Plan Your Oprah Show Finale Party

In May 2006, Oprah shared a weekend with a select group of Legends—the women who paved the way for her generation— and"young'uns"—those who had also benefited from the Legends' trailblazing actions. She called it her Legends Weekend, and you can host your own day of honor as you and the important women in your life say farewell to The Oprah Winfrey Show. 

The Guest List
Your mother, your grandmother, your aunt, your daughter, your niece, your favorite teacher, the woman who mentored you—all the women in your life you couldn't imagine living without. 

The Décor
One word: flowers. Oprah held her event at her Santa Barbara home, which is filled with and surrounded by beautiful blooms.

The Menu
Over her Legends Weekend, Oprah served brunch, a luncheon and dinner. If you and your guests have the day free, enjoy a leisurely lunch outside before the show starts. If you prefer a later meal, serve preshow cocktails before and discuss the show after it airs over a delectable dinner. If you have to watch the show the weekend after it airs, there's no better way to kick off a Sunday than with friends, food and a finale to remember.

Get menu inspiration from these Legends Weekend recipes created by Rachael Ray

The Activities
This gathering is all about honoring the people you love most, so create a wishing well. Set up a table with small pieces of stationery and a big glass bowl. When your guests arrive, have them write one thing they admire most about every guest at the party and one wish they have for each guest's future. Drop them in the bowl when they're done and choose a few during each commercial break to read aloud to the rest of the party.

The Playlist
Create a mix of your favorite songs from some of the artists who attended Oprah's Legends Ball. Get started with some of these:

• "Respect" by Aretha Franklin
• "Simply the Best" by Tina Turner
• "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys
• "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan
• "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross

The Parting Gifts

• Send your guests home with a letter you've handwritten each person about what they've meant in your life.
• A copy of the Pearl Cleage poem, "We Speak Your Names"
• All the well-wishes guests placed in the bowl
• A small token your guests can carry to remind them of your get-together. Oprah gave earrings, but your gift doesn't have to be extravagant—just from the heart.

You grew up with Oprah, so why not let your inner child out to play. Throw on your comfiest pajamas and invite your closest friends over for the sleepover to end all sleepovers. 

The Guest List 
Party people who aren't afraid to stay up way past their bedtimes. 

The Décor 
Think cozy. Put out blankets and pillows to cuddle up with while watching the finale, and lots of sleeping bags for the rest of the night. 

The Menu 
No sleepover is complete without a late-night slice. Try some of these pizza creations from celebrity chefs:

• Spike Mendelsohn's Matzah Pizza
• Curtis Stone's Prosciutto and Portobello Mushroom Wheat Pizza with Pesto
• Art Smith's Margherita Pizza
• Jamie Oliver's Big Give Pizza

The Activities 
Ask your guests to bring over old magazines and set up a dream board station with scissors, tape, glue and pieces of cardboard. Take turns looking for images that represent things you'd like to accomplish and share your creation with your friends. Be sure to save time for some old-fashioned fun like truth or dare, freeze dance and ghost stories as well! 

The Playlist 
Remember what your favorite bands and songs when you were 13 years old? Go with those. Have your friends send you their oldies-but-goodies ahead of time, create the ultimate nostalgic mix tape and laugh about days gone by. 

The Parting Gift 

• Gift card to your nearest coffee drive-thru
• An eye mask
• Comfy socks
• Lavender-scented candle

No matter the occasion, Oprah loves to share her favorite drinks with others. So, why not toast the end of the show with your own Oprah Show-themed cocktail party! Remember, host reponsibly.

The Guest List 
Your closest friends who are 21 or older, preferably in their best party dresses. 

The Décor 
Think chic—greet your guests at the door with drinks on a gorgeous tray! Rearrange your furniture so it feels less like a living room and more like a lounge. Let votive candles provide the light for a sophisticated feel. If you'd like, bring part of the party outside to sip under the stars. 

The Menu 
Instead of sit-down dinner, serve passable appetizers. Get cocktail and appetizer recipes from party planner Colin Cowie 

Don't forget to have Oprah's signature drinks on hand as well! Get them all 

The Activities 
The best thing about a cocktail party is the conversation, but you can also spice up the night with a fun party game called Some Character. Before your guests arrive, come up with a list of people ahead of time—they can be memorable Oprah Show guests, Oprah's experts or anyone you and your friends loved who appeared on the show. Write out each name on a piece of paper. When your guests arrive, place that piece of paper on the back of their shirts. Have every guest interact with one another as if they are the person listed on the piece of paper. When each guest guesses their Oprah Show persona correctly, have the group give that person a big toast! 

The Playlist 
Keep it classy. Mix old and new jazz standards for a soundtrack that will have everyone grooving. Get started with these songs:

• "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" by Tony Bennett
• "I've Got the World on a String" by Michael Bublé
• "The Way You Look Tonight" by Harry Connick Jr.
• "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles
• "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra

The Parting Gift 

• Bottle of wine from 1986
• Martini glass
• Wine glass charms
• Decorative wine stopper
• Wine aerator

Oprah's best friend, Gayle King, has stood by her through it all—and is even The Oprah Show's most frequent guest. Send the husband and the kids out for the evening and use The Oprah Show's farewell episode as a good excuse to have a little one-on-one time with the person who's always had your back. 

The Guest List 
Just you and your bestie. 

The Décor 
Walk down memory lane. Decorate the room with some of your favorite pictures of you and your best friend.

The Menu 
Break bread—literally—with recipes that honor America's favorite BFF, Gayle King, and her infamous food tours.

• Gayle's sandwich search recipes
• No-fuss cheeseburgers 
• Top 10 cake recipes
• Easy Margherita Pizza
• Art Smith's Easy Monkey Bread recipe
  

The Activities 
We know how much Oprah and Gayle love Miraval Spa—so why not create a spa of your own! Set up a manicure and pedicure station, hire a masseuse, give yourselves the pampering you deserve.

The Playlist 
Focus on friendship. Get started with these songs:

• "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor
• "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler
• "Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold
• "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers
• "With a Little Help from My Friends" by the Beatles
• "I'll Be There for You" by the Rembrandts
• "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick

The Parting Gift 
Take a moment before the party to create a cherished keepsake for one another:

• Buy a journal and record some of your favorite moments together in it. Be sure to leave blank pages for your future adventures together!
• Create a scrapbook for one another
• Write each other a letter about how much your friendship means

Always been a fan of Oprah's Book Club? Why not gather your book club friends and throw an OBC themed party! Not in a book club? Now is the perfect time to get started. 

The Guest List
Your favorite bookworms

The Décor
It's not a book club without a lively discussion. Create a cozy conversation area in your living room and have plenty of throws and blankets on hand so people can really settle in for a night of conversation.
 
The Menu
Past Book Club selections have taken us around the world. Make every course its own tribute to your favorite reads: 
Appetizer: Chinese Scallion Pancakes, in honor of Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth
Salad: Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad, in honor of Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex
Entree: Boeuf Bourguignon, in honor of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
Dessert: Bread and Butter Pudding wtih Whiskey Creme Anglaise, in honor of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations
Drink: Mojitos, in honor of Gabriel García Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera 

The Activities
Test your knowledge! Print out this worksheet and see who can match all the Oprah's Book Club titles with the authors. 

The Playlist
Have soft background music playing to make conversation easier.

• "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck
• "My Favorite Things" by John Coltrane
• "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis
• "Sugar" by Stanley Turrentine
• "Breezin'" by George Benson
  

The Parting Gift

• Have a stack of Oprah's Book Club selections handy and let your guests take home the one they most want to read
• A beautiful bookmark
• Small bags of hot chocolate or coffee
• A mug

You could host a run-of-the-mill get-together—or you could throw a paw-ty. Oprah's dogs have been by her side her entire journey, so take this time to thank yours for their unconditional love. 

The Guest List 
The top dogs you know and the humans who love them. 

The Décor 
Think pet-friendly and washable. Put away anything a pup might be tempted to chew and place plenty of floor pillows around the television so they can lounge as you watch the show. 

The Menu 
Dogs love the outdoors—so grill out! As your dogs play, feast on some of Oprah's favorite outdoor friendly foods:

Starters
Grilled Shrimp Cocktail
Crisp Carrot Salad with Currants

Sides
Hard Smoked Eggs
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Banana and Brown Sugar
Cuban Grilled Corn on the Cob with Queso Blanco and Lime
Sunny's Handcut Fries with Mango Mayo

Main Dishes
Sticky Drumsticks
Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger
Classic Burger with Spicy Ketchup
Short Ribs with Fleur de Sel
"Get a Book" Whole Pork Shoulder

Desserts
Mar-a-Lago Key Lime Pie
Blueberry Caipirinha
Avocado Shake

Drinks
Sweet Tea
Lemon-Strawberry Shake
Honey-Rosemary Lemonade

For your furry guests, put out their favorite kibble and serve Kongs filled with peanut butter for dessert. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, find a pet-food recipe book and make dog biscuits from scratch.

The Activities 
Set up a puppy portrait station. Have your digital camera ready and have your guests and their dogs pose for a keepsake portrait. Leave props, dog clothes or funny hats to spice up each photo. After the picture is taken, give your guests a fun frame to put their portrait in.

The Playlist

• "Martha My Dear" by The Beatles (inspired by Paul McCartney's sheepdog)
• "Who Let the Dogs Out" by Baha Men
• "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley
• "I Love My Dog" by Cat Stevens
• "Old King" by Neil Young
• "Pet Sounds" album by the Beach Boys

The Parting Gift 

• Treats, of course! Go gourmet for Fido and his human. 
• Tennis balls
• A frisbee
• Chuckit! Ball Launcher
• A Blue Witch 3D mug
• A cute collar and leash

More Party Recipes

• Oprah's personal recipes
• The top 11 Oprah Show recipes
• Host an Art Smith dinner party for the finale 
• Colin Cowie's perfect cocktail party menu 

More Party Activities

• The Oprah Show crossword puzzle
• The Oprah Show word scramble
• Create your own scrapbook page
• "Who said it?" quote game
• Match the Book Club author with the title
• The Oprah Show trivia challenge