Category: Party Ideas

Have you ever thought about hosting a Friendsgiving? Last year was our first year to host and we had the best time. Of course, I still love traditional Thanksgiving with all my family, but Friendsgiving was just fun, lighthearted and a great day spent with friends. I read somewhere that Friendsgiving was like Thanksgiving’s cool, causal cousin. That is probably the best description I can think of, because Friendsgiving is fun, laid-back and full of great food and company. Consider hosting a Friendsgiving this year, even if it is after Thanksgiving, you won’t regret it. Think you don’t have enough time or money to host another event? Yes, those two elements help… a lot, but they don’t have to dominate what you do. Remember the two most important elements of any gathering are making guests feel at home and setting a welcoming and gracious tone.  Here are some of my favorite tips for Friendsgiving gatherings:

Keep your tables, casual and cool. Cover the tables with white linens and make a runner from brown Kraft paper or use brown paper placemats. Add a few Sharpies to each table and encourage your guests to write what they are thankful for.

There is no room for host chairs at a Friendsgiving table. Sit back and make your friends the star for the day.

Forget about all the matching china and stemware. Who wants to be in the kitchen doing all those dishes, especially when you could be enjoying the company of your friends? There are some beautiful disposable options out there and they are meant for you to use them.

Choose something festive and fuss-free.

Same for your silverware. All the fabulous new disposable ware is hard to tell if it is the real deal or not. Remember, these are your friends—not the royal family.

Make buffet tables fabulous and fun. Although this is a casual party, I still like to label food for a couple of reasons: 1) I love all the fabulous little signs and I think they really amp up a great buffet; and 2) my daughter has a shellfish allergy, so I want to be mindful of people with allergies. An allergic reaction is not how we want to end a great party.

I also like to use fun signs like our “pie bar” sign or something that says “Welcome Friends”. You can make your own or buy pre-made. I always have this great thought that I will make my own, but ultimately run out of time and purchase something already made.

There are also some great options on the market for disposable serving trays. Take a look at this one from Party Place. It’s great because it’s elevated allowing more room on the buffet table.

Now is the time to buck the system. I am a very traditional person at heart, but on occasion, I like to break away from tradition. Friendsgiving is the perfect way to try some things you have always wanted to try. Add a splash of the unexpected. For example, add a touch of pink and purple to your table. In small doses, these colors actually complement the traditional red and orange color scheme quite nicely. Plus, it makes the vibe even cooler. I mean it can’t get much cooler than this fabulous Friendsgiving party from www.girlslife.com. Throwing in the light turquoise really makes the other colors popl

Photo Credit: GirlsLife

 

Create a Friendsgiving cocktail.  Stocking a bar can get quite expensive, so why not create a special cocktail just for your Friendsgiving gathering. Serve in a great cocktail glass (disposable, of course) and add a cool stir stick.

My last words of advice:  Enjoy the day and be in the present with your friends. That’s a joy that simply cannot be bought.

Visit Party Place today to pick up all your Friendsgiving necessities.

My main goal is to make my table and home a welcoming place for guests to linger as well as enjoy great food.  This can be accomplished whether you are having a formal sit-down gathering or a help yourself buffet-style party.  Your table really does set the tone for the entire event.  Your guests will know instantly if it is somewhere they want to spend time and have fun.

Getting that magical feeling is much simpler than you might think.  Start with one key element.  A beautiful vase, an antique table linen, elegant china, you get the idea.  Start with it and go for it.  Let your creative self go.  Cut a bundle of evergreens and place them in a vase.  Scatter ornaments along the table.  To give an extra special touch personalize ornaments with guests’ names so they can have a memento of the night.

You can also grab a package of favor boxes at the Party Place, fill them with homemade treats and tie with a pretty ribbon to send home with your guests. They also some fabulous to-go containers to send your guests home with leftovers.

Setting the table and cooking the scrumptious food is really only half of the “magical table” equation.  The next part is where the magic is.  You can spend thousands of dollars on the most fantastic tablescape you’ve ever seen and the party can still be a bust if you don’t get everyone talking and laughing.  Successful and memorable parties are always full of laughter and fun.  No one is left out of the conversation or feels excluded.  This can be a bit tricky if you have generation gaps in the guests.  You can accomplish this a few different ways.  As soon as guests arrive, have appetizers ready for them and offer them a drink. Try doing the mini appetizer theme. Party Place has all the mini appetizer tools you need from the mini forks to the mini plates. You can also grab an icebreaker game while you are there. Choose from various card games to creating your own to help guests start their conversations. Choose something that is sort of quirky and unusual. Here is a fun game you can create yourself:

Message Plates

On a place card, write a different phrase or simple statement on each one.  Place one below each guest’s plate.  It needs to be an unusual statement.  Such as, “I was abducted a week back…”  When your guests arrive at the table, ask them to read the note that is placed below their plate.  They must keep it a secret and it should not read it aloud.  It’s best if they memorize it.  The game is actually ongoing throughout the regular conversation.  They just need to slip the phrase somewhere in a normal conversation.  If someone states their phrase and another guest realizes it, the person who realized must point out and tell the phrase.

You as the hostess also need to enjoy yourself and have a good time, because it’s sort of like the phrase, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”  Even if you do not say anything, your guests will know that you’re not happy and it will set the mood for the entire party.  Just relax and if everything doesn’t go as planned, so what?  I can tell you for sure without a doubt I have NEVER hosted a party or event that everything went as planned.  The key is to roll with it, whatever has or has not happened is what it is, and you can’t change it.  The key is to have a sort of plan B, nothing too crazy.  For example, let’s say a planned appetizer didn’t go well. You know, like it burned up in the oven or just tastes really bad.  A normal plan B for me in that case is to always,  always have a brick of cream cheese, a jar of salsa, and tortilla chips on hand for emergencies.  You simply need to place the brick of cream cheese on a serving plate (like the one below from Party Place), pour the salsa on top, place the chips around and voila you have an appetizer.

Remember, it’s not about the cost of the party; it’s about getting creative and creating a magical night.

Don’t forget Party Place has many holiday-themed napkins, plates and more to make your party extra special! Happy Holidays!

Since the holiday season has come and gone, cupid’s arrow is aiming right for you. Ok, cupid’s arrow doesn’t have to strike to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s a perfect day to host a party no matter what your love situation is. You can host a sweet little party with your kids, keep it low-key with your sweetie and have a romantic dinner, coordinate a Valentine’s Day potluck in your neighborhood or go Leslie Knope style from Parks and Recreation and host a Galentine’s Day party for the girls.

What kid (or adult for that matter) doesn’t love festive balloons. This party set-up from https://thehouseofhoodblog.com is sure to make any kid want to celebrate Valentine’s Day. When hosting kid’s parties I have always found it to be helpful to have some kind of craft for them to keep them occupied. INSERT VDAY FRIENDSHIP NECKLACES PIC These Valentine’s Friendship Necklaces are perfect for little ones. All you need is yarn, foam hearts and beads. There isn’t much prep work involved other than precutting the yarn and punching holes in the foam hearts. Click through Creative Child’s full tutorial.

Brunching and Galentine’s Day seem to go hand-in-hand. Brit + Co refers to Galentine’s Day as Valentine’s Day “spunkier twin sister”. I mean, who doesn’t love a spunky twin sister! Nothing will do for this event but pink waffles and champagne.

PHOTO CREDIT: EATYOURSELF SKINNY

To add a little more fun, offer your guests a mimosa bar with various juices, champagne and fruit selections.

I’m in love with the decorations from Brit + Co, they are easy, yet classy. All you need to pull off the look is red and pink paper tassels, heart garland and XO Mylar balloons.

PHOTO CREDIT: KITCHEN AID

For any Valentine’s Day party you can’t go wrong with chocolate fondue. Kids and adults both love dipping food in chocolate! Off your guests, a wide variety of dippers like strawberries, marshmallows, and pretzels. Here is a delicious and easy chocolate fondue recipe from Fox and Briar.

They recommend using a good quality chocolate with a high cocoa content for the best results. Melt the chocolate with some half and half and you’re done. Be sure to stay with the chocolate and stir constantly if you are melting on the stove, because one step away and it will burn. If you are melting in the microwave, do it in 30-second intervals and stir between each one. Again, from experience, it has a way of suddenly melting and burning.

One commonality among all these party ideas is to go heavy on pink and red. Mix it up, have fun with it from pink napkins to Valentine’s Day cupcake sets to assorted heart-shaped serving trays. You can pick up all these great supplies at Party Place plus many more, like this Valentine’s Day hanging decoration.

Stop in today to stock up on your Valentine’s Day party supplies!

It’s almost time to move my youngest daughter to college and I am already counting down the days to football season (I am not, however, counting down the days to her moving).  When we tailgate, we really love to be a little extra. Throughout the years, I have found that it is easier to have a tailgate wagon ready to go from the beginning of the season. Put all of your basic needs in the wagon and then all you have to worry about is the food theme for each game. I have found it is easier to do food themes. For example, the first game is typically the traditional hamburgers, hot dogs, etc., but after that, we choose the theme based on the time of the game. Morning games are breakfast with things like breakfast casserole, an assortment of bagels and spread, a fruit tray, and, of course, mimosas. Afternoon games have a lot more flexibility and we like to mix it up and do food themes like Mexican with walking tacos or this nacho bar by www.momendeavors.com.

To get you started, here is your basic tailgate wagon checklist:

• Portable grill
• Grill utensils
• Coolers x 2 (one for perishable items and the other for drinks)
• Bottled water
• Crackers, chips (things that store well without refrigeration and have a long expiration date)
• Condiments
• Bottle openers
• Paper towels
• Brown paper lunch bags. The sky is the limit! Set up a popcorn bar or use them to hold chips. Cut the tops off for easy serving.

• Disinfecting wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Team themed/colored napkins
• Disposable plates, cups, utensils – both football theme and clear
• Pop-up tent
• Chairs and folding tables
• Trash bags
• Plastic tablecloths and cloth tablecloths (I like white and burlap) and table clips to hold down the tablecloth
• Plastic trays for serving – both football theme and clear
• Team and football themed decorations, such as pennants, banners, etc.

Now for the “extra” elements:

• First, start with a basic tablecloth of burlap as a blank canvas, so you can change with each game.
• Themed napkins – I splurge a bit on my napkins allowing them to give me a pop of color and reflect the theme.
• Get another pop of color from themed serving bowls and platters.
• Tie together bandanas in your school colors to make a bunting for the front of your table.
• Add in a few fun game related items like a foam finger and megaphone to add personality and fun.

• To change up your table, add a piece of green AstroTurf as a table runner.
• Change the bunting to a pennant banner on the front of the table.
• Dress up your cupcakes with spirited toppers, like mini footballs, mini #1 picks, anything that reflects the spirit of the season.

• Dress up the hand sanitizer with a school colored ribbon.
• Have fun stickers and face tattoos on hand.

The possibilities are endless and the best part is you can do this whether or not you are actually going to the game. You can have a fun tailgate party in your own backyard and invite all your friends over to watch the game. It is fun, relaxing and a great way to kick off the fall fun!