Sometimes parties can be tricky to plan, which tends to keep some of us from hosting them. It takes a lot of time, money, and effort. That being said, I still love to have them! I love thinking of new creative themes, trying out new recipes, and of course spending time with those I care about. It does not always have to be a special occassion. Although the holidays are a good excuse to have one!
I have complied a few things that I like to keep in mind when having a party. Some are food ideas. Others are dishware. And some are just some things to keep in mind.
- Write It Out!
Always plan ahead of time. It is so much easier to write down your to do lists. This way you think it through and visually see it. It cuts down on a lot of mistakes and forgotten items.
- More is better than less.
Now, I don’t mean that you have to have some big, ellaborate, expensive party. However, when you are deciding between the 50 and 100 piece silverware set, I would strongly urge you to go the greater 100 piece set. None the less, if you do not use them all at the part, you can personally use them later yourself. Less dishes to do another night.
- Create a theme.
This not only helps me to think of what food, dishes, and decorations to choose, it also reminds me to have fun along the way. The whole point of a party is to enjoy the time and people around you. If you choose a theme that you truly enjoy, it will make you smile through the process.
- Make it mini.
Making your food options mini, automatically makes it look like you put in more effort than you actually did. I once had a dessert party where everyone kept asking me how I had enough time to get everything set up. They loved the little mini brownies, cupcakes, cookies, etc. The secret was…..it was all store bought! I didn’t actually make any of it. I had been out of town and didn’t have the time. I just took them out of the containers they came in and placed them nicely on a tray I already had. Everything looked so cute because it was all small, even the drinks.
- Options can actually be easy.
Giving your guests options, does not neccessarily mean more work for yourself. Sometimes, it can actually make your life a little easier. Take burgers for example. Typically, if you keep the bun, meat, and toppings seperate it makes the table look cheap. So have little sliders makes everything look nicer. However, we do not always have the time to put everyone’s burgers together for them. Put your condiments in a nice dish and arrange them appropriately. Everyone will think you put more time then you did into them. When really, all you have to do is transfer it from one container to the next.
- Label as much as you can.
This is actually one of my biggest party pet peeves. There is nothing worse than going to a party and not wanting to eat anything because you do not know what it is. And if they host isn’t around, it is awkward to ask. This is also coming from a picky eater, so many of you might not have this issue. However, it also can help with decorations if you put in a little more effort. I had a family friend once for her little boy’s birthday party use little wooded signs to label the food. It was a farm themed part and the little signs looked like the ones you would see in a vegetable patch or in the fields. It fit perfectly!
As always, my advice is up to your own discretion. I am a firm believer in trial and error. You can follow my suggestions, but ultimately you have to find out what works best for you! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! See you next week!!
-Katie