Fresh Theme Ideas for your Next Party

Theme parties are fun ways to spice up your social life. Here are a few more theme ideas for your next party.

Theme party ideas will never run out, and there are many things you can do to make a theme party the best. Firstly, it is vital to begin by choosing a good theme. This suggests that you have to choose a suitable theme that will go with your occasion or celebration. The primary factor to consider when selecting a theme is whether the guest of honor will appreciate it. In the case of a birthday party, the birthday girl or boy will decide whether the item is suitable in other words, an issue will go the direction they love. This also works for a retirement party where you have to impress the retiree with a good idea. There are many themes you can think about, and some of them include the following.

Spend a little time preparing to make your theme party a success. Create a photo opportunity – designate an area for theme photographs by hanging a backdrop and have accessories available. Another idea to simplify party planning is to ask guests to bring a side dish or dessert.

Theme Ideas:

60’s Mod

Decor: Anything retro
Dress: Pucci-inspired fun prints, beehive hairdo’s, knee-high boots
Music: Pop music from the 60’s – find a great online radio station with a British Invasion theme
Apps: Pigs in a blanket, Chex mix, Jello salad, Deviled eggs
Dessert: Ambrosia fruit dessert

Saturday Night Live

Decor: Stage area with lights, prop pieces from various sketches
Dress: Everyone dresses as their favorite SNL character, past or present
Music: Songs from former SNL guests – rock and pop mix
Dessert: Sheet cake decorated with well-known SNL characters

Dead Celebrities

Decor: Death-related decor, RIP grave markers, shrines, ghosts
Dress: Any deceased celebrity – musician, movie star, etc
Music: Pick songs from musicians that have passed on
Apps: This theme is great for Halloween – keep the food related to the holiday

Speakeasy

Fun: Require a password at the door and stage a raid halfway through the party
Decor: Art Deco accents and a Blackjack table
Dress: Roaring 20’s Flapper Dresses and lots of feathers
Music: Jazzy tunes
Dessert: Chocolate cigars and candy cigarettes

Classic Theme Parties:

Pajama Party

Decor: Lots of pillows and have a few board games out
Dress: Your favorite pajamas
Music: Old-school hip hop playlist – reminiscent of high school days and slumber parties
Apps: Keep it easy and fun with pizza and cake

80’s Party

Decor: Movie and music posters from the 80’s
Dress: The best part of an 80’s party!
Music: Online radio station for 80’s music
Apps: Find some record-shaped bowls for serving food
Dessert: Cake shaped like a Rubik’s Cube

Luau

Decor: Tiki, Tiki, and more tiki!
Dress: Buy a few extra leis and grass skirts
Music: Mix some Hawaiian tunes with Caribbean music and anything with steel drums
Apps: Fruit salad served in a watermelon, Teriyaki chicken skewers, Coconut Shrimp
Dessert: Banana Bread with Macadamia nuts

Ugly Xmas Sweater Holiday Party

Decor: Put your holiday decorations up and have guests help with tree-trimming
Dress: Have a contest for the ugliest Xmas sweater
Music: Holiday music
Dessert: Fruitcake, eggnog, and other holiday goodies.

It is certain that this theme is full of possibility and ideas which have not been fully explored.

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Hosting parties and Entertaining guests

Hosting a dinner party for the first time can be so stressful for the host or hostess, that actually enjoying the event could be considered a totally alien concept. It can though, be different, if we use a bit of guile and imagination. Even if the method I’m going to describe is not suitable for your idea of a dinner party, it works just as well for more informal gatherings. Either way, what follows is a way to entertain without having frazzled nerves.

The formal dinner party has been around for goodness knows how long, centuries probably. Let’s have a look at a modern take on the dinner party idea, make it less formal and more enjoyable.

A typical dinner party involves the host or hostess disappearing at various times to take care of cooking a meal. This in itself seems to me to be somewhat anti social – it being a social event. Of course, in years past, if you were wealthy you would have servants to cook and serve. A bit of a rarity these days. However, there is a way to enjoy and take part in my sort of dinner party, have a good time and your guests will leave admiring your somewhat laid back efforts.

A buffet is okay for some occasions, but not for a dinner party. We’re expected to cook, and we will. Just not in the conventional sense.

Have you heard of Teppanyaki? This is a Japanese method of grilling on a hotplate, ‘Teppan’ meaning iron plate and ‘Yaki’ meaning to grill. We’d normally call it griddling but ‘Teppanyaki’ sounds much more upmarket and will fool one or two guests. These are the ones who will be impressed when you tell them what the translation is. OK, it’s a bit pretentious but why worry?

My take on this whole thing is to prepare your side dishes well in advance. This could be a green salad to accompany meat, or even vegetables kept warm in a bain marie. The meat part of the meal is going to be sizzling away on a Teppanyaki style griddle. In the UK, Andrew James does an excellent range and in the USA, Presto do a decent range of slightly smaller versions.

The whole point of the Teppanyaki grill is that the meat is going to cook in public. This is common in Japanese steakhouses and easy to replicate at home. The bonus for us is that we are having a modern informal dinner party. This means that we can invite people to eat without even mentioning ‘dinner party’. Your guests can choose their meat the way that they like it, taking that responsibility away from you. There is no reason at all why some of your friends who enjoy rare meat can’t eat while others have a glass of wine. After all, we accept this at a family barbecue so why not at other times?

Even if you are not keen on holding a ‘dinner’ party in this way, remember that this idea still works in any informal gathering where food is involved. Teppanyaki really works.

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Easy Holiday Party Tips and Ideas

For many people, the holidays are a time to get together with friends and family. Throwing a great holiday party can be stressful but it does not have to be. Here are a few suggestions to make your party number one in the neighborhood.

Keep It Simple – If you decide to throw a holiday party, keep in mind that you don’t have to throw the bash of the decade. Some people get caught up in trying to be the perfect hosts. What you need to remember is that most people just enjoy getting out of the house once in a while. You don’t need to impress everybody that walks through your door. Throwing a lavish party can be unnecessarily expensive and time consuming. You want your guests to feel comfortable and most of all, have a good time. Keeping things low key can make your guests feel more relaxed.

Send the invitations – Invitations should provide your guests with information such as appropriate attire, driving directions, and time. These days, it’s easy to send out an invitation with email. Get your guests excited by sending an Evite or a traditional card.

Decorate – The tablecloth and tabletop setting is one of the most important parts of the party. It is really the first thing that people look at other than the lighting and the overall ambiance when they walk in. A bouquet of flowers, bowl of fruit, candles, or posting the evening’s menu are some simple ways to set a mood.

Get the room(s) ready -The night before the party, clear the rooms where people will mingle – place extra napkins on coffee tables, bowels of nuts or candy OR set the table – this way you don’t feel rushed the day of the party – have enough seating for everyone who might want to sit and remove any unnecessary furniture and knickknacks from the area. Add special touches such as mints in the bathrooms. Lastly, create specialized areas and break up the buffet into smaller stations, such as, a station for drinks and dessert.

Offer a Variety – When it comes to food and drink it is always a good idea to provide a variety of options for your guests. Be sure to have standard liquors, a few different beer choices, and some red and white wine. Don’t forget to have non-alcoholic beverages on hand for your guests that will not be drinking. A simple variety of finger foods should suffice for your guests. Just make sure that you have some type of vegetarian option if you are going to serve food.

Play Good Music – This can be the most important aspect of your party. People want to have a good time. Get a play-list together that includes fun music, music that people will want to dance to. It is okay to leave holiday music off your party play-list. Everybody hears enough Jingle Bells throughout the season and there is no need to exaggerate it.

These are some of the amazing tips that can help you organize a wonderful party. Let your guests and friends enjoy!

 

 

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Essential Tips For Hosting A Great Dinner Party

Dinner parties are always a fun event for everybody involved. You will realize that if you are hosting a dinner party, you might be daunted by the amount of work involved, from buying food to preparing and serving it. This is the reason why some people normally opt to hire a catering company to take care of all this. Dinner parties can be a great idea if you are celebrating an occasion, from birthdays to anniversaries. You will realize that there are many corporate events for which dinner parties are a great idea. The following are some tips for hosting a great dinner party:

1. Menu planning

It is important that you check with your guest whether there are vegetarians and their food preferences. You should also enquire whether there are people who have food allergies and so on. This is the reason why you should plan a do-ahead menu with minimal last preparations. You can actually prepare one or more dishes a day or two ahead. You will realize that your guests will be more relaxed if the hostess does not spend the evening in the kitchen. It is important that you maximize your time with your guests.

2. Consider the table décor

It is not advisable to use flowers or candles that have a very strong smell. Remember that this can actually irritate a guest who has a sensitivity to smell. For example, star lilies in a centerpiece for dining room might be inadvisable because of their intense aroma. However, they can work well in a centerpiece for an outdoor table. This is the reason why you should consider using unscented candles and fragrance-free flowers.

3. Allow the guests to serve themselves from a buffet table.

It is important that you allow your guests to serve themselves from a buffet table so that they can choose the dishes and the size portion that suits them. If you allow them to serve themselves, food is less likely to be wasted. They will also be comfortable going back for more food.

4. Set the table a day before the event

It is always advisable to set the table a day before your event. This will actually give you ample time to look at it and make the necessary adjustments needed.

5. Invite only

It is important that you get your invitation out at least one month in advance and be clear about the rsvp deadline. Remember that people are normally booked a month in advance, especially for popular dates such as holidays. If you are hosting a dinner party that does not have a mandatory guest list, be flexible with the invites. This can help you get many guests. You will realize that your guests will get a chance to mingle with people they do not normally associate with.

6. Go with what you know.

It is important that you prepare a dish that you have ever prepared at least once or twice before the big event. If you are used to cooking casserole, practice making it in a larger party. If you are truly determined to impress guests with a good dish, give it a test run a few weeks in advance.

Those are some of the tips that can help you host a great dinner party. Follow them and you will enjoy the results.

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Tips For Throwing A Memorable Birthday Party

Throwing a great birthday party is all about making it as memorable as possible. It doesn’t matter whether you are throwing the party to celebrate the birthday of your kid, spouse, or your own birthday. Your main target should be making the birthday party interesting and fun for all your guests. So, are you planning a birthday party, but you aren’t sure of what to do so as to make it outstanding? You don’t have to worry because you are going to find very useful and practical tips for throwing a memorable birthday party.

Set the date and pick a good location

The most ideal time to throw a party is during the weekend. So, if you are celebrating your birthday on an inconvenient weekday like Monday, you don’t have to throw your party on the same day. Settle for a day such as Friday evening or weekend before or after the actual birthday. This will help you throw the party when all the hosts will be in the weekend mood. Also, more people are available during this time. As for the venue, your choice will be determined by many factors. You may go to a bar, hotel or restaurant if you want your birthday to be casual with lots of entertainment.

Come with a theme and the guest list

You may customize your birthday theme to match a favorite thing for the person who is celebrating his or her birthday. Some of the typical themes that you may consider include a karaoke theme and the 60’s or 70’s theme. The guest list ensures you don’t forget anyone. Be sure to mix different people keeping in mind that your guests will either break or make your birthday party.

Set budget

There is no need to throw a huge party today only to be thrown out of your house the next month due to pending bills. Subsequently, you need to set a budget to prevent spending a lot of money. Be sure to plan for a location and number of guests when setting the budget. You can also decide the type of party to host while setting the budget so as to have a clear idea of what the entire party will cost. You may have an intimate dinner party, barbecue party or a dance party depending on the personality of the person celebrating his or her birthday.

Plan the food and drink menus

A buffet is a popular and easy method of serving food when hosting your guests at a restaurant or home. Keep the menu simple and feel free to ask your friends to assist you in food preparation. Set up various wines, beers, liquors, mixers and soft drinks such as juices and sodas. Finally, get a birthday cake because as you know, a birthday can’t be complete without a cake.

It is the dream of any person throwing a party to make it as striking and memorable as possible. If you are planning to host a birthday party, be sure to keep the above tips in mind and for real, you will be assured of making your birthday party outstanding. Now you know what to do so as to make guests consult you when they will be throwing their birthday parties. Give these tips a try today and for real, you will have no regrets.

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