All About Color

Mardi Gras is a festival of colors. This should be emphasized not only in your decorations but also in your invitations and even in utensils. Look for banners, streamers and paper ribbons that can be used as decorations. Cover the backyard with different colors to perfectly capture the Mardi Gras feel of New Orleans.

Hold a Costume Party

The appeal of Mardi Gras is not only on the celebration of Fat Tuesday. It is also a celebration of freedom and self expression. Include in your invitation a note that they can come in any costume they want. A good idea to have a ballroom party but since you’re going to have it in your backyard, let your guests choose the type of dress they want to wear.

To encourage your guests, prepare a special prize for guests who wear something outrageous or really unique for the party. Include this in your invitation so that they can prepare the costume.

Masks and Beads

Mardi Gras parties in New Orleans are never complete without masks or beads. Have a small budget for different types of masks and beads or you can encourage your guests to bring their masks for the party. Also, have a special prize for someone who comes in with interesting concept for masks. You can order the beads you need for the party online. It could be a bit expensive for authentic New Orleans beads so look for bargain beads so that you can still have fun without spending too much.

Food and Music

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday which is a day of fasting. Inform your guests to bring something for the party while you prepare barbeque and drinks for everyone to enjoy. To keep with the spirit of New Orleans Mardi Gras, music should be jazz or blues.

From the Dog’s Perspective

One question often asked by those planning a birthday celebration for their dogs for the first time is: will my dog enjoy this party? Absolutely. Dogs enjoy attention and a whole day affair that focuses on them never goes unappreciated. In fact, a birthday celebration for your pet could boost their confidence in interacting with other animals and pet owners.

Food and Decorations

Decorating for the dog’s birthday party is never different to anyone’s birthday party. However, you might want to add some things necessary for the visitors who will also bring in their pets. Food bowls are required for this type of party because dogs will need to have a separate space where they enjoy the food.

Speaking of food, you don’t have to spend a lot on dogs but you don’t have to be cheap. Ask your friends and fellow dog lovers on their dog’s preferred brand. Take note of this so that every dog will enjoy the day since they have the food they really like. For the guests, buffet style will be a good way to let the guests enjoy their meals. As a precaution, never use long linens on the dining area so that the table will not be dragged if a dog gets caught in the table cloth.

Activities and Treats

There are many activities guests can have fun with their dogs. For example, dogs can compete in a small obstacle course. They could even play tug of war but instead of a group challenge, each dog tries to pull harder for the win. For additional activities; talk to an experienced party supplies provider so that they could recommend games which will naturally result to more fun.

Before the guests leave, give everyone something they will treasure. A good souvenir would be the same bowl you bought for the birthday party. Decorate it a little bit so that it will become a reminder for a unique and exciting birthday party.

Choosing a Theme and Making a Sign

A good party theme for a housewarming party is the “Hard Hat” theme. Think of a party where everyone wears a hard had to signify that the home is just finished. It’s unique and very interesting as guests roam around wearing hard hats as if they have just completed the house that hosts the party.

Aside from regular invitations, you can also put up a sign in front of your door. Look for the “For Sale” sign used to be posted in your property and change it with the date and time for the party. It would also look better if the notice is written on top of the “For Sale” sign.

Think of Cleanliness Instead of Decorations

Showing off a new home through a housewarming party doesn’t require a lot of decorations. A simple sign that says “Welcome!” should be more than enough. However, make sure that your home is clean and presentable. Remember that the reason for a party is to show everyone that you moved in to a new, clean home fit for everyone living inside.

Food and Activities

In terms of food, think of a buffet preparation. It could be a bit challenging to prepare everything when you anticipate a lot of guests so consider looking for a caterer. You can just add some barbeque so that everyone could have more options on what they have to eat during the party.

To make the party more interesting, have some activities. There are two very popular activities you could easily add to your party. First is to have a ribbon cutting ceremony which is a good way to welcome everyone to the new house. The second activity is to do a house tour wherein you show everyone the different parts of your home. Say something interesting or a fun fact in every part of the house to keep the tour lively.

Get the Gears

The best thing about a firefighter themed party is that decorations and supplies will never be a problem. Almost every party supplier has this type of decorations for the party. This means your decorations, plates, spoons, forks and even party games could come from a single provider. With the supplies already in hand, you don’t have to think too much on the decorations and utensils as everything you need is already there.

Invite a Firefighter

Most parties hire a mascot or a clown to make the party more interesting. This could be a good addition to the party but you can make things a lot more interesting by asking a real firefighter to come visit the house. He or she could come in their uniform and it would even be better if they show up with a fire truck. This type of preparation could take some time and some clearance before a firefighter agrees to visit your house but it could happen with enough preparation.

Play Some Games

You could always have traditional party games with the kids. But if you want something related to firefighting, here’s a good idea. Have the kids group into five and give each team one bucket. The objective of the game is to successfully transfer water from one location to the other. They would have to line-up so that they could easily pass the water bucket and reach the destination faster. The first one who reaches the line wins.

A Simple but Memorable Souvenir

The best souvenir for a birthday party with a firefighter theme is the hat. Fortunately, this could be a part of the supplies offered by the party provider. Order as many as possible so that each guest will have something to remember about the party.

Getting the Mood Right

To set the mood for the party, decorate the entire house with music-related objects and pictures. Look for some posters about singers especially previous contestants of the show and add some large musical notes as part of the confetti. If it’s a birthday party, have some songs performed by American Idol contestants as background music. If it’s a viewing party, you just have to make sure you have a large screen TV good enough for everyone to have a good view of the show.

Activities and Games

There are two games that will surely gain the interest for everyone interested in the show. The first activity is a trivia game based on the show. Download some information online and use them as basis for questions.

The second game is an actual singing contest. As homage for the show, have three judges sit in a long table who will comment on the song. Just be gentle on the comments so that no one will be offended.

A “Name that Tune” contest is also a good idea for an activity in this type of party. You don’t even need a piano for this type of contest. Prepare a couple of CDs and play the music until the title is guessed by the contestants.

It’s also a good idea to rent a karaoke for everyone to enjoy. But only do this after the show if you’re in a viewing party. Even kids will enjoy the karaoke especially if the songs are updated.

Party Favors

Prepare a CD which contains a collection of the best songs from the show. Because of technology, this type of party favor is no longer expensive. This just requires a bit research to know which songs should be added in the CD you’ll send out as party favor.

Everything is Big in Texas

As a combination of events and themes, the best you can do is get the main idea and use it for the party. Decorate your house with posters or streamers of the teams playing on the Super Bowl. Distribute large hats and Number 1 hand signs to everyone so that they can properly cheer for their team while paying tribute to the host stadium.

Keeping up with the tradition of having everything big in Texas, look for large screen TV. It’s a bit challenging to watch these shows without a good TV. But an alternative is to have at least two or three televisions placed in different places in the party area.

Texas Style Barbecue

Texas is well known for their barbecue and because of their popularity; different types of sauce can be purchased in your local supermarket that could get that pure Texas-style flavor. But remember that the sauce is only as good as its meat. Look for the right type of meat for the barbecue so that it will greatly complement the sauce.

Of course, you don’t just focus on the barbecue. But if you think you’ll be spending too much for the party, ask the guests to bring something. Turn the Texas-style party on Super Bowl into pot luck. You’ll have a great party without spending too much.

Games and Activities

The focus of the party is to watch Super Bowl. But you can start the party at least one hour before kick-off by having some games for the kids and adults. Simple games such as throwing football through the tire or trivia games about popular football personalities could always increase interest and hype the game a little bit. If you can increase the interest on the games, the party will be more successful as everyone will have fun cheering for their teams.

Location, Location, Location

The best way to celebrate a soccer theme party is to actually do it on a soccer field. Your school or community will most likely have one because of the increased interest of the sport in your area. Be sure to coordinate the location with the site administrator to have the field for your party.

But don’t push too much for the location. A soccer theme party is also possible even at home. You just have to decorate your home with posters of popular soccer clubs (US and European teams). Your kid will most likely have a favorite soccer player so this could be another idea for a decorative poster.

Mini Soccer Games

The birthday party could be complemented with some mini-soccer games. A good example is to have a small 3-on-3 soccer game or just have someone stand on the goal post while everyone else tries to score a goal. Another small soccer game is to have a small maze wherein the winner will be determined on how fast they go through the maze.

Food

If you’re having a party on a soccer field, it’s best to have simple finger foods with drinks. Of course, have some cakes and balloons but don’t overdo it because it will be simply knocked out. Light foods are highly recommended as kids will be focusing on playing games instead of eating. Prepare lots of water and juice so that everyone could be refreshed immediately.

Party Favors

Look for a party provider in your area to find suitable soccer party favors. This is also the ideal place to grab some supplies such as decorations and soccer-themed utensils if you’re celebrating at home. If you have some extra budget, purchase small soccer balls as party favor. It’s just one item but very memorable.

Party on Location

The best way to celebrate a golf themed party is to celebrate it on location. Talk to the club manager about this type of arrangement especially on requesting that the party be held in one of the holes in the golf course. Of course, you have to financially prepare for this type of accommodation because it’s practically renting a large part of the golf course if you’re going to cover one hole. If you can get this type of arrangement, you don’t need to think of any other decorations to make it a golf themed party.

Screaming for Golf

If you can’t get the club manager to agree on your plans or if the rent fee is too high, you can still have a golf themed party. You just have to make everything in the party about golf. Fortunately, there are party providers that features party supplies for golf lovers. Plates, napkins, cups, table cover and even decorations could be about golf. If you can’t find a party supplier in your local area, there are online companies that can ship the materials in time for the party. Make sure to compare their rates to get the best rate possible.

Games and Party Favors

You don’t have to think much on the games that should be played on this type of party. Have a mini-putt competition or hold a trivia-based game with the topic on golf. For party favors, purchase golf tees and golf balls with personalized engraving. If you can’t find a business that provides this type of service, purchase tees and golf balls with the same color. As much as possible, look for unique tee colors so that the party favor could be more memorable for the guests who came to enjoy the party.

Food for the Party

Since everyone will be staying in front of the television to watch the awards show, popcorns will be the perfect food. They are very easy to prepare and inexpensive. But try to make it a bit special by purchasing some popcorn bags for movies.

You should also complement popcorn with other appetizers. Some even prepared slow cooking food so that those who wanted to eat can just go to the kitchen and take what they want. Of course, sodas and other drinks should be served for everyone.

Games for the Party

Since this is the Oscars, games should be related to the movies. The most popular and still enjoyable are trivia games. Prepare some questions related to the movies or actors that have a part in the movie. Questions could be asked during commercial brakes. Make things a little more interesting by preparing prizes at the end of the night. You can easily download the questions online. There are thousands of websites dedicated to movie trivia so preparing the question should not be a problem.

Goodies for After Party

It’s also a good idea to prepare some goodies for the party. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars just to have a souvenir for everyone. Look for some posters or print out some facts about the Oscars or the movies. Have them laminated and distribute them after the party. The popcorn bags can also be distributed as souvenirs for the party.

The posters for the party can also be used as decorations. Place them in the wall during the awards show and have them raffled off as prizes for everyone who came.

New Year’s Party in a Bar

If you’re celebrating New Year with your friends, why not consider going out and enjoy the party hosted by a bar? Large cities often celebrate their New Year with concerts and there are bars that will be open for the New Year party. Instead of spending on decorations at home, you and your friends can have fun with everyone else in a New Year party.

Sparkling Themed Party

For those who will be celebrating New Year at home with their family, think of a sparkling or a light theme.  New Year should put everyone on a light or happy mood so any dark material should be removed. If you will not have a theme for the party, focus on the light colors so there would be fun atmosphere for the party.

Food and Drinks

Compared to Thanksgiving where there’s Turkey as traditional food, you’re given an open hand on what to prepare for New Year. But make things a little special on the food by baking or ordering a cake that would commemorate the New Year. There are also foods believed to bring good luck for the New Year: pork, fish, legumes, greens and grapes are only some of the food that you can prepare as a sign of good luck.

New Year parties always involve alcohol. This is natural for adults but parents should make sure that their kids will not access this type of beverage. If you’re having kids in the party, prepare two separate places for drinks so that the alcoholic beverages will be separated.

Cleanup

Cleanup is always ignored by hosts and they end up their New Year cleaning up. Avoid this problem by preparing utensils that can be easily disposed or cleaned. Also, seek help for cleanup so that you can rest early on the first day of the year.