A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, and recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well.

Some parties are held in honor of a specific person, day, or event (e.g., a birthday party, a Super Bowl party, or a St. Patrick’s Day party). Parties of this kind are often called celebrations.

A party is not necessarily a private occasion. Public parties are sometimes held in pubs and bars, and people attending such parties may be charged an admission fee by the host.

In Western cultures, particularly in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, birthday parties are often accompanied by colorful decorations, such as balloons and streamers. A birthday cake is often served with candles that are to be blown out after a “birthday wish” has been made. The birthday boy/girl gets the first piece of cake. While the birthday cake is being brought to the table, the song Happy Birthday to You is sung by the guests. Event management agencies and professional party services are being utilized increasingly to organize birthday parties.

Themed birthday parties are growing increasingly popular as licensed plates, streamers, napkins and piñatas are being distributed with characters from kids' games, books, television shows, movies and even websites.

A child’s birthday party may be held at his/her home or in a public place. Soft drinks are often served alongside water and both sweet and savory foods. In many cultures, a birthday cake is served. Birthday parties for children often feature entertainment, party games and goody bags. Adults’ birthday parties in Western countries are often held in restaurants, bars or nightclubs. In some cultures, guests are expected to bring birthday gifts.

There are a wide range of gifts given at birthday parties. For kids, toys like barbies, action figures, and stuffed animals are popular. For teens and adults, in addition to more personalized gifts, gift cards to his/her favorite store are also popular. Some people opt to have gifts given to others in donation, instead of accepting gifts for themselves. For children, popular benefiting charities are animal shelters and rescue houses. For adults, political or social causes may be chosen more often.