Celebrations, Events, and Party Planning News

Passover Party Special Celebration

2007-03-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Passover Holiday is a festival that usually lasts from seven to eight days in the early spring. Often Passover will start in April, but has been known to start in March. The story of Passover is a part of how the Israelites were freed by the Pharaoh and made the exodus out of Egypt. It is an important holiday to teach your children about the story and you can do this as you are planning your Passover Party special celebration. Many stories also credit Passover as a celebration of the ‘birth’ of the Jewish nation because the Israelites traveled through the desert after this and made their way into Israel.

This can be a great holiday to encourage the kids to get involved with; many local programs usually hold a Passover play and use kids as the actors. Depending on how involved your family gets with Passover you can get the kids involved in preparations for the festival. Some families follow the guidelines not to eat or own any unleavened products on the first two days of Passover. If this is you get the kids involved in hunting down such products in the kitchen before the holiday and making sure to eat them up before the start of the holiday. Try thinking up other activities or holiday preparations you can make to get the kids into the holiday.

Since much of the holiday involves feasting you might wish to pick up some Passover themed paper products such as plates, cups, napkins, tablecloths and plastic silverware for easy clean-up, which by the way is another chance to get the kids involved. You will have fun picking out the available decorations when you shop for all of your passover party supplies. The Seder meals on the first two and the last two days of Passover usually involve a fine dining experience with the nice silverware and plates, but you can certainly add some wall hangings and candles to the table to accent the decorative atmosphere. The intermediate days are filled with a light more festive atmosphere, which is the perfect time to make use of those paper party supplies.

Earth Day Celebration Themed Parties

2007-03-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of the newest celebrations of the calendar year, Earth Day fills a niche that in earlier times was only occupied by Arbor Day. Earth Day goes one step beyond the earlier tribute to trees and gives a tip of the hat to all environmental factors. Whereas previous generations gave their full backing to the concept of planting trees in May they didn't get involved with the issues of trash removal from public places as we now do in April.

Both observations are concerned with the appearances of public places but today's Earth Day celebrations add the urgency of awareness of negative impacts on the environment on the whole. In some parts of the country Earth Day coincides with spring mushroom forays when the favorite wild morel mushrooms are at their peak harvest. This adds greatly to the sheer numbers of gum boot clan people picking through wooded lots.

Participants of both activities may not be at odds philosophically but can still get in one another's way. With one group picking out abandoned tires and the other trying to find tender vegetation some conflict arises. The local mountain biking group may have scheduled an annual lengthy bike trip. Whatever group you fall into, you can get your point across and have a really fun time when you come up with great ideas for your Earth Day celebration themed party. As luck would have it some states also offer Free State park camping or stock local fishing spots as a tribute to Earth Day. What's even more hectic is that a lot of birthdays are celebrated in April.

Keeping these varied interests on track is no minor mission for those who juggle these coincidental schedules. So while the leaves of oak trees are the size of squirrel ears and the air still holds a chill; wilderness areas are surprisingly busy places. There can be frazzled tempers in the great outdoors.

When you choose your fun party supplies for your Earth Day celebration, please respect everyone's use of the woods and use paper party supplies.

Easter Holiday Themed Party Ideas

2007-03-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Easter is often considered to be nothing more than a Christian holiday that is celebrated around the world. The Easter holiday marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The origin of Easter can be traced back to mythology. The name Easter comes from the name of an ancient Greek Goddess of Spring, Eostre. Eostre, it was believed returned to the Earth after a long, cold winter and with her, brought along the light and warmth of Spring. Ancient Greeks celebrated the return of Eostre and spring with pagan festivals. You can make your Easter celebration into a fun and exciting party for all when you plan a themed party. As with many pagan festivals, the date coincided with the equinox on the 21st of March every year. It was important to keep Eostre happy in order to ensure she would return year after year. Therefore the Greeks threw an extravagant feast and celebration.

When the holiday became more Christianized, the celebration was no longer about welcoming spring, but instead was based upon the resurrection of Jesus. To sever the ties from paganism even further, the church changed the date of the festival from being held on the spring equinox, but instead it was to be held the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox (or on the full moon if it happened to fall on the first Sunday). Because the holiday is to be scheduled based upon that of the full moon, the Easter holiday can be celebrated as early as March 22nd or as late as April 25th.

Symbols that are often associated with Easter and their meanings are:

Easter Eggs represent the new season and the new life of the crops as the world wakes up from the sleep of winter. You'll find the most colorful and exciting easter egg decorating ideas when you shop for your Easter themed party ideas. Scenes like rising sun and northern lights were printed on original Easter Eggs by pagans for their celebration. Christians believe in a legend that said that Mary offered eggs to Roman soldiers in exchange for not killing her son. Eggs are therefore considered a lucky gift to share on Easter.

Easter Lilies represent the purity of the new life that comes from being resurrected.

Easter Bunny was originally an Easter Hare. Hares are a symbol of fertility linked to the Greek goddess of fertility - Eostre. Later, as it was more recognized that rabbits were more active reproducers, the bunny replaced the hare.

Easter chicks represent the rebirth of the earth.

Today, in modern times, Easter is celebrated not only in the United States but around the world. Each symbol and tradition marking a tradition of life, renewal, rebirth, and resurrection, not just for the Christian belief of Christ, but for the rejuvenation of the world as winter is replaced by the warmth of spring.

Nascar Racing Party Supplies and Ideas

2007-03-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Your kids will certainly get into the NASCAR Racing scene if one or the other parent is into the sport as well. Kids love to mimic their parents, but better yet they often develop a life long love of the sport they are introduced to with their parents creating happy memories. So you can do your best to create happy memories for your kids by throwing a NASCAR Racing party that focuses or includes them and not just the adults. You'll have fun with your child if you bring them along when you choose your Nascar racing party supplies and ideas. This is done by creating fun activities for the kids when they get a little bored watching the races, getting good food out on the buffet table, and setting out lots of NASCAR Racing decorations.

Some fun NASCAR related activities for the kids can be just about anything related to the sport. Have the kids build their own NASCAR car out of some cardboard boxes, markers, crayons and NASCAR stickers. Don’t forget the glue or tape to hold everything together. At the end the parents can get together and give out little awards based on the special merits of each of the kids NASCAR’s. You can also download and print out some free NASCAR or sports related coloring pages for the kids to fill in if you don’t think you’ll be up to having them build their own cars. Lastly, why not have the kids get into teams and do a mock NASCAR race around the lawn. They can just run, but you can put stickers on them to signify which team they are pretending to be. If there are a lot of kids at your party then you can have them for tag teams and do a relay race for endurance.

Put up lots of NASCAR racing decorations, balloons, stickers, wall hangings and give out lots of party favors for the kids. You can easily pick up NASCAR and racing related bobble head figures, pencils, stickers, and other items. Look for them when you shop for your Nascar racing party supplies and ideas.
For the buffet table and paper supplies you can find NASCAR racing themed paper plates, napkins, and tablecloths to keep up the party theme.

Kids 1st Birthday Party Supplies

2007-02-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

The 1st birthday is very important to most new families. It marks the completion of one whole year of existence. Parents probably have noticed quite a bit of change in their baby during the first year as well. In the first year a baby will often triple his birth weight and make millions of important neural connections in the brain as he or she learns about their surroundings.

Decorations for the 1st birthday celebration should be bright or shiny. Young babies are stimulated by primary colors and it helps even more to form those important neural connections in their brains so you can add a boost to the 1st birthday by picking up some brightly colored plates, balloons and streamers. You'll have so much fun shopping for everything bright and colorful when you pick out your kids 1st birthday party supplies. You may also be able to find educationally themed party supplies for the celebration such as Sesame Street decorations or Baby Einstein supplies.

Gifts for the first year old can be items that are symbolic of their growth and development. They’ll soon, if not all ready, be moving up to sipping cups. Pick up a few brightly colored sippers for the birthday boy or girl. You can find these in many different bright colors when you pick out your kids 1st birthday party supplies. Little felt hats make a practical gift to help keep them warm in colder months. Parents can have professional photos taken of their little ones and put in themed frames as party favors for the guests.

Around the time of your little ones first birthday, he or she will probably be very adept at crawling around and may even be attempting to walk a little. Be sure to allow plenty of room in a safe area for your baby to crawl around as they do their own meet and greet of the guests. This means putting a baby guard at the bottoms of any stairs you may have in the house, putting outlet protectors on each of the outlets in the rooms and making sure to cover all of the sharp corners on your furniture with a rubber guard.

Disco 70's Dance Happening

2007-02-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

When people think of ideas for a 70s theme party, they think of dancing music disco balls, polyester clothes and bad hair! Well, that may be a piece of what the seventies were about, but it isn’t everything. Allow me to suggest some somewhat more unique ideas for planning a 70s theme party.

In 1975 Saturday Night Live made its debut on the national airwaves. The characters created by the initial cast are still difficult to surpass. Invite your guests to come dressed as their favorite Saturday Night Live characters. They will have so much fun deciding which character to be when they shop for their disco 70's party supplies. Set up televisions playing SNL episodes (you can rent the “best of” series) with the sound down. If you want to expand the options for costumes open it up to any favorite 70s celebrities including TV characters, actors/actresses, movie characters and musicians. Suggestions would include KISS, Characters from Grease or Saturday Night Fever, Charlie’s Angels, The Godfather, Rocky, anyone from Rocky Horror Picture Show, a Star Wars character, Kojak, The Incredible Hulk, or even Bo Derek if you want to wear a bikini!

Music should reflect the entire decade and while there will be lots of the BeeGees and disco tunes, don’t forget to play some of the more intellectual music to come out of the 70s including Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Santana, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Queen, etc. At the end of the night you can have adance off. Start off the same way the decade did. In the beginning dancing was a type of anything goes atmosphere but as the decade progressed dancing became an exact science so upgrade to the hustle, the bump, and other line dances. Then, just as everyone is either getting frustrated from not being able to do the line dances or is sure there is no doubt they will win the dance off – throw them a wrench. Play a song everyone --everywhere– knows the dance to – Y.M.C.A. by the Village People and watch everyone laugh.

Be sure to take lots of photos to turn into digital prints as party favors. Don't forget your cameras and other party favors when you shop for your 70's disco party supplies. Feel free to put a few anti-war posters up just to keep things unbiased and above all – have fun. The 70s were a decade of growth of a nation and of course, growth of the influence of popular culture. Rubik’s cubes or disco ball key chains, mood rings, a box of hamburger helper, or even personalized pet rocks would also add a new dimension to your 70s theme.

Saint Patrick's Day Green Party Supplies

2007-02-14T11:54:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is believed to have brought Christianity to Ireland in the fourth century. He is believed to have removed many practices followed by pagan religions during that time. .

He is thought to have died on 17th March. Some stories about him are products of fertile imaginations over the centuries. What is important is that he gave the Irish Catholics an identity. Irish people celebrate 17th march as St.Patricks Day. On this day, most of the cities where Irish have a big population celebrate the day with parades. This day is the day to celebrate the Irish spirit. Color green, shamrocks, and good luck. And don't forget your Saint Patricks Day green party supplies!

Shamrock And Irish People -

Shamrock, the three-leafed clover has special significance for the Irish. Earlier this was also called the seamroy. Though some people believe that Shamrock was used by Saint Patrick to explain the Christian though there are no proofs of that. Shamrock is surely the symbol of Irish. Along with other Irish symbols or other things that are associated with Ireland such as green, gold and Luck, shamrock reminds everyone around the world of Ireland immediately. You'll have so much fun finding hats, balloons, and everything green when you shop for your St. Patricks Day green party supplies.

Traditional Food -

Corned Beef and cabbage meal is the traditional Irish food for the Saint Patricks Day. Though the traditional food has been Irish bacon, corned beef saves money and is becoming popular amongst the Irish Americans. On St. Patricks Day, Chicago River is turned green for several hours by using green vegetable dye. What a great way to celebrate the day. Wishing you all a Happy St. Patricks Day.

Groundhog Day Party Time is Near

2007-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

Every February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a groundhog named "Phil" is supposed to indicate whether Spring has arrived or if there will be six more weeks of Winter. The story goes, if Phil sees his shadow when he comes out of his burrow, then there will be six more weeks of winter weather. And that means it is time to celebrate with Groundhog party favors at your Ground Hog Party. Scavenger Hunts, Ice Carving Exhibits, Cook-offs and Sleigh Rides are some of the activities at a Groundhog Day party.

When hosting a party, such as a Groundhog Day party, sometimes we don’t mean to forget to thank our guests for coming, but hosting a party can be a busy, almost maddening affair, and before you know it the night is over and someone wasn’t acknowledged. We don’t mean it to happen. We have good intentions of circulating and making sure that each and every guest has been welcomed and thanked. Yet, when it is over, it is hard to be sure that you connected with every single guest – or is it? Actually, it is easy to be sure you talk to every guest at every party. How? By incorporating the distribution of Groundhog party favors into your guest circulating routine you can see exactly who has been spoken to and who hasn’t, thus ending the possibility of any one feeling under-appreciated.

Personalized party favors can really add a personalized thank you to your party guests – just be sure to get an accurate attendance count via RSVPs so you don’t waste a lot of money on unusable favors (although you can always squirrel them away for Christmas gift exchanges if you want to be real frugal). In addition, personalized party favors can be selected to complement any party theme. For example, if you are throwing a retirement party for your spouse, consider personalized golf caps or balls, fishing caps or lures, or flasks. For a spa party containers of soap, body oils, bubble baths, sachets or candles (trial size and tea lights work fine) can be put into a small sized personalized galvanized pail and tied with tulle and ribbons in order to become a personalized party favor or gift pack.

Regardless of the party themes, personalized Groundhog party favors can be distributed. Again, take time to follow up on the invitations to be sure that you have an RSVP for everyone who is planning to come. Then as you work your room, you can distribute the favors as a thank you for their friendship and attendance. You will know everyone has been thanked when there are no more gifts to distribute. Oh, and be sure to have a few spares made up and ready to go for those that simply decide at the last minute than your party is the happening place to be and show up without notice! After all, you are the experienced hostess that makes everyone feel so appreciated that they simply want to attend.

Valentines Day Party Ideas

2006-01-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Ideas for Valentines Day party planning can be to make the party a couple’s event or singles with music and a DJ to help get everyone active in the party. Decorate the party area with Valentines Party Decorations like hearts, cupids and flowers. Give the party a unique festive Valentines Day Theme creating your own special day. Try combining two themes together. Like a Mardi Gras theme using red beads, red masks and the Mardi Gras music to create a Valentines Mardi Gras party.

Happy First Birthday

2007-01-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

First birthday theme parties can be fun for the birthday child as well as for the friends and adults attending. With very few supplies one can make a wonderful Pirate party for the children to enjoy and most likely, the parents will actually have more fun than the children by watching the entertaining imaginations unfold. The imagination of younger children never ceases to amaze a parent. The fewer things they have, it seems, the more creative they become. That is why the underlying rule to a children’s party is to provide only the necessities, allowing the child to work his growing imagination and at the same time, save on the parents pocketbook. Here are some great tips to have an awesome pirate party without spending an arm… and in the case of a unfortunate pirate, a leg as well.

The first question one needs to ask is what they feel makes a pirate look like a pirate. Simply make a list of what you feel completes the look: a wooden leg, a sword, a toucan, an eye patch, a missing tooth, a hook for a hand, pearly necklaces. The list could go on forever. Choose three or four key items that you would be able to supply the children with. The more creative you get, the cheaper this is likely to be. The trick is to keep with the First Birthday Party's theme with the few items you construct or buy.

To remain money smart, make use of resources that are available to you. The cheapest and most affordable resource (free) that is easy to come by is cardboard boxes. Breaking them down and using them for just about anything is somewhat time consuming but also fun when the kids are involved. It is entirely possible to make swords or eye patches out of cardboard boxes. A big enough box can be the pirate's shipt itself. Make a pattern, trace it on and cut out. For the pirates wooden leg you may be able to split the inside of a paper towel roll and place that around a child’s calf. A toucan could actually be a sticker or pinned on cut out as well.

In today’s society, children aren’t always enticed to think on their own. No matter what you try or how much you decide to spend, remember to keep the kids involved and they will have a blast with the creation and end results of your First Birthday Party's theme.

Kids' Parties Made Simple

2007-01-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

If your child is a cat lover, consider throwing a Hello Mrs. Kitty theme party. Center the cat party around cat history, facts, and cat trivia! Make the party special by ordering or making feline themed decorations, having perfectly feline party favors, and treats. Make kitten chow by melting chocolate chips and peanut butter, tossing in crunchy cereal squares, and then shaking them in a bag of powdered sugar, to serve your little kitten lover! You can even have a photo of your cat made into a cake at local bakeries.

Another great kid party idea would be to have a hippie party. All the kids could come dressed as hippies with headbands, peace necklaces, and go go boots. A hippie snack for your hippie theme party would be to bake some brownies. With these ingredients, your party is assured to go along way.

Want to put a happy face on all the children's faces this next party? Why not have a Happy Face theme party? Have all your decorations, supplies be of the happy face picture? A cake with a happy face, paper plates with happy faces and games to play to bring on happy faces are all you need!

Presidents' Day Party Pinching

2007-01-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

Tired of spending a lot of money on your party goods? Well, President's Day party ideas doesn't have to be that way. Stores are often a very convenient resource when preparing for a large event but don’t forget to shop around if you are trying to watch your spending. They are not all the same. Entailed here you will find some interesting information on what to consider when shopping at different Party Supply Stores before your make that final commitment to buy.

Your own desires of Quality, Quantity and available Budget are what will truly lay out where you should spend your dollar as well as your Presidents' Day party ideas of how you are going to decorate, and entertain. Having this information clear cut prior to your shopping experience will provide the answers to many of the questions you encounter in your quest.

Many supply stores that you would find in a mall are truly not there to give you a discount. Every salesman around will tell you that sales depend on location, location, location. The customer base that the mall stores seek out comes from the window shoppers, not the penny pinchers and this will be reflected in their prices.

Dollar Stores are nice when purchasing just a few things but they are not usually the right source if you are looking for bulk or quality.

The so acclaimed discount or wholesalers are also not always necessarily the best bet. Often times their items are damaged or need to be bought in large quantities to get a good deal. Again, checking around with other stores to figure out what the going rate for your desired item is will definitely let you know who has the best deal. Sam’s Club and Cosco’s usually have decent deals and are of decent quality depending on the quantity of your needs.

The most important aspect of planning for your Presidents' Day party ideas is your creativity. Don’t be afraid of the second hand stores for some of the items that you might need. Often times these stores are great alternatives to renting in that the products are actually yours to keep for your next gathering after your party is over.

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-01-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

With cherubs, hearts and candy of all flavors presented in red and pink; Valentines Day breaks up the monotony of a long winter. While snow piles up outside many a northern window sill, February 14th is a welcome diversion rather than an overly sentimental holiday. So why not liven up your Valentine's Day party with Valentine's party decorations and go all out.

Chocolate lovers delight at the unabashed fervor for the national holiday that has become synonymous with cocoa beans. There seems to be an unending contest among confectioners to develop ever more unusual concoctions than the previous year. Cartoon characters, skyscrapers and autos have all been depicted in chocolate. Many candy stores have zeroed in on chocolate covered strawberries as the perfect, if perishable, confection for the mid-winter celebration.

This is just the right touch of course since many southern zones do have ripe strawberries in February. For those in the north who are still trudging through slush for a couple of months, this is a suitably exotic import. Of course, these can be easily prepared at home but most people still buy them out at a rather high price point. But don't let this discourage you, your Valentine's Day party decorations don't have to be expensive at all.

These and other Valentines Day treats can be colorfully displayed with Valentine's Day party decorations. A themed table cloth used with solid white, red and pink plates, napkins and plates make the occasion special while preserving the delicate budget. Favorite entrees or humble fare are welcome here.

Presidents Day Blow Out Party

2007-01-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

A favorite holiday for shoppers is Presidents Day. And a wonderful time for shoppers to get all their Presidents Day party supplies filled for this holiday. It is also the last chance for retailers to unload less than popular winter merchandise before restocking for spring. The only aim is to clear the shelves so stores offer rock bottom prices in order to cut their losses. It is an effective strategy since lots of people in February have cabin fever and are ready for some semi-serious recreational shopping.

It is not certain how Presidents Lincoln and Washington, whose birthdays were fused in order to form one legal holiday, would have felt about those bargains named in their honor. Washington endured cold, wintry battlefields probably wishing he had a new, warm coat or boots. Lincoln would have understood the shopping fever: historians say that his wife, Mary Todd, was a shopaholic. Any tribute is better than no tribute. While taking advantage of all the great bargains, don't forget to purchase all your Presidents Day party supplies before they're all gone.

Back at the home hearth, especially in snowy regions, Presidents Day is a fun break from the monotony after Christmas. It's a great time to get some extra mileage out of red decorating items or paper party goods. Young children who are getting their first exposure to early American History lessons find reinforcement of those schoolroom lectures when the holiday is celebrated at home.

A cherry pie is a traditional reminder of the Washington chopping down the cherry tree story--even if the validity of said story is under current scrutiny. Gold wrapped chocolate candies could allude to both the story about tossing the coin across the Potomac River and the fact that Presidential profiles end up on currency much of the time. Red, white and blue napkins, plates and cup would make for excellent President Day party supplies to serve pie and/or candies.

Superbowl Party Fun

2007-01-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

Once baseball's World Series defined America's competitive nature but today the Superbowl and football have taken center stage. Times change and although major league baseball players are not yet in bread lines they do seem dwarfed by the popularity of football.

For many households the Superbowl party is becoming one of the major social occasions, with Superbowl party decorations, supplies, etc. being purchase to highlight the occasion. Traditions change and its best to change with them or be as overpowered as a salmon swimming upstream to spawn.

Today's Superbowl Party has a decades-long track record of developing layers of trend and marketing. Magazines are filled with recipes and money saving offers that recommend menus and coach hosts and hostesses on their uses. Many of these contain very good pointers if aimed at selling specific products.

Among the better of these are the snack treats. These tend to be salty rather than sweet. Dips of various kinds are the preferred staple of the Super Bowl Party. Other occasions call for cakes and cookies whereas this is an occasion that highlights the use of salsa and spinach dip.

Paper party goods form most of the Super Bowl party decorations but plastic football trays and helmet bowls are used in coordinating favorite team colors. The spinach dip is of course served in a scooped out bread bowl so that the cubes of bread are placed on tooth picks for easy dipping. The chips and salsa can still be served in those ceramic sombrero hats sets though.

Regional favorites work well for Superbowl celebrations, Superbowl party decorations all about, a roaring fire sets the ambiance in New England while local chowders can, as always, feed the crowd. Rule of thumb? Enjoy!

Easy Tailgating Party Fun

2006-12-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

Tailgating parties are the easiest kind. The schedule is set and well-defined. The only entertainment you need to provide is a good working television, the bigger the better, and plenty of food ready on trays, so it is easy for the crowd to eat whenever they want. In fact, if you are not a football fan, you can prepare all this ahead of time, make it easily accessible, provide paper towels, coasters, and a big trash can within ‘field goal’ range, and have some time to yourself, whether it is curling up with a good book, shopping or whatever you would like to do. By making this party fun, easy and “self service” you will have given yourself a Tailgating party of your own kind!

Get a large ice chest, and have plenty of soda, water, and/or beer, and the gang can help themselves to drinks. Plenty of coffee table foods like pretzels, chips, dips, and individually wrapped, hearty sandwiches, make it easy to access, and there is little chance for big spills or mishaps. Hand held desserts, like hello dollies, lemon bars, or sliced pound cake and fruit, are good choices to satisfy sweet tooth’s, but you are probably not going to get many complaints even if the desserts you serve are bowls full of candy bars.

Other options are crock pot chili with crackers, corn chips, and cheese beside it, for creating Frito pies, always goes over well. Sandwiches of thick-sliced ham and sharp, tangy cheese, on thick slices of whole wheat bread, are sure super bowl menu treats. Smoked turkey breast slices on potato bread with creamy Swiss cheese are good super bowl sandwich choices too.

Crock Pot Layer Dip: one pound of Velveeta cheese, 2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, made into the classic cheese dip recipe, and set aside. 6 boneless chicken breasts, boiled in salted water until done, drained, and shredded, then put into a pan with 2 cups of water and 2 packets of taco seasoning mix simmered until the water is cooked out, and the chicken is dry.

1 can refried beans on top of the chicken
1 large can of tamales, cut into half inch chunks and topped with prepared cheese dip

Options:
This dip can include a layer of black olives, topped with sour cream, or topped with guacamole dip.

Guacamole dip:
6 soft, ripe, avacados, peeled and seeded (if the are very soft, you can use a potato masher, if not a blender or food processor can be used)
1 Cup real mayonnaise
½ chopped sweet onion
1-2 finely chopped roma tomato
dash of tabasco
teaspoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Fruit Fresh (to prevent browning)
salt and pepper to taste.

Blend avacado, mayo, lemon, spices, and garlic. Fold in tomato and onion, serve as a topping on the layer dip, with tortilla chips. So whether you are into football or not, have the best Tailgating party possible this year with these above ideas.

Super Bowl Party Supplies

2006-12-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl parties are fundamentally different from parties held for little kids, and even from family style parties even down to the Super Bowl party supplies needed. They are meant for the adults to blow off a little steam with some fun adult games and activities. This usually means lots of dancing, drinking and even some gambling meaning make sure you get enough Super Bowl party supplies to go around.

You’ll need to plan ahead for your adult parties. Make sure you have enough drinks to go around. Don’t forget to purchase some fun light up beer mugs or wine glasses to add a little glow to the party. These would go well with fuzzy dice in the form of a party favor. People can never get enough items to hang from their rear view mirrors.

Do be sure to check and see about the noise ordinances in your area and to be polite either invite your neighbors to the party or ask them ahead of time how they feel about music being played until the wee hours of the morning. It’s easy to find a good party mix CD with all the current music hits on it for your party.

A good idea to include in your list of Super Bowl party supplies is a deck of cards and perhaps more than one deck. Random games of Poker and Texas Hold ‘em are liable to break out among your friends. Poker chips are also good to have. You can use them for betting in the games or you can strew them around the party area as decoration.

At the end of the evening don’t let anyone who’s imbibed a little too much to drive themselves home, that’s part of being a good host too.

Easy Tailgating Party Fun

2006-12-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

1 can refried beans on top of the chicken
1 large can of tamales, cut into half inch chunks and topped with prepared cheese dip

Options:
This dip can include a layer of black olives, topped with sour cream, or topped with guacamole dip.

Hollywood Theme Party

2006-12-27T09:53:00.000-08:00

For a Hollywood theme party many people throw Oscar parties for their fellow friends and family members, especially if that person is an adult, but you can easily throw an Oscar party for the kids in your life for a Hollywood theme party as well. This is a great way to create a fancy party atmosphere that kids can love. It also helps to make the party more interesting for the adults who are attending as well.

You can get your kids involved in preparing for the party before it starts by cutting out and taping up construction paper stars and other movie themed decorations. A red plastic table cloth makes for a great red carpet to put out at the party and it will provide some protection for your carpeted areas in case there is a drink spill. For fun serve up Kool Aid in plastic light up LED wine glasses that the kids can drink from. They’ll love the lighted glows and you may find them turning off the lights so they can get a better glowing effect.

Put out serving trays of their favorite treats as appetizers at the party. Go ahead and put the spray cheese on some crackers or open a can of Vienna sausages. The kids will gobble up their favorite snacks.

At the party have the kids nominate other guests using handwritten voting ballots for different areas like, ‘Friendliest Guest’ and ‘Funniest Joke Teller.’ Then you can gather up the ballots and once you’ve counted the votes have an awards ceremony. At the ceremony hand out chocolate, foil covered ‘Oscars’ and of course save one for the honored birthday guest. Let everyone give their own speech and make the birthday boy or girl give a speech thanking all their guests for coming. For extra fun have someone serve as the paparazzi and take keepsake photos of the guests in front of a banner or on the red carpet. This party is a definite Hollywood Theme party the kids are not going to forget any time soon!

Super Bowl Extravaganza

2006-12-26T17:34:00.000-08:00

Soon The Super Bowl will be here! So load up with Super Bowl supplies while you can. Did you know that now the Super Bowl is the biggest one day sporting event in the entire world. Millions of people watch, and it is the dream of every product advertiser to have their product advertised during the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl pits the best team from the National Football Conference against the best team from the American Football Conference. It is an activity that whole families can share and enjoy or a party of people can enjoy together as the game is televised live. While watching the Super Bowl make sure you have plenty of Super Bowl supplies available for your family and friends.

One of the biggest attractions during the Super Bowl is the extravagant commercials that have attained air time. A few people have even admitted to watching the Super Bowl just to see the commercials.

As the Super Bowl returns to sunny South Florida for the ninth time in 2007, the game and the festivities will reflect its past in the location, while allowing America to see how the area has grown since its last Super Bowl in 1999. Miami is a popular vacation spot in early February, but for two NFL teams, their trip to South Florida will be all business when they meet in Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007. South Florida, has a proud history of hosting sensational Super Bowl match ups. Super Bowl III, in which Joe Namath and the AFL New York Jets shocked the Baltimore Colts was held in South Florida. Super Bowl XXIII, in which San Francisco quarterback, Joe Montana, connected with John Taylor for the winning, come-from-behind, last-minute touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Those kinds of moments are typical of the theme of the 2006 NFL season -- "One Game. One Dream." "One Game" is the game of football itself, and the game that each team plays each week. As the NFL playoffs beckon, it truly is one game that keeps the "Dream" alive, and there is no doubt that Super Bowl XLI will not be the exception to this rule, whether you are watching for the game or watching for the advertisements stocking up on Super Bowl supplies is a definite must to ensure an excellent time is had by all.

Holiday Party Decorations

2006-12-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

A great holiday decoration for your party table is the flower centerpiece. Centerpieces are beautiful, refreshing and often can be purchased at an inexpensive price. They also make good housewarming gifts to bring over to the friends and family if you will be attending a party soon. Flower centerpieces are also more unique gifts, so you won’t be bringing over wine like everyone else.

Flower centerpieces are available from florists too, if you feel like sending a gift to someone in another city or just at home. There is nothing like the surprise of receiving a special delivery from a loved one. Friends and family will adore this beautiful gift and it makes a great gift to give during the cold months as a way to remind everyone of the warmer months when flowers and plants are thriving.

Holiday decorations are also easy to make like this homemade flower centerpiece to give as a special gift. The materials needed are very simple; a heavy basket or vase, plastic or real flowers, and a styroform disk or ball. All of these materials can be found at the local arts and crafts store. The Styrofoam base will serve to hold the flowers together and the basket makes for a nice holding vessel. Centerpieces can be decorated with more than just flowers too.

Other holiday decorations such items as beads, glitter, plastic droplets, ribbon and paper can be used to accent purchased flower centerpieces. There isn’t a need to create traditional flower bouquets for centerpieces. Some exotic and unusual centerpieces are the best. For example tablepieces have been made that feature only the heads of flowers in a clear glass vase. Its colorful, abundant and very simple. Such a centerpiece with a decorative candle in the center of the glass vase makes for another unique accent. You can add to or take from purchased flower centerpieces as you choose in order to create some holiday cheer.

Martin Luther King Day, An Educational Holiday

2006-12-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

There are many Martin Luther King Day decorations to make this day special in remembrance of this great man. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday that was established in 1986. This holiday is held in honor each January 15th or around that time on the third Monday in January of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. King was a strong social activist who fought for equality among the races, workers rights and protested against the Vietnam War. The Reverend was assassinated in 1968 and on his death a bill was introduced in congress to make King’s birthday a national holiday. However the holiday wasn’t officially recognized until the eighties.

Many teachers look to holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an educational opportunity. This holiday offers insights into social studies, history, racial equality, and other important cultural elements for young student’s minds. As a parent you may happen to hear your child talking about the stuff the kids learned in class about Martin Luther King and Black History Month. You can take this opportunity to further enhance your kid’s educational experience by taking part in the holiday. Lots of communities organize a candlelit march in memory of the Million Man March and other social protests that King organized in his lifetime. Take your kids to one and participate in the holiday.

If it seems a little too cold out for a march or you can’t find one in the community try holding a small MLK Jr. Day party in the home. Martin Luther King Day decorations would make the event more memorable for your children. You can watch movies about the Reverend some are documentaries and there are also movies with plots. There are plenty of party supplies with Martin Luther King Jr. Day themes on them. Pick up some Martin Luther King Day decorations on paper plates, napkins, tablecloths and other paper supplies with the MLK Jr. theme and treat your kids to a snack or two and to some educational fun.

Martin Luther King Day Made Simple

2006-12-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King Day party ideas can be made simple. For example, everyone has their favorite dessert but too often people forgets about the quick and easy spreads like Strawberry Shortcake, which can help to lift the stresses of planning your New Years party. Keeping in mind that time is of the essence, finding an old time favorite that can not only entertain your guests and satisfy their taste buds but also give you a spare moment to catch your breathe will offer itself as a great option to the fast and frenzied look of the last minute chef. Following these simple instructions should leave you with some time to relax and enjoy some socialization with your friends. Now isn't that what a Martin Luther King party idea should be all about!

When gathering ingredients for your Strawberry Shortcake, remember what you will need to make this dessert as hands-free as possible. Dessert plates and disposable silverware are a must and usually are very affordable. Consider the option of having your guests prepare their own dessert so that all you need to do is display the items on a table for them to assemble. Do remember that if you have ever been at a party where you assembled your own dessert, when it came time to apply the fruit or sweet stuff that fewer reservations were taken than if the hostess had pre-made them. With that, do purchase extra ingredients so that you don’t run out. Starting from the bottom up the ingredients are as follows:

Biscuits or Angel Food Cake (sliced into stackable halves)
Fresh fruit (strawberries or cherries) or frozen strawberries or cherries (thawed)
Cool Whip

With a grocery list like this, you can’t go wrong in buying extra. This very simple dessert is not only a pleasure to eat but to make as well. I would also venture to guess that your guests most likely haven’t had this dessert for a while and will appreciate the reminder of such a simple pleasure and will be a long time before they forget this Martin Luther King Day party planning results.

Free Martin Luther King Day Decoration Ideas

2006-12-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

As the thought of a Martin Luther King Day party looms in the future, our choices for holiday decorating ideas grow shorter. There needs to be something new and fresh; something we haven't tried before. Here are the perfect solutions.

Transform inexpensive everyday items into charming containers for holiday candies. Save everyday items like jelly jars or small paint cans for this project. Or if you like you can use your imagination and go out and buy an item that wouldn't necessarily be used as a candy jar; like a glass porch globe. Allow your imagination to run wild and use paint, stamps or decorative paper to transform your container. Use etching cream on glass jars to create a frosting effect.

Decorate for your Martin Luther King Day party by creating fun hand towels to spruce up the bathroom. Use fabric paint or markers, iron on decals or ribbons and lace to create your own festive holiday scenes. Another fun holiday decorating idea is to replace everyday pictures with holiday cards or pictures. Simply save old holiday cards or pictures of family members from the previous year. Switch your everyday picture out of the frames with the new holiday ones.

Martin Luther King Day party table decorations do not have to stop with an interesting centerpiece. Create your own place mats, napkins or napkin rings. Buy plain place mats and cloth napkins. Again, use your fabric markers or paint and your decals or ribbons to create simple, fun decorations not only for parties but for everyday meal times. Improve your centerpieces by decorating plain candles. Use your imagination and search your local craft supply stores for items that will give those everyday candles a little extra kick during the holidays.

New Years Countdown

2006-12-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

The New Year's countdown has begun. Are you ready to throw a New Year's party? Do you have a theme decided on along with the supplies, decorations and party favors needed?

Did you know that the New Year's celebration is the oldest of all the holidays? It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

Did you know that not all countries celebrate New Year at the same time, nor in the same way? This is because people in different parts of the world use different calendars. Long ago, people divided time into days, months, and years. Some calendars are based on the movement of the moon; others are based on the position of the sun. Generally New Years is celebrated December 31- January 1.

As you know people stay up all night December 31 to mark the passing of the year. There are elaborate parties with music and dancing. At the stroke of midnight, confetti is tossed in the air, fire crackers explode, and people make noise and then kiss the person next to them. New Years party supplies like paper plates, napkins, and cups are a nice way to complete a New Years Party Theme.