7 Things to Ask Before Planning a Graduation Party

The end of another school year is upon us and you’ve got one graduating this year.  Congratulations!  Since you are so proud of your senior, of course you want to celebrate their success at achieving an education.

Twelve years of working hard has come to this one ceremony and it should be celebrated.  While there are many decisions to be made that your graduate can help with, there are a few questions that should be asked right away.  Here are some questions you can ask your teenager about how he/she would like to celebrate this milestone in their lives:

Do you want to have a graduation party or a small family dinner?
Depending on your teen’s personality, they may not want to have too much attention given to their graduation.  Perhaps a small family dinner out is more what your teen would like.  The important point is that you ask him/her before you start planning.  Remember, this is about their success, so even if you are a proud parent and want to shout it to the world, consider the type of party your graduate would like first.

Would you like a big party or a small party?
If your teen has chosen to have a party, there are many more questions that need answered.  Discuss the options, pros and cons.  Discuss a budget (or let them know of your budget for this party).  If your teen desires, go and pick out balloons and decorations together as a way to bond before the party. 

When is the party?
Picking the right date for your party will be a hard task to accomplish.  You must remember that many other graduation parties will be going on as well.  In order to accomplish getting the most people to attend, you will have to find out when the other parties will be held.  Make phone calls to the people you want to attend to find out the best time to have yours.

Who should we invite?
Getting your teen to make a list is important to your planning process and can be very hard to do.  This is a busy time and your teen may feel that this can be decided later, and then later never comes.  Explain to your senior that you need to know who he/she wants to invite before you can make party preparations.  Plus, you need to be able to give ample notice to friends and family who are traveling to celebrate this epic day.

What should the theme be?
While the obvious theme of your party is going to be a graduation, there may be other elements to consider.  What were the school's colors?  Is it a medical school, Bible school or other particular field that would lend itself to the decorations?  Is your event going to be formal or lighthearted?  Has the graduate offered any suggestions?  Once you have chosen a theme, you can then go on to choosing the decorations and refreshments.  The decoration should reflect the student's achievements and the theme.  You may want to make a display board of what the student has accomplished while in school.  Just be sure to let the student know that this is your plan.  Consider pictures through the years, but use caution with baby photos, as your young adult might find that embarrassing.

What type of menu should be served?Decide a menu of foods that will suit everyone and fit your theme.  Ask your graduate for their input on what items their friends will eat as well as your teen’s favorite.  Take into consideration all the people who will be attending.  If it is a big party, finger foods such as sandwiches and cheese trays do well.  This will also make it easier for your graduate to mingle with guests.  Will you have cake?  If so, make sure to order early and decide on a design for how you would like the cake to look.  Most cake specialists will be able to help you choose the perfect design for your graduate’s big day.

Can we combine the party with your friend’s party?
To save money this is a viable option, but your teen should be in on this decision.  Share the budget with your teen, think of different options and make this decision together.  This question should be asked right away so you have an answer in case the friend's parents ask you, especially if the two graduates are inseparable.  This may be their last big party together before going on to college.  Plus, it’s easier on guests who know both graduates.

Any party is a lot of work. Getting your teen involved will take some of the burden off of you and make things a lot easier.  Don't get so caught up in the planning that you forget the reason you are having the party in the first place.  Remember to keep your graduate as the main focus.

Don't forget to relax and enjoy the party that you worked so hard to put together and know that your graduate appreciates all you've done to make their day special.

Easter On A Whim

By Poppie

 I realized today that I am hosting an Easter Extravaganza in exactly 1 week at our house!  This if a challenge even for the most amazing hostess, so I wondered what I could pull out of my little bag of tricks.  I admit, I wasn’t feeling very inspired since I only have a week to plan.

What to do, what to do?  Drumming fingers, thinking, thinking…  For décor, how about a switcheroo on the old mantel, that’s always easy and fun, because it’s only been a month since I last changed it! Yeah, the mantel.  Some fresh flowers and a few flea market finds from the past, and presto, a new mantelscape (just made up this word) is on display.  Always an easy fix and the first thing my guests see as they enter.  For other simple decorations, I used the inspiration of my 3 daughters and said, “Create”.  They stepped up to the challenge and produced various decorated foam Easter eggs and crosses (because this is a significant holiday for us) to hang around the wall.  Then I saw a delightful Pinterest idea and created a cute peep show, with homemade strung peeps.  The kids had a blast with this one.

Now to tackle the menu.  Everyone gets together for this important holiday and cooks a variety of their favorites, but I had an AHA! Moment when I thought, I should make some carrot cake - with an abundance of cream cheese frosting, of course.  I made mine in the shape of an egg (naturally) and decorated with frosting in pretty pastel colors. Easy and fun and so good to eat.  We had other goodies as well, but I always think dessert first when it comes to party ideas.

Of course I painted – with special decorating techniques for speckled, stickered, and glittered eggs and stuffed (with a bucket load of candy) a gazillion Easter eggs for our annual Easter Egg Hunt.  I love watching the kids run around “finding their hidden treasures”.  Especially the little ones.  They are too cute to watch as they discover one egg (and just want the one) while the bigger kids run around grabbing all they can get their hands on.

I needed a few extra (and quick) items to compliment my egg-cellent choices so far.  I wondered down to Nobbies and grabbed Easter baskets and a few more Easter supplies that I would need to complete my party area.  They had everything I need to fill my baskets with toys and goodies, grab all my table supplies, and get every in-between item I made need.  I didn’t even have to stop anywhere else, which is convenient when you only have a week to plan things.

This has actually been one of the easiest Easter Parties I have ever pulled off. Note to self – plan a week ahead only!  I hope that your Easter plans go as smooth and you have an (wait for it) Egg-cellent time Easter weekend celebrating with family and friends.

St Patrick's Day Party Ideas

Throwing a St. Patrick's Day Party means going green.  St. Patrick’s Day is a fun and free spirited celebration for everyone, whether you belong to the Irish community or you just enjoy the spirit of this Irish-themed holiday.  Since, everybody's Irish on St. Paddy's Day, it’s a great reason to throw a party for family and good friends!

Invitations:  St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner so get your invites out now.  Keep it simple with a shamrock shaped invitation.  Cut the shape out of green card stock paper; use a pencil to trace the outline of a shamrock cookie cutter and cut along the line. Write the party greeting on one side of the shamrock and add the date, location and time details on the opposite side.  Use this little rhyme as a party greeting:

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind always be at your back
And may that road be the one to our house
For a party to celebrate St. Pat's!

Come join the shenanigans and share the green beer
It's a Saint Patrick's Day Party and we want you here!

Our Irish eyes will be smiling if you join us at our St. Patrick's Day celebration!

Be sure to add “Wear green!” on the invites.

Attire:  Of course, green is the way to go with your St. Patrick's Day gear.  Lads and lassies alike can get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day by breaking out all their green clothing, pinning on a "Kiss Me, I’m Irish" button and topping it all off with a green leprechaun's hat.  If you’re really audacious, try adding some shamrock tattoos in various places and show guests your green.

Décor:  Start your St. Paddy’s Day decorating with green streamers in various shades to set the mood.  Go all out with a string of green lights (get out your Christmas lights) and shamrock-shaped helium balloons strategically placed around the festivities.  Put up green cutouts of shamrocks and leprechauns on the walls and in the windows.  Suspend lanterns in a rainbow pattern around your party area.  Add Lucky Charms cereal for festive table confetti.  Fill bowls or vases with them to dress up your party.

Ambience:  Put on a CD of traditional Irish songs and print out the lyrics for your guests so they can croon along to classics like "Danny Boy."  Hand out paper and pens and give your guests five minutes to write a limerick, and then read them aloud in your best Irish accents.  If you're the adventurous type, send your guests on a treasure hunt for a leprechaun's pot of gold.  Before guests arrive, hide your treasure (gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins) around the party area, then have guests search for it throughout the party.

Favors:  Hand out “Kiss Me, I’m Irish!” buttons or party beads to your guests to wear during the course of the party.  As they leave, hand out little pots of gold (goodluck coins, small treats, and a some party beads in a little pot).

Menu:  Get out your green food coloring; you'll need it to dye everything from mashed potatoes to beer.  Serve beer in mini mugs or green koozies.   In addition to green-colored treats, serve traditional Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage and lots of potatoes; perfect for this lucky holiday.  For  a sweet snack, try a rainbow cake (recipe here) and add chocolate gold coins around the cake.

Heartwarming Party

Share your heart this Valentine’s Day by throwing a party with a purpose!  Extend an invitation to friends and family to help you do good deeds by giving to charity.  Have everyone bring new or gently used winter items such as hats, mittens, and coats as their ticket into your party.  Then, donate the items to charity.  Choose the charity that means the most to you; a few other great charities are your local animal shelter or pantry.

Invitations - This party will make everyone feel warm and fuzzy – and so will the card!  Cut a heart shape from a piece of fun, fuzzy fabric and glue to a blank card.  Let dry and write the party details inside the card.

Décor – Don’t go overboard with too much pink, but have fun and string some cut out hearts in various colors around your party area.  Welcome guests with a fun party favor... a red carnation for the ladies is always nice.  Or hand out something fun, like heart shaped glasses, a red or pink plastic lei, or wax lips.  Decorate with red and white heart shaped doilies. They would look very cute on the walls with a photo of your charity in the center. Add a few balloons for the perfect touch.

Ambience –  For extra atmosphere,  buy several packs of those cheesy Valentines that kids swap in class.  Use a hole punch and some red ribbon to make a garland. It will look festive hanging over the party entrance or above the buffet.  Make sure to have a decorated donation box as your centerpiece so that partygoers can sporadically donate during the event.

Menu – Hearts will melt with this simple and easy dessert.  Warm up your guests with a Hug in a Mug – this delicious chocolate cake is served in a mug (recipe below). Serve with ice cream and red cocoa.

Favors – Normally favors are a great way to send guests home remembering your get together.  After this gathering, guests will already feel wonderful that they had a delightful time and did something to help out others in need.

This heart warming party is sure to make hearts swell.  Have an ever-so-sweet Valentine’s Day!

Hug in a Mug

Ingredients:

·         ½ cup flour

·         ½ cup sugar

·         ¼ cup baking cocoa

·         2 eggs

·         ¼ cup milk

·         ¼ cup oil

·         1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

·         Whipped cream

·         4 microwavable coffee mugs

Directions:

1.       Mix flour, sugar, and baking cocoa in a bowl.  Stir together.

2.       Add eggs.  Stir well.

3.       Add the milk, oil, and peppermint.  Stir again. 

4.       Spoon mixture into 4 microwave safe mugs.  Fill halfway. 

5.       Microwave individually for 2 minutes or until firm.

6.       Top with whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Double recipe for 8 mugs.

New Year's Eve Party

New Year's is an occasion that everyone gets excited for!  It's a time for new beginnings and a fresh start.  A great way to start the New Year is by planning a fabulous New Year's Eve Party.  Here are some fun ways to ring in the New Year:

Countdown to Midnight:

Try an invitation shaped like a clock bearing the name of the invitee and an image of a clock on top.  Add party supplies that enhance your theme.  Set the mood by having a grandfather clock as your centerpiece that will ring at midnight.  Have some fun, festive hats available for guests or try a party kit that has everything you will need for a successful countdown.  End the countdown with champagne and kisses at midnight.  We all know how important that first kiss is; it ensures intimacy and a close relationship throughout the New Year.  Give out lip gloss as a party favor and pucker up!

New Year’s New York Style:

 If you can’t be in New York for New Year’s Eve, bring New York to you with a Times Square scene setter, balloon drops, confetti, and poppers.  Make your own ball or use a disco ball and shine different colored lights on it throughout the night.  Hang your ball in a high traffic area as a key centerpiece.  New Year's Eve parties are widely regarded as the biggest celebration of the year, so make yours shine by having your sphere as the main focal point.   Have one of the New Year’s Eve specials set in New York on a big screen TV.   Countdown with the New Yorkers and at midnight let the balloons drop and confetti fly while your own ball slowly drops as well.

"Auld" Memories

Forget the past?  No way!  Instead of letting that "auld acquaintance" be forgotten, stir things up by remembering a few of the best moments of the old year before you ring in the new.  Go around the room and encourage guests to share the funniest, craziest, and most unforgettable moments of the past twelve months.  Good or bad, if they come to mind then they're probably worth a mention.  You can also take it one step further by inviting guests to bring their most embarrassing moments caught on camera or tape.  Put them together and you will all enjoy a rather nontraditional collage or funniest home videos that just might be the highlight of the evening.  Capture new memories by having guests pose for photos.  Send them home with a memento to last the whole year.  Something as simple as a background of iridescent balloons tied together at varying heights to create a solid wall of glitz will match the magic of the night and reflect the new memories of the year to come.

Superstitious New Year

Celebrate New Year's Eve by learning or simply revisiting some of the most fabulous New Year's Eve superstitions.  A popular superstition in Latin American is eating 12 grapes at midnight to ensure good luck for each month of the coming year.  Be sure to have plenty of grapes on hand for your guests.  For a fun twist, plop one or two in a glass of champagne for the midnight toast!  Be sure to keep some change in your pocket at midnight to bring good fortune and wealth in the New Year.  Just before midnight, pass around a roll of coins to your guests to make sure everyone is prepared!  Forecast your fashion fortune in the coming months and wear a new outfit on New Year's.  Even one new piece, like a fancy new skirt for you or tie for you guy, is the perfect excuse for a little shopping.  Or, double your luck and be sure to wear something in red.

With all these sure-fire themes, you are bound to have an engaging, exciting party and Happy New Year!  Remember, parties are fun but please drink responsibly.  However you celebrate, have fun and may the New Year bring you health, hope, and happiness!

Spooktacular Halloween Themes

It’s a given there will be a party or two to attend during the Halloween season.  If you are the host of that party, here are some great ideas for spooky, ghoulish themes that are both frightening and fun!

Get the party started with the right decorations and props to turn your space into a room to be remembered!  Why settle for a plain card table and a homemade paper chain when you can add oh-so-fantastic embellishments to your event that will make guests go “wow” when they walk in the door.

The easiest way to start off your party is to pick a theme.  This will help decide the best decorations, guest list, and ideas for your specific party.  A few great ideas are:

·     Bats - A Bat Halloween theme party is a great idea if you've got a mixed crowd -- guests of all ages, boys, girls, guys and gals, will love this batty party.

·     Pumpkins - Pumpkin-carving is enticingly messy and squishy, and it's a Halloween tradition that's been celebrated for centuries. Keep little ones celebrating this fall with a pumpkin-carving party.

·     Glam - Get the girls together for a night of Halloween fun. Easy and cute decorations as well as bite sized foods will make a party they'll love. Top the night off with an adorable purse favor filled with grown up Halloween goodies!

·     Monsters (zombies, vampires, and werewolves oh my!) – For these party guests, grisly and ghastly is the only way to go.  Let these tough types test the strength of their spine with a party that oozes with heart-stopping surprises, cringe-worthy costumes, and a menu into which only the boldest vampires would sink their fangs.

·     Budget – Scare your guests, not your wallet with easy DIY decorations and invitations.  There are many online resources you can print for free to give guests a great time and your wallet a rest.

·     Creepy Haunted House - The touch of a cold corpse, the sound of a howling wind, and the taste of your heart in your throat...the senses truly come alive as they enter your chilling retreat.

·     Adult - Halloween isn't just for kids anymore! Mix decorations and recipes for a perfect, upscale adult Halloween party. Choose a spooky costume; mix with a creepy cocktail for an unforgettable evening!

·     Party Scene Investigation – Send invitations early to get guests intrigued so they will want to investigate this criminally perfect party!  Have a mystery game ready so you can find out which of your guests is a super sleuth.

      Halloween is a fun holiday for all ages, so get creative and incorporate the best party ideas for your theme.  Create a party plan and remember to include invitations, decorations, games, activities, party food, gift bag favors, costumes, and gifts.

Pink Party

Usually October conjures up dark images of orange and black, but in the last few years October has taken a more feminine turn and is now associated with the color pink to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.  Show you care and are aware by throwing a Pink Party to honor those who have beat the disease and also to shed light on research to find a cure.

Start by sending out personalized invitations on light pink stationary or cards and add the signature pink ribbon of the breast cancer movement to it. If doing a charity tie-in, don't forget to tell your friends beforehand so that they know they can make a donation during your event. 

Make your Breast Cancer Awareness event stand out by encouraging guests to wear all pink and white to the party as well.  Don a pink wig or pink lashes to add to your ensemble.  Hand out pink feather boas or leis to your guests as a fun party favor.  This also thanks your guests for their support. 

A pink party can be either a large or small gathering, but you should always make sure to have enough paper goods for all your pink goodies.  Luckily, there are countless pink decorations available, and the best part is that you can be eco friendly and reuse these products for other events like a sweet 16 or bachelorette party as well!   As far as decorations go, don't be afraid to go big and bright or use different shades of pink.  Hang a large personalized banner welcoming your partygoers to an inspiring and fun event. Decorate with balloons and streamers in a variety of shades of pink and even incorporate larger balloons with pink ribbons on them. Try hanging wall decorations and tea lights in the shape of pink ribbons all around your venue to liven up the atmosphere.

Create gift bags for your guests and include pink ribbons, pink pens or pencils, and several other thoughtful mementos to remind them of the great party they have attended and what a great cause they supported.

A pink party is perfect all year long, but is especially poignant during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every year thousands of women across the U.S. battle the disease, and every party and fundraiser held helps raise money brings us one step closer to finding a cure.  Hosting your very own pink party is a way to bring community together and celebrate a great cause. 

Zombie Walk

4^th Annual Zombie Walk

Zombies everywhere come together one day a year to walk the undead walk at the 4^th Annual Omaha Zombie Walk.  This year Omaha will hold the Zombie walk on October 15^th, 2011.  The theme is Voo Doo Zombie and benefits go to the Siena Francis House - the largest Omaha shelter that provides emergency overnight shelter and food for those in need. They also operate an addiction recovery house as well.

The walk starts at 2:00 at the Waiting Room Lounge– 6212 Maple St. Omaha Ne 68104 and later features Kepi Ghoulie to perform an acoustic set for the undead.  This walk is brought to you by the NYDM Nebraska Chapter.

A zombie walk is an organized gathering of two or more people who dress, act, and participate as zombies or victims during the walk.  They usually have makeup done and limp around grunting and groaning to stay in character during the walk.  Come early and get your face painted for $3 by makeup artists.  There are a few rules to remember about the walk, which are featured below:

Rules:  For Zombies

·    If you use blood it cannot stain the sidewalks or anything else for that matter, which means no bloody handprints on the light pole or pedestrians.

·    Stay on the sidewalks and do not jaywalk.

·    Do not use profanity (you can scream for brains though, in fact it’s encouraged).

·    Do not attack anyone who is not a designated victim (more on that below).

·    Do not enter a business unless they have made it clear it is okay and that they like zombies.

·    Do not touch cars, windows, or other personal or private property.

·    Even the undead need to be law abiding citizens.  This is a no-brainer right?  (He he).

Rules:  For Victims

·    Identify yourself as a victim by placing a duct taped "X" somewhere noticeable on your clothes.

·    Once caught by a zombie (oh yes, they will catch you!) they will swarm around you and you can apply makeup or rip your clothing to become a zombie as well.

·    If you want your clothes ripped, place a starter hole in them and rip yourself.  Zombies should not be doing this in case a victim does not want his/her clothes ripped.

·    Scatter yourselves along the walk so you are not all in one place at one time.

·    Do not run into the streets or places not allowed to get away from zombies, but have fun with it and scream and yell.

So come out and join the undead while scaring all the living away.  There are zombie walks all over the country so check your city or state to see if there is a walk close to you.

Children's Halloween Party

Children’s Party

By Poppie

Halloween conjures up images of haunted houses, trick or treating, and ghoulish monsters.  Sometimes it can seem a bit scary for the little ones.  I wanted to host a Halloween party that the children would remember but not be frightened to participate in.

My daughter’s birthday just so happens to be November 1^st so we decided to have a Halloween party last year to celebrate her birthday.  We wanted it to be fun but not scary so these are a few things I did to ensure the children had a great time. 

She had all her friends come in costume.  To avoid scary masks, we specified on the invitations that it would be easier to eat cake and ice cream if there was no masks.  We had a contest to see who had the best costume which was awarded with a "Best Costume" trophy. 

For decorations, we took toilet paper rolls and folded one side in to make ears and made various creatures with them.  We had a cat, the Where the Wild Things Are monster, a bat, and an owl.  We set them by a black cauldron that I placed various piñata toys and candy in.  Each child could grab what they wanted and put in an orange sack to take home.  We also made “potions” out of lemonade and soda that we stuck in thin vases and labeled with ingredients such as “Potion Number 5 – snake tails, bat wings, sugar, spice, and everything naughty”.

We dimmed the lights and lit the jack o lanterns in one room to create ambience for our guests while they ate cake and brains (okay, green Jello shaped like a brain).  Painted mini pumpkins were sporadically placed around the room to go with our glowing centerpieces. 

For drinks, we had another black cauldron with punch in it and dry ice to create a spooky effect.  The drinks were served in paper cups with cute, glittery spiders or pumpkins stickers placed on them.

We played pin the spider to the spider web.  I had taken a pumpkin carving tracer sheet of a spider web and traced it on a paper plate.  Then my girls painted the web and little spiders that we cut out and numbered with sticker numbers.  Each child was blind folded and placed their numbered spider on the web.  The closest to the center of the web was the winner.  The prize was an oversized chocolate bar.

This was such a fun party, that my daughter wants to do a similar party this year as well.  We’ll change a few of the decorations for a fun twist and add a theme this year to limit which decorations we decide to put up and stay on budget.   This party is no trick to do and quite a treat for the children!

How to Decorate for a Zombie Party

Zombies are all the rage this Halloween so creep into Halloween with a Zombie Party for your friends and family.  I love zombie parties for the simple fact that I don’t even need to worry about having a spotless house before the party!  Of course you can always add extra ambience with these ideas.

The invite:

Send Toe Tag invitations to all your guests a few weeks in advance outlining your gruesome night ahead.

The costume:

A zombie party is the one social occasion where the idea is to turn up looking your worst! In fact it’s advised that you throw your zombie party while having gone several days without washing or brushing your hair with wrinkled or torn clothes.

The Ambience:

Scare your guests before they have even entered your house. Use these decorations to turn your yard into a graveyard and rope off your yard with party tape and signs that say “Beware of Zombies”. 

Inside the house, more important than decoration is the scene setting.  Dim the lights, use candle lights wherever possible and low voltage or colored lights for the rest of the house.  Use a fog machine by the front door so guests feel they are entering the undead zone.

It is also a good idea to stick faces or words on your mirrors in small rooms such as the bathroom or coatroom so they see a gruesome sight as soon as they walk in.  This bloody “beware” mirror cling is a great choice.

Leave your TV on all night it on silent playing zombie films.  Keep the haunting noises going with a scary soundtrack.  Add bloody gauze as a table cover.  Serve food and drinks on it.

The drinks:

There is no better cocktail for a zombie themed party than the brain hemorrhage. This is a great visual drink that your fellow zombies will love!

1 oz. Peach Schnapps
1 tsp. Bailey's Irish Cream®
1/2 tsp. Grenadine

First, pour in the peach schnapps, and then slowly pour in the Irish Cream.  Do not mix!  The cream will clump together and settle at the bottom of the schnapps.  Pour the grenadine over the cream for a completely disgusting look, yet completely tasty drink.

Another option is adding fake eyeballs to your ice cube trays so each guest has a frozen surprise staring back at them as they drink.  Or you can add two olives to a pick and put in your martini glass so the olives look like eyes.

The food:

Zombie food is one of the easiest ones to get.   Just call for take-out and eat the delivery boy!!!

If the delivery boy doesn’t appeal to you, you can always offer a buffet of cold meats to your guests. Add “fresh flesh” signs by the buffet table. Some meats that you can use for fresh flesh are cuts of ham, smoked fish, turkey or roast beef.  For the sweet tooth, you can have trays of jello brains or ice-cream with candy worms sticking out.