Party Talk

Want a Great Summer Soireé? Remember this!

Everyone wants to celebrate summer and make it a memorable event; however, outdoor parties have their drawbacks, so be prepared.

Tents are expensive so have a rain plan other than canvas.  You can rent a tent, but remember if it rains, you need sides (they are usually extra).  Also, if you don’t have a floor (being a rented one or a cement driveway perhaps), oops!   People will never forget the grass stains on their brand new shoes (or the fact that their stilettos prohibited them from moving table to table).

Mosquitoes abound and proliferate after dark. Flies love food, you’re serving food, thus you’ll have flies.  So you have several choices:  buy everyone a bug-off bracelet (there are four colors available so hopefully you can match their party dress), give everyone an Off® Clip•On™ and add a nametag (cute, no?) or have your local pest control company spray the party area (my choice).  Ignore this warning, and you’ll find everyone in your kitchen.

They call the wind Mariah.  This song (from the 1969 film Paint Your Wagon) says it all:  “Mariah blows the stars around and sets the clouds a-flyin'.”  So when decorating your tent, pavilion or tables, remember tablecloths will blow (you need clips), balloons will wave back and forth in the faces of your guests (thus, no balloons) and paper napkins, plates and cups will fly to the hither lands if you’re not prepared.

Ok. That’s it.  You’ve probably figured out I like air conditioning, china and flowers on the table.  I’m no fun.

The Party Girl

Last Minute Graduation Party Ideas

Are you running out of time to plan a graduation party and need some quick ideas? Having an open house graduation party is a great way to accommodate all of the well wishers your grad is sure to have, and it is easy and quick to plan. Here are a some tips and ideas to help you throw together a fantastic party.

Graduation Invitations

If you are really short on time call or email everyone on your guest list to extend an invitation. If you are planning for a date that is still a few weeks away you can send an invite through the mail. Print one out on your home computer or purchase some "fill-in" invitations and get them out asap!

Open House Graduation Decorations

A fool proof decorating scheme is to use school colors. Balloon bouquets and crepe paper that coordinate with high school or college colors can decorate the party area easily and inexpensively.

Up the driveway or leading to the walk to the party entrance, think about putting school pennants. Just attach them to sticks and put them in the ground to wave everyone to the front door.

Set up a table devoted to the grad. Maybe a scrapbook of stories/accomplishments (this is a great spot for a sign in book). You've probably been keeping one, why not bring it out for others to see? Pictures of the grad at various times is not only fun, but a great conversation starter. And, of course, any awards, trophies or other accomplishments should be out.

Graduation Open House Menu

You don't want to serve a big meal at this party since the idea of the open house is to let people come and go all day. Just set out a buffet of foods for guests to help themselves. Consider the grad's favorite foods when planning the menu.

You may want to consider going semi-potluck - you can provide the main course and a few close relatives can bring a side dish. There's bound to be a local establishment that will provide pans of food so no one has to cook. Make sure you ask about whether they provide paper goods and serving utensils. If not, pick up some to match your color scheme or ones with a graduation theme.

Graduation Party Favors

A picture of the graduate is a great party favor. Place them in inexpensive frames and arrange them on a table so guests can grab them on the way out of the party.

Or hand out a personalized mint or candy tin with a picture of the graduate on it. You can order as few as 15 and you can have them in under a week! Perfect for party planning procrastinators :)

Have a fantastic time, and give our congratulations to the graduate!

Personalized Tabletop Decorative Lanterns

Brand new from Creations For You, these tabletop luminaries are customized with your photo or corporate logo and wording of your choice.  Starting at just $4.95, they are a wonderful idea for an inexpensive centerpiece or party decoration.

Each table top luminary includes an LED candle that will last between 8 and 12 hours.  Order as few as 12 to decorate your tables, your buffets or anywhere around your event!  Use one on a high top table or a few as a centerpiece or surrounding a centerpiece on a larger table.   Perfect for graduation parties, birthdays, showers, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events are more!

TableTop Decorative Lanterns are vinyl and 3.3" x 3.3" x 6".  Based on their size, they work well alone on a high top table or in groups on a larger table.  They can be used anyplace you would like to have a candle - in a restroom, on a seating card table, etc. 

See all of your options for TableTop Lanterns!

Throw a Fun 4th of July Party

 

When summer comes along the best parties tend to be held outdoors, so we put together some great ideas for a patriotic backyard bbq that is all about having a great time. We will show you step by step how to throw a patriotic party that combines red, white and blue decorations, classic American food, and fun summer party games for a party full of patriotic pride!

4th of July Party Invitations

Since summer is cookout season (not to mention wedding season) send the invites out as soon as you can. We have a fun selection of personalized patriotic invitations from Creations For You.

You can always make your own invitations. Stick with the patriotic theme by using red, white and blue paper, flag stickers or patriotic confetti to dress them up -

Come and blow off some steam at our
4th of July Party
Where we will celebrate our great county with
BBQ, beer and a water balloon fight!

You can feature any activity you plan on having. Just remember, the only rule is to keep it fun!

4th of July Decorations

Keep your decorations simple with just a few great eye-catching items. Crepe paper and red, white, and blue latex balloon bouquets will dress up any backyard without breaking the bank. Use uninflated balloons filled with sand for balloon weights and tie the bouquets off with coordinating curling ribbon.

Have everyone leave a message with why they love America on a large piece of poster board. You can set it on an easel or table and decorate the area with a balloon bouquet so that guests are drawn there to leave their sentiments.

4th of July Menu Ideas

Outdoor parties are best served buffet style. You may want to consider going semi-potluck - you can provide the main course and guests can bring a side dish. Either way you want to offer some classic American food to you guests. Here is our vision of a perfect menu -

• Hamburgers and Hot Dogs with all of the fixings
• Fried Chicken
• Garden Salad
• Fries or Baked Potatoes
• Baked Beans
• Coleslaw
• Fruit Salad or Fruit Kabobs
• Cornbread and Rolls
• Red, White and Blue Layered Jell-O or Berry Flag Cheesecake

Think about serving one specialty drink to your guests. Here is an apple flavored martini that is very sweet with a surprise around the rim -

Rockets' Red Glare Martini

• Lime Wedge
• Package of Blue Pop Rocks
• 1/2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
• 2 oz Vodka
• 2 oz Red Apple Schnapps
• 2 oz Cranberry Juice

Start with a chilled cocktail glass and rub the rim with a lime wedge. Empty a packet of Pop Rocks onto a small plate and press the rim of the glass into the candy to coat the rim. Pour the butterscotch schnapps, vodka, apple schnapps, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker over ice, strain into the glass.

4th of July Activities

An outdoor party is incomplete without a few games to liven things up! Do karaoke or a talent show. Keep the playlist to a patriotic theme, here are a few ideas to get you started -

• Only in America - Brooks & Dunn
• Ragged Old Flag - Johnny Cash
• Proud to be an American, Lee Greenwood
• Back In The U.S.A. - Chuck Berry
• American Pie by Don McLean
• Rockin’ in the Free World – Neil Young
• This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
• Born in the U.S.A.- Bruce Springsteen
• Freedom - The Isley Brothers
• My Country ‘Tis Of Thee - Crosby & Nash

4th of July Party Favors

Hand out some fun party items that your guests can wear at the party and then take home as a favor. Here are a few of our favorite red white and blue wearbles that are inexpensive so you can buy in bulk and dress all of your lucky guests -

• Red, White and Blue Glow Necklaces
• Skimmer Hat
• Patriotic Leis
• Red White & Blue Beads

See the full Go USA! Summer Patriotic Party for even more great 4th of July party ideas!

Have a happy and safe summer and a great 4th of July!

Camp Theme Party

Welcome to Camp!  We had a great time planning Matt's camp theme Bar Mitzvah.

Guests entered into the party and were greeted by a large welcome sign and a lifesize photo cutout of the Bar Mitzvah boy dressed in camp gear.  Lining the entry were trees made of foamcore with balloons at the top.  Fun!

Everyone loved the custom caricature sign in board of Matt standing with a bear holding the sign in board.

Seating cards for the adults were great foil wrapped chocolate bugs and the kids got binoculars with seating cards attached.

The adult centerpieces were flowers in kids hiking boots that were donated to Shoes and Coats for Kids.  (We LOVE a centerpiece that has a portion that can be donated!)  The kids got balloons in greens and browns with mylar bug and bird balloons.

At each place was a S'more to go pack with a personalized candy bar, a marshmallow and graham crackers!  Yum!

Party411 can plan your camp theme party! Let us know if you would like more information on any of the products seen in the photos or if you have patriotic party questions!

June is...

Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month - Each year, thousands of kittens are born during spring and summer - and many end up in animal shelters, waiting for loving homes. To promote adoptions of these playful, affectionate animals, American Humane celebrates Adopt-A-Cat Month in June. Check your local shelter, you are sure to find a cutie like Gosman here (who is a shelter kitty of one of our Partyette's).

June 9th is Donald Duck's Birthday - Donald was born on this day in 1934. And he has entertained us ever since. Have people come dressed as The Donald (either one works) and do impressions. Give out prizes.

June 14th is Flag Day - Celebrate old glory with a Stars and Stripes patriotic party!

June 21st is Father’s Day - What about arranging a golf outing for dear old dad?

June 30th Leap Second Adjustment Time - This is the day you subtract or add 1 second to your clock. This is necessary to coordinate atomic and astronomical time and is made by the Central Bureau of the International Earth Rotation Service in Paris.

Need more reasons to celebrate? We have lots of party ideas in our Summer Party Planning Guide that are perfect for a June bash!

See more Stuff to Celebrate for June, or take a sneak peek at July!