November 15th, 2008 by
In just about everyone’s circle of friends and acquaintances, there are people who are disabled in one way or another. In just my own immediate family, I have one person who is in a wheelchair and another who is on a special diet due to kidney failure. Whenever I entertain, I know that I have to take both of their special needs into consideration. For many people this is a very daunting proposition which they answer by simply not inviting their disabled friends and relatives to their parties, or simply not entertaining at all. How completely sad is that?
It is very important that as you move through your daily life you understand that fact that disabled people are just like you and I. While they have additional challenges in their lives, they still enjoy the same things you and I do, and a good party is no exception! It is very possible for you to plan your party and include those with disabilities without too much extra work.
The first thing you can do when you are planning a party is to plan on inviting your disabled friends and family to the event. Don’t let their differences scare you away from having them to your home or event. However, you should also not be shy about asking these friends and relatives if there is anything you can do to help them navigate the area better, or if there are any dietary restrictions they have which you can plan ahead for. Even by asking these two questions, they will feel appreciated and included in your event. In addition, they will have respect for the fact that you asked the questions, many people don’t bother to.
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November 9th, 2008 by
Post cards are a great way to let people know how you are doing and what you are up to when you are away from home. However, there are many other times when you might send a postcard to someone.
Postcards have their distinct advantages over other types of greetings like greeting cards and personal letters. First, they are shorter, and take less time out of your busy schedule or fun filled vacation to prepare and send off. Second, the cost of a postcard is minimal compared to the cost of a greeting card or special stationary. Finally, postcards are handy because they cost less in postage to mail to your loved ones.
Almost anything can be a postcard. You can create a postcard out of a regular 5″ X 7″ index card. Simply draw a line through half of the back of the card, and write the name and address you would like the post card to go to. Then, on the other half, you can write your message. This is an ideal way to send post cards, because you can write on the back of the index card if you run out of room. Simply stick the stamp on the corner, and mail!
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November 7th, 2008 by
Mardi Gras is almost synonymous in many circles with fun and festivity. From the novelty of getting ‘throws’ from the parade routes to the revelry of the movie and exotic spices in the food and the great flavor of the drinks that flow freely Mardi Gras is known as a great time to be had by one and all. Though few around the world will ever experience the true debauchery of an earnest French Quarter Mardi Gras you can use the Mardi Gras theme and the “let the good times roll” attitude that has made the New Orleans spin on Mardi Gras a sight to behold around the world to your very own celebration of life. Life is, after all, what Mardi Gras revelers are celebrating first and foremost.
If you are wondering where to begin this is a toss up. I’m not certain which is more important when it comes to bringing the feeling of an honest to goodness Mardi Gras celebration worthy of the Crescent City. Would it be the food or the music? I guess that depends on the things that are most important to your celebratory needs and what kind of facilities and equipment you have available for most. The music for Mardi Gras should be fitting of the season and of celebrations, yes even if the one celebrating is a bit over the hill (be sure to include a genuine New Orleans funeral march in the mix if this is the case however). You can find excellent sources of Mardi Gras music in CD format online for your listening and birthday party pleasure.
The food of New Orleans is glorious indeed though many necessary ingredients may be a bit difficult to come by once the bayou has been left far behind. No matter where you are though it is quite possible to order many boxed mixes of New Orleans favorites that will work well with the Mardi Gras theme for your birthday party. If you want to hold true to the spirit of Mardi Gras you will opt for King Cake rather than a traditional birthday cake though a normal cake decorated in the purple, gold, and green of Mardi Gras will do in a pinch. Red beans and rice, jambalaya, bread pudding, gumbo, and oyster po-boys are excellent fits for a Mardi Gras theme if ingredients and the mood strikes.
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November 5th, 2008 by
For the little spy master or mistress in your life the idea of a spy themed birthday may be the absolute best gift you could give. It is an even better gift if you take the time to carefully plan an evening and event that every guest, especially your child will remember for a long time to come. There are many great themes upon which you can expand and build your Master Spy party for girls or guys and make it the most talked about birthday party of the birthday party season.
Begin by establishing a particular theme or plot for the party. Are you going to make the party a mission based party where there is an objective or are you going to set up a spy training camp? Either makes for excellent themes but really must be decided in advance. If you are going with the objective you need to have an objective that is challenging but not too terribly difficult. You could set up a scavenger hunt sort of objective where each item lends a clue to the next item and a riddle to solve to get there and the first team to the final objective wins spiffy new goodies for their bags of spy tricks.
For the training camp you can have a little more creative fun. You can set up an optical course and play memory games. You can have coded messages that each guest must decipher as one of the activities. You can incorporate this into a mission later in the festivities or leave it as a separate activity or use it both times with a different cipher for each message to make things a little more interesting.
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November 1st, 2008 by
Ancient Egypt is a fascinating place all these years later. From mummies and pyramids to pharos and scarabs there is plenty of fuel for the fascination pyre. Keep in mind however, that the goal here is for the kids to have a great time, not to be frightened so keep the scary stuff to a minimum if possible (even if your child is brave to a fault that doesn’t mean that some of the guests won’t be frightened and you want the experience to be pleasant for everyone).
Decorations for this are not as difficult as you may think. In fact, some of these decorations will double quite nicely for Halloween or may already be in your Halloween stash. First of all, if you have a canopy or tent lying around this will make an excellent substitution for a pyramid. You can fill your canopy or tent with relics that are authentic looking for what would be inside an Egyptian pyramid. Use skulls (leftover from Halloween decorations) on the floor, gold coins (or doubloons, which can be purchased rather inexpensively at many party supply stores), sequins that look like jewels, and fake jewelry that might have been worn during the period. Of course the piece de resistance will be the mummy wrapped in the corner (if this isn’t part of your Halloween stash it should be after this).
Now, what self respecting mummies home doesn’t have a great curse to go along with it? Before allowing the guests into the “pyramid” you need to make sure they are aware of the curse that goes along with it. It’s a fun little addition to the theme and a lot of fun to watch their eyes as you tell the tale of the mummy inside and why the tomb is cursed.
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October 28th, 2008 by
Would you like to send greeting cards for free? No envelope, no paper, no stamps, no waiting in line at the post office, no crayons, no markers, no pens or crafts materials are needed. These greeting cards could be quick and convenient.
Free ecards allow you to choose and click to customize using images you choose, a personal photo is sometimes an option, and you can type in your own messages or choose from a pre-made selection.
You can search for free ecards in several ways. Obviously, you could simply type in the words, “free ecards”, to your search engine. Or you can put free birthday ecards, free printable greeting cards if you choose to go that route. That does defeat the purpose of no supplies, but you still would be allowed to stay in the convenience of your own home, in your pajamas if you desire, and choose at your convenience to eliminate the hassle of shopping at a store, and you can choose more than one card or send the same card to more than one person.
If you don’t have your own computer and can take a trip to your local library, you can still send free ecards. Many libraries now offer the use of public computers which are connected to the internet. This is especially helpful should you wish to send a card to more than one person at a time.
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October 13th, 2008 by
The 16th Birthday for most young girls is a very special birthday. It is one that should be made memorable and there are many ways in which this can be accomplished. If you are like many moms and dads out there you might be a bit challenged is to exactly how to make that birthday stand out above and beyond the rest, especially in light of what seems to be competing and often escalating birthday celebrations. Keep reading for some excellent birthday party ideas to make your daughter’s day shine.
While there are many friends that your daughter will have and many Sweet 16 parties she will attend you want to make her birthday party a little bit unique. For this reason there are several party ideas that will be mentioned below. You can elaborate on one theme or mix and match a few themes that capture your attention. Regardless any of these themes should be a little something special to make the day, or evening, a special event full of fond memories for your teen.
Throw a masquerade ball. This allows everyone to dress in costumes, dance, drink punch, and have a ball, figuratively of course. This can be a lot of fun and you can even have those in attendence make their own masks for the grand event even if you choose not to use costumes and go a little less formal. Use plenty of balloons to set the stage and make the evening quite an event.
You can have a spa event for an all girls sweet 16. This event would include having facials, pedicures, makeovers, and a great chick flick for the evening, followed, of course by copious amounts of Haagen-Dazs(r). A great way to do this is by approaching your favorite home party plan representative from a company such as Mary Kay or Beauty Control for the spa portion of the party (be sure to invite parents and have friends bring money to buy their favorite products). It’s a great way to get a makeover inexpensively and learn about proper application of cosmetics and which colors suit your needs.
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October 9th, 2008 by
Usually around the time that children get to be in preschool, they discover that there is a whole world of birthday parties out there which can be just for them. It usually starts with one child having a party and inviting the entire class. From there the party invitations start to come in by the droves for the rest of the preschool year. When it is your child’s turn, there is no need to panic; you can plan a fantastic preschool party even on a low budget or without a lot of time commitment on your part.
The best way to start to plan your preschooler’s party is to ask them what kind of party they want to have. This is important because they may want, or not want, a party similar to one which they have attended. By asking them what they want, you are on your way to being able to start your planning. You do not need to be fearful that if you ask what your child wants that they will tell you they want expensive options; most children have pretty simple wants such as a specific theme or color scheme they desire.
The next decision you need to make is the location for the birthday party. For young children, who are prone to being messy, you might want to have the party at a local fast-food restaurant or similar venue. This can have the effect of the kids having some fun, and you not having a large mess to clean up after the party has finished. Another good option is a local park if the weather in your area permits it.
If you dread the idea of spending hours with a pack of preschoolers on your weekend, you might choose to have the party in the evening or for just an hour or two on a Saturday afternoon. Preschoolers can only have a limited amount of fun before they become stressed out and start whining and crying. You can use this to your advantage by planning a relatively short but fun party.
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October 7th, 2008 by
Entertaining people in your home is always wrought with a bit of stress and anxiety. Simply getting everything ready before the party is enough to make most people pull out their hair. And, the self-doubt and worry about last minute details is enough to send most people over the edge of comfort. However, planning your party does not need to be this way. Here are ten time tested tips to help you plan the best party with the least possible pre-party stress.
Tip #1 -The best thing you can do for yourself is to write down a master party shopping list and a list of what needs to be accomplished around your home before the date of the party. Get out a calendar and mark off some time to shop and clean your home.
Tip #2 -Enlist the help of your spouse or children in the process of cleaning and de-cluttering your home for the party. While they may not do the perfect job that you would, you can always go back with a quick vacuum or dust cloth and finish up the job later.
Tip #3 -When your guests arrive they will need a place to hang their coats and place their purses. One of the easiest things you can do is to clean out your entry-hall coat closet for them to use. If you have a bunch of stuff in there, then you should either find it a new home or box it up until after your party is over.
Tip #4 -When you shop, think about if you will want to send home leftovers with your guests. If you will, then you should pick-up some inexpensive containers which you can send home food in and not have to worry about retrieving your plates or bowls at a later date.
Tip #5 -It is also nice to plan for enough leftovers from your party that you will not have to cook or prepare food on the day after your party. Let’s face it, the day after your party you will be exhausted, and by not having to cook you can relax and enjoy the day with your family.
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October 3rd, 2008 by
Television shows such as CSI (and the subsequent CSI Miami and CSI New York), NCIS, and Cold Case Files have made crime scenes and crime investigations the new murder mystery parties. They are a great deal of fun when properly planned and well executed but leave a lot of room for failure if poorly planned or inflexible. If you are considering a party such as this, a great party for teens and adults alike be sure that you either have an actual mystery to solve as the evening progresses or that you simply use the theme as a backdrop. There is no real right or wrong way to do a birthday party but if you want to throw the party that everyone will be talking about you’ll need to create a crime for the scene you’re investigating and leave clues all around to help with the investigation.
Decorating your crime scene party can be a lot of fun with crime scene tape and chalk outlines on the floor. Be sure to make them realistic in size by having someone actually lay down for you to draw the outline. You can leave fake footprints, fingerprints, and clue cards throughout the room (not too well hidden unless you want people snooping). You can even enlist plenty of help when leaving the clues and decorating because of the novelty of this sort of party. You do not have to limit the festivities to one room and you can, if you are feeling truly adventurous, have a different case going on in different rooms and have the kids draw numbers for teams and race to solve the crime first.
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