50 Best ‘Anything But A Cup’ Party Ideas

What Is An Anything But A Cup Party?

The “Anything But A Cup Party” is where people are not allowed to drink from regular cups. Guests must consume their drink of choice from makeshift cups or from anything that can hold liquid.

This leads to people coming up with interesting alternative drinking vessel ideas and bringing weird containers to the party.

Everyone needs to be creative for this theme, so attendees will surely enjoy seeing what everyone comes up with.

Encourage your party guests to bring eccentric containers, but be sure to point out that they don’t use any storage containers that might be unsafe for consuming beverages.

Reminder to wash your beverage containers with soap and water before you use them.

NOTE: If you’re invited to an ‘ABC Party,’ it’s best to check if it’s an ‘Anything But Clothes Party‘ or an ‘Anything But Cups’ party. 

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Anything But A Cup Party Rules

Here are some rules to follow if you’re wondering what to use for ‘Anything But A Cup Party.’

1. No Cups Allowed

Make sure everyone knows that NO cups are allowed at the party and give them suggestions on what they can bring. Although most guests don’t usually bring their own cups to regular parties, let them know that there will be no regular drinkware at the party, so they will have to bring their own.

Trying to think of creative ideas to replace traditional drinking vessels can prove challenging for most people, so you might want to help them come up with a good one.

If your guests are having difficulty finding interesting alternative drinking vessels, direct them to the best local store in your area. Or have them shop for their supplies online.

2. Dress Code

Although most organizers won’t choose to have a dress code at a No-Cup party, you can choose to set a dress code for this event, similar to any other fancy dress party, if you wish to make your party even more unique.

It could be interesting to have a fun dress code. Attendees can wear clothing that matches the drinking vessel they bring. For instance, if someone picked a plastic bat as a drinking vessel, that person can come dressed up as a baseball player.

Best Anything But A Cup Party Ideas

If you’re in college you’ve probably heard of the ‘ABC’ college party theme. This can imply wearing anything other than regular clothes to the party or drinking from anything other than a regular cup.

These party trends are the perfect opportunity to show off your creativity. Check out these great alternatives to the usual party cups.

1. Test Tube

For those of you who are science-minded, what about drinking from a test tube rather than a cup?! The only downside is that it won’t allow for large amounts to be filled at one time.

We recommend sparkling water with food coloring for these pretty tubes.

2. A Pineapple

Here’s one that will blow your taste buds away. It’s really fruity and will make all your drinks taste great! A pineapple hollowed out will be one of the most tropical drinking vessels of all time, and its top can be used as a sweet little lid. Just put a straw in it and enjoy your drink.

3. Trophy

A trophy is also a crazy vessel idea that is fancier and more pleasing to drink from. This is the perfect beer container to add impact to your party. You will certainly look like a winner if you use your trophy as a cup!

4. Rice cooker

Need a last-minute idea? Is a party a good enough reason to purchase a rice cooker if you do not already own one? However, it’s a hilarious item to bring for this fun party, but it’s also surprisingly useful.

5. A Tea Kettle

You can use the tea kettle in place of normal drinkware, just like you can with other cookware. Nice and fancy!

6. Sea Shells

Bring a tropical island feeling to your party with drinks served in seashells. These are perfect for a summer party or a beach event but will definitely serve their purpose at an Anything But A Cup Party. Depending on your beverage choice, you can also use a variety of seashells (small to large). Shells are also a great size for shots.

7. French press

One of the ideal beverage vessels to bring is a french press or coffee pots. In fact, it is possible to serve yourself drinks directly from its spout.

8. Vase

Here’s an opportunity to use some odd-looking flower vases or even flower pots. Weird-shaped and cheap vases can be found in stores or purchased online.

9. Cooking Ware

Drinking from the cookware is also a common alternative to a cup. You may use any pot or pan that can hold liquid, including frying pans, pots, and skillets. 

10. Water Bottle

A water bottle is a simple last-minute idea that anyone can use. It’s not the most creative, but sometimes you just don’t have the time and still want to go to the party. 

Many of these items would work for an ‘Anything But A Water Bottle’ day at school, so keep them in mind for future use.

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brought to you by the wwhs dance team #fyp #stayhydrated

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11. Shampoo Bottle

Turn your empty shampoo bottle into a perfect drinking vessel by recycling it. It would be best to wash the bottle thoroughly first to avoid getting a mouthful of bubbles every time you drink. 

12. A Blender

A simple yet effective ‘anything but a cup’ idea, this is a great one to try if you have a blender around. You might as well bring ice and ingredients for making margaritas or Pina Coladas if you have one. If you have one, you might as well use it!

13. A Spray Bottle

You can reuse an existing spray bottle, or you can buy a new unused one to play it safe.

Spray bottles can be set to mist drinks or shoot streams, and they’re quite cheap.

Use a window cleaner spray bottle and add some blue food coloring to your drink to make it look realistic. Just be sure to clean the bottle really well before using it to drink from. 

14. Ketchup Bottle

Other funny ideas that are pretty easy, is to take a ketchup bottle, hot sauce bottle, bottle of honey, or any condiment bottle, clean it out well, and use these as your cup alternatives.

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Funny Anything But A Cup Ideas

1. Baby Bottle

It is impossible to spill your favorite beverage if you use a baby feeding bottle. While it is unusual, it works perfectly as a drinking vessel. Not to mention very funny. Seeing a grown man drink from a baby bottle is definitely hilarious. 

2. A Dog Bowl

Use a dog or cat bowl as an alternative to a cup. Talk about unique and hilarious. It might be seen as drinkware, but the fact that it’s not drinkware for humans doesn’t make it cheating, so don’t worry!

3. Toilet Plunger

The idea of drinking out of a toilet plunger is a funny way to host an Anything But A Cup party. Buying a new one from the store is obviously a must. People will surely find it hilarious because drinking from a plunger seems utterly disgusting at first glance.

4. Traffic Cone

A classic traffic cone will undoubtedly attract attention. It is not only massive and has plenty of space for refills, but it also has a lot of novelty value. The narrow end needs to be sealed with duct tape to keep liquids contained, or if you want to be a little more daring, you can cover the wide end and drink through the tip.

5. Plastic Baseball Bat

Cut the handle off a hollow plastic bat and use it to hold a drink, which will make you feel like you’re back in T-ball days.

6. Bicycle Helmet

The only difficulty with this idea is that you will need to use a lot of duct tape, but it will blow everyone away if you manage to pull it off!

7. Toy Truck

Another great way to use a toy pickup truck is by filling the hold with beverages and drinking from it. A large toy pickup truck makes the best drinking vessel. You can earn extra points if your toy truck makes noises. Absolutely cool!

8. Fish Bowl

The idea of trying to drink from this would be hilarious (and challenging), so you might want to try using a straw.

9. Plastic Water Pistol

Bringing a super soaker to college parties or any upcoming party is a cool idea for an alternative beverage container. Your younger siblings might have one you can borrow or get some on Amazon. 

10. Rubber Glove

Another inexpensive option is to fill a rubber glove with your favorite drink. It probably won’t taste too good, but you’ll score points for creativity. 

11. A Frisbee

There is a good chance you will spill a few times with this one, but your college buddies will surely love you more for it! You can also use the frisbee for a game of catch between sips. 

Anything But A Cup Party Tik Tok

1. Tide Pods Container

Wow, this one is cool. However, it is always important to wash containers thoroughly to ensure they are safe to use. 

2. Gumball Machine 

It would be fun to have a gumball machine. A bigger one means more drinks to consume. Make sure you don’t fill it up so much, and then you’ll have enough room for some chill night fun, and you won’t get too tipsy.

3. Crocs

You simply need a ziplock to keep your drink secure to make this idea work. Add a straw for your drinking convenience and, of course, the vessel – your trusty Crocs. Before use, ensure your Crocs are clean and disinfected!

4. Soap Dispenser

Get a new soap dispenser and have a drink that mimics the color of hand soap. We strongly recommend buying a new one, as getting the soapy taste out of a used one might be tough. It also makes a perfect drink container for shots.

5. Lay’s Stax

When you are sipping your favorite beverage, chips should come in handy. In this case, you have to eat a whole stack of chips simply to use its container. If you want to avoid the salty taste getting mixed with your drink, it is best to wash with soap and water first.

6. Cereal Box

When you have a party coming up, you shouldn’t throw empty cereal boxes away. Put the ziplock in place to secure your drink, and you’re done! – Now you’ve got a huge vessel for your beverage. Long straw is also necessary for this, as we do not suggest that you fill the box to the top, so a regular straw might not work.

7. Bed Pan

Imagine how gross this would look at first glance. Drinking from a bedpan is outright disgusting, but you have to fake it to make it. Of course, you’d purchase a new one. No other option! 

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Anything But A Cup Ideas Reddit

1. A rubber boot, the one my daughter had to have but never wore. – Amelsander

A kid’s boot isn’t a bad idea. The user made it clear that it was never used.

 2. Football Helmet – 2aboveaverage

Again. We sincerely hope it’s not a used item. 

 3. An empty Tide Pod bucket. – BeaniBoi

That sounds unique. Make sure it’s well cleaned before use. 

 4. Urn –  thanto13

Now that’s unique! We really hope it’s not ”used,” though. 

 5. Camelbak hydration backpack – atomicscateboard

Easy and no mess beverage vessel. Not to mention COOL.

6. Coconut, watermelon –  dxdifr

The safe and easy ones are always the practical choice.

 7. I used a vase once. A gravy boat or fishbowl would work well probably. – rhinofeet

Look around. There’s always something to use. The gravy boat would be hilarious! It calls for an unlimited beverage refill.

 8. Watering cup. Dressing as a flower helps. – get_awkward

This one even gave a costume suggestion that might just work. 

Anything But A Cup Party Amazon

1. Blood Bags for Drinks

If you’re looking for something to bring to the Anything But A Cup party, how about getting these fake blood bags! You can fill blood bags with soda, jello, fruit juice, alcohol, etc. This makes them great as party cups.

 2. Plastic Cylinders and Beakers

You might think that you will only see this in science laboratories; however, you can take the plastic version to a party as your drink vessel. 

3. Plastic Light Bulb Jars 

The novelty item sure doesn’t look like something you’d use for drinking, but it does exactly what it needs to do.

4. Water Blaster

Although this squirt gun was designed for children, bringing this to an Anything But Cups party will undoubtedly draw attention. People will laugh, perhaps too much, at its cuteness. As long as it holds your drink, all is well.

5. Umbrella Flask 

If you’re going to a party, this will make an impressive beverage vessel. The flask disguised as an umbrella can be used to carry any cold beverage. There’s a mess-free pouring spout and funnel to make filling your flasks quick and easy. It is also made of food-safe materials. 

6. Hidden Sunscreen Lotion Flask

Getting actual sunscreen containers and filling them with drinks to participate in the theme may be easy, but it’s safer and best to pick the ones intended to be used for drinking beverages. Make sure you choose the safer and hygienic versions that you can purchase online. 

7. Double-Sided Binocular Flask

Wear them on your neck and make it look like you’re off on an outdoor expedition. But in fact, you’ve got them filled with beverages. Bonus Tip: Adding a safari-inspired outfit will turn heads while sipping this beverage.

8. Camera Lens Coffee Mug 

Are you a photography buff? How about a themed party with a photography bluff? Although, at first glance, it may seem as if it is a camera lens, this is an item that can definitely hold your drink. It can also hold hot beverages since it is intended for coffee.

9. WineRack Bra

This is one of the more hilarious ideas from which you can drink your beverages. In addition, you won’t lose your drink when you wear it! With the straw, you’ll be able to drink your chosen beverage all night without worrying about spills.

10. Traffic Cone

If you want a unique and funny Anything But A Cup idea, this would be a fun option for you.

Anything But A Cup Party Invitation (Free Download)

With invitations, you can use a lot of creativity. There are many popular invitation themes for Anything but Cups, including buckets, boots, teapots, and, of course, a cup with a hole. 

Adding these elements to your invitation will give them some ideas of items that they can use instead of a cup. 

Here are two printable invites that you can download and print at home.

However, you don’t have to limit yourself to printable invitations. You can email them or deliver cups with holes in the bottom to make it more interesting. 

Anything But A Cup Party Drinks

An ‘Anything But A Cup’ party lends itself to drinking. However, you don’t have to serve alcoholic drinks at your party. 

You can serve mocktails, planters punch, or even alcohol-free beer under parental supervision.

You can find out if you can buy non-alcoholic beer under 21 in the USA if you’re underage by reading this article. 

You can also ask your guests to bring their favorite drink along for the evening. 

For something really exciting, you could host a smoothie party and have everyone make their preferred drink. Just remember to have straws available. Make sure you have plenty of food and drink for your guests. No one wants to go hungry or thirsty when they come to your party.

Anything But A Cup Party Tips

Be sure to highlight the fact that party guests must bring their own drinking container, which can be ‘Anything But A Cup.’ It might be a good idea to have some extra vessels available for guests who didn’t get the memo.

Before the guests start arriving, just make sure that any valuables, or special items, are not lying around the house in plain sight for everyone to see. You don’t want to talk to someone about a missing handbag that they used as a drink container. 

After a few drinks some of the makeshift party cups might start to leak, so be sure to have garbage bags handy.

Party Wrap-up

The ‘Anything But A Cup’ idea is a cool party theme to consider if you’re planning a party. This is the type of party where everyone gets to show their creativity without necessarily dressing up.

Remember to include party foods in your party planning, and maybe have some party games or other entertaining party options ready.