Plan a Party with Pizazz

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.