Jazz and Jigsaw Puzzle Party

Why You Should Have a Jazz and Jigsaw Puzzle Party

Jigsaw puzzles, hot jazz, canapés and wine. A jazz and jigsaw puzzle party is every introvert’s dream come true. And extroverts will enjoy, too! What better way to spend a rainy evening than inside your home with friends around, jazz playing, lamps glowing, and wine (or gin) flowing? While assembling a jigsaw puzzle? It’s a great way to wind down after a stressful day or workweek, and conversations flow easily while doing a puzzle. Puzzles are pleasantly mindless and therapeutic in that you can think or converse while doing them, engaging different parts of your brain. And doing a puzzle is a great activity for friends who are shy, quiet, or easily intimidated by social functions. Puzzles are gentle and relaxing, and it may be easier for some people to open up with others when they don’t have to make eye contact and have something else to engage their hands/eyes.

A scene from a puzzle party: a hand is seen placing a jigsaw puzzle piece into place within a partially-completed jigsaw puzzle — Photo by Ross Sneddon

Whether you invite four friends for a more intimate gathering or fourteen or more, a jazz and jigsaw puzzle party is a welcoming event that everyone will love. Similar to a cocktails and coloring party, this is also a party you could do solo, as a party of one! Here we’ll cover everything you need to set the scene and plan your party.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I may earn commission if you click through the link and finalize a qualifying purchase. This does not affect the price in any way.

How to Throw a Jazz and Jigsaw Puzzle Party

1. Make Some Space for Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzle party scene of a pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces seen up-close — Photo by Hans Peter Gauster

The most important thing you’ll need to do with your space is to designate a large enough area for a puzzle (or multiple puzzles). This could be a dining table, coffee table, or the middle of the floor. Just make sure it’s large enough (and stable/protected enough) for the full dimensions of the completed puzzle. On that note, you could have as many puzzles going as you want! But if you have more than one, keep them near each other so that people aren’t isolated in ‘puzzle clusters.’ Keeping folks near each other allows more organic conversation.

Unlike so many other party themes, this isn’t the type of party you really need to decorate for. But you totally can if you want to! You can find inexpensive party supplies at dollar stores and the like. Any classy decorations will do. A jazz vibe evokes cooler colours such as sleek metallics (think of brass instruments) or dark blues (like rainy evenings in the jazz club, or…the blues). Not so much bright tropical colours or neons. But go with whatever you like – this is your party and the focus isn’t so much on the décor as it is the puzzles, the music and the refreshments!

2. Craft Some Canapés and Cocktails

A few bottles of gin are posed behind a couple of glasses filled with gin and garnished with lemon slice and rosemary — Photos by Studio Naae and Julia Filirovska

Canapes arranged on a table with assortment of toppings: smoked salmon, lemon slices, deli meat, and more — Photos by Studio Naae and Julia Filirovska

Let’s get fancy while keeping it easy! Canapés may look impressive but they need not require hours slaving away in the kitchen. Here are some simple recipes to make presentable and tasty bites to share:

Up-close photo of canapes made with cracker, chive/dill cream dip, smoked salmon, and chive sprig — Photo by Public Domain Pictures

Put on your mixer hat and prepare some mean cocktails! Make sure you have plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling wine or seltzer waters on hand to fix non-alcoholic versions for friends who prefer. Here are a few gin-based recipes to start:

3. Set a Jazzy Ambience with Jazz Music

Young man in black bowler hat and white collared shirt playing piano — Photos by Cottonbro Studio and Yaroslav Shuraev

A person wearing black pants and a long-sleeved white button-up shirt stands at a piano, fingers on keys — Photos by Cottonbro Studio and Yaroslav Shuraev

Turn up that jazz! However you source your music – whether from an app, streaming service, the library, or your own personal music collection – queue up some jazz. Jazz is the sound of happy hour, easy conversation, and letting go of worries.

If you enjoy original jazz from the beginning of time, check out these fun old-school jazz playlists:

Ragtime piano songs from the early 20^th century
Early jazz from a century ago
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries soundtrack (early jazz songs)

Close-up photo of saxophone played by man with other saxophone players lined up beside him, out of focus — Photos by Jens Thekkeveettil and Yan Krukau

A young man in a white long-sleeved shirt and tweed suit pants and matching vest plays a saxophone — Photos by Jens Thekkeveettil and Yan Krukau

If you wax more ‘relax’:

Café jazz (medium-to-upbeat paced)
Relaxing jazz and bossa nova music (slow-to-medium paced and laid back)
Relaxing piano jazz (chill-paced)
Cozy coffee shop ambiance with smooth piano jazz (slower-paced and relaxed)

4. Create Inviting Scents by Lighting Jazz and Jigsaw Puzzle Party-Inspired Candles

A trumpet and a tambourine are stacked on top of a pile of books and some sheet music, a perfectly disheveled jazz scene for your jazz and jigsaw puzzle party — Photo by Samantha Hurley

Nothing welcomes people so immediately as the evocative sense of smell. Here are a few thematic candles you can burn to do just that:

‘Light Me While Puzzling’ candle (comfort spice, sea breeze, or vanilla bean scent)
‘That Jazz’ candle (scent: cardamom, papyrus and musk)
Cocktail candle (multiple cocktail scent options)

5. Get Some Jigsaw Puzzles

You can’t have a puzzle party without a puzzle! Get at least a couple so that everyone can vote on which to do. Of course, don’t have to do this – you can simple decide on a puzzle. But it’s more fun for people if they get to choose one over another! And of course you can always have more than one if you have the space, too. People may like to puzzle hop and take a break from one to work on another. You may wonder how many pieces should be in a group puzzle activity. 1000 is a good number of pieces – not too easy but not too vast.

Close-up photo of puzzle party pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces — Photo by Matthew Henry

You can find jigsaw puzzles in many types of stores. This shop has a fun selection of creative puzzle scenes. For budget finds, thrift stores almost always have them. But you risk missing pieces, as complete puzzles can’t be guaranteed and you won’t even know any pieces are missing until the puzzle is almost finished. Better off buying your own new puzzle, just in case. On the other hand, you may or may not even finish it during the party, and it’s not like a missing piece will ruin anyone’s night (or will it?)!

6. Establish Guest Participation

Guest participation involves the extent (if any) to which you ask your guests to participate in your party. For example, you may request that people bring a dish to share. It’s up to you, but make any participation expectation clear from the initial invite. Of course, always choose your guests mindfully and with their interests in mind. Prioritize friends who you know would most enjoy puzzles and jazz! But don’t shy away from others who might also like it. Sometimes people just love a good outlet to socialize. And you never know, you may make a jazz or puzzle fan out of someone!

Close-up photo of a man's hands playing piano — Photo by Dolo Iglesias

Checklist of Items You Need

These are the things you need for a jazz and jigsaw puzzle party:

Jigsaw puzzle(s) and designated puzzle area(s)
Basic party decorations, preferably in cool blues and metallics (optional)
Ingredients to craft canapés and cocktails
Jazz playlist and speakers
A fun jazz and jigsaw puzzle party-inspired scented candle (optional)

Checklist of Preparations for Your Jazz and Jigsaw Puzzle Party

Close-up photo of person's hands playing piano — Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

1. First, confirm that people can come on any chosen date:

Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well
Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
Six weeks out, confirm guests’ interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s)
If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure calendar date for your awesome puzzle party!

2. Then, proceed with the fun planning:

Schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep (securing and/or making food/drinks, etc.)
Create invitations with all the details and send them out 4 weeks before the party
Order any party supplies (i.e. paper plates, etc.) and decorations (if using) 3 weeks out so they arrive in time to prepare and set up
Shop for any party supplies/decorations you don’t order online, as well as non-perishable food/drinks
In your planned time slots, acquire perishable food/drinks early enough in advance to prepare in time
In your planned time slots, set up decorations (if using) and clear space for puzzle(s)
In your planned time slots, prepare food/drinks (depending on how long things keep)

3. Day of Party (in your amply planned time slot):

Close-up photo of five canapes on a wood plank surface. Filo dough cups filled with indistinguishable food covered in dark sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and garnished with parsley and a rolled up sliced zucchini — Photo by Alice Pasqual

Prepare any foods/drinks that are too fresh to do any earlier
Set up any quick/easy last-minute supplies and decorations you didn’t want up before, or clear space for the puzzle(s) if you needed to use that space up until now
Prepare ambience (music, candles)
Get dressed in a comfy, jazzy party outfit (beatnik black seems fitting)
Once everything’s ready, meditate or do any preferred self-care to get in a good head space if you aren’t already. You want to be relaxed, cheerful and content for an evening of communal puzzling. Your guests will pick up on your contagiously good vibe and feel happier and more comfortable as well – everybody’s best interest!

Ready to Jazz, Puzzle and Party

You are now all set to plan and host a hoppin’ jazz and jigsaw puzzle party that everyone will enjoy. This is a great party to host that doesn’t require too much preparation or effort aside from refreshments. With some good friends, it will be a memorable time that you’ll all appreciate!