Party Talk

December is ...

December 10th is the First Grand Ole Opry Broadcast Anniversary - 1927. "Grand Ole Opry made its first radio broadcast from Nashville,TN." Kick up your heals and throw a Grand Ole Opry Holiday Party, complete with holiday music - country style. There is plenty of it.

December 15th is the "Davy Crockett" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1954. "Born on a mountain top in TN. Killed a bear when he was only three." Whether or not this is true doesn't matter. These words were part of the theme song for TV's first mini-series, shown in five parts on Walt Disney's "Disneyland" show, starring Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, "King of the Wild Frontier." The show was so popular that little boys everywhere wore coonskin caps to be just like their favorite western hero. (The fact that the real Crockett never wore such a hat made no difference.) Wild, Wild West is a great party theme, too!

December 12th-19th is Chanukah - The Festival of Lights is an eight-day celebration commemorating the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem. Nes Gadol Hayah Sham (a great miracle happened there) when the oil enough for one day burned brightly for eight. Can you say Latke Party? Light candles, spin the dreidel, sing songs, exchange gifts, eat latkes and have a fun-filled Chanukah (also spelled "Hanukkah")!

December 25th is Christmas - Celebrate with family and friends. From the Christmas morning brunch to the evening caroling party followed by Christmas dinner, have a very merry Christmas.

December 31st is New Year's Eve - Ring in 2010 with a great party. Do something unique this year and throw a theme New Year's Eve Party (I vote for the Alien theme for the kids, or a New Year's Luau for the adults!)

See more Stuff to Celebrate for December, or take a sneak peek at January!

November is ...

National Novel Writing Month - While you and your friends are probably not writing novels, maybe you can have a book exchange!

November 17^th is Homemade Bread Day  -  Mmmm…nothing says lovin' like fresh-baked bread in the oven! Invite your friends and family to make, bake, and enjoy the wonders of bread, right in your own kitchen. Have a Bread Tasting Party, inviting guests to bring their favorite homemade breads (with recipes to share). Beside its nutritional value, bread dough can also be used to make decorative holiday ornaments, wreaths, and baskets. Just bake, cool, varnish, and voila! You can be the Martha Stewart of Homemade Bread!

November 18^th is Mickey Mouse's Birthday - "The comical activities of squeaky-voiced Mickey Mouse first appeared in 1928, on the screen of the Colony Theater at New York City. The film, Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie," was the first animated cartoon talking picture." Grab your mouse ears, rent some Mickey Mouse cartoons, and invite everyone you know to a Mickey Mouse Theme Party! Lots of Mickey Mouse partyware products are available to add to the fun and festivities.

November 26^th is Thanksgiving - Happy Thanksgiving! Check out our Thanksgiving Day Planning Guide for great holiday ideas!

See more Stuff to Celebrate for November, or take a sneak peek at December!

October is ...

photo by sscornelius'      

National Pizza Month - This calls for a pizza party. Which at my house is called "Saturday". And "Sunday". And "Monday".

October 21^st is Sweetest Day - Don't forget this year!

October 25^th is Mother’s In-law Day - Take mom out for lunch and thank her (or not) for raising such a wonderful spouse.

October 30^th is Frankenstein Friday - "This holiday has been designed to honor and celebrate the "mother" and "father" of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley and Boris Karloff." Each year it's celebrated a little differently, from Torch Lighting Ceremonies to filmfests. Rent the original "Frankenstein" and scare the pants off your favorite little monsters!

See more Stuff to Celebrate for October, or take a sneak peek at November!

September is ...

Shameless Promotion Month - Go out and promote yourself, your business, your book, or your product shamelessly.

September 12^th is Video Games Day - Have everyone over for a Mario Kart marathon! We have a great Super Mario Brothers Theme Party.

September 19^th is Greta Garbo’s Birthday - Born on this day in 1905, this film star became a famous recluse. But no one ever forgot her. To this day, she seduces film-goers.

September 25^th is National One-Hit Wonder Day - What a great theme for a party. "Anyone who ever had a hit single deserves eternal remembrance." And we can sing along.

See more Stuff to Celebrate for September, or take a sneak peek at October!

August is ...

National Catfish Month - Host a dinner party!

August 6th is National Fresh Breath Day - Something to celebrate if yours is fresh; something not to celebrate if your friends look the other way instead of speaking directly to you.

August 12th is Cecil B. DeMille's Birthday - With movies like King of Kings, Cleopatra, The Ten Commandments and others, he deserves a round of applause. Have a film festival in his honor.

August 15-17 is the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock - Have we mentioned this? Throw a great Woodstock Theme Party.

August 26th is Women's Equality Day  - The day when the 19th Amendment was certified "prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex with regard to voting." A holiday since 1974.

See more Stuff to Celebrate for August, or take a sneak peek at September!

July is...

photo Baltasar G S

National Grilling Month - The weather is right for a backyard BBQ, so invite everyone over and get your grill on.

July 7 is the Running of the Bulls in Spain - So maybe you can't do this in your backyard, but you can have fun with a fiesta in honor of it! Don't be so literal.

July 17 is David Hasselhoff’s Birthday – Go drive around in a fun car all the way to the beach and celebrate. Don't forget to do a slow run in his honor :)

July 19 is National Ice Cream Day – Probably a good idea to throw an ice cream party.

Need more reasons to celebrate? We have lots of party ideas in our Summer Party Planning Guide that are perfect for your July celebrations!

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

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!

May is...

National Barbecue Month- Enjoy yourself with a hot dog or some kabobs off the grill. If you are feeling benevolent invite your friends over for a backyard BBQ and share some of that char-grilled goodness!

May 5th is Cinco de Mayo - marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a tasty Corona Margarita!

May 11th is Mother’s Day – Need ideas? Plan a special celebration for mom with Party411's Mother's Day Guide.

May 25th is Memorial Day - host your own “Spectacular Patriotic Holiday Gathering” Memorial Day party.

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

April is...

April 1^th is April Fools Day - It is said that in the mid-1500's, someone chose a new calendar with the new year starting on January 1st instead of April 1st (Actually, everyone began celebrating the new year on March 25 for eight days--ending on April 1st). People who didn't realize or didn't feel like going along with the "establishment" continued to celebrate on April 1st and were called "fools" by the populace, sent fake invitations and were the object of pranks. Go figure.

April 11^th is the World Cow Chip Throwing Championship - In case you're looking for anything to do to put off doing your taxes, this is it. It's in Beaver, Oklahoma but it sounds like great fun, no? Better than a 10-key adding machine competition! They even have a special event for politicians who are known to be highly practiced in throwing, um, let's leave it at that.

April 22^nd is Earth Day, so host your own Earth Day celebration, or just get outside and enjoy nature!

April 23^rd is the Anniversary of the First Movie Theater - 1896 in New York City. A great excuse to throw a Hollywood theme party.

See more Stuff to Celebrate for April, or take a sneak peek at May!

March is…

National Umbrella Month - "in honor of one of the most versatile and underrated inventions of the human race…" Go figure. 

Monopoly was introduced in 1933 - check out pictures from a Monopoly theme party we threw. It's a great theme!

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - Get screened! For info go to Preventcancer.org

March 10th is Purim - Call one of your Jewish friends and insist they take you to a Purim party - and try the hamantashen! 

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day – luck ‘o the Irish to you. Check out our guide for party planning ideas, invitations, party supplies, decorations, activities, costumes, games, history and food for your St. Patrick’s Day party!

March 24th is Harry Houdini’s Birthday – Harry would have been 135 if he was alive today, but he blew it. Have a "magic" party. People love a magic theme!

See more Stuff to Celebrate for March, or take a sneak peek at April!