Christmas Party Themes

Laura Childs — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:35:18 +0000

Need a theme for a Christmas party at the home or office? Here are a few ideas to get you started in planning an evening uniquely your own.

Although entertaining is always a bit of work to plan, if you toss in the flurry of extra activities at the holidays and it can take a toll on even the most organized people. You should always do some holiday party planning so that the event runs as smoothly as possible with the least amount of fuss on your part.

You want to start out by setting the date for your party as early as you can. There are a lot of parties given in December and you don’t want to get a lot of, “I’m sorry, we can’t make it” replies because someone else’s party was scheduled first.

Remember that more is not always merrier. You don’t want to invite so many people that everyone is packed in elbow to elbow. Send out invitations to those you really want to spend time with. You can send out invitations via snail mail or through email and there are even some free email invitations you can use for your party.

Walk out of your house and back in. Does it have a Christmas scent? If not, you can prepare the scents in your home before the party by using cinnamon scented pinecones or you can simmer orange peels and cinnamon in a pot on the stove. You can also sprinkle scented oil such as warm cookies in your vacuum cleaner bag. Run it over the carpet or floor and it’ll give off a nice scent.

Is your party going to be formal or casual? Will your party be for women only? Men only? Will it be a family party? You can base your theme around the tone of your party. If you’re going to have a theme party, stick with one or two colors max. There are many different themes to choose from.

Winter Wonderland

You can have a winter wonderland party by having only silver colors. From the decorations inside to the sprayed silver silk poinsettias lining the walk outside, you can make your home sparkle like a winter day. Hang hundreds of tiny white Christmas lights throughout your entertaining area. You can use white dishes to set your table with and white candy canes for seating markers.

Recipe Exchange Party

This theme party takes some of the pressure off the person hosting the party because the snacks are brought by the guests. Send out invitations and every person attending has to bring a favorite cookie recipe along with a plate of those cookies.

Kids Make It and Take It

If you have children as most of your friends do and desire to have a party where the kids can feel like a part of it, have a simple project ready for the kids to make that can be completed during the party.

Black Tie Christmas Party

You can host an elegant get together with your friends and family and give the grown ups a night out. Break out the best china. Remember that white is always elegant, so incorporate that when you’re decorating. Serve champagne and have room for slow dancing. It’ll be a night your loved ones won’t forget.

There are so many Christmas ideas for holiday party planning that you might get overwhelmed just trying to decide which one you want to choose. But just remember that you can always try out another idea the following year!

Snowmobiling

Laura Childs — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:46:15 +0000

For those of us who have grown up and lived in cold, snowy conditions we have all probably participated in the recreation of snowmobiling at one time or another. But how about taking off for a day with friends and family for a day’s ride?

There’s little else better to help you enjoy winter, than playing in the fresh powder snow, zooming circles in the open fields, and maybe hitting a good snowdrift that sends you up in the air. Snowmobiling is a very popular hobby for families as well as singles. Some models of snowmobiles now include luxuries such as hand warmers, heated seats, helmets that include heated visors for safe visibility and many other modern conveniences.

Although it can be a fantastic winter hobby, it does have elements of danger as well. All new snowmobilers should have a more experienced person teach them basic tips and safety rules before heading out for a short ride or a long one. Those tips may come in handy and even keep a person alive at some point throughout the hobbyist’s experience.

A few tips to share are, to always make sure your snowmobile is in good mechanical condition before you leave and full of gas. Carry a small toolkit including basic wrenches, spark plugs, and a flashlight and if you’re travelling alone, let somebody know the route you’re taking and estimated time of arrival and stay on the planned route. I always make sure to carry waterproof matches in case I need to build a fire for warmth, and carry a little food such as chocolate, mixed nuts, and dried fruit. A better idea and a lot more fun is to travel in groups for safety or in case of a breakdown.

Wear appropriate clothing for weather conditions and if you have room, bring along extra gear. A hat that keeps your entire head covered, warm mittens, and good warm boots are essential for cold weather survival without injury, frostbite or other fatality. Finally, it is never a good idea to snowmobile on ice without knowing its thickness. Too many snowmobilers have made this mistake and not only lost their machine at the bottom of a lake, paid enormous environmental fees, but have also paid the ultimate price – their life.

In the end, snowmobiling is a great hobby, just remember the dangers and respect other riders on the trail so all are safe and have fun.

Good Country Fun » Winter Fun