In this installment, we’ll provide some thoughtful tips for planning a themed holiday party.
If you’re planning a party to include folks who don’t know each other particularly well (or you just like to engage people in a party setting), a themed holiday party may be just the ticket. Try these themes on for size:
No, we’re not talking about dozens of your closest friends all dressed as Santa Claus. Creative costume party themes might include: come dressed as your favorite gift; a “tacky” party where a prize is given for the tackiest attire; come dressed as your favorite holiday food; a pajama party; a red and green party; etc.
Instead of hosting a traditional gift exchange where each person brings a gift of a set value and everyone draws names and gifts are assigned accordingly, why not kick it up a notch? Host an ornament exchange, a cookie exchange, a “white elephant” exchange, a liquor exchange, or a handmade item exchange. To make the event even more fun, try a gift swapping game like this one (White Elephant Exchange) or this one (Yankee Swap).
Several couples or families get together to create a progressive dinner. Essentially, it works like this – each family or couple is responsible for one course in the meal. The meal starts at the home responsible for “appetizer” and progresses from house to house for course to course, ending with dessert. Best to skip the alcoholic beverages on this event unless the houses are all within walking distance.
December 2nd, 2009
In our last installment, we talked about simple ideas to create a fast, easy holiday gathering at home. In this segment, we’ll look at tips to help you plan a successful party outside of your home.
Party On and Party Out – Planning Holiday Gatherings Outside of the Home
There are many reasons to plan a party outside of the home — easy setup and cleanup, availability of a central location, ability to choose a venue that may be more spacious than a private home, etc. Here are some planning points to consider:
1 – What’s your budget?
Are you (or your organization) picking up the tab for the party, or is everyone paying their own way? If it’s the latter, choose a per-person amount that feels reasonable to those who are likely to attend. Be sure to calculate in anyone who won’t be expected to pay (for example, if there is a special guest, speaker, or honoree, the cost of this person’s meal is typically absorbed by the group).
2 – How will you handle the food?
You’ve got plenty of options here — including everything from meeting up at a restaurant where everyone orders off a menu and self-pays, to setting up a fixed-price menu with various options for palates and dietary restrictions, to hosting banquet-style to hiring in a caterer with or without a cash bar. Once you’ve got your budget set, you’ll find it much easier to negotiate with venues and make choices based on what the group can afford.
3 – How many people are likely to attend?
The size of your group is often a determining factor in choosing a location for your event. Some restaurant venues have multiple rooms, suitable for different sized groups, while others have a minimum or maximum party size. Start with the guest list, estimate your attendance, and take into consideration your answers to questions #1 and #2.
You’re party is sure to be a hit – have fun and if you’re planning a trip down memory lane, remember to reserve your projector rental from Projector123.com for the best prices and service available for renting a projector anywhere in the U.S.
October 5th, 2009
Wondering what to do with the kids on Columbus Day (October 12th)? Here are some fun ideas the whole family is sure to love.
1. Learn about Columbus Day
There are lots of crafts and activities for the kids to enjoy in honor of the day. To learn more, check out Columbus Day 2009. Or see if your community is having a Columbus Day parade.
2. Get outdoors
Go for a hike, go camping, rake the leaves and take turns jumping into the pile, go for a walk, explore nature, go for a bike ride — you get the idea. There’s so much to do during this wonderful season when the weather is cooler and the great outdoors beckon.
3. Stop procrastinating
Where have you been wanting to take the kids, but haven’t yet? This is a great time to visit the zoo, the children’s museum, the art museum, story time at the library, the craft store, and more.
4. Make a big screen at home
A sheet or a wall can serve as the canvas for an in-home movie fest. Rent Christopher Columbus: The Discovery on DVD or for a different “journey”, rent movies by Chris Columbus, the director. A projector rental from Projector123.com makes it fun, easy, affordable and sure to please the whole family.
5. Talk to the kids
Here’s a great conversation starter: What do you think would be the most fun thing we could do on Columbus Day? Their answers just might surprise you — and it pays to get some input from the participants before you go planning something too elaborate.
What will YOU do? Post your comments below or share ideas.
June 16th, 2009
Summer is the time for parties, and the most frequent reasons for celebrating in June include our Dads and our Grads.
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow…
Mark your calendar, because Father’s Day falls on June 21st this year, the perfect time for an outdoor bbq in honor of dad. This year, why not extend the fun well into the evening with movies on the big screen? No, not at a crowded movie theater, but right at home with a projector rental from Projector123.com.
You can rent a screen, or keep things simple by using an indoor or outdoor blank wall as your backdrop for Dad’s big night at the movies. Smooth light-colored walls tend to work best, or you can always hang a white sheet to be used as your screen.
Whether you choose the newest releases from Blockbuster or Netflix, or Dad’s favorite “guy” movies, he’s sure to love your high-tech touch. Best of all, weekend projector rentals are as low as $99, making your dad’s day fun and affordable.
Congratulations to the Graduate!
We’re all proud of our graduates — they’ve worked hard and earned their stripes. Which makes this the perfect time to celebrate their accomplishments with a party — inside or out.
A projector rental is a fun and interactive way to showcase the grad’s personality and share memorable moments with friends and family. Later in the party, you can use your projector rental to show your grad’s favorite movies in vivid detail, dazzling color and larger than life display.
Visit Projector123.com to find out just how easy it is to jazz up your upcoming summer celebrations, including Father’s Day, graduation parties and more!
