsy.

• Wrap food individually. We individually wrapped each cookie and any other food item that didn’t come in separate packets. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.

Personalization: Involve the Party Girl Closely

I think one of the most important components of planning a party is involving the party girl in it. Most of the party fun often occurs during the party planning phase, and this is a great opportunity to bond with the party girl and make her feel special.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to surprise parties. As a rule, I prefer not to throw surprise parties, mainly because I don’t like surprises at all myself (even though I LOVE surprising other people). If you do opt for a surprise party, try to find out if the new hijabi actually likes surprises and would enjoy the idea of a hijab party.

Keep in mind that party planning is also stressful, so remember not to take the stress out on the party girl. If you feel like some parts of the party planning are making you frustrated, try to keep the stress away from the new hijabi or simplify the party to avoid the extra stressors.

Bring it Back to the Meaning of Hijab

Of course, everyone enjoys having a great time, and celebrations are lots of fun. However, none of the party celebrations should take away from the main purpose of the party: the hijab itself.

Invite a close mentor/teacher of the party girl to give a short talk or have a discussion about hijab. Talk about successful hijabis and strong Muslim women throughout history. Portray hijab as an asset and an honor rather than a deterrent to goals, aspirations, and hobbies. This is an important ongoing conversation that should continue both before and after a girl starts to wear the hijab.

Talk about Nusaybah (R) who fought bravely in battles and defended the Prophet (S), As-Shifa (R) who managed the trade in the city of Madinah, Aisha (R) who taught future generations about Islam and is the reason we know so much about the Prophet (S) today. Help the girls be proud of their identity and aware of their potential as young Muslim women.

Everyone who is comfortable with it can share their own hijab stories, as well. This is a great opportunity for a bonding experience between the moms and daughters, and is a way to bridge the gap between generations.

No matter how you decide to plan out your hijab party, make sure everyone remembers what it is all about and that the ultimate goal is to please Allah.

Wow, that was a long post. I hope you get inspired to host your own hijab party, and that some of this is helpful to you along the planning process. If you have any additional hijab party planning suggestions, ideas, or feedback, let me know in the comments!