Special Touches

Why not make your party a little special?   Here’s a few easy ideas to make your celebration a memorable one!

• Think theme from beginning to end.  Carry your theme through from your invitation to your tablecloth and dishware, decorations, music, and party favor.
• Let your invitation set the tone for your party.  Will it be fancy and formal or casual and fun?
• Save the paper products for the kids.  For a formal affair, bring out your best.  For casual, use casual dishware or purchase inexpensive white or clear dishes from a store like Linens and Things or Target.  If there will be children at the party, go ahead and put paper products for the kids in a pretty basket.
• Ditto for wine glasses.  Consider purchasing an inexpensive case of wine glasses from a discount store like Target.
• Use seasonal place cards to identify the various foods you are serving as well as regular or decaf coffee and hot water.
• Display fresh flowers or floral arrangements.  If cost is prohibitive, consider purchasing various bunches of inexpensive flowers in a monochromatic theme.  Cut the stems short and place each densely packed bunch in a different vase.  Either arrange vases in a grouping or line them down the middle of the table interspersed with votive candles.
• For a buffet table, display higher/larger centerpieces.  For a sit-down dinner, smaller/lower centerpieces.
• Be creative and turn something you already own into your centerpiece.  Here’s a few to try:  fill in the base of a topiary with small ornament balls and tie a pretty bow at the base, float a single flower in a bowl with water;  fill a container with glass balls (or other ordinary objects like apples) and water;  fill a variety of glass containers with similar items – for example, one with peppermints, one with candy canes, and one with red and white square shaped mints.
• If serving a buffet, display your food at varying heights.  It can be as simple as placing a lego container upside down under your tablecloth!  Try a tiered dessert stand or cake plate for hordeurves.
• Also for a buffet, wrap each place setting in a cloth napkin and tie with a pretty ribbon.  Set out in a basket on the buffet table.
• Give your guests a fun party favor like a burned CD, a small scented candle, chocolate truffles, a gourmet hot chocolate mix, or a Christmas tree ornament for each family.  For a holiday party, consider lining your stairs with small poinsettias, and then giving them out as party favors as your guests leave.
• For a sit-down dinner, placecards and table decorations can also become party favors.   Try a picture frame with your guest’s name in it, an ornament with their name on it tied to a napkin with a pretty ribbon, a wrapped gift centered on their dinner plate, or a glass candy cane hanging from their wine glass.
• Purchase personalized paper napkins with your family’s initial. Set them out in your powder room for guest hand towels.
• If you don’t want to be left with leftovers, purchase some type of disposable containers like Gladware and send your guests home with your extras.
• If you’re having a breakfast or brunch, purchase disposable coffee cups with lids and as your guests leave, offer them a cup of coffee for the road.
• If you’re having a cocktail party, set out a large tub of bottled waters for your guests to take with them as they leave.  You can decorate the bottles with a silver covered wire with stars on it- available at any party store.

Do you have an idea for making a party special?  I’d love to hear!

You may also enjoy:

• Final Party Checklist
• Perfect Party Quantities
• Burn Your Own CDs
• Host a Fabulous Valentine’s Day Cocktail Party

Tags: how to make your party special, planning for a party, party preparations, making a party special, unique ideas for parties, terrific ideas for parties, adding special touches to parties

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