Independence Day is only a few days away; and many of us are
celebrating by throwing a party. Whether you are planning a barbecue with paper
plates and a paper tablecloth or a formal dinner party with the finest linens
and china, our tips will help your party be a success.
Parties are meant to be fun for everyone, even the host.
Having a party can be stressful if you don’t have a plan. We have found it is
best to write out your plan. Doesn’t have to be an elaborate spreadsheet with
charts and graphs; just put your thoughts in writing. This will help you to
remember things that you may otherwise forget.
Determine the number of guests before anything else. This
number will affect everything from the location of the party to the amount of
food you need to prepare. Next, where will you have this party? At a park? At
your home? Another location? Remember some locations require reservations and
may need to be booked well in advance.
Now that you have your guest list and location, what will
you serve at the party? Perhaps your gathering is a child’s birthday party
where you will only be serving cake and ice cream; or maybe, you are serving a
five course dinner. Either way you need to make a menu. This will allow you to
easily make your shopping list. Don’t leave anything out. If you are having
hamburgers and hot dogs, will you be serving them on a bun with mustard and
ketchup? You get the idea. Think about the time you will have to prepare food
on the day of the party. Come up with ideas for dishes you can make ahead of
time or perhaps buy ready-to-serve items. You don’t want to be stuck in the
kitchen the whole time. You want to be able to spend time having fun with your
guests.
As soon as you have planned your menu, start your shopping
list. Don’t wait until the last minute. This is a surefire way of forgetting
something. If you shop at the same store all the time, you can list items in
the order they are in the store. This is a big time saver; and will also help
you not to overlook an item on your list.
What will you do at this party? Maybe you, your family, and
friends just enjoy spending time together laughing and talking. Perfect! No
need to plan anything else. However, sometimes other activities can be fun such
as playing a game. If this fits into your plan, make sure you have everything
you need beforehand. You don’t want to find out during your party that you
forgot a key item for the game.
Give your party a festive theme; and make it memorable. If
you are having a Christmas party, chances are you have already decorated your
home for the holiday. If you are throwing a fourth of July bash, then you may
want to show your patriotic spirit by decorating with red, white, and blue.
Check your local “dollar” stores for inexpensive items that will give your
party that special something your guests will remember. For example, instead of
flowers for an Independence Day celebration, group small flags in a vase for
the table centerpiece. Place small blue paper cups filled with red candies and
tied with a white ribbon at each guest’s place. You can write each guest’s name
on the cup if you want to have a seating arrangement. Don’t go overboard. You
don’t need to decorate every nook and cranny. Use your imagination; and have
fun with your theme. Do your decorating a day or two ahead of time. You’ll be
glad you didn’t put this off until the last minute.
Have a back up plan. You planned a picnic; and the weather
forecaster says it will rain. Does the picnic area have a covered shelter? Can
you move the party inside your home? Not having an alternative location in mind
could spell disaster. Even if the weather cooperates, you still need a back up
plan. Your guests have arrived and are enjoying hors d’oeuvres and cocktails
while you finish cooking dinner. Uh oh! You burned the beans. What now? Having
some frozen veggies that cook quickly or a ready-to-serve bagged salad on hand
can be a lifesaver. When all else fails, order pizza. Your guests need not know about the beans; or maybe you all
will have a good laugh over the crispy critters.
Above all, relax. If you go with the flow, your guests will
feel relaxed, too. Bottom line, it really doesn’t matter if you sit around a
gleaming dining table eating prime rib or you serve frozen pizza on paper
plates and eat cross-legged on the floor. If you make your guests feel welcome
and at ease, all of you will have a great time.
