These are highlighted posts from "Entertaining" Thursdays past.
originally posted February 2011
The Art of Entertaining.
Almost everyone likes to throw a Party now and then. Some more than others, but that's a whole other topic... SO, once you decide that you want to celebrate something, whether it be a birthday, dinner party, holiday or just because- then it's time to make a plan and come up with a "To-Do" list. You need this to stay organized and this helps your party to be successful. (Check out my post on "Planning for a Successful Party" for more details.)
The Best Parties are Successful
because they have a THEME!
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You can get this napkin as well as other party supplies from: www.myexpressions.com |
A Theme gives your party much more of a WOW factor with your guests. It doesn't matter how old the guests are, but a theme gets everyone excited and anticipating your party. You are more likely to have more "Yes" responses if you send out your invite by snail mail, an Evite over the internet or even Facebook event notice (if you want a BIG party-LOL) to let your friends, family & others know about the party you are having. Let me spell it out for you...
Sample One:
You are cordially invited to my house on Friday, February 18 for a casual dinner. We hope you can attend.
Sample Two:
Hola! Pam & Brian are hosting a Mexican Fiesta with Margarita Madness this Friday, February 18. We'd love for you to come party with us.
Which party sounds like it will be more fun to you?
A Theme not only gets your guests excited,
but it gets you, the host inspired as well.
The possibilities are endless, a lot depends on what you want to celebrate. At the bottom of this post I will list some themes, but I also would love to hear from you. Lets grow this idea list of Party Themes. I'll return and post more if you make a comment adding your theme idea to my list in a red color.
If you are having a hard time coming up with what you think is a great theme, then take a quick run to your local party supply store, or better yet "Google" Party Themes. You will receive some interesting and fabulous ideas from the web sites that appear.
Now I just said, go to the party supply store; but unless you love what they are have and it's a decent price, go home and make most of your own theme invitations & decorations.
Get inspired! With a Theme,you can create
your own way cooler, unique, fun,
creative and less expensive decorations.
The "go ahead and buy it rule" is if you are short on time, have the money to spend or don't think that you can come up with anything better than what you see at the store. It's really ok to buy party supplies, but my blog here is to inspire you and help you get more creative. I like to buy things when they are really cute, pretty or unusual, of quality and the price is right,( but I'm also really picky and a perfectionist!) I love being creative and make my own creations.
PARTY THEME IDEAS:
Kids' Parties:
Alice in Wonderland
Dress Up Time
Harry Potter Hogwarts
Home on the Range Cowboy
Let's be a Princess Party
Let the Force be with You!
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pretty in PInk
Tea Party
Toy Story
Casual Get-togethers:
Casino Royale
Chocolate Dreams
Football Team (Pittsburgh Steelers) Party
Girls Night Out
Ghouls-Girls Night Out
Sandals & Sangria
Halloween Monster Mash
Kiss me I'm Irish!
Love My Italiano Pasta NightMexican Fiesta
Margarita Madness
Mardi Gras Party time
Red,WhIte & Blue Fourth of July
Super Bowl
Sandals and Sangria
Wine and Cheese
So why not have a party? Everyone loves a get together.
Use my tips to get started and have fun! Cheers!
Originally Posted January 2011
Planning for a Successful Party.
December through February are Party Months. You will get invited to or decide to host a party more during these months than any other season, except Summer. Having a party helps most of us keep our spirits up during the long cold winter, especially after Christmas. ( Even those of you who live in Florida! ) Why do you think they have the Super Bowl when they do?! Think about it and you know I'm right! LOL. So, Let's think about putting one together...
First things first, for a Successful Party, you have to come up with a good plan and make a list. That's essential for not only keeping you organized, but also on budget and for time management. Trust me, I've learned most things the hard way.
PARTY PLAN
List for a Successful Party
- THEME
- INVITATIONS
- GUEST LIST
- BUDGET
- MENU
- EVENT PLACE
- DATE AND TIME
- REMINDER CALLS
First: Come up with a Theme. Usually it is the reason you are having the party. Then get creative. Here's an example: It's Chris' Birthday and since it's January I'm going to make Snowflakes the theme- (I usually like to embrace the negative and turn it into a positive!)
Second: Make an invitation list and make or buy the actual invites. Remember to invite those people who would enjoy each other's company. They don't have to know each other but they do need to be able to find some common ground with others, so make sure you have at least 2 other invitees that your guest can feel comfortable with, because the host will have time to mingle, but not always have time to hang around and have in depth conversations with all of the guests. This is a section that I could post a whole weeks worth of ideas for this on Create and Decorate, so that being said, this is a whole other topic to write about in the near future.
Third: Know your budget. You may not know exactly how much money you have to spend, but you probably know how much you cannot go over budget with. This is another great idea to blog about, getting creative with little money. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a successful and fun party. But remember, you can't serve shrimp when you can only afford cheese! So keep this in mind when you are planning the next item of business.
Fourth: Make a menu. Remember, not every party needs to have an extensive list of food, but taking the time to put a little bit of thought into your menu will go a long way toward making it a memorable party. Good food = Good party. Try to look at the theme, budget and the people you invited and it will make it easier when making food selections.
Last, but not least: Come up with a date and time. This is the last thing to do on your list and it will be a whole lot easier to decide when you look at all of the variables above. When you think of who you invited, you know if it's better to make it a week-day, week -night or week-end. For example, if it's a Birthday party, the time length would be different for other children to come, than say for family and adult guests. If it's a football party, you obviously would have it during the game.
You also want to give your guests some time to put the event on their calendars. If you wait and only give them a few days notice, your turnout will not be a good as if you gave them 10- 14 days notice. Just a helpful hint too, not only send them something in the mail or e-mail, but follow it up with a phone call to make sure they received it. Don't leave a message as you cannot guarantee they will listen in a timely manner, connect with them in person.
My Final Tip for the Day is to make a reminder call the day before. Life gets busy and your friends will appreciate the call.
Blessings, Pam
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